Game Jordan
Jordan Westburg (BAL): 4-5, HR, 2 R, 5 RBI.
It’s been a disappointing season for the Orioles, as they sit at 57-67 and will likely miss the postseason after making the AL Wild Card a year ago.
However, one player that hasn’t disappointed is Jordan Westburg.
The 26-year-old third baseman is hitting .277 with an .802 OPS and 15 homers in 303 plate appearances. He is three homers away from matching his 2024 total, even though he’s had 144 fewer plate appearances. One has to wonder what he would have done had he not missed some time in May and June due to various injuries that put him on the IL.
On Sunday, he was essential in the Orioles’ 12-0 win over the Astros in Houston. Westburg not only collected his 15th home run and five RBI, but he also had four hits in Baltimore’s runaway victory.
It’s been a nice second half for Westburg. In 123 plate appearances, he is hitting .313 with an .836 OPS. He also has five home runs and 13 RBI. If he stays healthy for the remainder of the season, he could be in line for a 20+ HR season, which would be a career-high at the first 20+ HR season of his career.
The Orioles will have Westburg in pre-arbitration for one more year, so they have plenty of time to make a decision with his long-term future in Baltimore. As for fantasy managers, he is rostered in 87% of Yahoo leagues, according to Fantasy Pros. Safe to say, he should be an easy pickup if he’s somehow available in one’s league for the stretch run of the fantasy season.
Let’s see how the other hitters did Sunday:
Jo Adell (LAA): 3-5, 2B, HR, 3 R, 4 RBI.
The Angels’ playoff chances are slim, but they have a puncher’s chance with hitters like Adell in the lineup. On Sunday, he collected three hits, four RBI, and hit his 26th home run of the year. Strikeouts are still an issue (25.6% K rate), but his prodigious power tool is finally producing big-time results.
Marcus Semien (TEX): 3-4, 2B, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB.
After losing four in a row, the Rangers avoided the sweep on Sunday. Semien played a significant role in Texas’ six-run win, recording three hits, two RBI, and hitting his 15th home run of the season. It’s been a disappointing season for Semien as he is hitting .228 with a .669 OPS. However, a strong finish from him could get Texas back into the playoff race.
Paul DeJong (WSN): 1-4, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB.
It was a classic DeJong performance: Only one hit, but he made it count. DeJong’s three-run home run in the ninth made things interesting, but the Phillies prevailed 11-9. In 137 plate appearances, the 32-year-old has six homers and a .759 OPS. He could be worth a stream for anyone desperate for home run potential at the hot corner.
Alec Bohm (PHI): 2-4, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI.
Though the Nationals made things interesting, the Phillies ended up pulling out a much-needed victory in D.C. Bohm hit his ninth home run of the season and also had two hits and three RBI. The Philadelphia third baseman has had a down season, power-wise, as his slugging is 47 points down from a season ago. Getting on a power heater would be much welcomed by the Phillies and fantasy managers who still roster Bohm in their leagues.
Adam Frazier (KCR): 2-4, 2B, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI.
Talk about a return. Since coming back to Kansas City at the All-Star Break, Frazier is hitting .329 with an .828 OPS. He also has two home runs, with his second coming against the White Sox on Sunday. The Royals are 16-11 in the second half, and one can’t help but feel that Frazier has been the spark to turning things around offensively.
Byron Buxton (MIN): 3-5, HR, 2 R, RBI, SB.
The Twins got a much-needed victory, even with their playoff hopes nearly shot at this point. In addition to his 25th home run, he also had three hits and collected his 18th stolen base this season. His 394 plate appearances are the most since 2017, and he’s arguably produced the best offensive season of his career. Will it carry over to 2026? Fantasy managers will have to wait and see.
Mark Vientos (NYM): 2-3, HR, R, 4 RBI.
It was a Little League Classic to remember for Vientos, as he had two hits and launched a three-run home run in the fifth inning off Mariners starter George Kirby. It’s been a disappointing season for Vientos, who’s not just hitting .232 with a .648 OPS, but has also dealt with various nagging injuries. For fantasy purposes, a strong finish could help boost his stock for 2026.
Wilyer Abreu (BOS): 2-3, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI.
The homers keep coming for Abreu. On Sunday, he hit his 22nd of the year and also increased his RBI total to 69. The Red Sox lost 5-3 to the Marlins, but Abreu has proven that he is a dependable power bat in the middle of the lineup for the Red Sox for years to come.
Eric Wagaman (MIA): 2-4, HR, 2 R, RBI.
It’s been an up-and-down first full season for the 28-year-old first baseman. On Sunday, he had one of his “ups” as he had two hits and hit a key homer in the Marlins’ win in Boston. He’s only hitting .235 with a .644 OPS and has just seven home runs in 415 plate appearances. Nonetheless, it’s always fun to see a player later in his career come onto the scene like this.
