Hot Hitter Rundown: September 2

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You should always have the big picture in mind when it comes to your season-long fantasy baseball leagues. Putting too much stock in a small sample size might cause you to make a decision that hurts you in the long run. That said, it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be taking stock of what’s happened in the immediate past. It can be useful when it comes to weekly or especially daily lineup decisions, waiver wire considerations, tracking who might be coming into more playing time, etc.

The Rotoworld Player Rater is a handy tool that’s among the extensive offerings in Season Pass. Each week, I’ll be using the Player Rater to look at the hottest hitters, position by position, over the last week, and providing commentary.

*The following data is based on 5x5 Roto scoring and covers games played from August 19-September 1.

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Catcher

Rank	Player	Tm	Pos	HR	RBI	SB	AVG	R	VAL
#1	Yadier Molina	STL	C	1.79169	1.76072	-0.48003	3.25959	1.62779	7.96
#2	Victor Caratini	CHC	C	1.11724	0.66151	0.64525	1.52375	0.69108	4.64
#3	Jorge Alfaro	MIA	C	1.11724	-0.16290	0.64525	1.35495	0.37884	3.33
#4	Tom Murphy	SEA	C	1.79169	0.66151	-0.48003	0.49045	0.69108	3.15
#5	Gary Sanchez	NYY	C	2.46615	0.38670	-0.48003	-0.26911	1.00332	3.11
#6	Wilson Ramos	NYM	C	-0.90612	0.11190	0.64525	3.17520	-0.24564	2.78
#7	Mitch Garver	MIN	C	1.11724	0.11190	-0.48003	0.81434	1.00332	2.57
#8	Travis d’Arnaud	TB	C	0.44279	0.93631	-0.48003	1.35495	0.06660	2.32
#9	John Hicks	DET	C	1.11724	0.66151	-0.48003	0.47676	0.37884	2.15
#10	Tyler Flowers	ATL	C	-0.23167	0.11190	-0.48003	0.90558	1.00332	1.31

We should’ve known better at this point than to count out Yadier Molina. The 37-year-old’s bat has been feeble for most of this season as he battled through a nagging thumb injury, but he’s suddenly caught fire over the last couple weeks with a .465/.549/.837 batting line, four homers and 11 RBI across 13 games. He’s notched multiple hits in each of his last five starts. Perhaps the thumb ailment is finally behind him, and if that’s the case Molina is suddenly looking like a viable fantasy option down the stretch … Victor Caratini’s production right after Willson Contreras (hamstring) went down was lacking, but he’s gone 11-for-24 with three bombs over his last seven contests. Caratini and Jonathon Lucroy have split playing time evenly since the latter was signed, although Caratini received some starts at first base, as well, while Anthony Rizzo (back) was banged up. Contreras is due back later this week … Gary Sanchez is closing in on a new career high in home runs following a two-homer game over the weekend. The slugging catcher has needed just 411 plate appearance to reach 32 home runs, with eight of those dingers coming across 20 games since he returned from a groin injury …

First Base

Rank	Player	Tm	Pos	HR	RBI	SB	AVG	R	VAL
#1	Freddie Freeman	ATL	1B	3.81506	3.13474	0.64525	0.51099	1.94003	10.05
#2	Mike Ford	NYY	1B	3.14060	0.93631	-0.48003	1.68569	0.69108	5.97
#3	Jose Abreu	CWS	1B	0.44279	2.58513	-0.48003	2.49318	0.69108	5.73
#4	C.J. Cron	MIN	1B	1.79169	2.31033	-0.48003	0.75049	1.00332	5.38
#5	Albert Pujols	LAA	1B	0.44279	2.31033	0.64525	1.45304	0.06660	4.92
#6	Yuli Gurriel	HOU	1B	0.44279	1.76072	-0.48003	1.70623	1.31555	4.75
#7	Josh Bell	PIT	1B	1.79169	2.03553	-0.48003	0.69348	0.69108	4.73
#8	Matt Olson	OAK	1B	1.11724	1.21112	-0.48003	1.19986	1.62779	4.68
#9	Christian Walker	ARZ	1B	0.44279	0.11190	0.64525	0.75733	0.69108	2.65
#10	Brandon Belt	SF	1B	0.44279	0.38670	0.64525	0.32166	0.69108	2.49

