Casey At the Bat
Casey Schmitt (SFG): 2-4, 2B, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI, BB.
The Giants’ playoff chances are pretty much nil at this point in the season, especially with them in a division with the Dodgers and Padres. However, on Saturday night, they got a much-needed win, thanks to a sterling effort from ace Logan Webb.
Furthermore, an offensive success story for the Giants in their 7-1 win on Saturday was infielder Casey Schmitt.
Against the Brewers, Schmitt went 2-for-4 with a double, four RBI, a walk, and a home run. His home was his eighth of the season, which is a career-high for Schmitt in a single season.
For the year, the 26-year-old San Diego State product is hitting .246 with a .728 OPS in 241 plate appearances. He doesn’t provide much in speed (zero stolen bases), but he has a decent OBP (.312) thanks to an 8.4% walk rate, which is 4.9% higher than a year ago. Like many on the Giants roster, Schmitt is a positional chameleon who offers a decent bat and can play a multitude of positions in the field.
Schmitt has seen a bit of a slide in the second half. After hitting .254 with .741 OPS before the All-Star break, he’s hitting .232 with a .701 OPS after the Midsummer Classic. He has been having a much better August, as he is hitting .250 with a .795 OPS in 67 plate appearances. The most significant difference for Schmitt has been the power, as he has three home runs and a .467 slugging percentage this month.
For power-desperate fantasy managers in the waning weeks of their seasons, Schmitt may not be a bad waiver wire pickup, even if the power may be short-lived for the remainder of the season.
Let’s see how the other hitters did Saturday.
Trevor Story (BOS): 3-5, 2B, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI.
The Red Sox won a laugher in the Bronx on Saturday, winning 12-1. Story had another memorable day against Boston’s hated rival with three hits, three RBI, and his 20th home run of the year. With the home run, Story has collected another 20 HR-20 SB season (he has 22 stolen bases). It’s been a nice rebound season for a player who had fewer than 300 plate appearances in the previous two seasons.
George Springer (TOR): 3-6, 2B, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI.
Springer set the tone in the Blue Jays’ 7-6 win, with three hits, two RBI, and his 22nd home run of the year. With a .295 average and .913 OPS, Springer has been one of the most valuable hitters in the American League this season. Even though he’s 35 years old, this season has demonstrated that Springer has plenty left in the tank offensively.
Josh Jung (TEX): 2-3, HR, 3 R, 2 RBI, BB.
The Rangers smoked the Guardians 10-0, and Jung stood out in the comfortable victory. The former eighth overall pick hit his 12th home run of the year and also collected two hits and two RBI to boot. It hasn’t been the best season for Jung, as he is hitting .240 with a .668 OPS. However, a strong finish to 2025 could help him get back to his 2023 levels (23 home runs and .782 OPS) in 2026.
Jared Triolo (PIT): 2-4, 3B, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI.
In a battle of bottom-feeders, Triolo helped the Pirates beat the Rockies 5-1 on Saturday night. The 27-year-old had two hits, two RBI, and collected his fourth home run of the season from the leadoff spot for Pittsburgh. Triolo is known more for his defensive versatility than his bat, as evidenced by his .205 average and .621 OPS. That said, big nights like this one are more than welcome from Pirates fans.
Starling Marte (NYM): 3-3, HR, R, RBI, BB, 2 SB.
The Mets cruised to a victory over Atlanta, and Marte stuck out in this one with three hits, two stolen bases, and a home run. In terms of counting stats, it hasn’t been the greatest year for Marte as he only has seven home runs and seven stolen bases. On the flip side, he is hitting .286 with a .797 OPS in 249 plate appearances. For leagues with those two categories, Marte isn’t a bad guy for fantasy managers to acquire.
Luis García Jr. (WSN): 3-4, 2B, HR, R, 2 RBI.
The Nationals lost, but they got a reasonable effort from Garcia. The 25-year-old second baseman had three hits and hit his 10th home run of the season. After hitting 18 home runs and stealing 22 bases in 2024, Garcia has 10 home runs and 10 stolen bases this year. Thus, he’s slightly down from his pace a year ago. Nonetheless, when he’s on, he can be a nice power and speed combo for fantasy managers.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (ARI): 2-4, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI.
Against a Reds team fighting for a playoff spot, Gurriel played spoiler with two hits and three RBI. He also hit his 17th home run of the season. For the year, he is hitting .249 with a .713 OPS, which is down from his marks a year ago (.279 average; .757 OPS). He does have 10 stolen bases, however, which is a career-high in a single season.
Colson Montgomery (CHW): 2-4, HR, R, 4 RBI.
Montgomery is a strikeout machine with a 28.2% K rate. Conversely, he is also a power machine, as he collected a grand slam on Saturday night against the Twins. The White Sox rookie has 12 home runs in 157 plate appearances and is also sporting a 13.4% barrel rate. He probably won’t ever hit for a high average (he currently has a .229 average), but the power should more than make up for those deficiencies.
Bobby Witt Jr. (KCR): 3-4, HR, 2 R, RBI.
The Royals came up short for a second-straight night to the Tigers, losing 4-2 on Saturday. Witt did his best to keep Kansas City in the game, as he had three hits and launched his 19th home run of the season. In 139 plate appearances in the second half, Witt is hitting .209 with an .893 OPS and has five home runs and nine stolen bases. Since the All-Star break, the All-Star shortstop has looked more like his MVP-candidate self.
