Hunting for Hunter?

Angels manager Mike Scioscia left Torii Hunter out of the lineup on Monday, just one day after Hunter's sparkiling return from a strained right adducter injury that shelved him for 5 weeks. Hunter went 2-6 with a run and 2 RBI in 13 innings of baseball against the Orioles in that first game back. He sat out Tuesday merely for rest reasons and not because of any kind of reinjury.

Fantasy Impact: Hunter was on his way to a career year prior to going down. He's a nice outfielder to own in fantasy play. If he continues to play as well as he did over the first half, expect big things down the stretch.

Good Torii Hunter

Torii Hunter blasts three home runs against the Padres in a 9-1 victor for the home Angels. Hunter smacks two of the three against Padres starter Josh Geer, hardly an ace, but this is looking like Hunter's career year - no matter whom he's facing.

Fantasy Impact: Hunter's always been a nice fantasy player, but never a first-two round pick. This season, however, he's on pace to destroy his career high in homers of 31. He's also on pace to go over 100 runs for the first time in a single season. Breaking his career-high of 23 stolen bases is also in reach. He's a sell-high candidate who is prone to slumps historically, but this hot streak is going on three months now without stopping. Ride the wave. It just might last a full season.