After slugging a pinch-hit, walk-off home run in Sunday’s comeback win over the A’s, Mike Ford has now hit five over the boards across his last six games and nine in 25 contests since his recall in early August. He has started just one of three games since Luke Voit (abdomen) returned from the IL, although the Yankees faced lefties in two of those tilts. Ford has gone deep 33 times between the majors and minors this season and rarely strikes out for a power hitter (16 percent). There’s deep league potential with him as long as he’s playing against right-handers … C.J. Cron looked initially like he still might be feeling his thumb malady for the first couple weeks after being activated, but he’s since homered five times and driven in 15 runs over his last 12 games, which has included a stretch of going deep in each of his last three starts. Cron does nothing for you when he’s not hitting homers, but he’s certainly useful when in the midst of a nice power stretch … Josh Bell has run hot and cold in the second half, but the good news is it’s been more of the former of late, with the first baseman putting up a 1.114 OPS with four long balls and 11 RBI across his last nine games. As he has been throughout his career, Bell has been much more productive against right-handers (1.031 OPS) than he has versus left-handers (.705 OPS) …

Second Base

Rank	Player	Tm	Pos	HR	RBI	SB	AVG	R	VAL
#1	Jonathan Villar	BAL	2B	2.46615	0.93631	5.14635	1.28425	1.94003	11.77
#2	Ronny Rodriguez	DET	2B	3.14060	2.85994	0.64525	0.42660	1.00332	8.08
#3	Kolten Wong	STL	2B	-0.23167	1.48592	2.89580	2.04381	0.69108	6.88
#4	Starlin Castro	MIA	2B	2.46615	2.58513	-0.48003	1.45989	0.37884	6.41
#5	Hanser Alberto	BAL	2B	1.11724	1.21112	-0.48003	1.62868	2.25227	5.73
#6	Adam Frazier	PIT	2B	0.44279	0.38670	0.64525	1.97996	1.94003	5.39
#7	Jose Altuve	HOU	2B	1.11724	0.66151	-0.48003	1.72677	2.25227	5.28
#8	Jurickson Profar	OAK	2B	1.11724	0.93631	-0.48003	0.91243	2.25227	4.74
#9	Jonathan Schoop	MIN	2B	1.79169	0.66151	-0.48003	1.15877	0.37884	3.51
#10	Jason Kipnis	CLE	2B	1.79169	0.38670	0.64525	-0.71163	0.69108	2.80

Jonathan Villar has reached 20 home runs for the season after five long balls over his last 12 tilts, giving him his first 20-20 campaign. He’s one of only five players so far to go 20-20 in 2019, and only he and Ronald Acuna have done so with 30+ steals. Villar ranks just outside the top 10 among all fantasy hitters this season … Ronny Rodriguez is getting a chance to play regularly again following his recall last month and has taken advantage with six home runs and a .955 OPS over his last 13 contests. He’s batted cleanup for the Tigers in seven of his last eight starts. The plate discipline with Rodriguez remains awful, but he’s a flyball hitter with multi-position eligibility and is in a good spot in the lineup, even if that lineup is dreadful. Perhaps he can manage to be somewhat useful for a bit longer … Speaking of favorable spots in the lineup, Kolten Wong has risen from the bottom of the Cardinals’ order to the No. 2 spot. The second baseman boasts a 1.006 OPS in the second half to push his season OPS over .800 for the first time since early May. Wong is just one stolen base shy of his second 20-steal season and he’s been caught only two times all year …

