This article is part of our Sorare MLB series.
The All-Star break is right around the corner. That's a good time to step back and assess all matters MLB. You could be poring over the team you root for (though as a Tigers fan I'm not terribly enthused about that prospect) or checking in on the awards races. Then there are matters related to fantasy baseball, which includes DFS and, of course, Sorare. So, as we hit the middle of July, allow me to do some assessing. Here are my Upgrades, Holds and Downgrades for your Sorare lineups for this week.
The number in parentheses is each player's last limited card sale price as of July 10.
Upgrades
Ha-Seong Kim, SD ($8.63): Kim has not been hot recently, but I believe brighter things are ahead. Kim has 10 homers and 17 stolen bases after having 17 of the former and 38 of the latter last season. What encourages me about Kim is that he has a profile akin to his teammate Luis Arraez but with more power, albeit admittedly not quite to Arraez's extreme level of contact. Kim's 20.8 chase percentage is one of the best in MLB, and his contact percentage is a robust 81.5. The problem is that his BABIP has cratered down to .246. While Kim is running out of time to turn that around, he will almost assuredly improve on that front.
Jake Irvin, WAS ($8.01): Timing is not ideal for this recommendation, given that Irvin is coming off his worst start of the season. Then again, maybe it's the perfect time, because that outlier of an outing could offer a buying opportunity. In his nine starts prior to a tough day at Citi Field facing the Mets, Irvin posted an 1.79 ERA. Eight of those starts were quality starts, and every one of those quality starts yielded at least 23.5 Sorare points. Due to injuries, the Nats can't shake the burden of starting Patrick Corbin regularly, but beyond him, an intriguing young rotation is beginning to form.
Brandon Marsh, PHI ($6.51): When you think of lefties in the Phillies' lineup, Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber likely spring to mind first. Marsh is no slouch, though, doing something of a facsimile of Harper at the plate. Ever since he left (escaped?) the Angels, Marsh has excelled versus righties, and also in Philly's ballpark. This year he has an .875 OPS versus right-handed pitchers and an .847 OPS at home. His 28.5 line-drive percentage is robust, and he's had two games with 30.0 Sorare points within the last month.
Josh Smith, TEX ($5.51): To think, if not for a long-term wrist injury to Josh Jung, Smith would not have a regular role for the Rangers. Now, it may be hard for Jung to grab his job back once he gets healthy. Over his first couple seasons, Smith didn't even manage to cross the Mendoza line, but this year he's hit .295, which in the current MLB landscape has him positioned in the top 20. He hasn't slowed down, either, as he has an .850 OPS over the last three weeks. Recently Smith picked up 22.0 Sorare points thanks to three hits against the Angels, and he could be doing that for you next time it happens.
Holds
Justin Steele, CHC ($8.39): Hey, remember when Steele started the season slow? If you had him in your Sorare lineup then, you likely do, but if you held onto him, you have been enjoying the fruits of your faith. After a bad outing on May 22, Steele had a 5.68 ERA. After posting a 1.67 ERA in his last eight starts, his ERA is now down to 2.95. His last start was a complete-game affair wherein he only allowed one run and picked up 41.0 Sorare points. Keep on keeping on when it comes to Steele.
Brenton Doyle, COL ($7.75): Doyle is among the hitters who already have over 10 homers and 20 stolen bases. He kicked off July with an eye-popping 49.0 Sorare points against the Brewers. Of course, that game was at Coors Field, and that's why Doyle is a hold to me. In his sophomore campaign, Doyle has a .995 OPS at home…and a .639 OPS on the road. You hold onto the outfielder for the times when the Rockies are at home, taking advantage of the offensive environment in the Mile High City.
Downgrades
Ezequel Tovar, COL ($12.20): It doesn't always work out for every Rockie at Coors Field all the time. Recently, over a seven-game stint at home, Tovar had negative Sorare points six times, and in the other game he was given the day off because he's scuffling so mightily. Tovar showed promise as a rookie last year, doing a poor man's Anthony Volpe impression for the Rockies. He just hasn't progressed, and his discipline remains alarming. Tovar's walk rate is a mere 3.3 percent, and his chase rate is a whopping 48.6 percent. That won't cut it.
Joe Ryan, MIN ($9.07): The strikeouts have been there for Ryan, and they remain there, but I came into the season with that expectation. On the other hand, home runs were also expected, and Ryan's issues with the long ball have reappeared recently. He has a 3.83 ERA over his last seven starts, but he's also allowed 1.9 home runs per nine innings in that time. Now, he largely got away with it because not many men were on base, and to Ryan's credit, he issues few walks. It does feel like he's playing with fire, though, and I for one am not in the mood to get burnt.
Yandy Diaz, TAM ($2.72): Last year, Diaz had a .932 OPS with 22 home runs. This season, he's slugged .387, and his recent run of play features many games with negative Sorare points. Diaz has still hit lefties well, but his .680 OPS versus righties is a major concern. The Rays first baseman has a clear issue, and that's a groundball rate of 56.3 percent. Diaz has three stolen bases and one triple over the last three seasons. He's not fleet of foot. If Diaz keeps pounding the ball into the ground, he's going to be in real trouble.
