Sandy Alcantara, SP, MIA
Alcantara was roughed up by the Dodgers again on Monday. Giving up five runs on six hits, one walk, and four Ks across 5.0 innings of work. The start came on the heels of a disastrous outing in LA six days ago (7ER, 2.2IP). The 2022 NL Cy Young winner has not worked his way back into form after missing the entirety of the 2024 season due to Tommy John surgery. With career-worst marks in K-rate (6.68 K/9) and walk-rate (5.23 BB/9), Alcantara owns a hideous 8.42 ERA and 4.62 xFIP through 31.0 innings this season. The only positives that we can take from his performance so far are that his average fastball velocity is right around where it was pre-injury, and his 53.6% GB% is a career-high. Other than that, it's been abysmal. Alcantara's 6.37 xERA ranks in the 7th percentile, while his 91.0 average Exit Velo and 46.4% HardHit% rank in the 18th and 20th, respectively. It's not surprising that the 29-year-old needs time to get back up to speed, but how disappointing the early results are is unfortunate.
Shohei Ohtani, DH, LAD
Ohtani went 1 for 4 with a two-run shot, a steal, and a walk on Monday. The homer was a line-drive shot that came off the bat at 117.9 MPH, Ohtani's hardest hit and the league's 3rd hardest of the season. Unsurprisingly, Ohtani is ripping the cover off of the ball. His 65.9% HardHit% and 96.3% average Exit Velocity are both top of the league. The only complaint owners can have thus far is the lack of run production. He has scored 37 runs but has just 13 RBI, with nine coming from plating himself with round-trippers.
Dansby Swanson, SS, CHC
Swanson continued his climb out of an early season rut with a 3 for 4 night against the Giants on Monday. He hit two doubles, drove in two, and extended his hitting streak to seven games. He is now up to .232 with seven homers and 20 RBI for the season. The 31-year-old's average was down to .181 before the seven-game streak. Swanson has been extremely aggressive in the early stages of the 2025 campaign. His 32.0% Whiff% and 28.8% K% are career highs and rank in the 12th and 11th percentile, respectively. Swanson has never been a high-average guy; his value comes from his decent blend of power and speed, which he has still displayed this season with seven homers and four stolen bases.
Cole Ragans, SP, KCR
Ragans didn't allow a run and racked up 11 Ks across 5.0 strong against the hapless White Sox. After surrendering nine runs in 7.0 innings across his last two starts, the southpaw desperately needed a team like the Sox to come to town. Ragans' 34.4% Whiff% (93rd percentile) and 35.9% K% (96th) have been excellent, but he's been barreled up a bit (8.3%) and suffered from some poor luck. His current 3.79 ERA isn't terrible, but it's far from his 2.45 xERA and 2.24 xFIP.
AJ Smith-Shawver, SP, ATL
Smith-Shawver hurled 8.0 innings of one-hit ball against the Reds on Monday. He allowed four walks and fanned five in the fantastic outing. The 22-year-old entered the contest with a 6.53 xERA and .316 xBA, ranking in the 6th and 5th percentile, respectively. Those numbers will drastically improve after he took full advantage of the soft opponent on Monday. With a 30.2% Whiff% and 31.2% Chase% this season, Smith-Sharver's stuff will play, but his hefty 4.33 BB/9 remains an issue.
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