Third Base

Rank	Player	Tm	Pos	HR	RBI	SB	AVG	R	VAL
#1	Anthony Rendon	WAS	3B	2.46615	2.58513	0.64525	4.12409	2.87675	12.70
#2	Nolan Arenado	COL	3B	2.46615	1.76072	-0.48003	2.58443	1.94003	8.27
#3	Eugenio Suarez	CIN	3B	3.14060	1.48592	-0.48003	0.69348	1.62779	6.47
#4	Alex Bregman	HOU	3B	0.44279	1.76072	-0.48003	1.97996	2.25227	5.96
#5	Kyle Seager	SEA	3B	1.11724	2.58513	0.64525	0.77103	0.69108	5.81
#6	Evan Longoria	SF	3B	1.11724	2.03553	-0.48003	1.70623	0.69108	5.07
#7	Eduardo Escobar	ARZ	3B	1.79169	1.76072	-0.48003	0.17341	1.31555	4.56
#8	Colin Moran	PIT	3B	0.44279	2.31033	-0.48003	1.80432	0.37884	4.46
#9	Tommy Edman	STL	3B	-0.90612	-0.43771	1.77052	1.20670	1.62779	3.26
#10	Asdrubal Cabrera	WAS	3B	0.44279	2.58513	-0.48003	0.56800	0.06660	3.18

Anthony Rendon is hitting a ridiculous .402/.460/.738 with nine home runs and 31 RBI over 27 contests since the beginning of August. The impending free agent has reached the 30-homer mark for the first time in his career and he’s done so while maintaining his elite plate discipline with a 10.5 percent walk rate and just a 13.8 percent strikeout rate. His 47.8 percent hard-hit rate also ranks in the top eight percent of the league … The red-hot Eugenio Suarez has gone deep 11 times over his last 25 tilts and six times across his previous nine contests, with his long ball on Sunday giving him No. 40 on the season. Suarez is striking out more than ever (28.3 percent) and his 40.4 percent hard-hit rate is pretty ordinary. However, he’s hitting more flyballs than ever (41.4 percent) and pulling the ball more than ever (52.8 percent) and obviously that’s leading to a boatload of home runs … Tommy Edman has remained the preferred option at third base even after Matt Carpenter returned from the injured list nearly a month ago. It’s not difficult to see why, as Edman is sporting a .323/.356/.434 batting line over that stretch while Carpenter is hitting only .214/.333/.343. Edman is hitting lower in the order now, which obviously limits his potential, but there’s still a little appeal here with his speed and multi-position eligibility …

Shortstop

Rank	Player	Tm	Pos	HR	RBI	SB	AVG	R	VAL
#1	Kevin Newman	PIT	SS	1.11724	1.48592	2.89580	2.41564	2.56451	10.48
#2	Jorge Polanco	MIN	SS	1.11724	0.66151	-0.48003	2.14875	3.18899	6.64
#3	Marcus Semien	OAK	SS	1.79169	2.85994	-0.48003	0.69348	1.00332	5.87
#4	Jon Berti	MIA	SS	1.11724	0.38670	2.89580	-0.00223	1.31555	5.71
#5	Francisco Lindor	CLE	SS	2.46615	1.21112	0.64525	0.51784	0.69108	5.53
#6	Trea Turner	WAS	SS	-0.23167	0.38670	2.89580	1.03791	1.31555	5.40
#7	Xander Bogaerts	BOS	SS	1.79169	1.21112	-0.48003	1.44620	0.69108	4.66
#8	Bo Bichette	TOR	SS	1.11724	0.11190	0.64525	1.29110	1.31555	4.48
#9	Trevor Story	COL	SS	-0.23167	-0.16290	1.77052	1.55798	1.00332	3.94
#10	Gleyber Torres	NYY	SS	1.79169	0.11190	-0.48003	1.19986	0.69108	3.31

