The Lens · Risers & Fallers

The Week Sorts the Hot From the Cold

AUGUST 21, 2026

Who climbed and who cooled over the past week.

Some bats caught fire this week; a few good ones went quiet. On the mound, only one arm is trending up while the rest hold or slip. Here's who moved.

Turning it around

Pitchers whose form — our 0–100 score from ERA & WHIP — climbed most this week.

Michael Massey had the loudest week of anyone, 12-for-21 with two homers for a 1.514 OPS, just ahead of Pittsburgh's Rafael Flores Jr. (8-for-18, three homers). Alejandro Kirk quietly drove in eight over six games in Toronto.

Reid DetmersLos Angeles Angelsform 60→64 (+4)›

Cooling on the mound

Of the strongest arms, the ones who shed the most form this week.

Nick Martinez took the biggest step back among strong arms, down five points to a 69 form score, with Drew Rasmussen slipping four to 77. Neither is in trouble, just cooling.

Nick MartinezTampa Bay Raysform 74→69 (-5)›
Drew RasmussenTampa Bay Raysform 81→77 (-4)›

Hot at the plate

The week's hottest hitters — top OPS over the last 7 days (min at-bats), with their game line.

Same names, same heat: Massey and Flores Jr. topped 1.500 for the week, and Vinnie Pasquantino joined the Royals party at 7-for-15.

Michael Massey6 G · 12-for-21 · 2 HR · 4 RBI1.514OPS·WK›
Rafael Flores Jr.6 G · 8-for-18 · 3 HR · 4 RBI1.500OPS·WK›
Alejandro Kirk6 G · 10-for-24 · 3 HR · 8 RBI1.392OPS·WK›
Vinnie Pasquantino4 G · 7-for-15 · 1 HR · 3 RBI1.329OPS·WK›
Alec Bohm5 G · 10-for-21 · 1 HR · 8 RBI1.310OPS·WK›

Cooling off

Hitters whose bat cooled most this week — shown with their 7-day line.

Elly De La Cruz had a rough week at 4-for-29, and Kyle Schwarber went just 3-for-22, though a .027 dip on the season barely dents either resume. Mike Trout's 3-for-22 was the quietest of the group.