Corey Dickerson (STL): 3-4, 2B, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI.
Standing in for the often injured Tyler O’Neill, Corey Dickerson took full advantage of his start in left field on Sunday for the Cardinals. Ending the night with three hits through four plate appearances, Dickerson knocked in three and scored twice while ending his day a triple away from the cycle. Typically seen as a bench piece for the Cardinals, Dickerson is “an injury away” from seeing every day playing time in the Cardinals line up, as was seen when he himself returned from the IL just before the All-Star break, playing every day in left field as Tyler O’Neill was slow to return. With a fully functioning Cardinals’ starting line up however, Dickerson will make due with his bench role, starting every so often against right handed starters, which he’s hit all four of his home runs off this season. Though, it should be noted, the Cardinals haven’t exactly given him many opportunities against southpaws, with Dickerson collecting just 16 plate appearances against lefties so far this season, compared to his 129 against righties.
Let’s see how the other hitters did Sunday
Alec Bohm (PHI): 4-5, 2B, HR, 3 R, RBI.
After breaking up his 14-game hit streak, which included eight multi-hit games, on Saturday, Alec Bohm got right back on the horse and collected four more to make up for it on Sunday. Through his last 149 plate appearances, Bohm has slashed .378/.396/.517 and just a 12.8% strikeout rate, earning him a chance in the top three spots of the Phillies’ line up, though with just three homers and a 2.7% walk rate, one may wonder if that .418 BABIP through that time can be sustained with a 42% hard hit rate. Don’t know, don’t care. Just enjoy it while you can, but maybe don’t shoot down every trade offer you get for him while he’s at his peak.
James Outman (LAD): 3-4, 2B, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI.
Welcome to the big leagues James Outman. The Los Angeles outfield prospect made his MLB debut Sunday from the nine-spot of the line up, starting in right field after the Dodgers shifted around their roster to make room for Outman and make up for the missing Justin Turner and recently traded Zach McKinstry. As fun as debut as this was, one shouldn’t expect regular playing time from Outman, perhaps seeing him fill in against some right handed starters, that is unless he puts up a few more box scores like he did on Sunday.
Anthony Rizzo (NYY): 2-4, HR, R, 3 RBI, BB.
As it turns out, batting third for the Yankees on a regular basis can do wonders for one’s stat line. Anthony Rizzo has enjoyed a rejuvenation of sorts, capped most recently with this multi-hit Sunday performance and his 25th dinger of the year and third in the past five days. Rizzo finishes off July hitting .257/.395/.514 with four homers and .83 BB/K ratio. Don’t let that .228 season-long batting average fool you, Rizzo is doing just fine, despite the .211 BABIP, which is fueled in part to the aforementioned 25 dingers.
Hunter Renfroe (MIL): 4-4, HR, R, 2 RBI.
Surely Hunter Renfroe enjoyed being back in Fenway Park this weekend, as he knocked out his 18th and 19th homers of the season on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, and finishing the series with five hits through 13 plate appearances. Sure, he struck out four times and never reached base on anything but those four hits, but that doesn’t feed into the “return to Boston” narrative I’m going for. Since returning from the IL earlier in July, Renfroe has started all but one game for the Brewers and has slashed .276/.323/.638 and knocked out six home runs through 62 plate appearances. He’s also struck out 16 times and taken just two walks in that time, but who’s counting? (Literally, I am)
Jurickson Profar (SD): 2-4, HR, 2 R, RBI, SB.
After hitting his 10th homer of the season on Saturday, Jurickson Profar had to find a way to outdo himself on Sunday and decided to order the combo-meal, which came with his 11th dinger and fifth stolen bases. It was Profar’s second combo-meal of the season and just his third of his major league career. The San Diego lead off hitter is tied with Tim Anderson for the 10th lowest strikeout percentage among lead off hitters at 14.8% and among those with at least 200 plate appearances from the top spot in the line up, Profar is tied with Jose Altuve for 5th best walk rate at 10.5%. He should stick in the spot and if the Padres can make any big moves by Tuesday’s deadline, Profar could see his counting stats, especially runs scored, get a decent boost.
Charles Leblanc (MIA): 2-4, 2B, HR, 2 R, RBI.
Does Miami have themselves a new starting third baseman? Thanks to injuries to multiple infielders, at least for the short term it would appear so. Charles Leblanc made his MLB debut on Saturday and followed it up with a pair of 102 mph hit balls on Sunday, including his first major league homer, RBI, and run scored. After knocking out 31 home runs through 650 AAA plate appearances between 2021 and 2022, LeBlanc has earned the opportunity in Miami and should continue to get it, especially as long as the rest of the Marlin’s infield rehabs themselves back from their injuries.
Anthony Santander (BAL): 3-4, HR, R, RBI.
And the hits just keep on coming for Baltimore’s Anthony Santander. The Orioles’ outfielder finishes July with 30 hits through 103 plate appearances, 12 of which went for extra bases and helped keep his overall slash on the month at .316/.369/.547, matching his .316 BABIP through that time. 17 of those hits have come during his current 11-game hit streak.
Nick Castellanos (PHI): 4-5, R, 2 RBI.
It’s official, Nick Castellanos finishes the month of July without hitting the ball over the fence. It’s the first time he’s gone a whole calendar month without a home run since September 2016, which to be fair he only played in five games. Castellanos continues hitting in the heart of the Phillies’ line up, but despite the .325 BABIP, it surely hasn’t translated into the overall stat line fantasy managers thought they were drafting. His nine hits through his last 19 plate appearances may look like a good sign of things to come in August, but let’s keep in mind they all came against the Pirates, and a hitters’s success against them should be taken with the same grain of salt as we tend do with pitcher success.