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ANALYSIS: After missing seven weeks from left thumb surgery, Eric Thames had a quiet return to the Milwaukee Brewers, going 1-for-10 with six strikeouts. He came alive on Sunday, bombing two home runs, collecting four RBI and a steal. The big day brought his season slash to .244/.344/.628.
Thames is the antidote for managers looking for power, with nine long balls in only 89 plate appearances. His 30% HR/FB entering Sunday will moderate but a 45% FB% could support the pace. Thames is hitting the ball hard at a 47% clip. His 99.3 MPH FB/LD exit velocity puts him ahead of Aaron Judge (98.8 MPH), Khris Davis (98.4) and just behind J.D. Martinez (99.7). A .227 BABIP suggests the batting average should trend up as the sample size grows.
The looming risk for Thames is playing time. First baseman Jesus Aguilar is currently mashing (13 HRs, .917 OPS) so an everyday role is unlikely. However, he got the start in left field Sunday and should be a complementary left-handed bat for the righty Aguilar. It's conceivable he gets three or four starts a week, which is serviceable at his current production level. Thames is a worthy rotational fantasy player that could finish the season with a .260 average, 20 homers and 100 R+RBI.
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