Howdy Wilyer!

 

Wilyer Abreu (BOS): 3-4, 2 HR, 2 R, 3 RBI.

Despite a moderate breakout in his first full year in the majors, Wilyer Abreu’s status with the Red Sox was a little bit tenuous heading into 2025, with the likes of Kristian Campbell and Roman Anthony breathing down his neck. Safe to say that after a little over a month, Abreu has cemented himself as an integral part of the Boston lineup. After his two HR day, Abreu is already up to nine after hitting 15 in 2024. He has vastly improved his BB/K ratio from 0.32 to 0.70, and he is barreling the ball up at 16.9% after just 10.8% last season. The breakout looks real to me, and Boston is just going to have to find an opening for their vaunted prospects elsewhere.

 

Let’s see how the other hitters did Wednesday:

 

Gabriel Arias (CLE): 4-5, 2B, R.

When the Guardians traded Andrés Giménez away this offseason, they were taking a real gamble on Gabriel Arias, but so far that gamble is paying off. After a four-hit day on Wednesday, Arias is now slashing .287/.339/.452 and has done a good job of cutting down his 32.9 K% from 2024. The 25-year-old is looking like an integral part of a Cleveland team that is 1.5 games out of first in the AL Central, and he may be worth a flier in fantasy leagues.

 

Jeremy Peña (HOU): 2-5, HR, 2B, 2 R, 4 RBI.

Jeremy Peña cut his teeth in the playoffs for the Astros, but has developed a reputation as a second-tier regular-season SS in a SS-driven league. However, there are signs that he may be trending in a first-tier direction. Pena is now slashing .350/.391/.500 over his last 15 games and has improved his K% each year, now down to 13.9% from 24.2% in 2022. Houston’s lineup has declined in star power over the last few years, but Pena is looking like he could be ready to take his game to the next level in the leadoff spot.

 

Jacob Wilson (ATH): 4-5, 2B, R, RBI.

In an era defined by the three true outcomes at the plate, Jacob Wilson is bucking that trend and having success doing so. The sixth overall pick in 2023 out of Grand Canyon University, Wilson has just six walks and seven strikeouts in 143 at-bats and is hitting .357/.383/.476. Personally I love it and I am looking forward to enjoying Wilson’s old school brand of baseball for years to come. I have a feeling the rejuvenated Athletics fan base is, too.

 

Corbin Carroll (ARI): 2-2, HR, R, RBI, 2 BB.

The Diamondbacks offense sputtered on Wednesday amassing just one run, but it wasn’t due to Corbin Carroll’s efforts. Carroll is now up to 11 HRs with a .297/.370/.613 line and it sure looks like his 2024 struggles are all in the past. He even has room to improve in the K% and stolen base departments, and, if he makes a jump there, we could be hearing Carroll’s name brought up in MVP conversations by the end of the season.

 

Juan Soto (NYM): 2-4, 2 HR, 2 R, 3 RBI.

After a slow start to the season, Juan Soto has been on fire for the first-place Mets over the past week, hitting .346/.455/.885 with four HRs and a six to four BB/K ratio. Soto has always felt like a hitter who improves as the weather heats up, and it looks like Mets fans are in for a fun summer.

 

Freddie Freeman (LAD): 3-4, 3B, R, 4 RBI.

The Dodgers’ lineup was looking unusually inefficient with just one run through six innings on Wednesday. Then the seventh inning rolled around and the floodgates opened, spearheaded by a three-run triple by Freddie Freeman. The 35-year-old has been on a tear over the last week, hitting .483/.516/.966 with more HRs (four) than strikeouts (three).

 

Trea Turner (PHI): 2-4, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI.

Trea Turner hit just his second HR of the season on Wednesday, and while that may be a cause for concern, the 31-year-old is still putting up an outstanding .307/.375/.394 line. The power will come as the weather heats up and Turner looks like a shoo-in for another 20/20 season.

 

TJ Friedl (CIN): 2-4, 2 HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB.

An undrafted free agent, TJ Friedl has flown under the radar his entire career, and that continued this offseason, despite projecting at the leadoff spot for the Reds. Let’s not forget that he hit 18 HRs and stole 27 bases in 138 games in 2023. After hitting two HRs on Wednesday, Friedl is now slashing .273/.338/.392 and could be a valuable asset for fantasy teams.

 

Byron Buxton (MIN): 2-4, HR, R, 3 RBI.

Isn’t it just so beautiful when Byron Buxton is healthy? I hope I didn’t just jinx it because the 31-year-old has been on fire over the last 15 games, slashing .323/.348/.677 with six HRs. For fantasy purposes, I was a little worried about Buxton not running to preserve his health, but he does have seven stolen bases this season. Cross your fingers and say a prayer for Buxton’s health because a full season for him would be amazing.

 

Alex Bregman (BOS): 3-4, HR, 2B, 2 R, 3 RBI.

I predicted a big season for Alex Bregman, and for once, a prediction of mine has come to fruition. Bregman now has nine HRs, and his .286 ISO is his highest since his 41-HR 2019 season. He also leads the league with 15 doubles, which makes sense with him just peppering the Green Monster. The Red Sox lineup is only going to improve as the prospects make their way to Boston, and Bregman is looking primed for a career year.

 

Ryan McMahon (COL): 4-4, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB.

Ryan McMahon has cemented himself in the MLB as a solid 20-HR caliber player with a high strikeout rate, but when he gets hot, he gets WHITE HOT. Tigers pitchers could not figure out McMahon on Wednesday as he collected nine total bases, including his fourth HR of the season, to go along with a walk. Knowing his history of insane hot streaks, McMahon is someone to keep an eye on in the next couple of games to see if he can carry over the success from this game.