Hindsight Bias
Rece Hinds (CIN): 2-3, 2B, HR, R, RBI.
With a line of 2-3, 2B, HR, R, RBI, Rece Hinds might be a name that piqued your interest while scrolling through box scores on Monday night. And why shouldn’t he? Any player that homers in their big-league debut is sure to leave a lasting impression, especially when that homer was launched 449 feet.
However, you shouldn’t let your 20/20 hindsight vision cloud your judgment when using your moves or FAAB for the week. In his time with Triple-A Louisville this year, Hinds has produced a .699 OPS with a .216 average, 13 homers, and 12 steals. It’s a prospect profile that shows promise with speed and power upside, but his lower ratios and nearly 43% strikeout rate show he still has plenty of maturing to do as a player before he should be added to your rosters. Keep an eye on his development, sure – he is only 23 years old, after all – but don’t go chasing Rece just because of a little short-term Hindsight bias.
Let’s see how the other hitters did Monday:
Alec Burleson (STL): 2-5, HR, R, 3 RBI.
Burleson’s hot streak has continued into July, as he now has four multi-hit performances and two homers in the first week of this month. What’s even more encouraging is that even with Lars Nootbaar’s return to the lineup, Burleson still hit second for the Cardinals yesterday. He’s worth adding or holding on to as long as he can maintain this level of performance.
Oneil Cruz (PIT): 2-3, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI.
Oneil Cruz hit yet another towering home run on Monday–his fourth of the past two weeks–but the big story surrounding Cruz was his early exit from the game. Cruz allegedly felt his hamstring tighten running the bases in the sixth inning, but stayed in the field for a couple more innings before leaving the game. Manager Derek Shelton called the removal an “abundance of caution” for the star shortstop, but it’s certainly a situation worth monitoring throughout the week.
Brandon Nimmo (NYM): 2-4, HR, R, 2 RBI.
Call that self-Nimmolation, because Brandon Nimmo is on fire right now. His home run on Monday was his fourth in the past two weeks, and he’s also added three steals during that time frame. As the Mets have heated up this summer, so has Nimmo, who now owns a respectable .823 OPS on the season. He’s on pace for somewhere between 20-25 homers and 15-20 steals in what will be another productive season for the outfielder.
Lars Nootbaar (STL): 1-4.
Hey, he’s back! This was Lars Nootbaar’s first game action in over a month as he recovered from a strained oblique. He slid back into his normal spot in right field and hit seventh in his return to the lineup, with the two-hole now occupied by the hot-hitting Alec Burleson. Nootbaar provides some speed and power upside, so he’s worth a grab if you need another outfielder in four-outfielder leagues or more.
Matt Wallner (MIN): 2-4, 2B, HR, R, 2 RBI.
Matt Wallner spent some time with the Twins earlier this season but struggled mightily before being sent down to Triple-A to work things out. He turned things around in June with a 1.129 OPS in that month before earning a call back up to the big leagues. So far, he’s showing that the adjustments he made are paying off, as he’s three-for-five with a home run and a double in these first two games. The biggest question with Wallner will be his playing time, but he’s worth monitoring if he continues to show growth.
Nicky Lopez (CHW): 2-3, 2B, R, 2 RBI, BB, SB.
It’s a solid line for Nicky Lopez overall, but this was his first steal in several weeks and he’s yet to hit a home run in 2024. He, like most White Sox, should be left on waivers for the time being.
Wyatt Langford (TEX): 2-5, 2B, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI.
After a disappointing start to the season, Wyatt Langford has turned things around since coming off the injured list and looks much more like the promising rookie we were expecting to see this season. He has six hits in his past two games and boasts a .752 OPS on the season. If, for some reason, he’s still available in your league (he’s only rostered in about 50% of ESPN leagues), make sure you grab him while he’s hot.
Sean Murphy (ATL): 2-4, HR, R, 2 RBI.
Sean Murphy enjoyed a career year in Atlanta last season with 21 long balls, but his campaign this year has been hampered by injuries and a playing time split with Travis d’Arnaud. Still, he has five home runs in limited action, meaning he’s a worthwhile stream at catcher on days like Monday when not many teams are playing. Unless he earns more consistent playing time (he’s playing about every other game at this point), he’s best viewed as a day-to-day streamer for now.
Mickey Moniak (LAA): 2-4, 3B, 2 R, 2 RBI.
An overall solid line for Mickey Moniak, who isn’t an everyday player for the Angels and will see a further decrease in his role once Mike Trout (hopefully) returns later this month. Moniak should remain on waivers and can be viewed as a streamer in only the deepest of leagues.