Classical Tovar
Ezequiel Tovar (COL): 5-6, 3B, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI.
With only seven wins this season, the Colorado Rockies were looking to anyone in the lineup to help boost a team that’s felt “dead in the water” since Opening Day. Their poor play has made them a laughingstock and has cost manager Bud Black his job.
After being activated on Friday off the IL, it seems like Ezequiel Tovar may be that much-needed sparkplug.
Tovar has been on the 10-Day IL since April 19th due to a hip contusion. In his first game back on Friday against the Diamondbacks, he collected only one hit in Colorado’s 8-0 loss. On Saturday, however, it was a much different story for Tovar and the Rockies’ lineup overall.
Against starting pitcher Zac Gallen and the Diamondbacks’ bullpen, Tovar collected five hits, including a triple and his first home run in 2025. He scored two runs, had two RBI, and was a double away from achieving the cycle.
It’s been a bit of a slow start for Tovar, who had a promising 2024 campaign.
In 695 plate appearances, the 23-year-old Rockies shortstop his .269 with a .764 OPS. That included 26 home runs, 83 runs, and six stolen bases. He struck out 28.8% of the time and only walked 3.3%, both meager marks. Conversely, his solid barrel rate (9.0%) and hard-hit rate (39.8%) enticed fantasy managers looking for upside at the shortstop position.
After his five-hit night in Arizona, Tovar is hitting .263 with a .708 OPS in 80 plate appearances. His barrel rate is lower than last season at 5.4%. However, his 44.6% hard-hit rate is 4.8% higher than a season ago. He also sports a LA Sweet-Spot percentage of 48.2%, a 9.7% improvement from his 2024 mark.
Staying healthy will be key for Tovar, especially since hip injuries can be tricky. While it’s unlikely that the Rockies will score 14 runs again like they did on Saturday, Tovar has the potential to be a catalyst for the Rockies at the top of the batting order. Colorado won’t win a ton of games this year. Still, Tovar could be the fantasy player who could help fantasy teams perform well in their leagues, especially with massive performances like tonight.
Let’s see how the other hitters did Saturday.
Jordan Beck (COL): 3-5, 2 HR, 4 R, 3 RBI, BB.
Many Rockies hitters hit bombs on Saturday night (and away from Coors Field, which is rare). However, Beck hit two, putting his total up to seven this season. The 24-year-old outfielder is a bit of a strikeout machine with a 28.8% K rate in 131 plate appearances. Conversely, when he does make contact, it’s often of the productive variety. Beck is currently hitting .265 with a .909 OPS and has a barrel rate of 16.9%.
Dansby Swanson (CHC): 2-3, HR, 3 R, RBI, 2 BB, 2 SB.
Swanson helped the Cubs win their second straight game against their South Side neighbors on Saturday. Swanson had two hits, including his 10th home run of the season. After hitting 16 home runs in 593 plate appearances last season, Swanson is six away from that total in 399 fewer plate appearances this year. With an 11.4% barrel rate, 253 average, and .793 OPS, Swanson finally looks like the hitter he once was in Atlanta.
Rafael Devers (BOS): 3-4, 2B, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB.
It seems like forever ago when Devers had a “closed-door” meeting with John Henry to discuss Devers’ unwillingness to move to first base in the wake of Triston Casas‘ season-ending injury. Since that “meeting”, Devers has been on fire, with Saturday’s performance being another prime example. Against a tough Atlanta team (that just got over .500 last year), Devers collected three hits, two runs, two RBI, and hit a walk-off home run to beat Atlanta in Boston.
Bryson Stott (PHI): 2-5, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, SB.
It was a down season for Stott in 2024. His average dropped to .245, a 35-point drop, and his OPS was also .671, a 77-point drop from 2024. Thus, expectations were slightly mixed for the Phillies’ shortstop in Spring Training. That said, he is hitting .263 with a .726 OPS and has four home runs and nine stolen bases to boot. Stott’s hard-hit rate (27.5%) may be down from last year (30.8%), but he’s launching the ball better than ever. His 38.3% Sweet-Spot percentage would be a career-high if the season ended today.
Ryan Jeffers (MIN): 4-5, 2B, HR, 2 R, RBI.
The Twins can’t lose. They won their 13th in a row after a 7-0 win over the Brewers. Jeffers was a force in the Minnesota win, as he had four hits, a double, and his third home run of the season. Jeffers is hitting .270 with a .768 OPS this year in 137 plate appearances. He’s been a productive catcher in fantasy in both one and two-catcher leagues.
Jackson Holliday (BAL): 2-5, 2B, HR, R, 3 RBI.
The Orioles didn’t win one for outgoing manager Brandon Hyde, who was fired today before Saturday’s game against the Nationals. Baltimore lost 10-6, but they had a strong performance from Holliday, who had two hits and launched his fifth home run of the year, which ties his mark from last year. Now hitting leadoff for the Orioles, the former phenom prospect is hitting .269 with a .754 OPS in 146 plate appearances this year.
Chase Meidroth (CHW): 3-4, HR, R, RBI, SB.
The White Sox could only muster six hits on Saturday in their 7-3 loss. Miedroth had three hits and hit his first home run of his MLB career, a 368-foot solo shot in the first inning off of Cubs starter Matthew Boyd. Miedroth has had some rough moments in his debut season (who can forget his “doink” off the top of his head against Kansas City). However, he has been a dependable hitter for the White Sox, as illustrated by his .726 OPS.
Bryan Reynolds (PIT): 2-3, HR, R, 2 RBI, BB.
It hasn’t been the year that Reynolds wanted. He’s only hitting .202 with a .600 OPS in 197 plate appearances this season. That’s a far cry from the .275 average and .791 OPS in 692 plate appearances in 2024. He hit his sixth home run of the year against the Phillies, so at least the power potential remains. That said,he needs to turn things a bit, especially for a team scrambling after the firing of their manager not too long ago.
Joc Pederson (TEX): 1-2, HR, R, 2 RBI, 2 BB.
Pederson has been a mess at the plate with the Rangers. He’s only hitting .130 with a .502 OPS in 136 plate appearances. The barrel rate is down at eight percent, a 4.1% decline from a year ago. On a good note, he’s only striking out 19.7% of the time, his best mark since 2018. He also hit his second home run of the year, against the hated Houston Astros. There’s still a lot of chips stacked against a Pederson rebound, and at 33 years old, he may be in his twilight years. That said, a homer and two walks give fantasy managers who roster him hope that better days may be ahead.
