Zach Neto, SS, Angels
Zach Neto had a monster day at the plate on Monday against the Dodgers, going 3 for 3 with two solo home runs and two walks. He's now up to three homers in his past four games, and he's slashing .272/.329/.481 with 19 home runs, 72 runs, 48 RBI, and 21 stolen bases in 100 games this season. Despite a subpar 26% strikeout rate and 5.6% walk rate, he manages to impact the ball very well when he does make contact. His .496 xSLG ranks in the 80th percentile, and he also has posted a solid 47% hard hit rate and a 38.9% sweet spot rate that ranks in the 87th percentile. While his pace has slowed down over the past month, he's still been an elite power and speed threat on the season as a whole and is a top-10 shortstop for the rest of the season.
Cristian Javier, SP, Astros
Cristian Javier was solid in his season debut on Monday, allowing two runs on three hits and two walks with five strikeouts over five innings against the Red Sox. This was his first start since undergoing Tommy John surgery last season, so it was good to see him back on the mound. While it may take him a few starts to shake the rust off, and he did suffer a down year in 2023 and a short part of 2024 before the injury, it's important to remember just how dominant he was in the early part of his career. He made 30 starts in 2022, posting a 2.54 ERA and 0.95 WHIP with 194 strikeouts in 148.2 innings. While it's not smart to expect him to return to that type of performance, the pedigree still makes him a high-priority add in most fantasy leagues. It can be extremely tough to find great pitching on the waiver wire, and he could be a potential difference-maker down the stretch if he turns back the clock.
Tyler Locklear, 1B, Diamondbacks
Tyler Locklear went 2 for 4 with a solo home run on Monday against the Rangers.
This was his second home run in 10 games since being traded to the Diamondbacks and being called up to the major leagues. He's batting just .194 so far, but the power remains enticing, and he also has picked up one stolen base. His minor league season showcases the potential that the youngster has, as he slashed .316/.401/.542 with 19 home runs and 18 stolen bases in 98 games in Triple-A this year. That type of profile isn't so different than the player the Diamondbacks just traded away, Josh Naylor. Locklear will definitely need time to fully figure things out at the major league level, but he's someone to watch in deeper leagues and could be a trendy sleeper pick in 2026.
Jose Quintana, SP, Brewers
Jose Quintana was solid again on Monday, allowing one run on three hits and one walk with three strikeouts over six innings against the Pirates in a 7-1 victory. It was his 10th win and sixth quality start of the season. This was his fourth consecutive start of allowing three earned runs or less, and his ERA now sits at a solid 3.44 for the season. His 16.6% strikeout rate (13th percentile), 17.4% whiff rate (4th percentile), and 43.3% hard-hit rate (34th percentile) paint the picture of someone who is not very good, but the veteran continues to just go out there and keep runs off the board effectively. His underlying metrics correctly show he doesn't have much upside past this, so it's still safest to view him as a streaming option and to hold him out of your lineups against tough offenses.
Roman Anthony, OF, Red Sox
Roman Anthony went 2 for 5 with a home run, two runs, and two RBI in Monday's 7-6 loss to the Astros. This was only his third home run in 51 games, but he's slashing an excellent .283/.394/.433. His underlying metrics look just as good, with a 56.9% hard hit rate, 94.1 mph average exit velocity, 19.1% chase rate, and 13.5% walk rate that would all rank in the top 10 percent of the league or better if he had enough plate appearances to qualify. The future looks bright for the rookie, and it's only a matter of time before his balls in play start flying over the fences. I expect a huge final month and a half for the 21-year-old, who will be a hot commodity in drafts for 2026.
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