Kyle Schwarber, OF, Phillies
Kyle Schwarber had a great day at the plate on Monday, going 3 for 5 with two home runs and six RBI in a 13-3 rout against the Orioles. These two homers brought his season total up to 40 to go along with a .258/.382/.593 slash line. He remains one of the most elite sluggers in the sport, with his .624 xSLG, 94.9 mph average exit velocity, and 60.9% hard-hit rate all ranking in the 99th percentile or better. Even his 15 percent walk rate ranks in the 96th percentile, making him an on-base machine even when he doesn't hit the ball out of the yard. This marks the third time in his career, and the third time since 2022, that he has topped 40 home runs in a season. With still two months left to go, he's on pace to blow past his 47-homer career-high and could flirt with 50 long balls.
Quinn Priester, SP, Brewers
Quinn Priester was excellent again on Monday, allowing one run on two hits and two walks with four strikeouts over seven innings. This marks his fifth straight start of surrendering two runs or less, and it dropped his ERA to 3.15. He is one of the most prominent ground ball pitchers in baseball, keeping the ball on the ground at a rate of 57.4% which ranks in the 96th percentile. While his strikeout numbers on the season don't look all too impressive with 93 in 114.1 innings, he has shown flashes of greatness in that department, too. He has two double-digit strikeout performances on the season, which not many pitchers can say they've accomplished, as he struck out 10 on July 18 against the Dodgers and 11 against the Rockies on June 28. Priester has been a pleasant surprise this season and has earned his place as a must-roster starting pitcher.
Giancarlo Stanton, DH, Yankees
Giancarlo Stanton blasted a two-run home run and walked twice in an 8-5 loss to the Rangers on Monday. This was his 10th home run of the season, and he's now slashing .270/.343/.532 in 36 games since making his season debut on June 16. Despite constantly battling injuries, he's showing that he's still an elite hitter when healthy. His 94.3 mph average exit velocity and 53.8% hard-hit rate rank among the best in the league, although it is a much smaller sample size. However, he doesn't have to prove that he has monstrous power at this point in his career. What's more impressive is his .270 batting average, although his .231 xBA suggests that there is some good luck involved. He'll be bound to enter a cold streak eventually, but he's a must-start hitter until he cools off.
Randy Rodriguez, RP, Giants
Randy Rodriguez blew the save and received the loss in Monday's 5-4 loss to the Pirates. He entered the game with two outs in the eighth inning, and escaped that inning just fine before blowing it in the ninth. A walk, a hit batter, a single, and a fielder's choice ultimately plated two runs to win the game in walk-off fashion for the Pirates. This definitely isn't what Rodriguez, the Giants, or his fantasy owners want to see after he just stepped into the closer's role after Camilo Doval was dealt to the Yankees at the trade deadline. He entered the day as one of the most dominant relievers in all of baseball, with a 1.17 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, and 63 strikeouts compared to 10 walks in 46 innings. That should be a good enough resume to secure his spot as the closer, even with this rough outing, but Ryan Walker is waiting in the wings as another viable option to finish games.
JoJo Romero, RP, Cardinals
JoJo Romero picked up his second save of the season and second since the trade deadline on Monday in a 3-2 win against the Dodgers. He pitched a scoreless ninth inning, allowing one hit and one walk while striking out one. He's received both save chances since Ryan Helsley was traded to the Mets at the deadline, so the murky closing situation in St. Louis may be getting clearer. Romero has been excellent in 2025 and would be deserving of the role, as he entered the day with a 2.21 ERA and 1.23 WHIP with 35 strikeouts in 36.2 innings on the season. His .205 xBA ranks in the 93rd percentile and his 58% ground ball rate ranks in the 96th percentile, making him extremely tough to make hard contact against. He's worth an add in any leagues where saves are tough to find on the waiver wire.
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