The doubleheaders continue — a whopping seven on the schedule for Week 8 (Sept. 7-13). It's just something we'll have to get used to for the final three weeks of the season, with so many cancellations to make up for.
Not only, then, are there three teams with eight games (the Tigers, Cardinals and Rangers). There are also three with nine (the Marlins, Athletics and Phillies). It means the hitters looking at a conventional six-game week are at an obvious disadvantage.
Even so, I do include a couple in my 10 sleeper hitters for Week 8, all rostered in less than 75 percent of CBS Sports leagues.
We took an in-depth look at Week 8 on Friday's edition of the Fantasy Baseball Today podcast. Follow all our podcasts and subscribe here.
With plus plate discipline and solid power production, he has made his transition to the majors look easy so far, making him an obvious play with nine games on the schedule.
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The Cardinals have "only" eight games on the schedule, but seven look to be against right-handers, which should help the left-handed hitter sustain his hot hitting.
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The 34-year-old has been surprisingly good this year, but with his production coming exclusively against right-handed pitchers. The Padres have six of those on the schedule this week, and none is exactly ace-caliber.
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Though the production is underwhelming so far, the data remains strong, and he may be heating up with a home run and a couple multi-hit games recently. Good matchups, too.
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He continues to get regular playing time for the Yankees, and while the production has slowed, he's not slumping to the point that you can't see him going off against some bottom-feeder pitchers this week.
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He enters the weekend batting .333 (21 for 63) with four home runs and a near-1.000 OPS over his past 16 games, making more regular contact and doing more damage on breaking balls this year.
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Back healthy after a recent bout with a stiff back, he's among the Marlins hitters best equipped to take advantage of their nine-game schedule, which includes six games against the Phillies' suspect pitching staff.
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While he's batting .337 (28 for 83) with five homers and a near-1.100 OPS over his past 24 games, Willy Adames has the misfortune of playing only six games this week, but the matchups are about as good as you could ask for.
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Another hitter who'll have to make do with only six games, Brandon Nimmo nonetheless should be good for more than just walks against pitchers like Tom Eshelman, John Means, Ross Stripling and Robbie Ray.
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The Giants' matchups could be better, but you won't find a hotter hitter than Alex Dickerson right now. And with six righties on the schedule, you can trust him to be in the lineup basically every day.
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Best hitter matchups for long Week 8
1. Phillies @NYM1, BOS2, @MIA6
2. Marlins @ATL3, PHI6
3. Padres COL3, SF4
4. Yankees @TOR3, BAL4
5. Rangers @SEA1, LAA3, OAK4
Worst hitter matchups for long Week 8
1. Giants ARI1, SEA2, @SD4
2. Pirates CHW2, @KC3
3. Dodgers @ARI3, HOU2
4. Royals @CLE4, PIT3
5. Twins DET1, @STL2, CLE3