Kevin Newman certainly took advantage of series in Philadelphia and Colorado last week and over his last eight games is now an absurd 18-for-35 (.514) with three home runs, 10 RBI, 13 runs scored and two stolen bases. Newman remains in the bottom five percent of the league both in hard-hit rate (25.9 percent) and exit velocity (84.7 mph), but he’s in the top four percent in strikeout rate (11.5 percent) and xBA (.295) … Jorge Polanco’s average almost dropped below .290 a couple weeks ago for the first time since early April, but he’s roared back with a 1.134 OPS, three home runs, 10 RBI and 17 runs scored over his last 14 games. Polanco has continued to be a disappointment in the stolen base department – he hasn’t even attempted one in the second half – but he’s reached the 20-homer plateau for the first time, is going to cruise to 100 runs scored and could hit .300, as well … Speaking of cruising to 100 runs scored, Marcus Semien is just two away from reaching the century mark for the first time and he’s also slugged eight home runs and put up a .925 OPS since the beginning of August. The underrated Semien has been a top-10 option at a loaded shortstop position …

Outfield

Rank	Player	Tm	Pos	HR	RBI	SB	AVG	R	VAL
#1	Juan Soto	WAS	OF	1.11724	2.03553	-0.48003	2.49318	4.43794	9.60
#2	Aaron Judge	NYY	OF	3.81506	1.48592	0.64525	1.71993	1.31555	8.98
#3	Starling Marte	PIT	OF	0.44279	1.21112	2.89580	1.47359	1.94003	7.96
#4	Brian Goodwin	LAA	OF	1.79169	1.21112	1.77052	1.18616	1.94003	7.90
#5	Tommy Pham	TB	OF	0.44279	0.11190	4.02108	1.29110	1.31555	7.18
#6	Mallex Smith	SEA	OF	-0.23167	-0.16290	5.14635	0.59539	1.62779	6.97
#7	Mark Canha	OAK	OF	2.46615	1.48592	-0.48003	1.54429	1.94003	6.96
#8	Nicholas Castellanos	CHC	OF	2.46615	2.03553	-0.48003	1.29110	1.62779	6.94
#9	Bryan Reynolds	PIT	OF	-0.23167	1.76072	0.64525	2.94255	1.31555	6.43
#10	Anthony Santander	BAL	OF	2.46615	2.03553	-0.48003	1.45989	0.37884	5.86

As if the Yankees were running short on firepower, it’s looking like the old Aaron Judge is back following a 12-game stretch during which he’s homered seven times while posting a 1.221 OPS. Judge’s Statcast data has been elite even in the midst of his “struggles,” as his hard-hit rate (58.8 percent), exit velocity (96.4 mph) and barrel rate (20.1 percent) all rank in the top one percent of baseball. Judge’s flyball rate has dipped down to 29.4 percent this season, but it’s sitting at 39.4 percent during the aforementioned 12-game span … Brian Goodwin’s playing time was cut after Justin Upton returned from his toe injury earlier this season, but he’s starting to earn it back thanks to a robust 1.044 OPS and eight home runs since the All-Star break. He’s even batter first or third in the Angels’ last four games. Goodwin is going to have some fantasy appeal while he’s batting directly before or behind Mike Trout even if his power/speed upside isn’t super high … Mark Canha has assumed everyday center fielder duties for the A’s and is also batting fourth or fifth for them lately thanks to a terrific second half that’s seen him hit .311/.407/.575 with 11 dingers, 27 RBI and 27 runs scored over 44 tilts. Canha has remained a flyball hitter and is sporting a 51.4 percent pull rate that’s easily a career high. That’s helped lead to his power breakout (and the juiced ball hasn’t hurt) … Nicholas Castellanos last Friday had his second multi-homer game as a Cub and has already gone deep as many times with his new club (11) over 29 contests than he did with the Tigers across 100 games. His HR/FB rate this year with Detroit was 9.2 percent. With Chicago? 31.4 percent …