Alex Bregman hit his sixth HR of the season yesterday afternoon, his third straight game with a home run. The power display is a fantastic sign given Bregman's slow start. He's gotten himself back up to slightly above average player with an wRC+ above 102. He still has oodles of potential, and I think he's worth rostering in nearly all formats despite the slow start. His Contact rate is solid through his first 51 games, and he's even stolen 4 SB, making double digits a possibility. He's still just 23 and plays in a great offense; his best years are certainly ahead of him.
Sean Manaea was impressive against the Indians yesterday, striking out 9 over 7 IP with 1 ER. Entering yesterday, he was due for some mean regression, and we sure saw it yesterday. The arrow is pointing upward big time for Manaea; the swings and misses are there, and with a 53% GB rate, there should be some great results ahead for the 25-year-old. He'll need to hone in on his control, and if that happens, watch out. But until then, Manaea is a great mid-rotation arm.
Chad Pinder hit his 6th and 7th HRs of the year yesterday. Who the heck is this guy? He was drafted #73 overall in 2013, which should tell you that there's some talent there. Pinder is sporting an insane FB% over 60%, which isn't something to expect going forward. In the minors, his highest FB rate was 44%, so the power will slow down. Pinder is also striking out nearly one-third of the time, so we won't see a great average either. It's been a hot start for the youngster, but leave him on the waiver wire as I'd imagine there will be some tough days ahead.
Victor Martinez hit his 5th HR of the year yesterday. VMart is an oldie but a goodie; he's likely on the waiver wire but can be a solid source of average the rest of the season. Last year he sported a 120 wRC+ with 27 HR; he isn't likely to match that, but can certainly put up serviceable numbers. His walk rate and K% are actually improved from last year.
Fresh off his best start of the year, Masahiro Tanaka threw an absolute dud against the Orioles, allowing seven earned runs in just 5.2 innings. Tanaka is tough to figure out; he's been a bit unlucky as his 5.86 ERA entering yesterday was nearly two runs higher than his SIERA, but his SIERA of 3.89 wasn't all that great anyway. I'm not sure what to recommend here; he'll be lights out one day, and allow 6+ ER the next day. I'd prefer not to have him on my roster for that reason, but that's easier said than done if you drafted him.
