Andrew Painter, SP, Phillies
Andrew Painter looked good again on Monday against the Cardinals, allowing two runs on two hits and three walks with six strikeouts over 5.1 innings. He started to unravel at the end, but actually took a no-hitter through 5.1 innings before giving up a walk and a couple of hits. He's looked much better since rejoining the major league rotation on July 31st, allowing five runs across 15.1 innings with 16 strikeouts. This isn't just random improvement, either, as he made clear changes to his repertoire during his time in the minors. The biggest change to note is that he replaced his splitter with a changeup and is throwing it a whole lot more often. His fastball has been very hittable this season, so Painter is now offsetting that by throwing the rest of his pitches more. The youngster actually threw more changeups than fastballs on Monday, and a couple of starts ago, his sweeper led the way, which is another pitch he's utilizing much more in this new stint. The rookie has shown enough promise with his new arsenal to be worth adding once again in any leagues that aren't very shallow.
Dean Kremer, SP, Twins
Dean Kremer was excellent on Monday against his former team, allowing just one run on one hit and one walk with seven strikeouts over seven innings. This was his second good outing in a row since the Orioles dealt him at the trade deadline, as he tossed five one-run innings against the Royals in his first start for the Twins. The righty was going through a bad stretch during his final days in Baltimore, as he allowed 14 runs over his last two starts with the club. Maybe a change of scenery is what he needed, as he only made seven starts for the Orioles this season, as he was always the odd man out of the rotation until an injury occurred. He's good at avoiding hard contact with a 34.5% hard-hit rate, but a 36.1% groundball rate still gets him into trouble, especially since he only punches batters out at a rate of 23.3%. We've seen enough of Kremer to know that he doesn't have the stuff to blow guys away and have any real upside for fantasy, but he has shown solid stretches of his career where he can be a reliable innings-eater for deeper leagues. If you do play in deeper leagues, he could be worth streaming in the right matchups now that he seems comfortable in his new home.
Cam Smith, OF, Astros
Cam Smith had a great day at the plate on Monday, going 3-for-4 with a home run, two runs, and two RBI. He's been on a tear as of late, with a two-homer game just a couple of days ago and four multi-hit performances over the past week. For the year, the youngster is slashing .226/.298/.400 with 51 runs, 16 home runs, 44 RBI, and 10 stolen bases in 117 games. While the slash line isn't good, his underlying metrics are better, with a .436 xSLG that is significantly better than his actual mark. He possesses tons of potential with a 77.6 mph bat speed that ranks in the 99th percentile, but has yet to turn that into great production at the major league level. He also has a 29.2 mph sprint speed that ranks in the 93rd percentile, displaying an enticing power and speed combo that most players don't have. This season won't end up being the breakout that many hoped for, but at just 23 years old, he'll continue to be a trendy sleeper pick moving forward.
Zack Gelof, 2B/3B/OF, Athletics
Zack Gelof returned from the injured list on Monday after being sidelined since July 9th with a knee injury, and promptly went 2-for-4 with a home run, a double, two runs, and two RBI. It raises his slash line to .277/.329/.494 on the season with 12 home runs and eight steals in 68 games, as he was enjoying a breakout season before the injury. The biggest improvement for the youngster has been in his strikeout rate, which he's reduced to 25.1%. While that's still a high number, it's much better than the ridiculously high 45.5% in 30 games last season and the 34.4% he posted in a full season in 2024. It's been three years since he flashed his upside with a 14-homer and 14-steal performance with a .267 average in 69 games in 2023, but he's finally looking like that player again.
Jac Caglianone, 1B/OF, Royals
Jac Caglianone went 2-for-4 with a home run, a run, and three RBI on Monday against the Dodgers. He's getting hot again, as he recently went 4-for-4 with two home runs and two doubles in one game, marking his fourth multi-homer game of the season. The youngster is now slashing .266/.319/.487 with 52 runs, 21 home runs, and 52 RBI on the year. His underlying metrics look even better, with a .510 xSLG that ranks in the 94th percentile, powered by an elite 55.3% hard-hit rate and 14.5% barrel rate. He's shaping up to be one of the best young sluggers in the sport, with true 40-homer upside as he continues to learn how to best turn his raw power into in-game long balls.
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