Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went 2-for-5 with two home runs and three RBIs vs. the Rays on Monday. Guerrero crushed a pair of homers in a losing effort for Toronto, going deep in the fourth and eighth innings as the Blue Jays clawed back from a 5-0 deficit before falling in extras. The pair of taters increased Guerrero's season total to 15, matching his career-high from 2018 -- albeit in 77 fewer games. Guerrero now has 39 RBIs and 37 runs in 46 games this year to go along with a .333 average and a 1.104 OPS, making him one of the most dangerous hitters in baseball this year. After a brief slump to begin May, the 22-year-old has been on fire of late with eight homers and 16 RBIs over his last 13 games.
Joey Wendle went 3-for-4 with a double, a grand slam, and two runs scored against the Blue Jays on Monday. Wendle helped pace Tampa Bay's 14-8 victory with his first-inning grand slam, which gave the Rays an early 5-0 lead. He later tacked on a single and a double as well, finishing a triple shy of the cycle. Wendle has now recorded at least three hits in four of his last six starts, lifting his average to .310 on the year. He's also hit for terrific power this year with 22 extra-base hits, 15 of which have been doubles. Throw in his 32 runs, 24 RBIs and three steals, and Wendle is having a tremendous all-around season. It's worth seeing if Wendle can maintain his newfound power for the entire season, as his career ISO was just .125 prior to this year. The 31-year-old is already just one home run shy of his career-high and has emerged as one of the best hitters in baseball this year.
Teoscar Hernandez went 2-for-5 with a solo homer, two runs scored, and a stolen base on Monday vs. the Blue Jays. Hernandez went deep in the fourth inning for his second homer in as many games and his seventh long ball of the season -- five of which have come in May. The pair of hits raised his average to .322, as he now has multiple hits in nine of his last 14 games. The RBI was his 24th in his last 24 games as well, proving why he's been in the cleanup spot all year. He's even made a bit of an impact on the bases as well with three thefts thus far, making him an elite fantasy option again after emerging as a top hitter last year. Hernandez's hot start to 2021 is proving that his strong 2020 (.919 OPS) was no fluke, making him a must-own in all fantasy formats.
Randy Arozarena went 2-for-5 with a double, three runs scored, an RBI, a walk, and a stolen base Monday against the Blue Jays. Arozarena had a big game from the top of the lineup as the Rays out-slugged the Jays, 14-8. Arozarena did his part by scoring a game-high three runs and stealing his sixth base of the year without getting caught. While the 26-year-old continues to whiff at just under 1/3 of his official at-bats, he continues to be a good source of power and speed while also hitting for solid averages (.277 career), scoring lots of runs (33 in 45 games), and driving in a fair number as well. Accordingly, one of last year's biggest breakout stars appears to be legitimate.
Lance Lynn earned the win on Monday after limiting the Cardinals to one run on three hits and three walks with four strikeouts over seven strong innings. Lynn did not allow a run until the sixth and did not allow an extra-base hit in what was his second-longest start of the year, lowering his ERA to 1.51 in the process. Lynn has allowed three earned runs or less in all eight of his starts this year, including one earned run or less in five of those outings. He also holds a strong 50:15 K/BB ratio over 47 2/3 innings. Despite switching teams this past offseason, Lynn has been one of MLB's best pitchers over the past three years, so it's not surprising to see him thriving with his new team. He'll look to keep rolling in a cushy matchup against the Orioles this weekend.
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