RADIO
Welcome to the top hitter streamers column for Week 12 of the MLB season (6/14 through 6/20). This weekly piece should be helpful for anyone looking to gain an edge in their league. If you need a fill-in for an injured player or want to exploit some plus matchups in order to gain an edge on your opponent then you're in the right place. This article aims to keep you informed while helping you stay ahead of the competition so you can get an early jump on those waiver claims before your opponents.
Remember that this piece is forward-looking and a lot can happen over the course of a week. Potential pitching opponents, lineups, and projected number of at-bats are all subject to change so make sure you're following the @RotoBallerMLB account on Twitter to stay up to date! Only three teams played seven games last week but we have a whopping 18 clubs playing at least seven (the Mets and the Nats play eight) this coming week. So we have plenty of high-volume options to choose from this time around.
Disclaimer: I am only highlighting players that are currently rostered in 50% or less of Yahoo! leagues, meaning you should have a decent chance of picking these guys up on the waiver wire. These recommendations should apply to most league settings and formats as I'm looking for players who can help you across a variety of scoring categories. If the following names aren't available, feel free to read our Waiver Wire Pickups piece that drops every Monday for more ideas. Alright, let's get after it.
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Bats to Stream and Start in Week 12
Seven Game Weeks:
ARI, BAL, CHC, CWS, CIN, CLE, COL, DET, LAA, MIL, NYM, SD, SF, SEA, STL, TB, TOR, WSH
Stream of the Week
Harold Ramirez (OF, CLE): 5% Rostered
Let's give the other Ramirez in Cleveland some recognition. The 26-year-old is hitting .333/.370/.542 with a home run, six RBI, and one stolen base over his last 24 at-bats (seven games). He's batting a solid .273/.318/.455 with seven doubles, one triple, three home runs, 14 RBI, and two stolen bases across 99 at-bats on the season. He's getting a chance to play nearly every day with both Franmil Reyes (abdomen) and Jordan Luplow (ankle) on the shelf and has taken advantage of his opportunity. He doesn't get on base at a very high clip (3.7% BB rate) but he doesn't strike out much either with an 11.2% K rate. He's been striking the ball with authority with a 54.5% hard-hit rate and 114.5 max exit velocity. Ramirez has also chipped in three steals and ranks in the 89th percentile in sprint speed.
He doesn't have a long track record to hang your hat on but he's looked good so far and has underperformed his expected stats (.335 xBA, .392 xwOBA, .534 xSLG). He's been hitting in the heart of Cleveland's lineup, typically fourth or fifth, and should see ample RBI opportunities next week when the Tribe host Baltimore for a four-game series before heading to PNC Park for a three-game set with the Pirates. Expected pitching matchups against Matt Harvey, Keegan Akin, Jorge Lopez, and Chad Kuhl should be fruitful.
"Hey that looked like fun, I want one too!" - Harold Ramirez, probably.#OurCLE pic.twitter.com/kOJaZ6IUzK
— Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) June 5, 2021
Catcher
Eric Haase (C, DET): 33% Rostered
Haase burst onto the scene in mid-May for the Tigers after being called up to provide some depth behind the plate. Both Wilson Ramos (back) and Grayson Greiner (hamstring) are still on the injured list and Haase has performed so well that he's playing almost every day for Detroit. The 28-year-old rookie is slashing a solid .269/.321/.641 with 15 runs scored, three doubles, one triple, eight home runs, and 13 RBI across 78 at-bats so far. He's overachieved with his .316 BABIP and he's striking out 34.2% of the time but his expected stats show he's still got some room for improvement with a .277 xBA, .396 xwOBA, and .618 xSLG. He's got an average launch angle of 18.9 degrees and has registered a 58.7% hard-hit rate.
