It's Tuesday and that means we've just got MLB games to cover. Apologies for the late sheet, the day got away from me today.

Rocker rocked, Goodman good, Mangum to… stick? OK, that idea didn’t last long. Elly De La Cruz went ballistic at the same moment he tried out a torpedo bat. Coincidence? Andres Gimenez & Otto Lopez have multiple homers already. Are the balls juiced? I’ve got some questions. Unfortunately, not so many answers less than a week into the season.

Major League Baseball

Covered by Smada

Andres Gimenez, 2B TOR (MLB) 

2-for-2, HR, 2B, 3 R, RBI, BB, SB

Gimenez is now up to 3 HR in just 5 games after hitting 9 HR in 152 games last year. We can’t forget that he had totals of 17 HR in 2022 and 15 HR in 2023, so there’s always been some over-the-fence game power. Projections, what are they good for? Looking at the last three seasons of data and weighing them appropriately. The 9 HR last season were likely to be surpassed and now a couple of "rest of season" projections already have him eclipsing his career high. It’s extremely early, but the bat speed is up a couple mph and he’s been aggressive towards the top-end of his ability. That’s one more thing to check back on in a couple weeks.

Otto Lopez, 2B MIA (MLB) 

3-for-5, HR, R, 2 RBI, K

Another second baseman with an unexpected power surge, Otto Lopez has hit 2 HR this season in 23 PA after hitting 6 HR in 434 PA last season. This one was an oppo shot out of 30/30 parks, the first of his big league career. We all roster Lopez for the SB and projectable BA, but if he’s going to give us double digit home runs this year he’ll rank quite highly at the end. All that to say, could just be a small sample anomaly and/or the balls are juiced. I’d be starting Lopez in an MI spot or as a lower-end 2B in 15 team leagues. He should probably be universally rostered at this point.

Hunter Goodman, C COL (MLB) 

1-for-4, HR, R, RBI, K

Michael Toglia, 1B COL (MLB) 

0-for-4, 2 K

I was skeptical of Goodman sticking at catcher, but he’s now started three games there and one at DH. So he’s likely to carry that eligibility forward at least another season. His first homer of the year was a towering oppo shot to right-center to break out a 0-0 tie in the 6th and knock Cristopher Sanchez out of the game. This homer does such a great job demonstrating Goodman’s power. Yes the strikeouts are still going to be high and he hasn’t drawn a walk yet, but there is 20+ HR potential from the catcher spot here. On the flip side of Rockies power hitters, the player I’ve most invested in this season has gotten off to a very slow start. Michael Toglia has struck out in 8 of his 16 trips to the plate. I’m far from jumping ship here, but it’d be great to see him get rolling soon, especially with a handful of bats in AAA vying for a shot.