Outlook Jarren Duran
Jarren Duran Struggles in Cold Spell, but Secure Role and Favorable Matchups Keep Him in Starting Lineups
It has been a rough stretch for the outfielder, who is batting just .196 over his last 14 days and .125 over the past week. His slump coincides with a tough run for the last-place Red Sox, who sit at 27-39 on a four-game skid. However, with Roman Anthony on the injured list, his everyday role in left field remains secure.
His current .210 season average is a far cry from our .269 rest-of-season projection. This cold streak is highly likely to regress to his career norms, closer to his brilliant 2024 campaign where he hit .286 with 20 homers and 34 steals. His power-speed combination is too elite to bench during a temporary slide.
Boston finishes the week at home with three games against Texas. While facing the heavily started Jacob deGrom (3.18 ERA, 71% start rate) will be tough, Duran gets favorable draws against Jack Leiter (4.85 ERA, 26% start rate) and Nathan Eovaldi (4.26 ERA). Keep him in your lineups for the weekend. Verdict: Start.
Updated 3 days ago
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Outlook Max Muncy
Max Muncy is swinging a scalding-hot bat for the division-leading Dodgers, making him an easy start despite recent health scares.
After a brief scare with shortness of breath earlier in the month, Muncy has returned with a vengeance as the everyday third baseman for the first-place Dodgers. Over his last seven days, he has torched opposing pitching with a .471 batting average and a 1.114 OPS. His surge has helped stabilize a Los Angeles lineup currently navigating key injuries to Will Smith and Teoscar Hernandez.
Muncy's recent batting average spike is a departure from his career norm, as he is a lifetime low-.200s hitter who typically relies on walks and power. While his current .270 average will likely regress closer to our projected .228 mark, his underlying slugging ability is elite. With 14 homers already in the books, he is well on his way to easily outpacing our rest-of-season projection of 15 home runs.
The Dodgers finish up in Pittsburgh today before heading to Chicago for three games against the White Sox. Muncy faces highly beatable matchups, including Mitch Keller and Erick Fedde, both of whom carry ERAs above 4.50. With four remaining games against vulnerable pitching, he is a locked-in fantasy option. Verdict: Start.
Updated 3 days ago
