Jonathan India, 2B, CIN
India stayed hot on Thursday, going 3-5 with a HR and 3 runs scored against the Yankees on Thursday. Over his last 15 games, India has been nearly unstoppable, hitting .446 with 2 HR's, 12 doubles, and 15 runs scored. During this stretch, he has slashed his K% to 12.3%, after posting a 22% K% until that point. He also has an EV above 92 during these 15 games, after entering this stretch with an EV of 86.9. This hot streak (along with TJ Friedl's injury) has propelled India back into the leadoff spot for the Reds, which only serves to increase his fantasy value further. He needs to be played in all formats right now, at least until he cools off.
Jake Irvin, SP, WAS
Irvin was fantastic once again against the Mets on Thursday, striking out 8 batters in 8 shutout innings while allowing just 1 hit and 1 BB. He has been incredibly consistent this season, allowing 2 or fewer ER's in 13 of his 18 starts, and the result has been a 2.80 ERA. Irvin's 3.58 xFIP would suggest that he isn't really this good, but it also suggests that he has been quite good. His 2.04 BB/9 is excellent, and he gets a decent amount of ground balls (44.3% GB%). His 7.98 K/9 is nothing special, but he's picked up the strikeout numbers recently, notching 56 K's in his last 55.1 IP covering 9 starts. If you can trade him for ace value, go for it, but since that's unlikely to happen, the best option is probably to just keep rolling him out there.
Anthony Volpe, SS, NYY
Volpe was bumped down to the #6 spot in the Yankees lineup on Thursday against the Reds, the first time he has batted anywhere besides leadoff since early April. He went 0-4 in Thursday's contest. Volpe has really struggled over the past month or so, posting a .203 OBP in the 25 games prior to being dropped in the lineup. One of the primary issues with Volpe is that he has been taking few walks. His 6.5% BB% for the season is not good, and it's gotten worse as the season has progressed, as he has walked just 7 times in his last 51 games (2.9% BB%). He has also been striking out more lately, posting a 26.2% K% in June, after finishing the first two months with marks of 20% and 21% respectively. Scoring runs has been perhaps the biggest boon for Volpe's fantasy value this season, and that is very likely to take a hit if he's batting lower in the order. The Yankees would surely like to give him another chance back at the top of the lineup, but he'll have to show that he can get on base more for that to happen.
Jose Miranda, 3B, MIN
Miranda had himself a game against the Tigers on Thursday, going 5-5 with 3 doubles, 4 runs, and 3 RBI, raising his season slash line to .312/.354/.504 through 70 games. He has been sizzling since the start of June, hitting .364 with 14 XBH's and 23 RBI across 28 games. It's been a bounceback season for Miranda who hit just .211 in 40 games with the Twins last season after hitting .268 with 15 HR's as a rookie in 2022. He continues to be an excellent contact hitter, cutting his K% to a career-best 13.8%. But after posting a lowly .235 BABIP last season, that number is up 100 points to .335 this season, and right now his miserable 2023 seems like the outlier. He still hasn't developed tons of HR power with just 8 dingers this season, but there would seem to be some potential upside there as he currently owns a modest 9.2% HR/FB% despite a solid 40.1% HardHit%. He's a borderline fantasy option at the moment, but that could change if we start seeing a few more balls go over the fence.
Jackson Chourio, OF, MIL
Chourio went 1-2 with a double, an RBI, and 2 BB's against the Rockies on Thursday, extending his hitting streak to 10 games. He continues to turn his rookie season around, hitting .329 since the start of June, with 4 HR's and 19 RBI in 27 games during that span. After struggling to the tune of a 32.1% K% in April, Chourio improved to a 19.1% K% in May, followed by a 17.5% K% in June. He has yet to strike out in 11 July plate appearances. He has also been making better contact as the season has gone along - he posted a 14% LD% in April and May, before improving to a 22% LD% in June (and even better so far in July). Chourio's struggles, and brief benching, earlier in the season caused him to get dropped in some leagues, but he needs to be scooped up wherever he's available.
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