Bolte of Lightning
Henry Bolte (ATH): 3-4, 2B, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB.
It was a July to forget for rookie Athletics outfielder Henry Bolte.
After hitting .286 with a .761 OPS in 105 plate appearances in June, the 22-year-old rookie stumbled in the past month. He hit .164 with a .467 OPS in 75 plate appearances. In 39 plate appearances in the second half, he is hitting .176 with a .469 OPS. That’s not exactly the kind of numbers Bolte wanted to see after a decent start to his MLB career.
On Saturday, Bolte looked more like his June self on the first day of August.
In a 6-5 win over the Tigers, the Athletics center fielder had three hits, including a double and a home run, his fourth of the year. Bolte had three RBI, scored two runs, and had a walk.
It’s just one game, but it’s a step in the right direction for Bolte, who was trending in the wrong direction in July, much like the A’s overall as a team. With a 33.8% whiff rate and 27.8% K%, there’s still too much swing-and-miss in Bolte’s approach at the plate. That said, his average exit velocity ranks in the 66th percentile and his hard-hit rate ranks in the 79th percentile.
For a 22-year-old in his first MLB season, those are strong traits to have, especially with many years ahead of him (hopefully) in the Big Leagues.
Let’s see how the other hitters did on Saturday
Hunter Goodman (COL): 4-5, 2 HR, 2 R, 5 RBI.
It was another big day for the Rockies catcher. Not only did he have four hits and five RBI, but he also had two home runs, his 32nd and 33rd of the year. Goodman has two more than his total from last year, with roughly two months of play to go. If he stays healthy, he should be a shoo-in for 40+ home runs by the end of the 2026 season, a new career-high.
Ceddanne Rafaela (BOS): 2-4, 2 HR, 2 R, 2 RBI.
There are flaws with Rafaela’s game. He doesn’t walk a lot (4.2% BB%), and he chases a ton (42%). That said, there are stretches where Rafaela looks like one of the most dynamic hitters in baseball. That was the case against the Dodgers on Saturday, as he had two home runs and collected two RBI. With 14 home runs, 15 stolen bases and a .798 OPS, Rafaela is on his way to a 20+ HR and 20+ SB season.
Osleivis Basabe (SFG): 2-4, 2B, HR, R, 4 RBI.
The 25-year-old Basabe hadn’t played in the Majors since 2023, when he was a member of the Rays organization. In six appearances, he’s hitting .333 with a 1.333 OPS. On Saturday, he had two hits and had a two-run home run. That was Basabe’s first home run of 2026 and his second in his MLB career. It’s hard to imagine Basabe having much impact at the MLB level, but it’s nice to see days like this.
Kevin McGonigle (DET): 3-4, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB.
It was another day at the office for McGonigle: three hits, two RBI, and his 11th home run of the year. With 11 homers, 11 stolen bases, and an .829 OPS in 480 plate appearances, he seems to be on his way to clinching the AL Rookie of the Year award. Alas, it seems like the season may be done for the Tigers, especially in the wake of Tarik Skubal getting traded to the Dodgers.
Corbin Carroll (ARI): 2-5, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB.
The Diamondbacks are sitting pretty with a 59-52 record. Carroll is sitting prettier with an .827 OPS, 16 home runs and 15 stolen bases this year. After an injury in Spring Training, Carroll has come back strong as ever and has Arizona in the hunt for a Wild Card spot.
Randy Arozarena (SEA): 2-4, 2B, HR, 3 R, RBI, BB.
The Mariners began their soft rebuilding process. On Saturday, they traded pitcher Luis Castillo to the White Sox for a deep player package. The Mariners ended up beating the Twins, who have been having a string of good luck. The main catalyst was Arozarena, who scored three runs and hit his 14th home run of the year. After a slow start on the home run end, he’s been picking it up.
Freddy Fermin (SDP): 2-3, HR, R, 3 RBI.
After a surprising run in Kansas City, Fermin has fallen back to earth. He’s only hitting .179 with a .568 OPS in 188 plate appearances this year. Fermin has been regular to strictly backup duties, and it makes sense considering the metrics. However, on Saturday, Fermin looked more like his Royals self, with two hits, three RBI and his fourth home run of the season.
Teoscar Hernández (LAD): 3-4, HR, R, 2 RBI.
Hitting 33 home runs in 2024 may have been the beginning of the end for Hernández. He only hit 25 last year, and his .738 OPS last year was 102 points lower than his 2024 mark. This year, Hernández has only 10 home runs, with his latest coming against the Red Sox in a loss. Maybe Hernández has one last hot streak in him. I’m doubtful.
Griffin Conine (MIA): 2-3, HR, R, RBI, BB.
It’s not every day when a team can plug a .279 hitter with a .933 OPS in the nine hole. And yet, that’s what Miami did with Conine, who hit in the nine spot for the Marlins on Saturday. With 10 home runs already, Conine is finally living up to his once-high prospect hype. It’s nice to see when players’ sons are good on their own right.
