3 Players Off to a Hot, Hot, Hot Start
3 Players Off to a Hot, Hot, Hot Start
Ole, ole, ole ole.....
The 2024 MLB season is off and running! Every year there are players who get off to a hot start and today I wanted to acknowledge three players who are doing just that! Below are a few players that stood out to me based on the first week back in the MLB season. I know these numbers aren’t sustainable but they are fun to dwell on.
Teoscar Hernandez
It looks like Hernandez is very comfortable hitting at the back end of the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup. Through 5 games, Teoscar has already hit 4x bombs! The crazy thing is Hernandez is currently hitting just about 30 points BELOW his career batting average (.260). I will admit he is outpacing his career OPS (.804) significantly but this is a hot start article! One has to wonder if he can improve the batting average throughout the season and maybe maintain the power what can his end-of-season numbers look like? Teoscar is in a great spot as he is now hitting behind forces like Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman…ever heard of them? He is going to hit a ton of RBIs and face stressed-out pitching all year long. Do I think he will keep this home run pace? Absolutely not. Do I think Teoscar can be a monster for the Dodgers this year? Quite possibly. In his 9 year career, he has 1x All-Star selection in 2021 and was 11th in MVP voting in 2020. Can Hernandez sustain his numbers and return to All-Star weekend? Based on my fantasy rosters, I have to hope so!
2024 Stats - 4 HR | .971 OPS | 9 RBI | .226 AVG | 7 H | 2 2B
Brice Turang
Turang is taking advantage of every opportunity he is getting on the base paths right now. The young speedster has been a menace running wild and as long as he continues to find ways to get on base he will be a difference-maker in the stolen base category. In 2023, he managed to steal 26 bags across 137 games. Clearly, if he plays a full season and continues to develop in the batter’s box he can be a very valuable middle infielder for a long time not only to the Milwaukee Brewers but to fantasy baseball managers! Will he regress some? Most likely he batted .218 across 448 plate appearances last year. Does that mean that I am out on him? No. In fact I just picked him up in a 10-man 7x7 roto league. His speed is that elite, I feel he needs to be in the lineup…for now.
2024 Stats - 6 SB | .533 OBP | 1.176 OPS | .500 AVG | 4 K | 1 BB
Shota Imanaga
Well, that didn’t take long for Shota Imanaga to make a name for himself. 9 Ks in his MLB debut? Stop it! Imanaga was dominant in his first career start against the Rockies and even flirted with a no-hitter. His fastball is incredible and I cannot wait to watch him shove again. In 1,129 career innings across the Pacific Ocean, Imanaga recorded 1,183 Ks. This is a guy who can drastically improve the Cubs rotation. Justin Steele was a Cy Young contender last year but he is hurt. Jameson Taillon is dealing with a lower back issue and is also a no-go for now. Without those two the rest of the starters the Cubs have available are Kyle Hendricks, Jordan Wicks, Javier Assad, Luke Little, and Ben Brown. That being said the Cubs need him to shine early this season or they might dig a hole that they can’t get out of when it comes to the playoff hunt. Yes, I am bought in and I think that this guy will quickly become a fan favorite in Wrigleyville!
2024 Stats - 1 W | 0.00 ERA | 6 IP | 9 K | 0.333 WHIP | 13.5 SO9
