With just a few weeks before the MLB All-Star break, it’s now time to fortify that roster for the remainder of the first half. But which hitters are trending upwards right now in fantasy baseball? Let’s take a look at five hitters that are worth a look.
Related: Who won the 2023 Golden Spikes Award?
Yainer Diaz
Astros catcher Yainer Diaz has benefited greatly since Yordan Alvarez hit the IL. Over his last six games, the 24-year-old hit .346 with two home runs and five RBI, and added some punch to an Astros lineup that’s still quite formidable without Alvarez.
Diaz has split his time between catcher and the DH slot this season. Martin Maldonado is still the regular catcher in Houston thanks to his defensive and receiving prowess, but expect Diaz to continue to be in the Astros lineup as a regular — especially with Alvarez still out.
Eduardo Escobar
Hear us out on this one. Earlier this week, we took a look at new Angels 3B Eduardo Escobar after the Mets traded the former All-Star for two pitching prospects. Escobar’s 2023 season had been subpar to that point, but the fact that Escobar saw less fastballs and more breaking balls and offspeed stuff didn’t help in that regard.
Now with the Angels, Escobar posted four hits in his first two games with Los Angeles. Obviously, it’s too early to make assumptions after two games. However, it is worth keeping an eye, at least, on Escobar. The 34-year-old does have a good amount of pop, as indicated by the 48 bombs he hit between 2021-22.
Maikel Garcia
It’s safe to say that Royals infielder Maikel Garcia is a hot commodity in fantasy right now. Between June 18-24, Garcia hit .407 (11-27) with four stolen bases, tied for first in the Majors in that time span along with Corbin Carroll, Jarren Duran, and Ronald Acuna Jr.
On the season, Garcia owns a .280 average with a pair of home runs, eleven stolen bases, and 20 RBI. Don’t expect much power from Garcia, who had a career-high of 11 home runs in the Minors during one season. However, Garcia’s speed makes him a tempting option.
Royce Lewis
When Royce Lewis came back from the IL last month, we noted that fantasy players needed to make haste and grab the former top MLB Draft pick while he was still available. The 24-year-old hit a skid early in the month of June, but Lewis has tore it up since. The California native currently has a seven-game hitting streak going on, and Lewis posted multi-hit contests in three of them.
Over his first 22 games, Lewis hit .333 with four home runs and 14 RBI. Lewis may be a bit cautious on the base paths, but he should be a formidable source of hits moving forward.
Joey Votto
Two years ago was the summer of Joey Votto, who batted .266 with 36 home runs and 99 RBI for the Reds. Last year, however, was one to forget for the 39-year-old. After a lengthy rehab from rotator cuff and shoulder surgery, Votto returned with a “bang” of sorts. Through his first five games of 2023, Votto hit .294 with three home runs, which put him in a tie for fourth in the Majors between June 18-24.
Thanks to the likes of Jake Fraley, Matt McLain, and Elly De La Cruz, Votto can be an auxiliary piece for the Reds rather than the team’s primary source of power. And with a better cast of characters around him, Votto — who has been slotted in the six hole since his return — should be in line for a lot more RBI opportunities than a year earlier.
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