Outlook Blaze Alexander
Blaze Alexander's red-hot bat makes him an essential fantasy starter
Blaze Alexander is on an absolute tear, batting .500 with a .563 OBP over his last 14 days. The fourth-place Orioles, currently holding a 35-40 record, have leaned heavily on the 27-year-old infielder following a season-ending elbow injury to third baseman Jordan Westburg. Though Alexander is officially listed as the primary backup at third base behind Coby Mayo, his exceptional hitting has forced him into a near-everyday role across the infield.
While his current hot streak is inflated by an unsustainable .571 average over his last five games, Alexander is showing genuine growth. Our season models originally projected a modest .231 average and nine home runs, but his improved contact has kept his actual season average at a stellar .304. Expect some regression toward his career .230-.240 baseline, but his current volume makes him highly productive.
For the remainder of the week, the Orioles face a road trip starting with Bryan Woo in Seattle before heading to Los Angeles. While facing Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto and his 2.52 ERA will be a major challenge, matchups against Roki Sasaki and Emmet Sheehan—who both carry ERAs near 5.00—provide excellent opportunities to capitalize on Alexander's hot hand. Verdict: Start.
Updated 1 day ago
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Outlook Yainer Diaz
Yainer Diaz returns from the injured list to boost the Astros' lineup
Yainer Diaz is back after being activated from the injured list on June 16th, immediately making an impact by drawing a walk and securing a hit. The fourth-place Astros, currently sitting at 35-41, are eager to have his bat back in the lineup, especially with key players like Carlos Correa sidelined. Despite Christian Vázquez currently holding the top spot on the depth chart, Diaz should quickly reclaim his role as the primary option behind the plate.
Before the injury, Diaz was off to a quiet start in 2026, batting .250 with two home runs through 27 games. However, our season models project a strong rest-of-season bounce-back, expecting him to finish near a .270 batting average with 14 home runs and 63 RBIs over 492 at-bats. Given his track record of consecutive 16+ home run seasons, including a stellar .299 average in 2024, his early slump is likely a fluke and his power should return.
The Astros have a three-game home weekend series remaining against the Guardians. Diaz will face Tanner Bibee on Friday before getting highly favorable matchups against Joey Cantillo and Slade Cecconi, both of whom carry WHIPs over 1.40. With these generous matchups on tap and Diaz fresh off the injured list, fantasy managers should immediately slot him back into active lineups. Verdict: Start.
Updated 1 day ago
