Kyle Schwarber powered the Nationals to a 5-2 win over the Mets on Sunday, going 3-for-4 with three homers and four RBIs. Schwarber one-upped himself on Sunday after slamming a pair of homers on Saturday. After giving Washington an early lead with his first-inning solo shot, Schwarber added another solo jack in the fifth before finishing with a two-run bomb in the seventh. Schwarber's been absolutely on fire lately with nine home runs, 16 RBIs, and a 1.511 OPS over his last 10 games. His recent surge at the plate has coincided with a move to the leadoff spot in the order, where he has three multi-homer games during the aforementioned heater. While Schwarber will remain a streaky hitter due to his 28.6 percent strikeout rate, his overall numbers of 18 homers, 42 RBIs, and a .241/.325/.518 batting line are worth starting in all fantasy formats. After a dismal final season with the Cubs last year (.701 OPS), Schwarber's bat appears rejuvenated in his first season with Washington.
Adam Wainwright went the distance in the first game of the Cardinals' Sunday doubleheader with the Braves, yielding just one run on three hits and three walks with 11 strikeouts over seven sharp innings. The 11 whiffs were a season strikeout for Wainwright, who currently has the second-highest strikeout rate of his career (8.7 K/9) at age 39. Aside from allowing a run in the fourth, Wainwright was mostly untouchable as he fired 111 pitches en route to his fifth victory of the year. After alternating good starts with bad starts in May, Wainwright has settled down in June with four straight quality starts, compiling a 2.67 ERA and a 27:6 K/BB ratio in 27 innings this month. While no longer the fantasy ace he was a decade ago, Wainwright is still a solid fantasy option, especially if he continues to miss bats at this rate. He'll look to stay hot against the lowly Pirates at home in his next start.
Ronald Acuna Jr. went 1-for-6 with a solo homer and a walk in Sunday's doubleheader vs. the Cardinals. After going 0-for-3 with a pair of strikeouts in the first game, Acuna redeemed himself with a game-winning solo shot in the second game, as his third-inning big fly was the only run scored by either side. The long ball was his 19th of the year but just his second in his last 17 games, as his home run pace has slowed in June following his hot start. Even so, the 23-year-old is still having a terrific month based on his .311/.463/.574 slash line. With his 57 runs and 15 steals both leading the National League, the Braves' leadoff man has one of the best power-speed combinations in the game and is making a strong case for the NL MVP Award with his outstanding season, which bodes well for his fantasy owners.
Nolan Arenado went 3-for-6 with a double, a home run, a walk, and three RBIs in Sunday's doubleheader against the Braves. Arenado did the bulk of his damage during the Cardinals' 9-1 win in the first game, breaking the ice with a two-run homer in the first inning and walking in a run later in the game. The homer was only his second of June and third in his last 28 games, as he's been mired in a significant slump for the past month. Despite the recent downturn, his overall numbers -- .271/.320/.502 with 13 homers and 47 RBIs -- are still great, albeit not nearly as elite as the offensive production he was providing with the Rockies. While the move away from Coors Field has diminished his productivity somewhat, he still ranks among the game's best third basemen and is merely playing at an All-Star level rather than an MVP one.
J.T. Realmuto went 3-for-4 with a double and a two-run homer on Sunday against the Giants. Realmuto was Philadelphia's lone bright spot in an ugly 11-2 loss, providing the team's only runs with his third-inning two-run shot. The long ball was Realmuto's seventh of the year, three of which have come in the last two weeks. The game was also his first three-hit effort since May 7th. While his raw totals may not seem impressive at first glance (25 runs, 29 RBIs), he's having the best offensive season of his career on a rate stats basis (.292/.397/.491). His .888 OPS is the highest of his career by 48 points, proving that he's still at the top of his game at age 30.
This is just a small sample our daily analysis, join our member area for over 80 daily player updates sent to your inbox every morning and track your team online. Click here for details: http://www.insiderbaseball.com/baseballsample.htm Click here to register: http://www.fantistics.com/salesbaseball.php3
