Will Power
Will Wagner (TOR): 5-6, 2B, HR, 3 R, 2 RBI.
It was a day to remember for Will Wagner, the Blue Jays’ No. 19 prospect overall, according to MLB Pipeline.
On Saturday against the Twins, Wagner collected five hits, including a double and his second home run. He also scored three runs and had two RBI in the Blue Jays’ 15-0 win in Minnesota.
Since being called up on August 12, Wagner has been on fire at the plate. He is slashing .385/.407/.615 with an OPS of 1.022 in 54 plate appearances. He has been barreling balls at a decent rate (10.6%) and hitting the ball hard consistently (51.1% hard-hit rate). Wagner doesn’t walk much (3.1% walk rate), but he has limited the strikeouts at least (15.5% K rate).
Overall, Wagner has been a massive contributor to a Blue Jays team that was 16-12 in August, the club’s only winning month this season.
Wagner has primarily played second base at the major league level, though he has played third base primarily in the minor leagues. Defensively, he hasn’t been anything special. According to Savant, he has been one out below average at the keystone this season. While that’s not great, it’s a small sample, and one has to see what his defense would look like over an entire season before coming to a consensus about his defensive ability.
Regardless, the Blue Jays have a building block for 2025 in Wagner. Suppose he can continue his hot streak at the plate. In that case, the Jays may feel more confident about being aggressive in the offseason at other positions, especially with second base possibly settled with Wagner.
Let’s see how the other hitters did Saturday.
Willy Adames (MIL): 2-4, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB, SB.
Adames added to his stellar season on Saturday night against the Reds. He hit his 27th home run of the year, improved his RBI total to 95 (3rd in the NL), and stole his 15th base of the season. A free agent after this season, he’s lining himself up for quite the payday this winter.
Jackson Chourio (MIL): 3-4, 2B, HR, 2 R, RBI, BB, SB.
With Adames likely gone after 2024, the Brewers can take solace in the fact that at least Chourio will still be around. After a slow start in the first half (.243 average, .648 OPS), he has adjusted at the plate and lived up to the massive rookie hype he received in fantasy draft season. In 163 plate appearances, he is hitting .340 with a .968 OPS, and he has eight home runs and 10 stolen bases in the second half.
Mickey Moniak (LAA): 2-4, 2 HR, 2 R, 3 RBI.
It’s been a bumpy career for Moniak in Orange County, but he came up huge on Saturday night. He hit the game-winning home run in the bottom of the ninth against Mariners closer Andrés Muñoz. The game had more damaging outcomes for the Mariners’ playoff hopes than positive ones for the Angels, who are 56-80. Saturday was a much-needed boost for Moniak, who is trying to prove he can be part of the Angels’ future in 2025.
Justin Turner (SEA): 2-4, 2 HR, 2 R, 2 RBI.
The Mariners’ loss on Saturday hurt their playoff hopes, which seem to dwindle with every loss. Turner did his best to keep them in the win column as he hit his eighth and ninth home runs. It’s been a season of regression for Turner, who hit 23 home runs in 2023 with the Red Sox. At 39 years old, one has to wonder if he’ll have many clubs interested in his services this offseason.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (ARI): 2-4, 2B, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI.
The Diamondbacks couldn’t stop the Dodgers, but Gurriel had a solid night at least. He also hit his 17th home run of the year and collected three RBI. For the season, he is hitting .275 with a .748 OPS. The average is higher than a year ago, but the OPS is lower, primarily due to his decline in slugging and power from 2023.
Edmundo Sosa (PHI): 2-2, 2B, HR, R, 2 RBI, BB.
It was a pitcher’s duel on Saturday as Atlanta’s Max Fried and Philadelphia’s Zack Wheeler went back and forth. The Phillies only had three players who got hits against Atlanta on Saturday. Thankfully, Sosa was one of those players, and he made those hits count. He hit his seventh home run of the season and drove in two of the Phillies’ three runs in their 3-0 win.
Junior Caminero (TBR): 1-4, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB.
Caminero hit his third home run of the season, a three-run blast that helped propel the Rays to an 11-4 win over the Padres. The second-year shortstop has made the most of his call-up, hitting .254 with a .779 OPS in 69 plate appearances. He also has two stolen bases and increased his walk rate by 3.1% from a season ago. Caminero is solidifying himself as the Rays’ Opening Day shortstop in 2025.
Jake Cronenworth (SDP): 3-5, 2B, HR, R, 2 RBI.
Cronenworth had a big day for the Padres, as he had three hits and launched his 16th home run of the year. It’s been an excellent bounce-back season for Cronenworth, who improved his OPS from .690 in 2023 to .732 this year. The Padres are holding onto the second Wild Card spot in the NL. Cronenworth will need a solid finish to help clinch a postseason spot for San Diego.
Lawrence Butler (OAK): 2-4, 2B, HR, 2 R, RBI.
The A’s had a solid August, going 14-12, their second winning month in a row. A significant catalyst to that turnaround in the past two months is Butler, who launched another homer Saturday against the Rangers. With 20 home runs, 12 stolen bases, and a .827 OPS in 351 plate appearances, Butler is a vital member of an Oakland outfield with JJ Bleday and Brent Rooker. The outfield may be one of the most underrated in the American League.