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BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues
OWNED IN: 54% of Yahoo! Leagues
ANALYSIS: Yonder Alonso picked up right where he left off after he missed a few games, first with a knee injury and then after being hit by a pitch on the wrist. Alonso has hit .353/.421/.647 over his last five games, with one home run and one steal. While the steal is unexpected, the home run is not, now that Alonso has made the famous “launch angle” adjustment to his swing. Alonso has a 52% fly-ball rate this year, up from 33% last season. He also has a blisteringly high 26.4% HR/FB ratio, up slightly from the 5.1% he put up in 2016. Those numbers, coupled with his career high 41.2% hard-hit rate, have led to a power surge that no one could have anticipated. Alonso now has 14 home runs in 159 PA’s. His previous career high was nine back in 2012, a season in which he had 619 PA’s. The 30-year-old first baseman has a chance to hit 30 home runs this season and seems a virtual lock for 25, assuming he stays healthy. His .285 batting average is supported by a .284 BABIP, making it likely that Alonso will finish the year with a batting average in the .280’s with 25 home runs and 90 RBI. That all but assures he will be a valuable fantasy asset in 12-team formats and beyond, with 10-team leagues taking note as well.
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