Trey Mancini has not had the type of season many expected, not after a stellar rookie campaign (.293, 24 homers, 78 RBIs, .826 OPS) in which he finished third in AL Rookie of the Year voting behind Aaron Judge and Andrew Benintendi.
In his first 91 games this season, the 26-year-old hit a disgusting .216 (though it still was better than Bryce Harper’s first-half average, and he was an All-Star) with 12 homers, 26 RBIs, 91 strikeouts, 32 walks and a .655 OPS.
Maybe it is a sophomore slump. Maybe it is the result of being on the Orioles, the worst team in baseball. Whatever the reason, it doesn’t matter anymore because it is in the past. All that matters is what he does from here on out.
Mancini has started to turn things around in his attempt to regain fantasy owners’ trust. In his first 24 games since the All-Star break, he hit .309 with five homers, 13 RBIs, 12 runs and a .857 OPS. This is production that is going to waste, as he remains available in 65 percent or more of ESPN and Yahoo leagues after owners soured on him early this year.
Though it is a small sample size, Mancini has produced a .282 average in August over the course of his career. The only months he has hit for a better average have come in June (.290) and September/October, when he has hit .307. A strong finish for Mancini, who is eligible at first base and in the outfield and still has plenty of valuable power, also could mean a strong finish for your squad.
Mancini is one of many players starting to find a groove when fantasy owners are in need of production at the plate the most.
Look at the Pirates’ Josh Bell — who finished third in the 2017 NL Rookie of the Year voting (behind Cody Bellinger and Paul DeJong) after hitting .255 with 26 homers, 90 RBIs and a .800 OPS. This year, his power has been non-existent (just eight homers) and he suffered from a subpar first half (.261, five homers, 46 RBIs, .738 OPS). The 26-year-old, however, has started to wake up, hitting .298 with three homers, eight RBIs and a .893 OPS since the break. He is available in more than half of ESPN and Yahoo leagues.
If Michael Conforto’s lackluster first half (.216 with 11 homers, 30 RBIs, .710 OPS) had to do with offseason shoulder surgery, it doesn’t matter now. He entered Friday hitting .320 with six homers, 17 RBIs and a .970 OPS in the second half and remains available in 47 percent or more of all leagues.
Another Met who has turned on the jets is Amed Rosario, who entered Friday hitting .288 with five stolen bases and 10 RBIs this month. He had stolen eight bases and scored 20 runs since the Midsummer Classic.
Hunter RenfroeUPIIn his first 14 games this month, San Diego’s Hunter Renfroe has reminded us why he was such a highly touted prospect. He was 16-for-54 (.296) with five homers, 14 RBIs, just eight strikeouts and a .946 OPS. He is available in about 85 percent of all leagues.
Tampa Bay’s Willy Adames hit .386 with three homers, eight RBIs and a 1.110 OPS in his first 14 games this month. To make himself even more valuable, he stole four bases in that span, too.
St. Louis’ Harrison Bader entered Friday hitting .367 (.325 against lefties) with three homers, 13 runs, three stolen bases and a 1.051 OPS in his first 15 games this month. He is available in about 80 percent of all leagues.
Some other hot hitters, owned in less than 50 percent of all leagues, to consider adding include Washington’s 33-year-old Ryan Zimmerman, who was the most added player in ESPN leagues this week after hitting .351 with three homers and 14 RBIs in his first 13 games this month, Toronto’s Aledmys Diaz, Boston’s Jackie Bradley Jr. and Minnesota’s Jorge Polanco, who entered Friday with at least one hit in 13 of his first 14 games this month while hitting .316 with two homers, 11 RBIs and a .825 OPS.
Big Hits
Miguel Andujar 3B, Yankees
In his first 26 games since the All-Star break, he hit .340 with seven homers, 20 RBIs, 18 runs, one stolen base and a .979 OPS.
Carlos Rodon SP, White Sox
Has not lost since June 30, going 3-0 with a 1.60 ERA, 42 strikeouts and a .159 opponent average over his past seven starts. The negatives? He has walked 20 and has a .198 BABIP, so this won’t last forever.
Austin Jackson OF, Mets
He was 25-for-66 (.379) with two homers, nine RBIs, a stolen base and a 1.013 OPS in his first 19 games with the Amazin’s.
David Price SP, Red Sox
Over his past four starts, he is 3-0 with a 1.64 ERA, 33:5 strikeout-to-walk rate and a .220 opponent average.
Big Whiffs
Tyler Anderson SP, Rockies
In seven starts since his last win on July 4, his ERA has gone from 3.76 to 4.39 while he went 0-2 with a 5.67 ERA. He is 0-2 with a 10.67 ERA and a .310 opponent average in his first three starts this month.
Gleyber Torres 2B, Yankees
The second half has not been kind. He was 11-for-73 (.151) with 24 strikeouts and a .538 OPS in his first 20 games since the break.
Avisail Garcia OF, White Sox
He says he’ll have knee surgery after the season, but he is hurting now — he was 4-for-44 (.091) with 15 strikeouts and a .446 OPS over his previous 12 games before Friday.
Matt Adams 1B/OF, Nationals
Part-time duty does not agree with the 29-year-old, who has just two hits (a homer and a double) in his first 29 at-bats this month (.069).
Check Swings
- Jose Urena of Miami was fined and suspended for plunking Atlanta’s Ronald Acuna Jr. with a 97 mph fastball, the fastest pitch he ever has thrown to open a game, as the outfielder attempted to hit a leadoff homer in a fourth straight game. The Marlins were jealous, as they have just two players on their roster who have hit more homers all season than Acuna has hit since the All-Star break. Acuna entered Friday hitting .354 with 12 homers, 24 RBIs, 25 runs, seven stolen bases and a 1.216 OPS over his past 26 games.
- The Home Run Derby seems to have helped Bryce Harper’s swing. The Washington star entered Friday hitting .352 with seven homers in his first 25 games of the second half after hitting .213 in the first half.
- Clay Buchholz has lost just once since June 1 and has allowed more than three earned runs just once in that span. Over his past 10 starts for Arizona, he is 6-1 with a 2.61 ERA, 56:15 strikeout-to-walk rate and a .245 opponent average. Doesn’t his name make you think of a 65-year-old woman who runs a pottery class on Tuesday’s at the YMCA? OK, maybe it’s just me.
Team Name of the Week
Better Call Sal Romano
