Seattle Mariners right-hander Logan Gilbert continued a strong recent run on the mound by picking up his eighth win of the season in the team's 6-3 victory on Sunday over the visiting San Francisco Giants, allowing three earned runs on four hits (one homer) while walking one and striking out a season-high 10 batters in six innings of work. The 29-year-old has given up 14 runs with 52 strikeouts and only eight walks in 46 1/3 innings in his last seven starts, and he's gone at least six innings in all of those outings. Sunday was Gilbert's second time reaching double-digit punchouts this season. The former 14th overall pick in 2018 out of Stetson University is now 8-6 in 2026 with a 3.38 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, and 129:25 K:BB in 120 innings pitched across his 20 starts. Although his underlying metrics suggest some regression coming in the second half, Gilbert is a firm starting pitcher hold in most fantasy leagues with a strong upcoming matchup coming against the division-rival Texas Rangers. He's gone 0-2 in his two previous starts this year against Texas, but he's only allowed four earned runs with a walk and 12 strikeouts in 11 1/3 innings pitched.

For some reason, San Diego Padres first baseman Ty France just sees the ball better when he's playing against the Kansas City Royals. France continued his torrid hitting against KC in the Padres' 19-2 blowout victory on the road on Sunday at Kauffman Stadium, going 2-for-6 at the plate with two home runs and five RBI to boost his season average to .275 and his OPS to .872. The 32-year-old veteran right-handed hitter hit a grand slam in the eighth inning and had a solo homer in the ninth to cap a rare offensive explosion for the Friars. The big performance from France extended his current hitting streak to seven games. During that span, he has four home runs, nine RBI, seven runs scored, and four multi-hit games as he continues to heat up during the summer. After the big day, France is hitting .275/.335/.537 with 14 home runs, 39 RBI, 28 runs scored, and a steal in his 243 plate appearances in his first year back in SD. He's been hot lately, but France has mostly been far too inconsistent with a limited power ceiling, which is why he's rostered in only 2% of Yahoo leagues. His .246 expected batting average also doesn't make him extremely attractive as a hitter to target in the second half.

San Diego Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill helped the Padres avoid a three-game sweep in Kansas City on Sunday against the Royals with a monster performance in the team's 19-2 rout at Kauffman Stadium. Kelly went 4-for-6 at the plate with two home runs, four RBI, a stolen base, and a strikeout to boost his season batting average to .221 and his OPS to .640. It was the 23-year-old's first four-hit game and two-homer outing of the year, which was a nice way for him to snap an 0-for-13 slump offensively. With the stolen base, Merrill also reached the 20-steal mark for the first time in his career. Merrill has mostly been a speed asset in fantasy in what has otherwise been a disappointing third year in the majors. After the strong performance on Sunday against the Royals, Merrill is now slashing .221/.277/.363 with 12 home runs, 42 RBI, 45 runs scored, and 20 stolen bases across his 407 plate appearances. The Padres and fantasy managers are really hoping that his Sunday outburst will get him rolling for the rest of the second half of the season.

Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman has proved in 2026 that he's an elite power hitter, regardless of position. In the team's 9-6 loss at Coors Field on Sunday to the Cincinnati Reds, Goodman went 3-for-4 at the plate with three home runs, five RBI, and a strikeout to boost his season average to .257 and his OPS to .887. He became the first player in Rockies history to have two three-homer games in the same season. Perhaps even more impressive was that two of his three long balls came against Reds right-handed starter Hunter Greene. Goodman now trails only Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Kyle Schwarber, who has 33, for the National League home run lead in 2026. Additionally, he's slashing .257/.326/.561 in his second full season in the big leagues. He hit 31 homers and drove in 91 in 144 games played in 2025 as a first-time All-Star. With club control and an elite power bat, contending teams like the New York Yankees could come calling for Goodman with the August trade deadline quickly approaching.