Esmerlyn Magic
Esmerlyn Valdez (PIT): 3-4, 2 HR, 2 R, 6 RBI.
It’s been one hot debut for Pirates outfielder Esmerlyn Valdez.
In his first 100 plate appearances, the 22-year-old is hitting .311 with a 1.092 OPS. That includes 10 home runs, 19 runs scored, and 26 RBI. Valdez does strike out (35.9% K%) and whiff (36.1% whiff%) a lot, but the power and barrels (28% barrel rate) have been insane.
On Saturday, in game one of the Pirates’ doubleheader against the Brewers, Valdez had three hits, collected six RBI, and launched two home runs in a big 7-6 win over Milwaukee. His second was a grand slam off Milwaukee’s Aaron Ashby in the bottom of the seventh, giving the Pirates the lead and eventually leading to a one-run win.
A top-10 prospect in the Pirates system, Valdez has come at the perfect time for a Pittsburgh team fighting for a postseason spot. Even with Oneil Cruz, Spencer Horwitz, and Konnor Griffin on the IL, this Pirates offense hasn’t missed a beat. They rank second in OPS, third in runs scored, and seventh in home runs. While the presence of sluggers like Brandon Lowe, Bryan Reynolds, and Ryan O’Hearn helps, young breakout players like Valdez give Pirates fans hope in both the short and long term.
The barrel rate is unsustainable. Furthermore, the strikeouts will eventually bring Valdez back to earth at some point this year. Nonetheless, what Valdez is doing is fun, and he’s worth riding for now, both in the Pirates lineup and in fantasy leagues.
Let’s see how the other hitters did Saturday
James McCann (ARI): 2-4, 2 HR, 2 R, 4 RBI.
The Diamondbacks beat the Dodgers 9-2 and got a big night from McCann, who drove in four of Arizona’s runs with two home runs. For the season, McCann has been a typical backup catcher, hitting .227 with a .603 OPS. That said, at 36 years old, that’s pretty much what Arizona expects. He’s there more for his “veteran” presence than his bat. That said, big nights like Saturday are a nice benefit.
Ezequiel Duran (TEX): 2-4, 2 HR, 2 R, 3 RBI.
The Rangers came up short in the Battle for Texas, but Duran had a nice night for the home team. He hit his 9th and 10th home runs of the year and drove in all three of the Rangers’ runs. It’s been a nice bounce-back year for the Rangers utility man, as he is hitting .272 with a .761 OPS. That also includes 10 home runs and seven stolen bases in 321 plate appearances.
Yordan Alvarez (HOU): 2-3, 2B, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB.
Can Yordan be stopped? Well, he certainly wasn’t on Saturday, as he had two hits, two runs scored, two RBI, and two walks. The only thing that didn’t come in twos? Home runs, as he only had one. However, the one was a 425-foot blast, his 31st of the season. With 65 runs scored and 70 RBI, Alvarez is making his AL MVP case stronger by the day.
Lars Nootbaar (STL): 1-2, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB, SB.
The Cardinals are loving Nootbaar’s return. In 117 plate appearances, he’s hitting .265 with a .781 OPS. On Saturday, he hit his third home run of the year, scored two runs, drove in three runs, and stole his first base of the season. Health has always been an issue for Nootbaar in St. Louis, and he didn’t get off to the best start this season, not playing in his first game until June 5th. However, he’s healthy now, which is what matters to the Cardinals.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (TOR): 2-3, HR, R, 3 RBI, BB, SB.
Since he turned down a starting spot in the All-Star Game, Guerrero has gone on a power tear. He hit his fifth home run of the year on Saturday against the Padres, his second in three games. He also had three RBI and a stolen base, his sixth of the year. It’s been a tough year for Guerrero, as he is hitting just .264 with a .700 OPS. Perhaps the reset during the All-Star break can get him back on track.
Pete Alonso (BAL): 2-4, 2B, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI.
Alonso has done his best to bring his power-hitting Mets self to Baltimore. This season, he is hitting .253 with an .826 OPS, and he has 21 home runs, his latest coming on Saturday against the Royals. It’s not as good as what he did last year (.272 average, .871 OPS, 38 home runs), but he’s on track to be really close. That’s all the Orioles can ask of him.
Andruw Monasterio (BOS): 2-3, 3B, HR, R, 2 RBI.
The Red Sox suddenly can’t lose, as they’re just three games away from .500. Performances like Monasterio’s on Saturday help. The 29-year-old isn’t doing great this year (.226 average and .674 OPS), but he’s been prone to big games. In their win against the Mets, he had two hits and two RBI and launched his fifth home run of the year. More games like this from Monasterio will help the Red Sox close the AL Wild Card gap.
Royce Lewis (MIN): 2-4, 2B, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI.
Like the Red Sox, the Twins are also creeping up into playoff contention, just two games under .500. After being demoted in mid-May, Lewis has finally found his swing again. In June, he hit .279 with an .842 OPS and five home runs. In July, he’s hitting .250 with an .825 OPS and two home runs. On Saturday against the Angels, he hit his latest home run and scored two runs and drove in two to boot. Strong August and September performances from Lewis could be the difference for the Twins in the Wild Card race.
Ty France (SDP): 2-3, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI.
It’s not just France’s soccer team that’s in the news. The Padres’ France turned some heads on Saturday. In their one-run win, France had two hits, two runs scored, two RBI, and launched his 11th home run of the year. It hasn’t been the best year for the Padres, as stars like Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, and Xander Bogaerts have all had down years. That hasn’t been the case for France. He’s hitting .265 with an .811 OPS in 225 plate appearances. Maybe a “French Influence” can get the other Padres hitters going in the second half.
