The two hitters I've been begging Fantasy owners to add for the past several weeks are fittingly the top two hitters here.
Which means it may be your last chance to make the move.
This column is obviously one with a short-term focus — the focus this time being Week 24 (Sept. 2-8) — but Mark Canha and J.D. Davis both have longstanding appeal, as they should have already demonstrated by now. You may end up starting them not just this week but the rest of the season.
Maybe you have a good excuse, like being in one of the few leagues where they've already been picked up. Fair enough. There are other hitters to choose from if your focus is on the here and now. Here are my favorites rostered in less than 80 percent of CBS Sports leagues.
Top sleeper hitters for Week 23 (Aug. 26-Sept. 1)
Dude has been unconscious since becoming an everyday player for the Athletics right around the All-Star break, batting .315 (53 for 168) with 11 homers and an OPS near 1.000 in 44 games. And while he has to slow down eventually, it's probably not going to happen in a week he's facing Jaime Barria, Patrick Sandoval, Jose Suarez, Spencer Turnbull, Jordan Zimmermann and Daniel Norris.
| |||||
J.D. Davis doesn't have the most impressive matchups, really. He's just criminally underowned, and I'm committed to using every instrument at my disposal to right that wrong. He has homered three times in the past week, and his .297 batting average and .873 OPS are completely supported by his peripherals.
| |||||
The most anticipated prospect call-up of the second half is coming up and expected to start at second base Monday. With Max Muncy on the IL and nothing but right-handers on the schedule, the 21-year-old should get plenty of run in his first week in the big leagues, and given his productivity in the minors, he's worth putting in your lineup right away.
| |||||
Though the Rangers keep flirting with the idea of dumping Rougned Odor from their lineup, their lack of follow-through hasn't prevented Nick Solak from playing, even if it's mostly at DH. He's a disciplined hitter with the requisite power who has been piling up the multi-hit games so far, and thanks in large part to a four-game series against the Orioles, the Rangers have some of the most favorable matchups of any team this week.
| |||||
C.J. Cron is one of the quieter contributors in the Twins lineup, and an injury-plagued July kind of took him out of the mixed-league discussion. He has gotten plenty of playing time in August, though, and is going against some particularly squishy pitchers in seven games this week — guys like Jordan Zimmermann, Rick Porcello, Nathan Eovaldi and Adam Plutko.
| |||||
Jake Cave probably solidified his lineup spot for now with a two-homer game Thursday. His BABIP is bloated and his strikeout rate way too high, but the same was true in more than 300 plate appearances last year. In both instances, his expected numbers (xBA, xwOBA and the like) back up his actual numbers, so he's not a bad bet to take advantage of some favorable matchups against mostly righties this week.
| |||||
It's been a solid week of starts for Abraham Toro with Carlos Correa on the shelf, and the 22-year-old finally did something to justify it Thursday, hitting his first career home run while also walking three times. He homered again Sunday, so there are definite reasons for optimism heading into a week in which the Astros are facing the Brewers and Mariners rotations.
| |||||
Luis Arraez's playing time is a little dicey, which is especially concerning given that his lack of power already limits his potential impact from week to week, but he has a swing geared for batting average and is making good on it with a .333 mark. He should benefit from those same matchups Cron and Cave have, especially since it's mostly right-handed pitchers. He's batting about .350 against righties.
| |||||
As under-the-radar hitters go, there may be none more overlooked than Jon Berti, a 29-year-old rookie whose numbers are more solid than spectacular. But they've made him the No. 11 shortstop (just behind Bo Bichette) in Head-to-Head points leagues since he entered the Marlins lineup Aug. 1. Six games against Pirates and Royals pitchers makes for a good time to use him.
| |||||
Second straight week here for Freddy Galvis, who has found a foothold as the Reds second baseman, having homered four times in half a month's time with his new club. He's limited in what he can do offensively and isn't someone you'd want in your lineup long-term, but the Reds have some of the most favorable matchups of any club this week: a seven-game slate that features pitchers like Drew Smyly, Vince Velasquez, Jason Vargas and Mike Leake.
| |||||
Best hitter matchups for Week 24
1. Rays BAL3, TOR4
2. Tigers MIN1, @KC3, @OAK3
3. Rangers @NYY3, @BAL4
4. Reds PHI4, ARI3
5. Cardinals SF4, @PIT3
Worst hitter matchups for Week 24
1. Brewers HOU2, CHC4
2. Mariners @CHC2, @HOU4
3. Braves TOR2, WAS4
4. Red Sox MIN3, NYY3
5. Nationals NYM3, @ATL4
