Rinse and Re-Pete
Pete Alonso (NYM): 3-5, 2B, 2 HR, 3 R, 3 RBI.
It was a historic night for Alonso, as he became the Mets’ leading all-time home run leader not once but twice, breaking Daryl Strawberry’s record of 252, and then breaking his own record of 253 later in the game.
If he continues hitting like he has this season, he will be re-breaking that record a lot. With his 27th and 28th homers, Alonso is top-ten in most hitting categories, including second in the NL in RBIs and sixth in OPS. He’s also just one double away from his career-high on a season (31).
Alonso wasn’t exactly a bust last year, but he continued to struggle hitting for average and finished with the lowest OPS of his six years in New York at just .788 (even though he hit 34 homers). Despite the down season, the Mets looked to sign him to a long-term deal last winter but only managed a two-year contract with an opt-out clause that he will almost certainly exercise.
So what’s propelling this resurgence? At age 30, Alonso is simply hitting the ball harder than he ever has, even his 53-homer season in 2019. His 93.3 mph Average EV is over two mph above his career-best, and his barrel rate is 5% above his historic average. Here’s how his 2025 campaign compares to last year:
Alonso was typically drafted this season in the third or fourth round, the fifth 1B off the board. But he now leads the position in multiple categories and should be a top-20 pick in 2026. Sometimes a lengthy contract dispute provides a little extra motivation.
Let’s see how the other hitters did Tuesday:
Francisco Alvarez (NYM): 3-4, 2B, 2 HR, 3 R, 4 RBI.
It’s usually feast or famine for Alvarez, but he brought his knife and fork to the Mets’ homer parade last night. Alvarez has quietly been a different hitter since coming back up from the Minors, with a 10:9 K:BB ratio and an OPS more than 200 points higher. Keep in mind that his month-long AAA stint saw eleven homers and a .757 SLG, all in just 21 games. He’s also a former number one fantasy prospect and hit 25 homers in 2023 (and that was in just 382 ABs). The Catcher position has been surprisingly fruitful this year, but it’s also top-heavy—if you’re struggling for a quality backstop, he can help you.
José Ramírez (CLE): 3-4, 2B, 2 HR, 2 R, 2 RBI.
Last year, Ramírez came within a home run of going 40-40. While his homer pace hasn’t quite been the same in 2025, he’s got twelve since July 1st and 35-35 is well within reach (he only needs two more steals). You simply have to marvel at his consistency as he puts up monster numbers in a subpar lineup year after year. His two-homer night came on his first and last at-bats, and while they weren’t monster shots like Stanton’s (both were <100 mph), they counted the same. Ramírez surprisingly barrels the ball just 7.5% of the time and has a below-average bat speed, but he’s also hit 26 more homers than Pete Alonso in his career, so clearly it’s working.
Aaron Judge (NYY): 1-2, HR, 2 R, RBI, 3 BB, SB.
It’s been a tough week for Judge, who went 4-for-23 with zero extra-base hits in his first six games back from an IL stint. But he looked all the way back last night, mashing a 425-foot dinger in the first inning and later stealing a base. The homer was his typical 110-mph variety, a no-doubter to center field. The Yankees booth mentioned that Judge had his first great BP in a while, and it showed (and his three walks showed pitchers are still afraid of him). Even a 10-day minimum time away can throw the rhythm off for a bit, but all looks right again for the Yankees slugger, and his rising tide should lift the other boats in the lineup.
Giancarlo Stanton (NYY): 4-5, 2B, HR, R, 3 RBI.
Speaking of which, Stanton’s homer went about twenty feet farther than Judge’s and clocked in at 113 mph. The other Bash Brother in pinstripes is enjoying a vintage August with a 1.156 OPS on the month with three homers. He’s also showing tremendous patience at the plate with five walks in his last seven games (he had six in all of July). That tempered aggression is paying off as Stanton came within a triple of hitting for the cycle—but no one should have gotten their hopes up, as his last three-bagger came in 2018.
Roman Anthony (BOS): 1-2, HR, 4 R, RBI, 4 BB, SB.
How in the world is he only 30% owned in ESPN leagues? Anthony is quickly rising up the fantasy ranks as an all-category contributor. Sure, he struggled with power early and hit .128 in his first fifteen games. Then in July, he started raking with a .329 average and .452 OBP. Now, he’s got back-to-back games with a home run, after a 106.9 mph blast that ironically would have been out in every park but Fenway. The homers will come. The steals will come. He’s a top-50 player next year, and if you’re in the same draft as I am, there’s no way he’s going to be on your team.
Christian Yelich (MIL): 3-3, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB.
The scorching Brewers ran Paul Skenes’ pitch count to above 90 in just four innings, and then they feasted on the bullpen. When Yohan Ramirez came on for relief in the fifth inning, Yelich welcomed him with his 23rd homer. It’s been another tremendous season for Yelich, who is still only 33 and could come in with a 30-20 season. The Brew Crew is now riding its second eleven-game win streak in one season, only the third team to do so in the last seventy-five years.
Miguel Andujar (CIN): 1-3, HR, R, RBI.
It appears someone might like Cincinnati. Andujar’s played just nine games with his new team, but he’s hitting .348 with a 1.160 OPS. With Austin Hays recently struggling, Terry Francona has opted to put Andujar in the cleanup spot, and most importantly, he’s made four consecutive starts (all at DH). Andujar now has a combined .303 Batting Average, which significantly overperforms his xBA of .260—but he rarely strikes out and hit .285 last year, so it shouldn’t be considered a fluke. He also mashes lefties with a .412/.444/.627 slash line, and though he’s not the best fielder, he has an excellent outfield arm, so there’s a possibility he’s an everyday guy now.
Brandon Nimmo (NYM): 2-5, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI.
While his walk rate is below 10% for the first time in his career (which has made him a points league darling for some time), Nimmo’s launch angle has been up, resulting in more power. His batting average last year (.224) looks more and more like an outlier—probably limited somewhat from offseason shoulder surgery—and almost every Statcast metric is right at league average or above. He’s always been under the radar and always been useful.
Edgar Quero (CHW): 3-5, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI.
Quero’s far from a household name, but he’s a catcher that hits for a decent average backed up by excellent plate discipline for a rookie. In what might be his first breakout game, he led the White Sox to a 9-6 victory over the first-place Tigers. Quero hits near the bottom of a paltry lineup, but he’s getting extra ABs as a D,H which is always enticing for a backstop. After batting around .300 in AAA the last couple of seasons, the 22-year-old might be worth a look in future drafts.
Pete Crow-Armstrong (CHC): 0-4.
Fantasy baseball’s first-half MVP has hit a wall in August, going 3-for-33 with one double and 13 Ks. He’s also just stolen a single base. He’ll figure it out soon enough, but a .239 OPS isn’t what owners would like to see. Last night was another 0-fer, and he didn’t hit a ball harder than 87 mph. He also struck out swinging to end the seventh inning in a key situation, and the Cubs continue to struggle to score.