He's split time behind the plate with Jake Rogers but has also started 5-of-20 games in left field. The Tigers have some roster flexibility with his ability to play the outfield and they'll want to keep him in the lineup with the hot bat he's been swinging. Detroit hits the road next week for a three-game series against the Royals and a four-game set against the Angels. Kansas City has a middling staff and the Tigers are slated to face Mike Minor and Brad Keller, two pitchers that have had trouble with the long ball this season. The Angels' pitching staff rank 26th in wOBA allowed (.327) and second to last with a .395 wOBAcon. Dylan Bundy (2.1 HR/9) and Patrick Sandoval (1.6 HR/9) have both served up their fair share of homers as well. Giddy up.
Rookie catcher Eric Haase has had a HISTORIC start to June
7 G, 21 AB, .429 AVG, 6 HR, 1.333 OPS ? pic.twitter.com/xjaF98HEPu
— Farm To Fame (@FarmToFame_) June 10, 2021
Also Consider: Ryan Jeffers (C, MIN): 2% Rostered
Corner Infield
Brandon Belt (1B/OF, SF): 22% Rostered
Belt was activated from the injured list on June 8 after spending nearly two weeks on the shelf with an oblique strain. It's worth monitoring his status this weekend to make sure he gets through the next few days healthy and ready to rock for next week. The first baseman has battled injuries and inconsistency this season to the tune of a .238/.361/.467 batting line to go along with eight home runs, 21 RBI, and a pair of stolen bases over 122 at-bats. Despite the low batting average, he's still registered a barrel rate of 16.9% (95th percentile) and is showing his typical plate discipline with a 17.4% chase rate and 15.6% BB rate, which both rank in the 96th percentile.
The 33-year-old sets up as a high-volume, high-floor play next week as the Giants host the lowly D-backs for four games before a three-game weekend set with the Phillies. San Francisco is expected to face five right-handed starters and Belt is rocking a .857 OPS (118 plate appearances) against righties this season. Arizona's pitching staff ranks dead last in team batting average allowed (.262), team wOBA allowed (.337), and team slugging allowed (.454). The Giants should also face Vince Velasquez, who's struggled with consistency this year and Spencer Howard, who hasn't looked good limited action. The toughest pitcher the Giants will face is Aaron Nola and Belt is 5-for-8 in his career against him. He won't set the world on fire with his production but he's a safer option if you need help at 1B and he also has OF eligibility in Yahoo! leagues.
Yandy Diaz (1B/3B, TB): 6% Rostered
We all know Diaz's M.O. by now. He's not giving you anything in the power department, although he did hit his first home run of the year back on June 6. He's been on fire at the dish over his last seven games (28 plate appearances), slashing .409/.536/.545 with one home run, five RBI, and a 4:6 K/BB ratio. Overall he has a .263/.397/.314 batting line with 21 runs scored, one homer, and 21 RBI over 194 at-bats. He always gets a bump in OBP leagues and offers one of the safest floors in that particular format. His 17.6% BB rate is the highest mark of his career while his 13.4% K rate ranks in the 92nd percentile.
Diaz is practically matchup-proof as there is little variance in his splits when facing right-handed and/or left-handed pitching. The Rays hit the road next week, visiting the White Sox for three games before heading west for a four-game set with the Mariners. They will face Lance Lynn and Lucas Giolito but get a bit of a breather in between with Dallas Keuchel. The bulk of the Rays offense next week should come against the M's middling pitching staff. Justin Dunn, Logan Gilbert, and Marco Gonzales should all serve as fortuitous matchups for Tampa.
Also Consider: Jonathan India (2B/3B, CIN): 39% Rostered; Joey Votto (1B, CIN): 16% Rostered
Middle Infield
Luis Urias (2B/3B/SS, MIL): 7% Rostered
Milwaukee is one of many teams to play seven games next week and the matchups should play well for their offense. They host the Reds for a three-game series before heading to Coors Field for a four-game set that starts on Thursday (6/17). Urias has had a firm grip on the starting second base job and the leadoff spot ever since Kolten Wong hit the IL with an oblique strain. Wong is expected to be out through June and Keston Hiura was recently demoted to Triple-A, again. So there's no one standing in the 24-year-old's way at this point. Urias has never been a high-batting average hitter but he's shown some encouraging signs at the plate this season as evidenced by his 12.6% BB rate, average launch angle of 13.2 degrees, 10.6% Barrel rate, and 42.3% Hard Hit rate, which are all career highs.
