Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went 2-for-5 with a two-run homer against the Indians on Monday. Guerrero accounted for all of his team's runs with his game-tying two-run blast in the sixth, which forced extra innings before the Blue Jays fell, 5-2. Guerrero's home run was his 34th of the season and helped extend his hitting streak to nine games. It also boosted his MLB-leading totals to 82 runs, 85 RBIs, 245 total bases, and a 1.082 OPS. While the 22-year-old has clearly been the best hitter in baseball this year, it still may not be enough to win AL MVP honors given Shohei Ohtani's additional contributions on the mound.
Jose Ramirez helped power Cleveland to a 5-2 win over the Blue Jays on Monday by going 2-for-5 with a two-run homer. Ramirez provided some much-needed insurance runs with his clutch home run in the 10th inning, giving his team some breathing room by extending their lead from one run to three. The dinger was his 23rd of the year, four of which have come in his last eight games. He's knocked in 12 runs during that span as well, boosting his season total to 64. While his .255 average remains disappointing given his multiple seasons above .300, Ramirez has done more than enough in other categories with 68 runs and 11 steals to merit his All-Star status this year.
Cedric Mullins helped power the Orioles to a rare 7-1 win over the Yankees by going 2-for-5 with a solo homer and two stolen bases. Baltimore's leadoff man extended his hitting streak to 11 games with the multi-hit performance, giving him at least one base knock in 19 of his last 21 contests and raising his AL-leading total to 127. Mullins' third-inning blast was his 18th of the season, while the pair of steals increased his season total to 20. The first-time All-Star's recent heater has upped his average to .322 and his OPS to .935, as he's quietly been one of the best hitters in baseball this year for a lackluster Orioles squad.
Randy Arozarena went 2-for-3 with a solo homer and a walk in Tampa Bay's 8-2 loss to Seattle on Monday. Arozarena's fourth-inning solo shot put the Rays on the board, giving him 15 homers on the season. He's now notched multiple hits in eight of his last 12 games while slamming five home runs during that span, lifting his average to .261 and OPS to .777 in the process. While that's much lower than the .991 OPS he posted in 2019 and 2020 combined (albeit in just 42 games), the 26-year-old appears to be finally hitting his stride in the second half after an underwhelming first half. Given his streakiness (due in part to his 37:113 BB/K ratio), fantasy owners should look to ride his heater as long as possible.
Chris Flexen earned his 10th win of the season on Monday after holding the Rays to two runs on seven hits and two walks with six strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings. Flexen bounced back from allowing seven runs in his previous start with his eighth quality start in his last 11 outings, improving his record to 10-5 with a 3.75 ERA. After serving primarily as a Mets reliever for the first three years of his career, Flexen has flourished in his first full season as a starter and is a big reason why the Mariners have been competitive this year. While his 5.9 K/9 rate limits his fantasy value considerably, his ability to limit mistakes via walks and homers have helped him remain effective. He'll try to maintain his breakout-season performance against the Yankees on the road in his next start.
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