Jose Abreu went 2-for-4 with a double and a solo homer against the Twins on Tuesday. The reigning AL MVP continued his torrid August by extending his hitting streak to eight games and slamming his fourth tater of the month. After ending July in a horrendous 3-for-30 slump, Abreu has caught fire in August by hitting .289 with four homers, seven RBIs, and eight runs scored over his first nine games of the month. While the 34-year-old hasn't been able to sustain his MVP performance from a year ago (his OPS is down nearly 200 points), he's still one of the best run producers in the game with 22 homers and 84 RBIs through 107 games. Assuming he stays healthy, he should be able to finish the year with his sixth 100-RBI campaign and fifth 30-homer season in his eight-year career.
Jake Odorizzi kept the Rockies in check on Tuesday, limiting them to three hits and two walks with five strikeouts over five shutout innings at home. Odorizzi was able to take advantage of a Colorado lineup that has struggled massively away from Coors Field this year, keeping them off the board through five before handing a 4-0 lead over to the bullpen. The outing, which improved Odorizzi's record to 5-6 with a 4.59 ERA, was a huge rebound performance for him after getting torched for an 8.82 ERA and 1.116 opponent OPS over his previous four outings. Odorizzi has had an up and down season where he's alternated stretches of brilliance with mediocrity, so perhaps this gem will kickstart a hot streak for the veteran hurler.
Brandon Lowe helped power the Rays to an 8-4 win over the Red Sox on Tuesday by going 3-for-4 with a double, a homer, two runs, two RBIs, and a walk. Lowe put Tampa Bay on the board in the third inning with his 25th big fly of the year, taking Eduardo Rodriguez deep at Fenway Park. Lowe finished with his third straight multi-hit game, lifting his average to .227. While his poor average is due to his 29.1 percent strikeout rate, it's also still suppressed by a slow start that saw him hitting below .190 into early June. He's done the bulk of his damage over the past two months, crushing 15 homers and 13 doubles with 38 RBIs and 33 runs over his last 47 games. With an .818 OPS and five steals, Lowe is a worthy fantasy starter in all formats despite the low batting average.
Hunter Renfroe was one of the few bright spots for Boston in their 8-4 loss to Tampa Bay on Tuesday, going 2-for-4 with a double and a three-run homer. Renfroe's fourth-inning blast cracked a 1-1 tie, giving the Red Sox a brief lead before the Rays rallied for seven unanswered runs. Renfroe's dinger was his 19th of the season and fourth already in August, as he's been one of the few Boston hitters to shine during its recent 2-9 skid. Tuesday marked his first multi-hit game since July 26, however, and just his fourth since the beginning of July. Renfroe has been a solid source of power and defense in right field all season long for the BoSox with 22 doubles, 19 homers, 63 RBIs, and a .775 OPS. He's also maintained a decent .251 batting average despite striking out in just under 23 percent of his plate appearances, making him a solid option in fantasy leagues that require five outfielders.
Salvador Perez went 3-for-4 with two home runs and three RBIs to pace Kansas City's 8-4 win over the Yankees. Perez celebrated the 10th anniversary of his MLB debut with his fourth multi-homer game of the season, with the three previous performances all coming in June. The pair of long balls give him 29 on the season, marking a new personal best after powering 27 taters in 2017 and 2018. With 72 RBIs, he's just eight ribbies away from matching his career-high. From a power standpoint, the 31-year-old All-Star is having one of the best seasons by a backstop in recent memory, as there's a real chance he finishes the season with over 40 homers and 100 RBIs. His .278 average is nothing to sneeze at, either, and is even more impressive in light of his 13:122 BB/K ratio. Perez has played all but one of the Royals' 112 games thus far, however, so it's possible he may wear down a bit as the season progresses.
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