Hill's Big Night Powers Phillies Past Nationals
Derek Hill has quietly been the best player nobody's talking about through the opening week, and Monday night in Philadelphia he made sure that changed. The Phillies left fielder turned in a monster showing, driving a 6-3 win over Washington.
Hill was the story from start to finish, putting together a night worth 34.0 fantasy points and taking home game MVP honors. Whatever he was doing at the plate and on the bases, it worked, and it was enough to power Philadelphia's offense on a night when the Phillies needed just about everything to click.
He didn't do it alone. Aaron Nola turned in a strong outing on the mound, posting 29.5 fantasy points in a performance that kept Washington's lineup from ever finding real traction. Nola has been a steady presence for Philadelphia for years, and this looked like vintage work from the right-hander. Bryce Harper backed him up with a 28.0-point night, doing exactly what Harper does when the Phillies need a lift in the middle of the order. Bryson Stott added 11.5 points and Edmundo Sosa chipped in 11.0 points as well, giving the Phillies contributions up and down the lineup rather than relying on one or two players to carry the whole load.
The win came in the middle of a mixed stretch for Philadelphia, which has also picked up a win over Baltimore alongside losses to Baltimore and Miami in recent games. Even with a couple of losses mixed in, the Phillies look like a team getting solid contributions across the roster.
It's early. Standings after one week rarely mean much in August, let alone a season that stretches into October. Hill's huge game is the headline, but Nola's strong start on the mound and steady offensive nights from Harper, Stott and Sosa show a team that isn't dependent on just one or two players to win.
Fantasy managers building lineups on JockBroker take note: Hill's 34-point explosion was exactly the kind of performance that can carry a roster on a given night.