Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto went 1-for-3 with a home run, two runs and four RBI vs. the Braves on Tuesday. Realmuto kicked off the scoring for Miami with a two-run shot off Julio Teheran in the bottom of the first, later adding a sacrifice fly in the third and an RBI fielder's choice in the fifth. Despite the trade rumors swirling around him this summer, the 27-year-old is in the midst of his best offensive season, slashing .304/.355/.529 (all career highs) with 13 homers and 49 RBI. He'd be even more valuable from a fantasy perspective in a better lineup and friendlier home park, but the Marlins appear inclined to keep him with 2 1/2 years of team control remaining on his contract.
Marlins second baseman Starlin Castro went 1-for-4 with a three-run homer Tuesday vs. the Braves. Castro ended Julio Teheran's day in the bottom of the fifth, extending Miami's lead to 9-3 with a two-out homer that sent Teheran to the showers. The long ball was Castro's eighth of the year, five of which have come in the past month. He's been in a bit of a slump lately, however, going 7-for-40 (.175) with just one extra-base hit (today's homer) over his last 10 games. On the whole, however, he's still providing a good batting average (.287) and solid counting stats at a relatively thin fantasy position.
Mets righty Zack Wheeler won after allowing two runs on four hits and one walk with three strikeouts over seven innings vs. the Padres. Wheeler continues to enhance both his fantasy value and trade value with his recent stretch of strong performances. He has a 3.54 ERA over his last 12 starts with a 71:24 K/BB ratio in 76 1/3 innings. With Noah Syndergaard on the DL and Jacob deGrom having a Cy Young-caliber season, Wheeler is the most likely member of New York's rotation to be dealt. That would undoubtedly enhance his fantasy value, as he's gone just 2-3 during his current hot streak.
Nationals outfielder Adam Eaton went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer and a walk against the Brewers on Tuesday. Eaton put Washington up 4-0 with his home run in the second inning, but the Nationals blew the lead and ultimately lost in extra innings. The leadoff man hasn't gotten many chances to show off his skills the last couple seasons due to injuries, but when he takes the field he's elite. Despite being limited to just 63 games since the start of 2017 (excluding Tuesday), he's still slashed an impressive .310/.392/.427 in 232 at-bats. When he's not on the DL, he's a must-start in all leagues.
Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal went 3-for-7 with two solo homers Tuesday against the Phillies. Grandal caught the entire 16-inning affair but did his damage at the plate long before the game was over, going deep in the fourth and sixth innings to raise his homer total to 16. Grandal has now hit safely in seven straight games with four home runs during that span, lifting his average to a modest .259. His elite power for a catcher makes him a top 10 backstop in most leagues, however, while his on-base skills (.341 career OBP) make him an asset in points leagues and OBP formats.
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