Steer into the Skid
Spencer Steer (CIN): 3-4, 3 HR, 3 R, 4 RBI.
After a rough start to the season, Spencer Steer rode a hat trick to victory in the Great American Ball Park yesterday. A 98.4 mph dinger in the second, followed by 104.9 & 101.7 mph blasts in the fourth & fifth, will certainly go a long way to rostering confidence in Steer, but is he worth buying into right now?
Steer put up back-to-back 20+ HR, 15+ SB seasons before things started to unravel in the second half of last year and the struggles continued into 2025 as he entered the month of June with four homers, three steals and a measly 71 wRC+. The 27-year-old first baseman has turned a corner with five homers, three steals, and a .310/.322/.560/.881 slashline.
A .311 BABIP this season means that there’s certainly room for positive regression here, as the numbers start to tick up in the right direction for Steer. Whether this is the beginning of a bounce-back campaign or simply a hot streak, Steer is capable of filling the box score on any given night as he proved yesterday. Sometimes the best option is simply to buy in on a productive player and figure out what have you later, with Steer’s pedigree this feels like one of those times.
Remember, in most leagues, scoring isn’t retroactive so you need to strike while the iron is hot and Steer into the skid.
Let’s see how the other hitters did Friday:
Brandon Lowe (TBR): 3-5, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI.
Last night, Brandon Lowe hit a 101.7 mph homer in the second and followed it up with a 106.6 mph single in the seventh inning as he continues to rake. The 30-year-old second baseman is just a few home runs shy of his highest total since 2021. While some of this can be attributed to health, Lowe’s 12.8% barrel rate reflects this five-year high alongside a career-high 92.2 mph average exit velocity so far this season.
Make sure not to leave Lowe on your bench in Steinbrenner Field either as 11 of his 17 homers have come at home this season!
Josh Lowe (TBR): 2-4, HR, R, RBI.
Josh Lowe also went off last night for the Tampa Bay Rays, kicking things off early as he drilled a 107.5 mph no-doubter in the second inning. Lowe may share the same name as his teammate above, but they are pronounced differently based on their platoon splits (at least, I think that’s the reason why). While Brandon Lowe has been hitting the majority of his home runs at home, Josh Lowe does most of his damage on the road with a .313/.378/.493 triple slash and 148 wRC+ this season. Platooning the duo in your utility spot could be an interesting option as we near the trade deadline.
Gary Sánchez (BAL): 4-5, 2B, HR, 3 R, 4 RBI, BB.
There was a lot of offense to go over from yesterday’s 22-8 blowout, so let’s look at the winning side now. Gary Sánchez had his hardest hit ball of the season, going yard on a 111.7 mph blast. The home run marks his fourth in 10 games since returning from the IL with a wrist injury. It’s hard not to read too much into his gaudy Statcast numbers in such a small sample size, but thankfully we already know Sánchez is a power hitter capable of runs like this. As I mentioned with Steer at the top, buy in on the hot streak while you can and ride it until the wheels fall off.
Byron Buxton (MIN): 1-4, HR, 2 R, RBI, BB, SB.
I was wary of Byron Buxton coming into 2025 due to his injury history. The talent is undeniable though with 18 home runs and 14 stolen bases, on pace to his most plate appearances since 2017. Buxton has been red hot lately too. Since the start of June, Buxton has been one of the hottest players in baseball with eight homers, five steals, a .304/.411/.671/1.081, and a 197 wRC+. The idea here is simple, start him if he’s healthy and have some outfield depth prepared if/when he needs an IL stint.
Otto Lopez (MIA): 3-5, 2B, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI.
One of the most widely available players on this list, Otto Lopez proved he was worthy of an everyday role last season and has been even better in 2025. Not only has his defense put him in contention for a Gold Glove, but he’s moved up to the top third of the batting order, ensuring that he’ll rack up those plate appearances. Through the month of June, Lopez has made the most of his 105 PAs with three home runs, three stolen bases, and a .309/.371/.436/.808 slashline.
Cam Smith (HOU): 2-2, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2 BB.
Cam Smith continued building his AL Rookie of the Year case last night, as he picked up his sixth home run of the season and moved into a tie for second in RBI amongst all rookies (31). Smith is also fourth amongst all rookies in plate appearances (258), playing in an everyday role in the heart of the Houston Astros lineup. The 22-year-old right fielder was a key piece in the Kyle Tucker trade this past offseason, so as long as he keeps hitting like this, the Astros are going to keep acting as if they traded Tucker in for a younger version.
They may be on to something, too. Despite having only four stolen bases this season, Smith is one of the fastest players in the game, clocking in at 29.1 ft/s (92nd percentile). There’s a lot of untapped potential here still.
Coby Mayo (BAL): 2-6, 2B, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI.
Speaking of rookies, Coby Mayo hit his first major league home run last night. Mayo’s time in the majors has been rocky to say the least, coming into yesterday’s game with a .186/.250/.254 triple slash and a 45 wRC+. The talent is there, though. Mayo has hit at least 19 homers in each of the past three seasons in the minors.
Geraldo Perdomo (ARI): 1-3, HR, R, 3 RBI, 2 BB.
While he isn’t the flashiest player mentioned here, Geraldo Perdomo is more substance than style. Despite a 42nd percentile sprint speed, Perdomo has already managed to swipe 12 bags this year due to a 96th percentile baserunning run value. His elite 129 Contact+ and 121 Decision Value+ scores show that you can trust him to get on base and find stolen base opportunities. Anyone with a need at SS, MI, or just generally looking for SBs should give Perdomo a serious look.
