Four for Yor

Yordan Alvarez (HOU): 4-4, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI, 2 BB.

Yordan Alvarez and the Houston Astros put a collective beatdown on the Red Sox and relief pitcher Kyle Barraclough. Alvarez reached base all six times, and his home run swing was a great example of his pure strength:

Yordan Alvarez – Houston Astros (22) pic.twitter.com/YesXywSlWn

— MLB HR Videos (@MLBHRVideos) August 29, 2023

Alvarez takes the outside off-speed pitch into the Fenway bullpen, easy enough right? Earlier in the game, Alvarez smashed a Fenway single into the right field barrier:

Yordan Alvarez with an RBI to tie the game for the #Astros#Ready2Reign pic.twitter.com/S25mgRXsAv

— Space City Home Network (@SpaceCityHN) August 29, 2023

Yordan Alvarez (HOU): 4-4, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI, 2BB.

In a season where Alvarez has missed time on the IL, he has continued to be in the conversation as the best hitter in baseball aside from his missed time. In a season where Ohtani, Acuña, Betts, Freeman, and Olson have dominated national attention due to their respective seasons, Alvarez still has 76 RBI in 85 games, along with a .954 OPS. That home run was Alvarez’s first since August 6th, but the production keeps coming. The clinic Alvarez put on Monday is expected to some degree, but a night like that against Chris Sale and the Red Sox in Fenway is special.

Fantasy owners are hitting the end of the regular season, and if you have Alvarez as part of your playoff squad, you are in for a treat. The Astros face last-place teams in 12 more games (NYY 3, OAK 3, KC 6), and Alvarez will have ample opportunities to tee off like he did last night.

Let’s see how the other hitters did Monday:

Ronald Acuña Jr. (ATL): 4-5, HR, 4 R, 5 RBI, BB, 2 SB.

Acuña seems to have taken Mookie Betts‘ NL Player of the Week and MVP discussion personally. The legendary battle into September for this season’s highest honors is underway. Acuña showed why his name should remain on top with an absolutely stellar performance in Colorado. The stat line is straight out of a video game, doing it all with power and speed. An MVP performance would be an understatement.

Ke’Bryan Hayes (PIT): 4-4, 2B, R, RBI, BB.

Hayes is on a heater! Since 8/14, Hayes has 8 multi-hit games and, with it, a ton of production. Hayes has battled back problems this year but is lining up to be a critical addition to fantasy teams through the last few weeks and into playoff matchups. Hayes is currently on a streak where he has either produced an R or RBI in 7 straight games. Hayes is also in the top 10 percentile in Avg. Exit Velo and will continue to look to finish an up-and-down 2023 strong as ever.

Gabriel Moreno (ARI): 2-4, 2B, HR, R, 3 RBI.

Moreno has been back from the IL and has done damage since his return. If he is still available in your league and you’ve been on the catcher’s carousel all season, go check to see if Moreno is available. Moreno is primed to get the bulk of the playing time for the Diamondbacks as they seek a Wild Card berth. Moreno’s 2 XBH join a great streak of performance, including a 3-run game over the weekend. Since August 13th, Moreno’s OPS has gone from .682 to .742.

CJ Abrams (WSH): 3-5, 2 R, 3 SB.

While the Nationals are still 10 games under .500, they have become baseball’s darling for a short while due to their winning ways since the All-Start break. Abrams showed all of his top prospect tools on Monday with 3 SB. Two of those steals were from singles that quickly turned into doubles, and another was part of a double steal with Lane Thomas. Abrams’ 3 hit night has become part of a trend. Along with the stolen bases, runs scoring has followed. In the last 10 games, Abrams has scored 8 times.

Anthony Santander (BAL): 2-4, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB.

After a slow April, Santander has had a solid season. Yesterday, Santander hit a 3-run HR in the 8th inning to extend an already lopsided game against the White Sox. Santander is pacing towards a 30 HR and 90 RBI season, which would match up with his great 2022 campaign. Santander has a .417 BA in the last week, along with 4 HR, 7 R, and 8 RBI.

Jorge Polanco (MIN): 2-4, 2B, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI.

The Twins have been scoring a good clip as of late due in part to Polanco’s strong August. Since 8/11, Polanco has 4 HR and 14 RBI. There have been plenty of multi-hit efforts in that span, and after a mix of lower-body injuries this season, Polanco has a chance to contribute going into the postseason. The Twins (and all of the AL Central) have flown under the radar this season, but maybe the Twins can find their groove with Polanco consistently in the lineup.

Danny Jansen (TOR): 1-2, HR, 3 R, RBI, 2 BB.

Jansen had a great night, including a 402 ft. home run. Another player who’s dealt with multiple injuries this season, Jansen, has seen a nice stretch of games with consistent playing time. Jansen ranks 10th amongst qualified catchers in RBI this season and has done so in only 84 games played. Considering the volatility of catching depth in fantasy, it’s worth keeping an eye on Jansen if he’s available.

Masataka Yoshida (BOS): 3-3, 2B, 3 R, 2 BB.

A piece I wrote for Going Deep was published yesterday looking into the AL ROY race, and Yoshida has been in the mix since early May. Yoshida’s power has been fleeting this season, but his contact and bat control are undeniable. Two of the three hits were to the opposite field, and Yoshida was able to get on base at each opportunity. Leaving play last night, Yoshida is slashing .298/.352/.460 and is in the top 25 in hits in MLB.

Paul Goldschmidt (STL): 2-3, HR, R, RBI, BB.

Another year and another Goldy streak of dominance. While the Cardinals have been out of the playoff race for a long, Goldschmidt will always contribute toward fantasy owner’s chance at a playoff run. Goldschmidt is in the midst of one of his worst seasons, which is saying a lot for someone with a .828 OPS. But, It looks like Goldschmidt is determined to raise his slugging before the season’s end. Goldschmidt has 3 home runs in the last week.