

Philadelphia Phillies outfielder/designated hitter Kyle Schwarber provided an offensive explosion in Tuesday's 10-9 win over the Blue Jays. Schwarber went 5-for-6 with a single, a double, two solo home runs, a three-run HR, six RBI, and a strikeout. His most important long ball came in the top of the ninth inning when he clobbered a Chad Green fastball into the left-field seats to put the Phillies ahead by two. The 31-year-old has pretty much provided exactly what fantasy managers were hoping for all season long, slashing .245/.369/.474 with 31 HR, 92 runs scored, 88 RBI, and five stolen bases in 591 plate appearances. He has even over-delivered in terms of batting average, although his second-half batting average has been more in line with his career average. Either way, he has been a higher-end fantasy contributor throughout the season.



Baltimore Orioles rookie starting pitcher Cade Povich took advantage of a favorable matchup, turning in his best career start in Tuesday's 9-0 win over the White Sox. Povich pitched 7 1/3 innings, allowing five hits and no walks with 10 strikeouts. The 24-year-old has shown some promise throughout his time with the O's this season but owns a 2-7 record with a 5.76 ERA, a 1.60 WHIP, and a 7.13 K/9 rate in 12 starts and 59 1/3 IP. Povich is slated to face the Red Sox on the road in his next start and should have the opportunity to make more starts throughout September, given the injuries the O's have suffered in their rotation. While he may be a name to watch in keeper or dynasty leagues, fantasy managers may want to avoid Povich down the stretch of re-draft leagues due to his inconsistent performance.


New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor continued his excellent season in Tuesday's 7-2 win over the Red Sox. Lindor went 2-for-4 with a double, a two-run home run, three RBI, and a strikeout. He also stole a base. The 30-year-old turned on a third-inning Kutter Crawford offering, placing it over the right-field fence for his 30th HR of the season. Lindor has served as a higher-end fantasy option throughout his career and this season has been no different. He now owns a .271/.342/.493 slash line with 97 runs scored, 84 RBI, and 26 stolen bases in 633 plate appearances.


New York Mets starting pitcher David Peterson continued his strong season in Tuesday's 7-2 win over the Red Sox. Peterson improved to 9-1, allowing one run on six hits and a walk with a season-high 11 strikeouts over six innings of work. The 29-year-old has found great success overall with a 2.75 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP in 17 starts and 98 1/3 IP. Oddly, his strikeouts have dropped considerably from previous seasons with a 7.41 K/9 rate. Overall, Peterson has provided surprising fantasy value this season. He is lined up for a decent matchup in his next start at the Blue Jays.



Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes turned in another excellent start in Tuesday's 5-0 win over the Cubs. Skenes pitched five innings, allowing four hits and four walks with six strikeouts on 100 pitches. The 22-year-old rookie has lived up to the hype this season as one of baseball's top prospects, going 9-2 with a 2.13 ERA, a 0.98 WHIP, and an 11.21 K/9 rate in 19 starts and 114 IP. His performance has put him in the National League Rookie of the Year conversation and has made him a high-end fantasy option on a start-by-start basis. He will have another opportunity to showcase his skills in his next start, which will be a favorable matchup against the Nationals.
