Christian Vazquez (C-BOS) - Vazquez had a nice game Tuesday, going 3-for-5 with his 12th homer in a breakout season that saw his slash climb to .296/.331/.502. If you were a Vazquez owner last year wondering where this was, you're not alone. Last year his OPS was a paltry .540, but he did hit .290 a couple years ago, and his hard hit rate coming into Tuesday was easily a career high at 39.7%. I believe in the power more than the batting average, but either way, Vazquez's defensive reputation and lack of competition should keep him in the lineup.
Jose Urquidy (SP-HOU) - This should have probably been Forrest Whitley's slot, but with Whitley's disaster of a start to his season, Urquidy made his MLB debut Tuesday with mixed results. He lasted just 3.2 innings having allowed two runs on six hits, but he did walk just one while fanning four. Of course this came in Coors Field, so in any other park, he probably goes five and allows one run. Urquidy hasn't received much prospect attention, but his K:BB in AA/AAA this year is pretty impressive - 104:15 in 76.2 innings. The 24-year-old was sitting in the low-90s with the fastball last year, but in his first full season since Tommy John surgery, he's more of a mid-90s guy now, and with that sort of control, he's certainly interesting. I'd grab him in all formats, as I think he can stick.
Danny Jansen (C-TOR) - Jansen was a guy who I thought had top-10 fantasy catcher upside, but he's been a massive disappointment to date. That wasn't the case on Tuesday however, as Jansen went 3-for-4 with his fifth homer and a pair of RBI. That brought him to .196/.273/.314. To show you how bad he's been for most of the year, Jansen is actually playing well now, going 10-for-25 with three homers in his last seen games after his BA bottomed out at .166. Jansen did enter Tuesday with decent plate discipline metrics, including a 9.4 BB% and 21.6 K%. Jansen hit a solid .247/.347/.432 in 95 PA last year, and that's a line that I think he can build towards as the season progresses. He's a decent target in 12-team mixed leagues as a #2 catcher.
Franklin Barreto (2B-OAK) - Manager Bob Melvin said Tuesday that Barreto will be the team's primary second baseman over Jurickson Profar going forward. Once a highly-regarded prospect, Barreto has failed to stick despite multiple trials over three seasons, hitting a combined .209/.245/.412. We can certainly argue though that he's yet to really get an extended look, and at 23, he still may have a very bright future. Barreto was hitting .296/.379/.549 in Triple-A with 12 homers and 13 steals, so he has the counting stats to make a fantasy impact. A 24.8% AAA K% may not translate too well at the big league level right away, but hopefully this time the A's exercise patience with a guy they once thought would be a big part of their future. He may very well still be given the opportunity.\
Sean Reid-Foley (SP-TOR) - Reid-Foley was originally slated to start Wednesday against the Red Sox, but after Tuesday's starter Trent Thornton lasted just 2.2 innings, Reid-Foley was called on to toss 3.1 innings of relief, and he was brilliant. The former top prospect retired all 10 batters he faced, including four strikeouts to lower his ERA to 3.55. He's thrown just 12.2 innings, but in his last 8.2 frames, Reid-Foley has allowed just two runs with a 7:1 K:BB. He's now likely certain to get at least a couple starts to see if he can stick and be a part of the team's future. The key for him will be avoiding the free passes, as he entered Tuesday's action with a career 5.7 BB/9, but flashed the upside with a 10.6 K/9. He's an interesting AL-only and Draft Kings #2 starter play.
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