Josh Donaldson(3B-TOR): The slugger went 1-for-4 with a grand slam and a walk against the Orioles. Likely due to an ailing shoulder that has been plaguing him in the early going, the Jays gave Donaldson a look at 1B last night. While he may have trouble playing the hot corner and making the necessary throws across the diamond, Donaldson doesn't look phased at the plate. In fact, he posted a career-high .289 ISO across 113 games last season, so tonight's development could be a boon to his value moving forward. On the days the Jays manage Donaldson, Yangervis Solarte is likely to play 3B.
Dylan Bundy(P-BAL): Bundy lost after allowing two runs on four hits (one homer) and two walks with 10 strikeouts over seven innings vs. the Blue Jays. An ace has arrived. Bundy, who was the fourth overall pick in the 2011 draft, is finally putting it all together. He's posted a 25:5 K:BB ratio over 20 innings in 2018 while reincorporating his sinker and increasing the usage of his slider. The results are career highs in chase and swinging strike rates. He threw 169 innings last season, making it likely that he'll surpass the 180 mark for the first time in his career. I'm buying.
Nick Delmonico(OF-CHW): Delmonico went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer and a walk vs. the Rays. The 25-year-old is seeing nearly regular at-bats in prime run-producing spots, and is making his case for a full-time role. Most impressively, Delmonico is posting a 14 percent walk rate yet again. If he can elevate the ball more consistently, he has the potential to be a fifth OF in 12-team leagues. For now, he's more useful in 15-team ROTO leagues and deeper points leagues, but is a name to add to the watch list. Playing time is king, especially in leagues without daily transactions.
Joe Mauer(1B-MIN): Mauer went 1-for-2 with a double and two walks vs. the Astros. Mauer quietly made some gains across the board in 2017, posting his highest hard-hit rate since the 2013 season. Known for his elite EYE and contact skills, Mauer looks to be elevating the ball more his season as indicated by his 30 percent fly ball rate (he hasn't reached 30 since his rookie campaign). Whether this is noise or not remains to be seen, but Mauer is worth monitoring in shallow formats in the meantime and is a solid swingman in 12-team formats. There is something to be said for everyday at-bats in the two-hole.
Sean Manaea(P-OAK): looks like a solid contrarian play for $7800 at the Dodgers. His K-rate sits at 6.32 per 9 so far, but his 12.7 percent swinging strike rate suggests that upside lurks beneath the surface. The Dodgers struck out 403 times vs. left-handers last season, good for second in the Majors. Add in the fact that Dodger Stadium was 17th in Park Factor runs last season, and you have a prime environment for a solid ROI in tournaments today.
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