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Lauren (@philaurdelphia) takes a deeper look at five surging hitters and determines whether their success can be sustained and help you down the stretch.
The 2023 MLB season is coming down to the wire as September is just over a week away. The playoff races are heating up, and several players are looking to end their seasons on a high note, whether their team is in contention or not. The players listed below have had strong offensive showings in the second half, and even better production in August for their respective clubs.
Is it sustainable? That's what I am here to figure out. Nolan Jones and Ezequiel Tovar have had solid seasons at the plate for Colorado, but is it simply the magic of Coors Field, or are they the real deal? Max Kepler has managed to stay mostly healthy for the Twins and found some consistency, and rookie Matt Wallner has impressed since being recalled from the minor leagues. Meanwhile, Stone Garrett is yet another National to be having a quietly great year with Washington, and Tommy Pham has bounced back offensively between two teams this year.
The good news is that all of these players are under 45% rostered in Yahoo! fantasy leagues and can help your team right now. Although the season is quickly dwindling down, it's not too late to make a push to win your league, and these guys can help you in that pursuit. So don't waste any more time and pick them up while you still can and they're still hot!
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Nolan Jones, OF, Colorado Rockies
35% rostered
The Colorado Rockies' 2023 season hasn't gone exactly as planned. They have the worst record in the National League and traded away two staples in their lineup at the deadline – C.J. Cron and Randal Grichuk – to another team that's quickly faltering, the Los Angeles Angels. Since the All-Star break, Colorado hasn't fared much better, playing to a 14-20 record. Luckily, it hasn't been all doom and gloom for the Rockies' lineup, though.
Nolan Jones has proved to be a reliable offensive force. Through 19 games in August, the 25-year-old has belted three homers, driven in 14 runs, walked 10 times, and smacked six doubles and a triple. In 32 post-All-Star break games, he's slugged .527 and posted a .868 OPS. The former second-round draft pick has made consistent, hard contact throughout the year, ranking in the 97th percentile in Max Exit Velocity, per Statcast.
After acquiring him from Cleveland in the offseason, Jones figures to be a source of power Colorado would like to keep in their lineup for years to come, especially with injury-prone Kris Bryant not meeting expectations since inking a deal with the Rox. Given the fact his home stadium is Coors Field and he likes to hit tanks, the Pennsylvania native should be good for some dingers down the stretch, making him a solid fantasy add.
Ezequiel Tovar, 2B, Colorado Rockies
45% rostered
Along with Jones, Ezequiel Tovar has supplied Colorado's lineup with some pop, in spite of their dismal record. The 22-year-old made his debut in September of last year, thus keeping his rookie status intact for the 2023 campaign. In August, Tovar hit four home runs along with four doubles and 10 RBI, all culminating in a .830 OPS in 19 games.
Although Tovar doesn't make hard contact quite like his teammate Jones does, he's still batted .257 and reached base at a .300 clip since the All-Star break, which isn't too far off from his totals on the year (.259/.297/.430.) His K% is a bit concerning, going down on strikes 126 times in 469 plate appearances– placing him in the 22nd percentile. He also doesn't make up for it in walks, drawing just 21 free passes this season. Still, he's slashed .310/.394/.552 with a pair of home runs and five RBI in his last seven games, so if you're going to take the chance on Tovar, it may be wise to do so now.
Max Kepler, OF, Minnesota Twins
20% rostered
Max Kepler's career with the Twins has been a bit of whirlwind. He's shown flashes of greatness for Minnesota at times, but has also spent a hefty amount of time on the injured list. Fortunately, he's been able to stay healthy for most of the summer and has been fairly productive in the Twins' pursuit of an AL Central crown as a result. The 30-year-old boasts a .919 OPS with five home runs and nine RBI across 17 games in August.
He's been impressive at the plate overall since the All-Star break, slashing .297/.344/.576 and totaling eight homers and 18 RBI. Kepler's been making solid contact as well, 83rd percentile or higher in Barrel%, xSLG, and average exit velocity. Having the Germany native be a regular in their lineup has been a positive development for Minnesota, especially since guys like Joey Gallo and Carlos Correa are having down years. Should he stay hot down the stretch, Minnesota should have no problem capturing a division title.
Matt Wallner, OF, Minnesota Twins
6% rostered
Another pleasant surprise in Minnesota's lineup has been that of Matt Wallner. The 25-year-old made his MLB debut in September of last year but began the 2023 season in the minors. The Twins recalled Wallner on May 23, optioned him a week later, and then finally recalled him again on July 15, not looking back since.
Sure, it's been a bit of a mixed bag for the Southern Mississippi product, but he's shown enough promise at the big-league level that Minnesota felt comfortable keeping him in their lineup down the stretch. He's yielded mostly positive results – particularly against righties – with a .947 OPS, eight home runs, and 20 RBI against RHP in 37 games overall.
Wallner also boasts a 1.062 OPS at Target Field, with six of his nine home runs this season coming at home. As the Twins close out a two-game series with the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday, they'll return home on Thursday to face the Texas Rangers. Due to Wallner's stellar numbers in the Twin Cities, it may be a galaxy brain move to add him ahead of their seven-game home stand against the Rangers and Guardians, which wraps up on August 30.
Stone Garrett, OF, Washington Nationals
25% rostered
Despite being in last place in the NL East, dare I say, the Washington Nationals aren't actually...that bad? Yes, they're 10 games under the .500 mark, but their offense has shown flashes of resiliency. In addition to guys like CJ Abrams and Lane Thomas, Stone Garrett has had a solid year at the plate for Washington as well.
The 27-year-old has slashed .272/.343/.461 in 88 games for the Nats this year and has batted a cool .346 and slugged .731 in his last seven games with nine hits – including two home runs – and seven RBI.
Originally drafted by the Miami Marlins, the former eighth-round selection made his debut in August of 2022 for the Arizona Diamondbacks and was signed as a free agent by the Nationals in the offseason. He quickly surpassed his 2022 offensive totals and has appeared in 88 games for Washington this year, ranking in the 90th percentile in hard hit %. Beware, he does have a tendency to strike out, K'ing 82 times in 268 plate appearances, and walking just 25 times.
That being said, Garrett is on a bit of tear for the Nationals right now, and as they opened a three-game set with the struggling New York Yankees on Tuesday, he could be worth an add. Not to mention, his away numbers are better than those at home – with a .889 OPS on the road this season.
Tommy Pham, OF, Arizona Diamondbacks
29% rostered
While Tommy Pham has made headlines around MLB due to his somewhat hot-headed nature, he's had a bit of an offensive resurgence this season, which made him an attractive name at the trade deadline. Amid the Mets fire sale, Pham was dealt to the Arizona Diamondbacks, and has since picked up right where he left off in New York.
In his last seven games, the veteran outfielder has batted .290 and slugged .645 with ten hits, a couple of home runs and 11 RBI. Across 95 games with both New York and Arizona, the Vegas native has a .814 OPS and ranks in the 94th percentile in xBA and 93rd in xwOBA. He's also connecting on hard hits, placing him in the 95th percentile in average exit velocity. He's also picked up four stolen bases in 17 games with the D-backs.
The 35-year-old secured a walk-off win for his new team on August 21 and extended a hitting streak to 13 games on August 22. Pham has been fairly consistent all year long and is still under 29% rostered in Yahoo! fantasy leagues.
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