For the fourth time with the Indians and the seventh time in 72 big-league at-bats this year, Zach Walters homered Thursday. And judging by his 29 homers in 487 at-bats at Triple-A last year and his 17 homers in 268 at-bats at Triple-A this year, it's something he'll continue to do.
Though he's been playing DH for the Indians, Walters' most important attribute is that he's eligible at shortstop. Offensive production as a whole is scarce at the position, and power hitting especially.
So it's a match made in Fantasy heaven, at least in theory -- the same one that had Fantasy owners flocking to Javier Baez upon his arrival.
But while Baez has long been touted as a face-of-the-franchise type, Walters was just a spare part for the Nationals -- one easily expended at the trade deadline. While the disparity no doubt says something about Walters' upside, it may say even more about his downside. Quite simply, his shortcomings may prove to be more than he can overcome.
He's a swing-at-anything type, striking out more than 100 times more than he walked at Triple-A last year. He hit only .253 as a result, which doesn't bode well for his chances in the majors. If you need cheap homers, he's a sneaky way to get them out of a middle infield spot. Just don't expect much more than a .200 batting average from him.