A Rhys of the Action
Rhys Hoskins (MIL): 2-6, 2 HR, 2 R, 6 RBI.
It’s been a bit of a road back to significant fantasy relevance for Rhys Hoskins.
In 2022, the former Phillies first baseman hit 30 home runs, the second-highest single-season total for him in his career (he hit 34 in 2018). However, his OPS dropped 70 points from 2021, and his barrel rate also went from 17% in 2021 to 11.1% in 2022. Thus, there was some concern that Hoskins was about to hit some regression in his last season under contract in Philadelphia.
Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to have that “contract” season with the Phillies.
In 2023, during Spring Training, he tore his ACL and missed the entire season as a result. Hoskins was able to secure a two-year, $34 million deal with the Brewers the following offseason. That said, the year off had an effect, as he only hit .215 with a .722 OPS. His low batting average and high strikeout rate (28.8%) somewhat deflated the 26 home runs and 82 RBI he collected in 131 games with the Brewers.
In his second season in Milwaukee, however, Hoskins has been locked in like never before.
The home runs are still coming for the 32-year-old first baseman. He has nine home runs this year, with two of them coming on Saturday night against his former team (in a 17-7 blowout). He also had six RBI against the Phillies, boosting his RBI total to 35 for the season. However, his batting average and OPS improvements have been the most impressive quality of Hoskins’ bat this year.
Hoskins is hitting .276 with a .846 OPS in 214 plate appearances. His K rate is 3.3% from a year ago, while his walk rate is up 3.2%. He also has improved his hard-hit rate by 4.4%, and his Sweet-Spot percentage is 44.8%, a 15.1% increase.
After a slow start, the Brewers are suddenly playing like a playoff-caliber team again and could challenge the Cubs in the summer months.
Their first baseman and his bounce back offensively after an “off” year in 2024 is a big reason why they look scarier than ever in the NL Central.
Let’s see how the other hitters did Saturday.
Junior Caminero (TBR): 4-5, 2 2B, 2 HR, 4 R, 5 RBI.
Caminero is finally living up to his once massive prospect hype. On Saturday, he hit two home runs and collected five RBI. He now has 13 homers for the year, 37 RBI, and his OPS is .803 in 223 plate appearances. In May, he had seven home runs and an .852 OPS, a sign that better days may be ahead this summer. With elite bat speed (100th percentile bat speed, according to Savant) and a strong hard-hit ability, Caminero may be on his way to a massive fantasy campaign in 2025.
Max Muncy (LAD): 3-6, 2 HR, 3 R, 7 RBI.
The Dodgers trounced the Yankees 18-2 on Saturday, and Muncy had a considerable hand in the Dodgers’ Roman Triumph. Muncy collected three hits, seven RBI, and hit two home runs, his fifth and sixth of the season. Batting average tends to be an Achilles heel for Muncy in fantasy, and this year is no different, as demonstrated by his .220 average. In OBP leagues, however, he’s a more palatable option, with a .341 mark and 15.1% walk rate this season.
Jackson Chourio (MIL): 4-5, 2B, HR, 3 R, 5 RBI, SB.
It wasn’t a kind May for the 2024 NL Rookie of the Year finalist (he finished third). In 125 plate appearances, he hit .237 with a .653 OPS. Those were considerable dropoffs from his .281 average and .832 OPS in April. However, he ended his brutal month on a high note, with four hits, a home run, five RBI, and a stolen base. Perhaps his strong last game in May can help him get off to a better start in June.
George Springer (TOR): 2-3, 2 HR, 3 R, 2 RBI, BB.
After posting a .674 OPS in 614 plate appearances last year, it seemed like time was catching up with the 35-year-old outfielder. However, Springer is fighting off “Father Time” with one of his best seasons yet. In 208 plate appearances, he is hitting .257 with an OPS of .854. On Saturday, he launched his seventh and eighth home runs of the year. The Blue Jays haven’t been the most consistent team this year, but they can’t blame Springer, who’s been quite dependable.
Jeremy Peña (HOU): 2-3, 2 HR, 2 R, 3 RBI.
Carlos Correa left a significant legacy in Houston (a 2017 World Series will do that), but Pena has continued to emerge from that shadow since Correa left for Minnesota. While the Astros lost by 13 (yikes), Pena held his own with two home runs and drove in all three of Houston’s runs. He is hitting .305 with an .844 OPS, and he could be due for an All-Star game appearance in July.
Aaron Judge (NYY): 3-4, 2 HR, 2 R, 2 RBI.
The negative? The Yankees were embarrassed by the Dodgers on Saturday night at Chavez Ravine. The positive? Judge continued his quest to repeat as AL MVP with a two-home run night. His homer total is now up to 21 for the year, and his 1.268 OPS is even better than what it was during his 2024 MVP campaign. The Yankees may have a bunch of problems, but Judge isn’t one of them.
Brent Rooker (ATH): 3-4, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB.
The A’s have nosedived after a promising April, as they now sit 23-36 for the season. If this continues (and all signs show that it will), the front office could start to deal players away. Rooker could be one of those players, as he had a three-hit night with two RBI and a home run (his 13th of the year). The Athletics did sign him to a five-year extension this offseason. That said, it’s only a total of $60 million, a drop in the bucket for a team with a massive payroll (or are willing to absorb some cash).
J.P. Crawford (SEA): 3-4, 2B, HR, R, 2 RBI, BB.
Crawford drew buzz on social media for absolutely losing his cool on umpire Andy Fletcher after a brutal third strike call. Crawford didn’t dwell on his ejection, as he ended up getting three hits and a home run on Saturday in the Mariners’ 5-4 win over the Twins. Crawford doesn’t do anything eye-popping to be a widely rosterable fantasy player, as he only has five home runs, two stolen bases, and is hitting .267. However, he’s been a dependable hitter for the Mariners this season at the top of the lineup.
Steven Kwan (CLE): 3-5, 2B, HR, R, RBI, SB.
Fantasy managers don’t think of “power” with Kwan. However, he hit his fifth home run of the year on Saturday, which matches his total from 2023. He also stole his 8th base and is hitting .315 for the season. It’s easy to overlook Kwan at times, considering how good José Ramírez has been (again) in Cleveland. That said, with Kwan doing so well at the top of the Cleveland lineup, he likely will earn a second-straight appearance in the All-Star Game.
Randal Grichuk (ARI): 3-4, HR, R, 2 RBI.
The Diamondbacks spotted the Nationals an 11-0 lead after two innings, but they made a valiant comeback and only lost by four. Grichuk had a big day with three hits, two RBI, and a home run. For the season, he is hitting .275 with an .826 OPS in only 86 plate appearances. He may not be more than a platoon bat, but he is certainly productive in that role, making him a nice option in DFS formats.
