Simpsonly Amazin’
Chandler Simpson (TBR): 4-5, R, RBI.
Simpson is such a Tampa Bay Ray. It’s the most “unethical hoops” performance you’ll ever see, but he gets the job done and that’s what matters in terms of racking up your fantasy points.
Simpson tallied a loopy single (68.3 EV / .910 xBA) to start things off against Kevin Gausman in the first inning. He’d later bunt for a hit in the third, hit a weak groundball up the middle (78.9 EV) that was fielded well but his raw speed just beat the throw, and did the same in the ninth (50.6 EV).
The 25-year-old is slashing .289/.324/.352 with just an 89 wRC+, averaging a minuscule 83.8 EV and .261 xwOBA through 94 games. His launch angle is below one degree… but it works. At least for now.
Let’s see how the other hitters did Tuesday…
CJ Abrams (WSN): 2-3, 2 HR, 2 R, 4 RBI, BB.
Abrams, a trade target at this year’s deadline for a handful of clubs, popped two homers early in the game against Michael Lorenzen. The first bomb registered a 99.5 EV and traveled 423 FT, while the second came in at 102.7 EV over 434 FT. Both blasts were good enough to be out in 30/30 ballparks, per Savant. Abrams looks to continue to boost his stock — and his career-best 140 wRC+ — as we approach the big day on August 3rd.
Nick Fortes (TBR): 3-5, HR, 2 R, 4 RBI.
Fortes feasted once Gausman was out of the game, launching a home run (100 EV / 378 FT) and two singles (94.3 and 104.7 EVs, respectively). While the 29-year-old has just an 89 wRC+ through 76 games this season, Fortes has recorded six hits over his last three games (.462 BA over that span).
Manny Machado (SDP): 2-5, 2 HR, 2 R, 2 RBI.
Machado has had a rough time in 2026 without a doubt, entering play today with a wRC+ below 100, but yesterday he was able to launch two home runs en route to a Padres victory. The veteran slugger took Reynaldo Lopez deep in the fifth inning (104.8 EV / 412 FT) and later blasted off against JR Ritchie in the sixth (105 EV / 418 FT). Machado is slashing .281/.381/.614 with a 171 wRC+ this month.
Brandon Nimmo (TEX): 4-4, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI.
Nimmo had himself a ballgame en route to a dominant 10-0 win over the White Sox yesterday. He turned in a flawless performance at the dish, homering in the first inning (97.5 EV / 351 FT) and smacking three consecutive singles to finish his day off. The 33-year-old has been great for the Rangers this season, slashing .268/.336/.433 with a 116 wRC+, all while his expected numbers indicate more is on the way.
Max Kepler (ARI): 2-3, HR, R, 3 RBI, 2 BB.
Kepler has been quite impressive for the Diamondbacks over this small stretch, slashing .323/.378/.581 with a 152 wRC+ over his last 9 games. He went deep yesterday (102.6 EV / 392 FT — out in 30/30 ballparks) and singled (101.8) in Arizona’s thrilling extra-innings win against the Athletics.
Dillon Dingler (DET): 2-3, 2B, HR, R, 2 RBI, BB.
Dingler was my dark horse to get MVP votes this season… given his 4.6 fWAR and elite combination of both offensive and defensive production, he may actually finish inside the top 5. The 27-year-old doubled (105.6 EV) off David Peterson in the second inning, and later added a 100.8 EV / 392 FT home run off Aaron Civale in the ninth. He’s posted a 140 wRC+ this season while averaging a 90+ mph EV and 92% zone contact… pretty remarkable stuff.
Hunter Goodman (COL): 2-5, 2B, HR, 2 R, RBI.
Goodman just can’t stop hitting bombs. His name will be mixed into a load of trade rumors as we grow closer to the deadline, and yesterday’s multi-XBH day didn’t help. He doubled (104.8 EV — HR in 25/30 ballparks, by the way) off Miles Mikolas in the fifth and took Clayton Beeter deep (95.4 EV / 399 FT) in the eighth en route to a one-run win over the Nationals.
Jo Adell (LAA): 2-4, HR, R, 2 RBI.
Adell torched Matthew Liberatore in the first inning, launching a 110 EV / 405 FT nuke that the Cardinals never recovered from. He also later singled off Liberatore in the fourth inning. Adell has just a 90 wRC+ this season because he simply can’t find a way to add onto that walk rate, but he’s managed to tick down the strikeout rate by 4%.
Francisco Lindor (NYM): 3-4, 2B, R, BB.
Lindor is yet another name that is swirling around trade rumors. The veteran put together a nifty day at the dish yesterday, doubling (99 EV) off Chad Patrick in the fifth and smacking a pair of singles (90.8 and 102.7 EVs) off Bryse Wilson to cap things off. The on-paper production just hasn’t been there for Lindor this season, but rest assured the expected numbers indicate the 32-year-old isn’t regressing just yet… a .446 xSLG and .342 xwOBA paired with elite defense should be intriguing to any team that needs a middle infield upgrade.
Featured image by Aaron Polcare (@abeardoesart on Bluesky and X) and adapted by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter/X)
