Brock Holt (3B/OF-BOS): Brock Holt continued his impressive 2014 campaign with a 2 for 4, 2 RBI night to lead Jon Lester and the Red Sox over the Indians. Holt has posted a .336/.373/.466 line through 32 games with 17 runs and 15 RBI. While he has a .410 BABIP, he also boasts a 26% LD rate, and is handling lefties quite well. The Sox are finding ways to keep his bat in the lineup and are keeping him in the leadoff spot. While he makes for a better points league option, in a down year for 3B, Holt makes for a sneaky add in all formats.
Chris Davis (1B-BAL): While Delmon Young and Nick Markakis provided the offense for the O's, Chris Davis continued to struggle at the plate, going 0 for 4 with 2 K's to push his season line to .231/.341/.435. His ISO is down from .348 to .209 and he is stuck at 10 homers after posting 53 last season. While things look bleak, I see things turning around for Davis in the near future. He is posting an incredible 26% linedrive rate while still maintaining a solid 21% HR/FB rate. Davis discussed how pitchers are attacking him much differently this season, and I see him figuring out ways to turn some of those liners into flyballs as the second half approaches. With the majority his peripherals in line--and Davis actually posting a lower chase rate--this could be a great chance to buy low from a disgruntled owner.
Jose Altuve (2B-HOU): Jose Altuve returned from a 1-game absence due to the oblique injury only to take a pitch on the wrist and leave the game early. Thankfully, x-rays came back negative and manager Bo Porter indicated that Altuve is day-to-day. Altuve has emerged as one of the best fantasy options in the game, and his peripherals--from his chase, contact, and swinging strike rates--back it up. He is on pace for 214 hits and 57 steals, and with a better lineup behind him, we should see his 80-run pace pickup too. Keep an eye on the injury, but Altuve and his owners looked to have avoided a disaster.
Jesus Montero (DH/C/1B-SEA): The Mariners called up Jesus Montero on Thursday and expect him to be a fixture in the lineup at 1B/DH while Justin Smoak mends on the DL. Montero, a former top-prospect whose star has fallen due to performance, attitude, and PED issues, has put together a decent season in AAA, albeit in the Pacific Coast League. The slugger posted a .270/.345/.455 line with 8 homers, and seemed to catch fire when the calendar turned June. I like the fact that he is walking more; and let's keep in mind that Montero is still only 24 years old. I wouldn't make any special cuts to make room for him, but if you have the bench space, Montero is worth a flier in the majority of formats.
Kevin Gausman (SP-BAL): Kevin Gausman tossed his 2nd consecutive quality start and picked up his 2nd win of the season. Gausman allowed 1 earned run on 5 hits and 3 walks and added 3 strikeouts in handling the vaunted Blue Jays offense. Gausman continues to rely on his fastball--according to Brooks Baseball, 70 of his 92 pitches measured as the 4-seam variety--so he'll have to continue to mix in more secondary offerings to go deeper into games and keep his rotation spot. While there will be bumps in the road, I love the pedigree and see Gausman as a must-add in the majority of formats for the upside; he should have a few more starts to make his claim for a permanent rotation spot before Miguel Gonzalez returns from the DL.
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