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Lauren (@philaurdelphia) takes a deeper look at five surging hitters and determines whether their success can be sustained and help you down the stretch.
As August begins, the playoff races heat up, and there are plenty of teams in the hunt in both the National and American league. Teams like the Chicago Cubs and Toronto Blue Jays are in search of a wild-card berth, while the Texas Rangers and Minnesota Twins hope to hold their leads in their respective divisions. And then you have teams like the Athletics, who are just hoping to end the year on a semi-decent note.
The second half, the post-trade deadline, the final stretch is the most exciting time during the baseball season and the teams listed above need all hands on deck from every single member of their starting lineup. The guys listed below have already begun to step it up for their team, and because of their recent play, they can help you to win your league.
Yes, time is dwindling down to win your fantasy league, but for those of you in second, third, or even fourth place, there's still time left to make that push. During this time, the waiver wire is extra important, and making the right moves is crucial. So, consider adding these players who are on a tear offensively at the moment.
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Mike Tauchman, OF, Chicago Cubs
38% rostered
Up until their 11-2 loss to the New York Mets on Monday night, the Cubs had been on a roll. They won eight straight games between July 21-29 and played their way back into wild-card contention, thus preventing them from being sellers at the trade deadline on Aug. 2. Chicago finds themselves one game back of the final NL wild-card spot and only 2.5 games back of first place in the NL Central, with a run differential of +66. In addition to guys like Cody Bellinger and Dansby Swanson, Mike Tauchman has been lighting it up offensively for the Cubbies during their recent hot streak.
Since the All-Star break, Tauchman has posted a 1.048 OPS with four home runs and 20 RBI across 23 games and hasn't shown any signs of slowing down in August. He's batted .375 and slugged .625 with three doubles, a homer, and six RBI since the calendar flipped, and he's been playing some stellar defense in the outfield as well. But his offensive production has placed him in the starting lineup in favor of Seiya Suzuki, and until Tauchman cools off, Suzuki will remain on the bench. The 32-year-old Tauchman is just a bit under 40% rostered and can provide any fantasy lineup with some pop as August trudges on.
Editor's note: Tauchman went 2-3 with a home run and a walk the day after this article was completed.
Davis Schneider, 2B, Toronto Blue Jays
26% rostered
A pleasant surprise for the Blue Jays has been that of rookie Davis Schneider, a former 28th-round pick of Toronto that made his debut on Aug. 4. The 24-year-old has had a historic start to his career, hitting a home run in his first career at-bat and becoming just the second player since 1901 to collect nine hits in his first three career games, per Sarah Langs.
His current numbers, albeit a small sample size, look almost unbelievable. He's slashed .529/.579/.882 with nine hits, two homers, and five RBI in 19 plate appearances. Sure, Schneider's offensive outburst may not be sustainable in the long run, but he's worth an add while he's tearing it up at the plate. It's especially a big deal for Toronto, who are in the thick of a heated race for the final AL Wild Card spot, in which they currently hold a three-game lead over the surging Seattle Mariners.
Zack Gelof, 2B, Oakland Athletics
18% rostered
Zack Gelof, Oakland's No. 3 prospect, made his major league debut just under a month ago and has since displayed some power at the dish for the A's. Although the 23-year-old is essentially a lost cause when facing lefties (.451 OPS in 12 games), he's slugged .696 vs. righties, with all five of his home runs coming against RHP.
In his last seven games, he's slashed .320/.393/.640 with eight hits, including a pair of homers and four RBI. Overall, he's batted .250, reached base at a .318 clip, and tallied 12 extra-base hits across 84 plate appearances thus far. Not too shabby of a start to the youngster's major league career, and certainly a positive development for the lowly Athletics, a franchise whoses future remains up in the air.
Mitch Garver, C, Texas Rangers
15% rostered
The injury bug has bitten the Texas Rangers in a big way recently, first, All-Star catcher Jonah Heim went down with a left wrist strain, and then rookie Josh Jung suffered a broken thumb in which he'll miss weeks after undergoing surgery. With Heim out, though, it's paved the way for backup catcher Mitch Garver to contribute, and he's come through for Texas in a big way recently.
Since Heim's last appearance on July 26, Garver has posted a whopping 1.132 OPS with 14 hits, including three doubles and two home runs, six RBI, and five walks. He's helped the Rangers to a perfect 7-0 record since the trade deadline, and to pull further away from the second-place Houston Astros in the AL West.
Matt Wallner, OF, Minnesota Twins
10% rostered
I know what you're thinking, who even is "Matt Wallner"? Well, he's a lefty bat who's been hot in August for the Minnesota Twins and can help your fantasy team right now. He's slashed .300/.391/.700 with a couple of home runs and seven RBI across his last seven games and overall has a .954 OPS along with 11 extra-base hits on the year.
Oddly, the 25-year-old's numbers at home vs. on the road are drastically different, with a 1.138 OPS at Target Field and a .644 OPS everywhere else. Therefore, it may be wise to pick up Wallner when the Twins return home on Aug. 15 against the Detroit Tigers. It's important to keep in mind he also struggles when facing left-handed pitchers as well, batting just .077, but .304 vs. righties.
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