Robert’s Rule of Order
The White Sox lost their second game of 2024. Unlike their 1-0 loss on Opening Day, there were plenty of offensive fireworks.
The White Sox and Tigers combined for 13 runs and 22 hits, five of which were home runs. Two of those home runs came from Luis Robert Jr., who also collected three hits and four RBI in addition to his two bombs on Saturday.
Through two games, Robert is hitting .500 with a 1.806 OPS in nine plate appearances this season. It’s an excellent start for the outfielder coming off a breakout season on the South Side in 2023.
Last year, Robert finally stayed healthy and fully developed his power tool.
In a career-high 145 games and 595 plate appearances, the Cuban-born outfielder hit 38 home runs, scored 90 runs, posted a .857 OPS, and stole 20 bases. While Robert did strike out 172 times and ranked in the bottom 14th percentile in K%, his combination of home-run power and stolen-base ability made him one of the most sought-after outfielders in fantasy drafts.
Even though Robert looks like he’ll flourish in the HR and SB categories again, how his run and RBI categories fare this year will be worth watching. Manager Pedro Grifol has slotted him in the three-spot in the White Sox lineup, which is ideal for run production. Unfortunately, this is a lineup full of question marks and uncertainty. That has been demonstrated by fellow teammates Andrew Benintendi, Yoán Moncada, and Eloy Jiménez, who hit in the leadoff, second, and cleanup spots, respectively, getting off to slow starts in the opening home stand.
Nonetheless, the White Sox have a legitimate star in Robert, as long as he’s healthy. Fantasy managers who roster him should continue to trust him and his outlook for 2024.
Sure, baseball is looking bleak on the South Side in the short term. On the other hand, Robert is a ray of hope that should continue to be relied upon, even if those around him don’t live up to their potential (i.e. Moncada and Jimenez).
Trusting Robert in one’s fantasy lineup should be a rule for any fantasy manager who rosters Robert, regardless of format.
Let’s see how the other hitters did Saturday
Mark Canha (DET): 3-5, 2B, HR, 3 R, 3 RBI, SB.
New team. Same production from Canha. The 35-year-old former Athletic, Met, and Brewer had a complete game at the plate for the Tigers on Saturday in Detroit’s 7-6 win over the White Sox. In addition to three hits, Canha collected three RBI and his first HR and SB of the season. Canha hit 11 HR and stole 11 bases in 139 games last year, so he may be on his way to surpassing his totals in those categories in 2024.
Gunnar Henderson (BAL): 3-4, 3B, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI.
The 2023 AL Rookie of the Year isn’t showing any signs of slowing down in his sophomore season. Henderson is hitting .500 for the year with a 1.681 OPS in nine plate appearances, and his performance on Saturday brought back memories of his sensational 2023 campaign. The 22-year-old infielder had three hits, three RBI, and a home run against the Angels in the Orioles’ 13-4 blowout. Through two games, his average exit velocity is 97.3 mph, and his hard-hit rate is 66.7%. That shows that Henderson is well on his way to another stellar season this year.
Rhys Hoskins (MIL): 3-4, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI, BB.
After missing all of 2023 due to injury, Hoskins has returned with a fury, albeit with the Brewers instead of the Phillies, the organization that drafted him back in 2014. On Opening Day on Friday, the 31-year-old first baseman slid awkwardly into second base, much to the ire of Jeff McNeil (their exchange became a viral sensation). On Saturday, Mets fans booed Hoskins mercilessly, and Hoskins responded with an offensive explosion. Not only did he hit his first home run as a Brewer, but he also collected four RBI. Based on this series, Mets fans will be happy that they won’t see Hoskins as much this year as they did in seasons past.
Jared Walsh (TEX): 3-5, 2B, HR, 3 R, 2 RBI.
Nathaniel Lowe is on the IL, which opens the door for Walsh to begin the season at first base. Walsh fizzled out with the Angels after hitting 29 HR and making the All-Star game in 2021. Thankfully for the Rangers, the new surroundings have had a positive effect. In an 11-2 blowout of the Cubs, Walsh collected three hits, scored three runs, and hit his first home run. Walsh hit .215 in 2022 and .125 in 2023, so one has to wonder how much Walsh has left in the tank. With Lowe out for a bit, the Rangers will gladly take this surprising production from Walsh.
CJ Abrams (WSH): 1-2, 3B, 3 R, 3 BB, 3 SB.
The expectations are high for Abrams after he finished the 2023 season strong. The Nationals have put Abrams back in the leadoff spot, and as expected, Abrams is causing havoc on the basepaths. Though he is only hitting .167 in two games, he has drawn three walks and stolen three bases, with all three swipes coming on Saturday against the Reds. The 23-year-old shortstop can be a bit of a rollercoaster with the bat. However, he is one of the best base stealers in the league, and his role as the Nationals leadoff man will continue to give him multiple opportunities to steal more bags over the year.
Ozzie Albies (ATL): 3-5, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, SB.
Atlanta dispatched the rival Phillies in Philadelphia once again, much to the chagrin of Phillies fans. On Saturday, Albies garnered all the attention of the frustrated Philly faithful. In addition to three hits, he also collected three RBI, a SB, and a HR in Atlanta’s 12-4 win. Albies had a down season in 2022, where he only hit .247 with eight home runs in 269 appearances. He followed that rough campaign with a sensational 2023, which saw him hit .280 with 33 HR in 660 plate appearances. It looks like Albies is on track to replicate his 2023 season rather than his 2022 one.
Randy Arozarena (TB): 2-3, HR, 3 R, RBI, BB, 2 SB.
The Rays revealed their “Randyland” section on Friday at the Trop, which plans to be a regular section every Friday. Arozarena couldn’t deliver a bomb on Friday, but he hit a home run on Saturday in the Rays’ 5-1 win over the Blue Jays. Additionally, Arozarena scored three runs and stole two bases, thus showing that he offers more than just the “big fly” as a hitter. Last year, the 29-year-old outfielder hit 23 home runs and stole 22 bases, but his SB total was down 10 from his mark in 2023. Furthermore, he still posted a .789 OPS, which seems low for a guy with star power. Perhaps “Randyland” can help propel him to a 30-30 HR-SB season and an OPS over .800.
Steven Kwan (CLE): 3-5, HR, 3 R, 2 RBI, BB.
The Guardians dominated the Athletics in a series that felt more like a Little League game in terms of the crowd rather than a Major League one (though to be fair, that’s more due to the Athletics’ awful ownership than their loyal fans). A promising development was to see the power surge from Kwan, who has only hit a combined 11 home runs over the past two seasons. Kwan hit his first HR of the year on Saturday in the Guardians’ 12-3 win over the A’s and one has to wonder if 2024 could be the year where he hits 10 or more home runs in a single season. He has always been a value in fantasy due to his high batting average and a good number of steals (21 last year). Double-digit home runs would be icing on the cake.
Taylor Ward (LAA): 2-4, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI.
It hasn’t been a great start for the Angels and their new manager, Ron Washington. Washington had to have a special “team meeting” to address the club’s lackluster performance in their first two games. If the Angels want to do anything respectable in 2024, they will need a strong performance from hitters like Ward, who had two hits and hit his first home run on Saturday. Ward had a promising 2022 when he hit 23 home runs, collected 65 RBI, and posted a .281 batting average. Unfortunately, he saw those numbers regress to 14 HR, 47 RBI, and a .253 average last year. Mike Trout needs help in the Angels lineup, especially with Shohei Ohtani now in Dodger blue. Perhaps Ward could be that hitter to fill that role (somewhat) this year.