Ryan Weathers, SP, Marlins
Ryan Weathers made his first start of the season after being activated off the injured list, allowing one run on two hits and one walk with five strikeouts over five innings. This was a great start in his first taste of action, considering he was a very popular breakout pick in draft season before suffering his forearm strain right before the season. He was dominating in spring training due to increased velocity, and he carried that into this start with a 99 mph max velocity on his fastball. He has real breakout potential with his gain in velocity, and should be added in any leagues where more than 60 pitchers are rostered. He faced a tough Cubs lineup and was on a pitch count, so I expect even better things from him moving forward.
Rhys Hoskins, 1B, Brewers
Rhys Hoskins had a great day at the plate, going 4 for 4 with a home run, a double, a walk, two runs, and five RBI. It's been a nice rebound season for the veteran, as he is now slashing .292/.396/.462 with five home runs, 12 runs, and 24 RBI. He's walked at an excellent 13.6% rate, which ranks in the 86th percentile. His most notable improvement has come with his launch angle sweet spot rate, which sits at 44.7% (98th percentile) compared to just 29.7% (8th percentile) last season. He makes for a solid corner infield option in roto leagues, but could be worth adding in shallower leagues if he keeps this up.
Aaron Nola, SP, Phillies
Aaron Nola got lit up on Wednesday, allowing nine runs on nine hits and a walk over 3.2 innings against the Cardinals in game two of a doubleheader. He struck out two. This was his third start of the season already in which he's allowed five or more runs, and his ERA is now an inflated 6.16. Even before this start, he had a 9.4% barrel rate, which ranked in the 37th percentile, and this start will only have made it worse. Nola is known as an innings eater but has been inconsistent with his results over the past few years, as he goes on stretches like this, but also looks like an ace at other times. The usual rule of thumb is just to stick with him and you'll be happy with his end-of-year results, but he's pushing that mindset to new extremes so far this year.
Kyle Stowers, OF, Marlins
Kyle Stowers continued his monster start to the season, hitting two more home runs and a triple on Wednesday. He's now slashing .300/.375/.571 with 10 home runs, 22 runs, and 29 RBI. His underlying metrics back up the performance, with a 20.7% barrel rate, .285 xBA, and .536 xSLG. This could just be a hot streak, though, and his 29.9% strikeout rate suggests a big step back could be coming soon. Still, he's worth an add to just ride out the hot streak, and he could still be fantasy relevant for the rest of the season, just not as one of the best hitters in baseball.
Eugenio Suarez, 3B, Diamondbacks
Eugenio Suarez went 2 for 3 with a three-run home run on Wednesday. It was his 13th home run of the year and his 12th single, which tells you all you need to know about his profile. He is batting just .210 with a 25.4% strikeout rate, but he hits the ball far when he does make contact. His 57.4% hard-hit rate ranks in the 96th percentile, along with a 17.6% barrel rate (95th), 93 mph average exit velocity (91st), and .547 xSLG (91st). His home run output alone makes him a solid starting third baseman for fantasy.
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