Judge, Thor and more: What you need to know for Week 5

— -- Hot starts and stumbles in the standings are turning into meaningful performances with implications for the rest of the season. Which hitter, pitcher, rumor, injury and fantasy asset do you need to follow -- or own -- in the week to come?

The hitter you have to watch: Aaron Judge, New York Yankees. Keeping an eye on Judge shouldn't be difficult: He's the big guy -- really big -- and he's turning into a bigger, righty-hitting version of Roy Hobbs from "The Natural."

The difference between Judge's break-in stint with the Yankees last season and this season is beyond startling. He has slashed his chase rate by 10 percent and upped his contact rate by 12 percent. His strikeout rate has dropped 18 percent while his homer rate has soared by 7.7 percent. He has an OPS against lefties of 1.671, but his mark against righties (1.035) is special, too. At Yankee Stadium, he's hitting .378/.511/1.000.

Judge has reached must-watch status as one of the handful of guys you'll change channels to catch whenever he's stepping up to the plate. This week, he gets a home series against the Blue Jays and then his first crack at Wrigley Field over the weekend when New York visits the champion Cubs. -- Bradford Doolittle

Much is being made of Syndergaard's initial refusal to undergo an MRI when he first experienced arm discomfort, but this criticism is unjustified, especially given his ability to throw a bullpen session afterward without issue. Imaging tests are intended to help confirm or clarify clinical findings; they are not stand-alone tools. As the incomparable Dr. James Andrews has been known to say, "If someone wants to find a reason to operate, just get an MRI." If MRIs were performed on all major league pitchers, most would have positive findings in their elbow or shoulder -- or both -- given the nature of the profession, yet most would still be able to pitch effectively.

The biggest concern for Syndergaard and the Mets is ensuring that this latest episode is resolved before he returns to the mound so he doesn't resort to a compensatory change in his pitching mechanics that could truly threaten his arm. -- Stephania Bell

Update: Syndergaard's MRI led to a diagnosis for a lat tear, and he was placed on the 10-day DL. There is no timetable for his return.

With Adam Eaton out for the season, the Nats are suddenly left with a big void in center field. Royals center fielder Lorenzo Cain is a free agent at season's end, and with his experience and strong defense, he could be attractive to Washington. Other center-field options that might develop for Washington: Oakland's Rajai Davis, Seattle's Jarrod Dyson or -- if the Pirates fall out of the race -- Andrew McCutchen. -- Buster Olney