Rafael Devers, 3B, Giants
Rafael Devers went 2 for 5 with a double and an RBI on Tuesday in his debut for the Giants. He hit in the third spot in the lineup as the designated hitter. While a large part of his trade seemed to stem from the fact that he refused to play first base for the Red Sox, he ironically is completely fine to learn first base for the Giants. He's expected to split time between first base and designated hitter, as Matt Chapman is the current long-term third baseman for San Francisco. While it may seem like a park downgrade, San Francisco and Boston are pretty similar venues for left-handed hitters, so Devers shouldn't see a decline in production. He's slashing .274/.401/.505 with 15 home runs, 47 runs, and 59 RBI so far this year.
Jack Leiter, SP, Rangers
Jack Leiter got lit up on Tuesday, allowing six runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out four in 5.2 innings against the Royals. This performance especially hurt, considering the Royals have been one of the least productive offenses this season. This was already the second start where Leiter has allowed six runs this season, and four of his outings have resulted in at least four runs. He has an excellent 89th percentile 97 mph average fastball velocity, but that's about the only positive thing going for him at the moment. His 11.5% walk rate ranks in the bottom ten percent of the league, and his 10.8% barrel rate, 22.3% whiff rate, and 90.4 mph average exit velocity are nothing to be excited about either. He'll have to figure something out if he wants to remain in the rotation and be a successful major league starting pitcher.
Michael Soroka, SP, Nationals
Michael Soroka was handed a loss despite pitching a quality start on Tuesday against the Rockies. He allowed three runs on five hits and two walks while striking out nine over six innings. He induced 15 whiffs on the night, with 12 coming on his slurve. He threw the pitch 46 times and posted a 60% whiff rate and 46% CSW% with it. Soroka has been great at barrels this season, with an 87th-percentile barrel rate of 5.0%, helped by his excellent 49.6% ground ball rate. While his strikeout rate has been middle of the pack, he benefits from an above-average 5.7% walk rate. It may be best to avoid Soroka against tough matchups, but he's proven himself to be a useful streamer against bad offenses at the very least.
Trea Turner, SS, Phillies
Trea Turner went 2 for 4 with a solo home run on Tuesday against the Marlins. The shortstop has been on fire as of late, as this is his third straight multi-hit game and his second straight game with a home run. He's slashing .308/.366/.466 with nine home runs, 51 runs, 34 RBI, and 19 stolen bases in what is quickly becoming the best season he's had in a Phillies uniform. The stolen bases especially stand out, as he's already matched the 19 bases he stole in 2024 in 50 fewer games. It's good to see the speedster finally put his 99th percentile sprint speed to good use once again. The combination of power and speed, along with the opportunity for plenty of counting stats towards the top of Philadelphia's lineup, is making Turner look like a steal at his third-round ADP.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 1B, Blue Jays
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went 3 for 4 with a home run, a double, one run scored, and three RBI on Tuesday. It was his first home run since May 29. The slugger has fallen back into the same struggles he's dealt with throughout most of his career, hitting the ball hard but on the ground. He has a .321 expected batting average, which is one of the highest in the entire league, to go along with a 54.1% hard-hit rate (95th percentile) and a 93.4 mph average exit velocity (94th percentile). He also features great plate discipline, with a 13.9% strikeout rate and 12.9% walk rate. Despite all that, his 47.3% ground ball rate severely limits his power potential, which is why he has only nine so far on the season. If he can start lifting the ball a little more, he has the potential to be a top-five fantasy hitter.
This is just a small sample our daily analysis, join our member area for tools that will help you win your fantasy championship. Click here for details: http://www.insiderbaseball.com/baseballsample.htm Click here to register: http://www.fantistics.com/salesbaseball.php3
