Josh Smith DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Texas Rangers shortstop Josh Smith had a big day in his team's 16-3 win over the Minnesota Twins on Thursday. Smith went 2-for-5 with a homer, a walk, three runs, and one RBI in the lopsided victory. The veteran infielder kicked off the scoring in the game with a leadoff homer off Twins starter Bailey Ober. Smith is now hitting .279 with six homers, 26 runs, 19 RBI, and eight stolen bases across 208 at-bats for the Rangers this season. He has been hot over the past week, batting .393 with a homer and three RBI in his past seven contests. Smith has settled in as a solid, if unspectacular, fantasy option in most leagues.

Texas Rangers infielder/outfielder Josh Smith (back) is starting at shortstop and is batting leadoff in Wednesday's contest at home against the visiting Colorado Rockies and right-hander Antonio Senzatela. A sore lower back had kept Smith out of the lineup for the first two games of the series against Colorado, but he'll be back in there on Wednesday and will be a nice low-cost DFS sleeper out of the leadoff spot against the worst team in baseball. The 27-year-old utility man will also see his fantasy stock in deeper formats increase in the short term with Corey Seager (hamstring) going back on the injured list on Tuesday. Smith has limited power and speed, but he's currently slashing an impressive .310/.389/.466 with an .855 OPS, four homers, 10 RBI, 18 runs and four steals in 116 at-bats. He has never faced Senzatela in his career.

Texas Rangers infielder/outfielder Josh Smith (back) remains out of the starting lineup for Tuesday's game against the visiting Colorado Rockies at Globe Life Field. Corey Seager (hamstring) was officially placed on the 10-day injured list for the second time this year on Tuesday as well, so Ezequiel Duran will make his third straight start at the 6 and will bat ninth against Rockies left-hander Kyle Freeland. The 27-year-old Smith is dealing with lower-back soreness and will miss his second straight game, although it's not considered a serious ailment. When he's cleared to return to action, he'll likely take over starting duties at shortstop in Texas until Seager returns. The 25-year-old Duran will be a weak DFS play on Tuesday at the bottom of the batting order, even against the Rockies. He's hitting .130 (3-for-23) on the year with no homers and an RBI. Duran has a hit and RBI in just two career at-bats against Freeland.