Overall, he's slashing an average of .226/.330/.411 with 20 runs scored, seven home runs, 25 RBI, and two stolen bases. Since assuming the leadoff spot, which is admittedly a small sample, he's hit .250/.375/.500 with a home run and 3:3 K/BB ratio (24 plate appearances). The Brewers look committed to making him their primary leadoff man so he should get plenty of at-bats next week. The Reds' pitching staff has been up and down all season while the Rockies' rotation ranks towards the very bottom of the league in batting average allowed (.259), wOBA (.335), and slugging percentage (.434).
Brendan Rodgers (2B/SS, COL): 5% Rostered
Rodgers is a tough player to get a read on due to his limited track record and Colorado's unwillingness to play him regularly. After injuring his hamstring during spring training, the former top prospect went on to miss the first seven weeks of the season. He was activated back on May 21 and slashed a paltry .161/.257/.161 with two RBI over his first 10 games (35 plate appearances). But he's been on a heater lately, putting up the best seven-game stretch of his young career. He's batting a cool .474/.522/.842 with two home runs and eight RBI over his last 18 at-bats. The recent hot streak raised his season batting line to a much more respectable .280/.362/.420 with the two homers and 10 RBI (50 at-bats).
The Rockies play seven games next week, all at home, but the pitching matchups aren't exactly ideal. They host the Padres for a three-game series before the Brewers come to town for a four-game set. They're slated to face the likes of Yu Darvish, Corbin Burnes, and Freddy Peralta, which won't be easy. However, they should also draw Ryan Weathers, Adrian Houser, and Brett Anderson, who shouldn't pose as very stiff tests. Rodgers has a good chance at success against Weathers and Anderson as he has a 1.133 OPS in 15 plate appearances against left-handed pitching. Just beware that the Rockies tinker with their lineup frequently and Rodgers could be the odd man out more often than we'd like to see. The hope is that his recent hot streak at the plate will lead to more playing time. He's the high-risk/high-reward play of the week.
Brendan Rodgers - Colorado Rockies (2) pic.twitter.com/JmbyQSEHTq
— MLB HR Videos (@MLBHRVideos) June 11, 2021
Also Consider: Josh Rojas (2B/3B/SS, ARI): 49% Rostered; Cesar Hernandez (2B, CLE): 15% Rostered
Outfield
Trevor Larnach (OF, MIN): 4% Rostered
The 24-year-old rookie initially struggled while adjusting to big league pitching after his call-up back in early May. He slashed .200/.322/.380 with a pair of home runs over his first 59 plate appearances (16 games). But Larnach has flipped a switch over his last 12 games and has shown some of his elite skills at the plate. He's batting .353/.488/.500 over his last 43 plate appearances, which has raised his season batting line to a stellar .262/.392/.429 with three home runs and eight RBI.
The Twins only play six games next week but favorable trips to Seattle and Texas should help make up for the lack of at-bats. Chris Flexen, Justus Sheffield, Marco Gonzales, and Mike Foltynewicz are solid matchups for Larnach, on paper, who's actually performed better against left-handed pitching (1.013 OPS over 21 plate appearances) than right-handers (.764 OPS across 81 PA's). The sample size is obviously small for the rookie, who doesn't even have 100 major league at-bats under his belt, but he's in a good spot to show off some of his mammoth power (see below) next week. Just bear in mind that Byron Buxton is nearing a return and that could affect Larnach's playing time so that's a situation that needs to be monitored.
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Trevor Larnach. 461 feet to straightaway center. pic.twitter.com/WndieKybAb
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 25, 2021
Also Consider: Hunter Renfroe (OF, BOS): 29% Rostered; Odubel Herrera (OF, PHI): 28% Rostered
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