Top 100 Hitters, Week 14: Lost in the Upside-Down

It’s been a few weeks since I ranked the top 100 fantasy hitters and a lot has changed! Stranger Things season 3 has dropped, Josh Bell broke the record for most extra-base hits in the first half of an NL season, my wife had our first child, and Giancarlo Stanton got injured and hit the DL! Only one of those is the real reason I haven’t written an article in a while and yea, maybe I took Stanton getting hurt too personally.

Biggest Risers:

Fernando Tatis Jr.: Here’s his line in the 16 games since I wrote one of these bad boys: 19 hits, 18 runs, 4 HRs, 9 RBI, 5 SBs. Oh, so he really IS the prince who was promised? Fun personal fact — I traded Tatis in my keeper/lite dynasty league last year with a few other prospects for Chris Sale and Sean Dolittle. Guess who wasn’t healthy for my playoff run anyway?! Yay!

Dansby Swanson: And now for Dansby’s line in the 15 games since last time you heard from me: 20 hits, 13 runs, 4 HRs, 14 RBI, 1 SB. Don’t act so surprised — Swanson was a #1 overall pick not too long ago and is still only 25. Enjoy the breakout — you probably grabbed him off the waivers anyway.

Charlie Blackmon: And finally, Blackmon’s line in the last 17 games: 22 hits, 18 runs, 4 HRs, 10 RBI. Here is the line every expert has to write about Blackmon: the stolen bases are gone and not coming back, but he is still a VERY valuable hitter in the fantasy game.

Biggest Fallers:

Andrew Benintendi: The name value can’t keep Benintendi afloat any longer. The .274 average is still good enough, however, 7 HRs, 9 SBs, 42 runs, 37 RBI aren’t enough to keep him in the top 40.

Joc Pederson: On the flip side of the coin, in his last 16 games Pederson hit: 15 hits (okay…), but only 5 runs, 1 HR, and 8 RBI. I think I may have artificially inflated him a bit when he had a 1.248 OPS from May 10th to June 4th.

David Peralta: Really this drop has to do with the 0 HRs and 0 SBs in his last 15 games. He can do better — I think — can he? Maybe not in SBs — but maybe last season’s 30 HRs were a mirage.

Top 100 Hitters: