Ding Fries Are Done
On a rainy Sunday in Boston, Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler got the scoring started with a two-out RBI double in the first inning and followed it up with a three-run HR off Garrett Crochet in the fifth to power Detroit to a 6-2 win. Dingler finished the day going 4-5 with a HR, 2B and 4 RBI and he now has five home runs on the season after totaling just 13 in 435 at-bats in 2025. While his .302/.380/.603 line may not be sustainable over the course of an entire season, Dingler has made some significant improvements at the plate that leads me to believe this could be a career year for the 27-year old. Over 19 games this season, he has brought his K% down to 16.4% from 23.5% in 2025 and 34.5% in his rookie season of 2024. He has also improved his Zone-Contact% to 92.7%, up from 87.1% in 2025 and 80.5% in 2024. Couple those improvements with a Barrel%, Hard-Hit% and Sweet-Spot% in the 96th percentile and Dingler looks like a legitimate offensive weapon at the catcher position. There are a number of exciting young catchers lighting up MLB right now and it looks like Dillon Dingler is ready to join those ranks.
Let’s see how the other hitters did on Sunday:
Trent Grisham (NYY): 2-4, HR, R, 3 RBI, BB.
It was a slow start to the 2026 season for Trent Grisham, who surprised everyone in baseball with 34 HRs in 2025, but the 29-year old gloveless-hitting outfielder has been turning it on of late. He now has three HRs over the last week after hitting a three-run blast, off lefty ace Cole Ragans no less, to power the Yankees to a 7-0 win over Kansas City.
Taylor Ward (BAL): 2-5, HR, R, 3 RBI.
Taylor Ward is enjoying himself atop the Orioles lineup in his first season with the team. He continued his success with a three-run HR off Cleveland starter Joey Cantillo on Sunday afternoon. Ward is now hitting .295/.388/.455 with a career-high 12.6 BB% and a career-low 17.5 K%.
José Ramírez (CLE): 2-4, 2 HR, 2 R, 2 RBI.
Guardians superstar José Ramírez had himself quite the week, culminating with a two-HR performance to lead Cleveland to an 8-4 victory over Baltimore. Ramirez hit .364/.533/.955 with four HRs, five stolen bases and a 2/1 walk-to-strikeout ratio last week.
Masyn Winn (STL): 3-5, 2B, R, 3 RBI.
Cardinals shortshop Masyn Winn came through with a huge three-run double in the top of the tenth inning on Sunday, giving the Cardinals a 7-5 extra-innings win over Houston. Winn now has a hit in six straight games and also has at least two RBI in his last three games.
TJ Friedl (CIN): 2-5, 2B, 3 RBI, SB.
TJ Friedl has been downright abysmal at the top of the Cincinnati lineup to start 2026, but hopefully his two-hit, three-RBI game Sunday can jumpstart his bat. The Reds would love to put some traffic on the base paths in front of Elly De La Cruz, Sal Stewart and Eugenio Suárez, and Friedl could be an interesting buy-low candidate in fantasy if he can start producing consistently.
Mickey Moniak (COL): 2-5, HR, R, 3 RBI.
With the Rockies trailing the Dodgers 4-3 in the bottom of the seventh inning, Mickey Moniak crushed a pitch from reliever Blake Treinen 428-feet for a two-run HR. The former number one overall pick now has six HRs in just 55 at-bats this season and seems to have picked up right where he left off after a breakout season with Colorado in 2025.
Edouard Julien (COL): 3-5, 2B, R, 3 RBI.
Edouard Julien was a top prospect at 2B for the Twins a few years ago and was excellent in his first season in 2023, hitting .263/.381/.459 with 16 HRs. He was never able to replicate that production with the Twins, however a move to Colorado could result in a career resurgence similar to Moniak.
Miguel Vargas (CHW): 2-3, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB.
Miguel Vargas got on base four times and was one of four White Sox hitters to hit a HR off Athletics‘ starter Jeffrey Springs in the team’s 7-4 victory. Vargas provides a much needed veteran presence (albeit at the age of 26) in the inexperienced Chicago lineup, but he has struggled to a .173/.315/.360 line to start the season.
Randy Arozarena (SEA): 2-4, HR, 2B, R, 2 RBI.
The Mariners had the long ball working on Sunday and the team’s third HR off Rangers starter MacKenzie Gore snuck just inside the foul pole off the bat of Randy Arozarena to give the team a 5-0 lead. Seattle held on to win the game. Arozarena has enjoyed a very nice start to 2026, hitting .293/.402/.427.
Kazuma Okamoto (TOR): 2-4, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB.
Mired in a slump, Kazuma Okamoto needed a big game and he provided one on Sunday, hitting a two-run double in an eight-run Toronto first inning and following up with a solo HR as the Blue Jays hammered Arizona 10-4. The 29-year old has fallen down the Toronto batting order, but I’m not too concerned as making the adjustment to MLB pitching and America/Canada in general will take time for the Japanese star.
Nathan Lukes (TOR): 3-5, 2 2B, R, 3 RBI.
Nathan Lukes set the tone for Toronto’s big day at the plate with three hits, including two doubles from the leadoff spot. Lukes was a surprise star during the Blue Jays World Series run in 2025 and he should have an opportunity to prove himself again with George Springer on the IL.
Michael Harris II (ATL): 3-3, HR, 2 R, RBI, BB.
Phillies pitching was unable to get Michael Harris II out on Sunday night, as the centerfielder had three hits and a walk, including his fourth HR of the season off Philadelphia starter Andrew Painter. Despite being relegated to the nine-spot in the order, Harris is off to a nice start in 2026, hitting .290/.338/.478.
