All About the Wynns
Austin Wynns (CIN): 3-5, 3 2B, 2 R, RBI.
With Tyler Stephenson on the paternity list for now, the Reds selected the contract of journeyman catcher Austin Wynns, who had spent the entire season thus far in Triple-A Louisville.
Wynns hadn't precisely impressed in Triple-A so far this year. In 31 games and 114 plate appearances for the Bats, Wynns was slashing .250/.307/.404 with a .711 OPS. In 233 games at the Major League level, the 33-year-old catcher has slashed .229/.276/.331 with an OPS of .607. Frankly, it was expected that Wynns would be a temporary call-up to back up Luke Maile until Stephenson was ready to return off the paternity list.
Wynns' tenure may still be short. However, he at least had a 2024 MLB debut to remember.
On the road against the rival St. Louis Cardinals, Wynns collected three hits, including three doubles, two runs scored, and an RBI. His strong performance led to a 9-4 win and improved Cincinnati's record to 39-44 this season, a bit disappointing considering the Reds had Wild Card aspirations heading into the 2024 season.
Since 2018, the former Fresno State product has played for five organizations: the Orioles, Giants, Dodgers, Rockies, and Reds. His career may end soon, especially since he is a hitter with a career barrel rate of 3% and a wOBA of .258. According to Savant, Wynns has been known for his strong framing and throwing, as he was six catching runs above average last season. That has value, but it's hard to see the Reds invest at-bats into Wynns, especially with someone like Stephenson on the roster.
Nonetheless, if this is the main highlight of Wynns's 2024 season, at least he could go out on a high note against a division rival.
Let's see how the other hitters did Saturday.
Manny Machado (SDP): 2-5, 2 HR, 2 R, 5 RBI.
For the second straight night, the Padres trounced the Red Sox, this time by a score of 11-1. Machado was the key catalyst in this one, hitting two home runs and driving in five of the Padres' 11 runs this season. Machado is slowly getting back to form, increasing his HR total to 10 and improving his OPS to .730 after his big night in Boston.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (TOR): 3-5, 2B, HR, R, 6 RBI.
Guerrero cutting his hair has had the inverse "Samson" effect: he's been on a tear since getting his signature locks cut. Last night was a prime example: he had three hits, six RBI, and hit his 13th home run of the year against the hated Yankees. Guerrero looks more like 2021 self with a .296 average, .842 OPS, and a 99th percentile hard-hit rate. That is good news for fantasy managers who took a risk on Guerrero in their respective drafts despite him having a down 2023 (.789 OPS).
CJ Abrams (WSN): 2-3, 2B, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB.
The 23-year-old shortstop seems more locked in than ever, as he had two hits and hit his 13th home run of the season on Saturday. For the season, Abrams is hitting .282 and has an OPS of .852. He also has 13 stolen bases and could be a 25 HR-30 SB threat by the conclusion of the 2024 season. The numbers seem legit for Abrams, as he ranks in the 95th percentile in xBA and the 88th percentile in the LA sweet-spot percentage. The future continues to look bright for the Nationals' budding superstar.
Heston Kjerstad (BAL): 1-1, HR, R, 4 RBI, 2 BB.
Since being called up on June 24, Kjerstad has been on a tear. In 33 PA, he is hitting .269 with a .962 OPS. On Saturday, he hit his second home run of the year, which was his first career grand slam. The Statcast metrics for Kjerstad are a bit mixed so far. He has a barrel rate of 11.1% but only a hard-hit rate of 33.3%. Thus, seeing if Kjerstad can keep up this pace as he gets more at-bats with the Orioles will be interesting.
Nathaniel Lowe (TEX): 3-4, 2B, HR, R, 2 RBI.
The Rangers have lost six straight since sweeping the Royals. However, Lowe isn't to blame, as he collected three hits and hit his fourth home of the season. Everything is down for Lowe, as his OPS is down 67 points, and his barrel rate is down 2.3 points from a season ago. As a result, Lowe has been hitting near the bottom of the order, which is concerning for anyone who rosters him in their respective fantasy leagues.
Lenyn Sosa (CHW): 2-3, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB.
Sosa has flashed potential before at the Major League level, and Saturday was a prime example. Against the Rockies, he had two hits and hit his third home run of the season. Ideally, Sosa would be a building block on a rebuilding White Sox team, especially after games like this. However, Sosa only hits .218 with a .591 OPS in 132 plate appearances. He doesn't walk much (4.5%) and strikes out a bit too much (23.5%). Sosa is only 24 years old, but seeing him having a long-term future in Chicago is hard.
José Ramírez (CLE): 2-5, 2B, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI.
Every year is the same story with Ramirez: he's an MVP candidate, but he doesn't get enough buzz due to him playing in Cleveland. On Saturday against the Royals, Ramirez hit his 23rd home run of the season and improved his average and OPS to .280 and .890, respectively. Ramirez also has 15 stolen bases this season, demonstrating how much of an overall threat Ramirez is offensively to opposing teams. With the Guardians one of the best teams in baseball, Ramirez likely gets heavier MVP consideration.
Michael Busch (CHC): 2-4, HR, R, 2 RBI, BB.
Busch continues his tear with the Cubs this season. Against the Brewers, Busch hit his 10th home run of the season, a key one in the eighth inning that helped the Cubs pull away in Milwaukee. Busch barrels and launches the ball well, as evidenced by his 12.2% barrel rate and 42.9% LA Sweet-Spot percentage. However, his 33.6% K% and 32.1% Whiff% are concerning and could hint at future regression. Nonetheless, fantasy managers who roster Busch should enjoy the production for now.
Mark Vientos (NYM): 2-4, HR, 2 R, RBI.
Vientos has been on a tear in 2024 after only showing flashes in 2023. The 24-year-old is hitting .297 with a .933 OPS, and he hit his 10th home run of the year against Framber Valdez on Saturday. He also is sporting a 15.5% barrel rate and 44.3% hard-hit rate, encouraging signs that his contact quality is as good as ever. He also has lowered his K% and increased his BB%, showing that his eye is improving at the MLB level with more games under his belt. The Mets lost, but Vientos has shown he could be a piece worth building around for the future.
