Whether you're in need of an injury fill-in or just a hot-hand play, Scott White has you covered with 10 sleeper hitters for the upcoming scoring period, all rostered in less than 80 percent of CBS Sports leagues. They're not must-starts by any estimation, but they're the best you'll find off the waiver wire.
All information is up to date as of Sunday afternoon.
I've become the boy who cried wolf with Andy Pages, but this is the week you can absolutely count on him to come through for you. He's picking up the pace at the plate again, having entered Sunday batting .389 (21 for 54) with two homers in his past 16 games, and gets to enjoy the most favorable hitter matchups in Week 13, including four games at Coors Field and four against left-handers. He's batting .354 (17 for 48) against lefties.
| ||
Joseph Ortiz indeed made it back from a hamstring injury this weekend and even homered in his second game back Saturday, so he's poised to make a big impact with the Brewers having the fifth-best hitter matchups in Week 13. They're one of just three teams scheduled for seven games, with most of them coming against back-of-the-rotation starters for the Angels and Padres.
| ||
Ian Happ has bounced around the 80 percent rostership threshold all season, which is mostly a reflection of how disappointing he's been, but the Cubs do have some pretty good matchups this week against pitchers like Spencer Howard, Jose Quintana, Tylor Megill, and David Peterson. Best of all, they're at home, where Happ is batting 117 points higher (.284) than on the road (.167).
| ||
The Cardinals have the fourth-best hitter matchups, lining up against all the worst parts of the Marlins and Giants rotations. Alec Burleson has become a fixture for them by batting .287 (33 for 115) with six homers in his past 28 games, and you count on him for more of the same this week.
| ||
Not only do the Nationals have the second-best hitter matchups with their three games at Coors Field, but they're also scheduled to face just one lefty. That's going to be especially beneficial for Luis Garcia, who generally sits against left-handers but is batting .291 against righties.
| ||
Jacob Young is a bit one-dimensional as a hitter, mostly just contributing stolen bases in large quantities, and he's been in a drought as far as those go. This week seems like a perfect time for him to get back on track, though. The Nationals may be piling up so many runs in that Rockies series that he doesn't end up seeming so one-dimensional.
| ||
Willi Castro is eligible everywhere but first base and catcher, making him someone that everyone can find a way to fit in the lineup when the matchups warrant it, which is the case this week with pitchers like Aaron Civale, Joey Estes, JP Sears, and Hogan Harris on the schedule. He's about the one Twins hitter who plays every day, too.
| ||
Carlos Santana has those same favorable matchups as Willi Castro and has been hitting well lately, heading into Sunday batting .314 (16 for 51) with three home runs in his past 15 games. (Looks like he's already homered in the first game of Sunday's doubleheader as well.)
| ||
Another of the three teams playing seven games this week is the Rockies, and all of them are at Coors Field, which has lived up to its hitter-friendly reputation of late. Charlie Blackmon is always at his best there, having hit .312 with a .938 OPS this season, so even though he's likely to sit against the two lefties, he's a worthy play.
| ||
Spencer Horwitz has gotten a chance to hit first or second in every game against a right-hander since coming up from Triple-A Buffalo and collected multiple hits more often than not, living up to the .335 batting average he delivered in the minors. There are nothing but right-handers on the schedule for the Blue Jays this week.
|
Best hitter matchups for Week 13
1. Dodgers @COL4, LAA2
2. Nationals ARI3, @COL3
3. Rockies LAD4, WAS3
4. Cardinals @MIA3, SF3
5. Brewers @LAA3, @SD4
Worst hitter matchups for Week 13
1. Astros @CHW3, BAL3
2. Rays @MIN3, @PIT3
3. Guardians SEA3, TOR3
4. Angels MIL3, @LAD2
5. Marlins STL3, SEA3