Benge’s Breakout Continues – June 8, 2026
Carson Benge, OF, Mets
Carson Benge had the best game of his young career on Sunday, going 5-for-5 with a home run, a triple, three runs, and two RBI. After a disappointing start to the year, Benge has been on a tear as of late, as he was batting .286 over the past month entering Sunday, and that was before the 5-hit game. On the season, he’s slashing .265/.325/.408 with 34 runs, seven home runs, 26 RBI, and 10 steals. He brings a nice blend of power and speed with the potential for great on-base skill. While he hasn’t carried it over to the majors as of yet, with a walk rate of 7%, he walked at a 13.1% clip in the minors in 2025. Whether that comes or not, the rookie has been impressive overall, particularly with a 95th percentile sweet-spot rate of 42.2%. Those optimal launch angles allow him to get the most out of his 44.6% hard-hit rate, which isn’t elite by any means, but is a solid, above-average mark. The youngster started the year in a platoon situation, but has cemented himself as an everyday player for the Mets, with many of his at-bats coming from the leadoff spot. That should allow him to rack up the counting stats and be a solid all-around contributor in fantasy.
Gabriel Moreno, C, Diamondbacks
Gabriel Moreno went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run on Sunday, continuing his strong performance as of late. On the season, he’s slashing .255/.327/.409 with 21 runs, four home runs, 21 RBI, and three steals in 41 games. While those don’t seem like numbers that would blow you away, there are very likely better days ahead for the backstop. His xBA sits at a 73rd percentile mark of .269, and his xSLG also represents an improvement over his actual slugging percentage at .450. On top of that, his 10.4% barrel rate and 45.3% hard-hit rate both represent career highs, and he’s even raised his pull air rate to 18.9%, up from 14.6% last season. Those are all signs that point to more power on the horizon, and his batting average should improve, too, as the 26-year-old has a very proven track record of a .278 career batting average in 355 career games. This homer could be a sign of things to come, so keep an eye on Moreno if you need help at catcher.
Jacob deGrom, SP, Rangers
Jacob deGrom was solid on Sunday against the Guardians, tossing six shutout innings with six strikeouts. He allowed three hits and two walks. This was his second straight scoreless outing, and he now possesses a 3.18 ERA in the season with 84 strikeouts and 15 walks in 70.2 innings. He’s enjoyed a nice rebound to his strikeout rate, raising it to 29.8% from 27.7% last season. He’s also displayed excellent control and a 35.4% chase rate (90th percentile). The underlying metrics aren’t all good, as his 30.4% groundball rate, 47.6% hard-hit rate, and 91.7 mph average exit velocity are all bottom-of-the-barrel marks when compared to the rest of the league, and his xERA sits at a middling 3.81. While deGrom may be getting lucky, it’s also hard not to trust someone of his track record, so I wouldn’t worry too much unless his actual results start to decline.
Gage Jump, SP, Athletics
Gage Jump looked good in the third start of his career on Sunday against the Astros, tossing 6.1 shutout frames with three strikeouts. He allowed three hits and walked three. This followed a solid second start where he limited the Cubs to one run over seven innings, so the A’s may have found something here in the rookie. While having a 2.45 ERA through your first three major league starts is nothing to complain about, it is surprising that he has only a 17.8% strikeout rate after posting a 33.1% rate in the minors this season. It’s worth noting that Jump had faced three very formidable offenses in the Mariners, Cubs, and Astros, so it’s probably safe to expect more strikeouts moving forward. The important thing for now is that he’s completely limiting hard contact, with an excellent 2.9% barrel rate and 28.6% hard-hit rate.
Sandy Alcantara, SP, Marlins
Sandy Alcantara continued to bounce back on Sunday, allowing one run on five hits and one walk with seven strikeouts over seven innings against the Rays. This was his second seven-inning outing in a row, after he allowed runs over an 11.2-inning stretch in his starts on May 21 and May 26. He currently holds a 4.33 ERA and 1.26 WHIP with 64 strikeouts and 22 walks across 89.1 innings. While Alcantara always had a low strikeout rate, even when he was an ace, it’s taken another drop this season to 17.1%. That ranks in the bottom 15 percent of the league, and it’s why he struggles with consistency, as that many balls in play lead to a lot more variance from start to start. The other issue is that his groundball rate is down to 44.7%, which is much closer to league average than the elite rates of 50%+ he regularly posted in his prime. That ultimately leads to way too many balls hit in the air, resulting in suboptimal ratios along with very few strikeouts. That’s not a recipe for a great fantasy contributor, so the former ace should be viewed as a middle-end rotation piece, at best.
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