Gleyber Pains
Gleyber Torres (DET): 2-4, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI.
It was a brutal stretch of four games, but Gleyber Torres broke out of his 0-for-15 funk by hitting a three-run homer off Max Scherzer on Sunday, his first home run since June 28. His final line was 2-4, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI, helping the Tigers snap a six-game losing streak.
The Tigers keep rolling out Torres at the top of their lineup, mostly from the two-hole but sometimes batting leadoff. Similarly, he should have a prominent role in your fantasy lineups as well. What he lacks in power, he makes up for in contact skills, rarely striking out (13.1% K rate) and having one of the strongest xBA in the league (.293, 93rd percentile), and in decision-making skills, as his walk rate is also pristine, at 13.6%, after hovering around 10% over the last two seasons. While he hadn’t homered in about a month, his power isn’t too shabby, with a season-long SLG of .415 and an xSLG of .498. PLV’s Process+ also loves him, and so should you. The only pain Gleyber is inflicting this season is on your fantasy opponents.
Let’s see how the other hitters did Sunday:
Andrew Benintendi (CHW): 2-4, 2 HR, 2 R, 4 RBI.
Andrew Benintendi had a double-dinger Sunday in the battle of Chicago, but unfortunately, his homer-crushing ways were not enough to lead the White Sox to victory. Also, unfortunately for him, fantasy managers are not impressed with his 2025 season, as ownership is still only at 2% in Yahoo leagues. It might be more about the front of his jersey than the back, but it’s definitely because of the back as well. Still, he’s hitting .264/.375/.472 over the past two weeks.
Otto Kemp (PHI): 2-4, 2 HR, 2 R, 2 RBI.
Phillies’ rookie Otto Kemp crushed two homers at Yankee Stadium off Carlos Rodón, but it helped almost no one in fantasy as Kemp shares the same rostership rate as Benintendi. The multiple-eligibility Kemp might have a respectable .250/.323/.411 line in his first season in the bigs, but his playing time is sparse, separating him from other rookies who have gotten more fantasy helium. He has been playing more often recently since Alec Bohm hit the IL, and his 48.1% HardHit rate is nothing to scoff at, so keep him on your watch list.
CJ Abrams (WSN): 2-3, HR, 3 R, RBI, 3 SB.
Abrams ordered a super combo meal on Sunday, with a home run and three steals. This was the sixth time that Abrams had a three-steal game, which is a pretty impressive stat. He’s up to 14 homers and 23 steals on the season, the Nationals’ shortstop looks to continue his bounce-back breakout, slashing .275/.340/.475 in 2025.
Josh Smith (TEX): 3-4, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB.
Smith hit his first homer since July 5, helping the Rangers crush the SP-less Braves 8-1. Smith hits leadoff for Texas, but he’s in a strict platoon, sitting against lefties and limiting his fantasy value. The utility man is more valuable in daily leagues than weekly leagues, but overall is having a respectable 2025 season, hitting .274/.352/.415 with nine homers and nine steals.
Michael Conforto (LAD): 3-4, 2 2B, HR, R, RBI, BB.
Michael Conforto came into 2025 as a sleeper for many fantasy managers, but has failed to deliver in both real life and fantasy. The platoon outfielder for the Dodgers hit two doubles and a homer on Sunday, but overall has had a disappointing first season in Los Angeles, slashing .194/.304/.346 with only nine home runs.
Alec Burleson (STL): 2-4, 2B, HR, R, 2 RBI.
Burleson is having a solid under-the-radar season for the St. Louis Cardinals out of the three-hole, hitting a double and his 13th home run of 2025 on Sunday. Though this was the first time he’s homered and collected an RBI since July 19, PLV’s Process+ is a big fan of Burleson’s consistently high contact skills and, more recently, his power, and so should you. Only 49% rostered on Yahoo, pick him up for the home stretch if he’s available in your leagues.
Wyatt Langford (TEX): 2-3, 2B, R, 3 RBI, BB.
Langford had a solid day at the plate on Sunday, and fantasy owners are hoping that he can turn around his season with a strong finish after being mired in a nasty slump over the past few games. With 15 homers and 15 steals, Langford has a 20/20 season within his sights, but fantasy managers were hoping for more after spending significant draft capital on him. With fantasy trade deadlines looming, he’s a great buy-low candidate in dynasty.
Mike Trout (LAA): 2-4, HR, R, 2 RBI.
It took a little longer than we thought with all of his injuries, but Mike Trout got his 1,000th RBI on Sunday while crushing his 19th homer of the season, off Mariners’ ace Logan Gilbert, no less. Gone are the days of Trout as a first-round pick, but as long as he’s healthy, he’s still one of the best out there. He’s hitting .237/.361/.470 on the season, and .268/.400/.607 with five homers and 14 RBI in his last 15 games.
Matt Chapman (SFG): 2-5, 2 HR, 2 R, 3 RBI.
Matt Chapman launched two home runs into orbit on Sunday Night Baseball, but it wasn’t enough to help the Giants defeat the visiting Mets. Chapman missed time this season with a sprained right hand and had an elbow injury scare earlier in the week, but neither injury has sapped his power, and he remains a strong third-base option in all fantasy formats.
