Eugenio Suarez, 3B, ARI
Suarez cracked two more HR's against the Cardinals on Sunday, giving him back-to-back multi HR games and 3 such games in his last 5 contests. Since the start of June, Suarez has taken his game to the next level, hitting 20 HR's across 40 games during that time. The interesting thing is that during that time, his EV is at 91.4, which is above average but nothing spectacular. He's striking out at a whopping 30.9% clip, but he has made the most of whatever contact he is making. His 53.1% FB% and 58.2% Pull% during that time have helped support his power outburst, although a 34.6% HR/FB is likely not sustainable. His .516 xSLG entering Sunday was a bit lower than his actual .585 mark, but it would still be good enough to keep him locked into your fantasy lineup. Suarez may get traded before the trade deadline, but in most scenarios it shouldn't have a major effect on his fantasy value.
MacKenzie Gore, SP, WAS
Gore was hammered for 8 ER's on 8 hits and 3 BB's in 2.1 IP against the Padres on Sunday, while striking out 2 in the contest. This has looked to be shaping up as a career year for Gore who held a 2.89 ERA and 1.15 WHIP as recently as June 15, but over his last 5 starts, he has recorded a 6.04 ERA and 1.70 WHIP along with a subpar 21:15 K:BB. We have seen flashes of brilliance from Gore in the past but there inevitably have always been stumbles which have led to less than stellar final year numbers, and Gore owners have to wonder if we're going down that same path. In his career, Gore has a 10.61 K/9 in the first half compared to 8.48 in the second half, and if that trend continues, we could see his numbers continue to fall. It's important to note though that Gore's first half numbers this season were better than ever before, so perhaps there's reason for optimism that his second half will be stronger as well.
George Springer, OF, TOR
Springer had another productive day against the Giants on Sunday, going 2-4 with a HR, a double, and 2 runs scored. The 35 year old continues to have a bounce back season as his .872 OPS would be his highest mark since 2021 and nearly 200 points higher than last year's mark. With 17 HR's on the season, he's on pace to blow past his totals from the past two seasons (19 HR's last year and 21 HR's in 2023) and perhaps surpass the 25-HR mark for the first time since 2019. The advanced metrics support Springer's resurgence as his 44.8% HardHit% would be a career high and is a huge improvement over recent seasons, while his .284 xBA and .553 SLG are both higher than his actual marks. Seeing as he also continues to steal bases this season, Springer should remain in fantasy lineups until further notice.
Robbie Ray, SP, SF
Ray struggled against the Blue Jays on Sunday, allowing 5 ER's on 5 hits and 5 BB's in 4.1 IP while striking out 3. Ray has mostly been excellent this season, posting a 2.92 ERA and 1.13 WHIP across 21 starts, but his BB/9 is now up to 3.58 and this has been an issue for him for much of his career. His 9.56 K/9 is strong, but it's a step back from the 11.51 K/9 that he compiled from 2016-2024. Ray has benefited from some good fortune this season with a .247 BABIP (career .296) and 10.4% HR/FB (career 14.9%). Overall, his 3.92 xFIP is solid, but it also suggests that he's likely to see some regression in the second half.
Trevor Rogers, SP, BAL
It was another strong outing for Rogers against the Rays on Sunday, as he allowed 2 ER's on 5 hits and 2 BB's across 6 IP while striking out 3. Rogers has been a huge surprise for the Orioles since joining the rotation in late May, recording a 1.74 ERA across 7 starts this season and allowing more than 2 ER's in just one of those starts. Rogers is bound to see some regression at some point as his xFIP is at 3.75 and his .200 BABIP and 5.1% HR/FB are unsustainable. This is not the same pitcher who posted a 10.62 K/9 as a rookie in 2021, in fact, his current strikeout rate is exactly three notches behind that at 7.62. However, he has been getting ground balls at an excellent 50.9% clip, and is at least a usable fantasy option at this point.
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