Tyler Wells, SP, BAL
Wells had another strong outing against the Blue Jays on Thursday allowing 2 ER's on 5 hits and 1 BB in 6.2 IP while striking out 8. This marks the 4th straight outing in which Wells has allowed 2 ER's or less, and it's the 6th time in 7 starts that he has struck out at least 7 batters. His season ERA is down to 3.20 and his K/9 is now north of 9.00. There are still signs that Wells has benefited from good fortune, as his xFIP is at 4.07, and he currently holds an 86.4% LOB% and .191 BABIP. He has allowed fly balls at a 51.8% clip making him susceptible to the long ball; in fact both runs he gave up on Thursday came on solo shots. Still, his strong 82:16 K:BB through 81.2 IP and his ability to rack up wins on a winning Orioles team make him a valid fantasy option right now.
Aaron Nola, SP, PHI
Nola had mixed results against the Diamondbacks on Thursday, allowing 4 ER's in 6.2 IP, but also striking out 9 and walking just 1. It has been a frustrating season for Nola to say the least, as he has compiled an ugly 4.66 ERA across 15 starts and his 8.84 K/9 would be his worst mark since 2015. There are indications that he's going in the right direction though. Over his past 6 starts, Nola has posted a 4.85 ERA, but that has come with a 1.08 WHIP and an excellent 50:12 K:BB across 39 IP along with an xFIP in the low 3.00's. He has been bitten by a 59.5% LOB% during that stretch, and that number is at 61.9% for the season. He's due to see better results going forward, and could make for a good buy-low candidate.
Mike Trout, OF, LAA
Trout went 0-4 against the Rangers on Thursday as he continues to battle through one of the deepest slumps of his career. Over his past 40 games, Trout is hitting an awful .197 with a SLG of .354. During that stretch, he has a 28.7% K% although his 91.6 EV isn't bad. It's been even worse recently, with Trout hitting just .111 (5-45) in the month of June, with just one XBH (a HR) in that span. We would have to think that he'll turn things around eventually and his xBA and xSLG are a bit better than his actual marks, but it's very possible that Trout is moving into the decline phase of his career.
Spencer Torkelson, OF, DET
Torkelson had a productive day against the Twins on Thursday going 2-5 with a double, 2 runs scored, and 2 RBI. He has had an excellent week, going 10-28 (.357) with 2 HR's, 3 doubles, 7 runs scored, and 6 RBI over his past 7 games, and he has posted an EV of 95.2 during that stretch. While his overall numbers this season are still poor, he has made several improvements since last season, including a drop in K% from 24.5% to 22.2% and an increase in HardHit% from 41.4% to 49.7%. His .261 xBA and .437 xSLG dwarf his actual marks and indicate that better times are in store for the 23-year-old.
Ian Happ, OF, CHC
Happ had a big day at the plate on Thursday, going 3-5 with a double, a triple, 2 runs scored and 2 RBI against the Pirates. After an extended slump, Happ's bat has finally woken up over the past 3 games in which he's gone 5-12 with a HR and 8 RBI. In the 26 games prior to this stretch, he hit .180 with 4 runs scored, 5 RBI, and a 29.6% K%. Happ has had hot streaks before in his career, and perhaps this will be another one. But keep in mind that he has only hit 20 HR's once since 2017, and he has never reached 75 runs or RBI, nor has he ever stolen 10 bases. His BA has never been above .271 in a single season. So he could be a good short term option, but don't expect him to put up a season's worth of fantasy worthy numbers.
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