Justin Turner propelled the Dodgers to a 2-1 victory over the Pirates by going 3-for-5 with a pair of solo homers. Turner accounted for both LA runs with solo shots in the first and third innings -- his first round-trippers of June. That makes 11 homers and 32 RBIs in 58 games for Turner, who's cooled off considerably after a scorching hot start. The 36-year-old veteran is still batting a solid .274 with an .842 OPS, which is right in line with his career .836 mark. He's also shown good plate discipline with a 31:48 BB/K ratio, so fantasy owners don't have too much to complain about. Turner is still a worthy fantasy starter in all formats.
Yu Darvish suffered the loss on Wednesday despite allowing only two runs on three hits and two walks with eight strikeouts in seven innings against the Cubs. Darvish was his typical stellar self, but unfortunately for him San Diego only scored once, which doesn't leave a lot of room for error. The loss was his first since April 17, snapping a run of five straight wins in the decision column. It also marked the sixth time in 13 starts this year that he's completed seven innings, as he's averaging just over six frames per start. Darvish will carry a 2.28 ERA, a 0.91 WHIP and a 92:19 K/BB ratio into his next scheduled start against the Rockies at Coors Field.
Taijuan Walker cruised to an easy victory on Wednesday, yielding just one run on five hits and one walk with nine strikeouts over seven innings against the Orioles. Staked to a 2-0 lead before he even took the mound, Walker allowed a run in the first but quickly settled down as New York's bats exploded behind him, running away with a 14-1 victory. The nine strikeouts were a season-high for Walker, who improved to 5-2 with a 2.07 ERA in 11 starts this year. Walker has now allowed one earned run or less in five of his last six starts and seven times overall this year, as he's easily having the best season of his career. He'll look to keep rolling against the red-hot Cubs at home in his next start.
Pete Alonso helped power the Mets to a 14-1 rout of the Orioles on Wednesday, going 3-for-5 with a double, a home run, three runs, and three RBIs. Fresh off slamming two home runs on Tuesday, Alonso went deep again on Wednesday while falling a triply shy of the cycle. Wednesday was Alonso's second three-hit game of the season, raising his average to .265. The slugger has now hit safely in his last eight starts and is batting .382 with four homers and 12 RBIs during that time. After a slow May that included a brief stint on the IL, Alonso has caught fire over the past couple weeks and is back to being a centerpiece of the Mets' offense.
Tyler O'Neill continued his torrid stretch at the plate by going 3-for-4 with two homers, three runs, and three RBIs vs. the Indians on Wednesday. O'Neill was at the forefront of St. Louis' 8-2 victory, smashing a two-run homer in the third and a solo shot in the seventh. O'Neill is now up to 15 homers and 32 RBIs on the season, with 10 of those long balls and 20 of those ribbies coming in his last 19 games. The hot streak has rapidly turned O'Neill into a fantasy commodity, which is somewhat surprising given how underwhelming his first three seasons were offensively. His 5:54 BB/K ratio this year is a sign that regression is coming, but for now he's absolutely dialed in at the plate and needs to be started in all formats.
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