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Whether it’s because of an injury or poor performance, there are always opportunities to stream players off the waiver wire. The best players to stream are those who are under-owned and face appealing matchups for the upcoming week.
Here are five players who are readily available in Fleaflicker leagues and have attractive matchups during the 11th week of the season.
Editor’s Note: to read about even more waiver wire options, be sure to check out our famous waiver wire pickups list which is a running list that is updated daily. Prefer using your phone? Our free waiver wire app is available for download in the Apple & Android Stores.
Top Hitter Streamers for Week 11
Alex Rodriguez (NYY, DH) - 33% Fleaflicker
A-Rod was hitting .170 at the end of May, but he has picked it up in June, going 13-for-38 to raise that number to .222. He has also added a homer and seven runs batted in since the calendar changed. Rodriguez seems to be slowing down a little bit as he approaches his 41st birthday, but he still has some pop left in his bat, and is capable of exploding for a short stretch. He has understandably struggled to hit righties, but he has displayed power against both types of pitchers.
This upcoming week, the Yankees play two games in Colorado and four in Minnesota. The Pinstripes will face Chris Rusin (4.12 ERA), Chad Bettis (5.85), Kyle Gibson (6.10), Pat Dean (4.75), Ricky Nolasco (5.17), and Ervin Santana (4.77). Bettis and Dean are the only lefties of the bunch, but clearly there are no strong righties on the schedule. In 39 career at-bats against Santana, Rodriguez has hit .308/.372/.615 with four home runs and 11 RBI. Six games against weak opponents in favorable environments should help A-Rod continue his hot streak.
Yunel Escobar (LAA, 3B) - 17% Fleaflicker
Escobar has crushed left-handed pitching this year — .328/.388/.557 with two homers in 61 AB — but he has also fared very well against righties— .305/.348/.360. He has 24 multi-hit games this season, including seven instances of back-to-back multi-hit games, so he has proven that he can help carry a fantasy team in any given week.
This week, the Angels draw four righties and just one lefty (with one spot to be determined), but that shouldn’t be a problem for Escobar. Ricky Nolasco, Ervin Santana, Tyler Duffey and Kendall Graveman each own an ERA above 4.70, and none of them are dominant against righties. Sean Manaea, the only southpaw, boasts a 6.20 ERA and a .317/.370/.538 line against right-handed batters. Not only could Escobar string together a good chunk of hits this week, but Kole Calhoun, Mike Trout and Albert Pujols should also find some success, allowing their leadoff man to score a bunch of runs. Escobar is one of the more appealing streaming options at a position that is now without Mike Moustakas and David Wright.
Chase Utley (LAD, 2B) - 13% Fleaflicker
Utley just keeps crushing right-handed pitching — .292/.388/.447 with four homers and 18 RBI in 161 AB — so whenever he has a week in which he gets to face a bunch of weak righties, he makes for an appealing stream. He is a very streaky hitter — and is actually in the midst of a 3-for-30 slump — but when he is hot, he will start racking up hits in bunches.
The Dodgers start the week off in Arizona to play the Diamondbacks, then return home to host the Brewers. The first to take the hill, former Dodgers star pitcher Zack Greinke, offers a tough matchup, but Utley is batting .333/.385/.750 lifetime with a home run against his former teammate. Rounding out the week will be Archie Bradley, Patrick Corbin, Matt Garza, Zach Davies, Chase Anderson and Jimmy Nelson. Only Corbin is a lefty, so Utley will see six righties. Garza is making his season debut, coming off of a 5.63 ERA last year. Nelson has good overall numbers, but he has struggled so far in June. The other three guys all have an ERA above 4.20. Don’t let Utley’s mild power numbers keep you from cashing in on what could be a strong week for the veteran second baseman.
Luis Valbuena (HOU, 1B/3B) - 5% Fleaflicker
Valbuena hasn’t been able to replicate his 2015 success, as he has just six home runs in 171 AB. All six of those bombs have come off of righties, against whom he is hitting .244/.350/.430. In 2015, he batted .247/.327/.481 with 20 HR in 320 AB vs. RHP.
This week, the Astros face the Reds at home and the Angels on the road, and will draw three lefties (Jaime Garcia, John Lamb and Brandon Finnegan) and two righties (Adam Wainwright and Alfredo Simon). Valbuena likely won’t play against the lefties, so it’s strange to call him a streamer when he might only play two games this week. However, Wainwright has not been his normal self this year (for most of the year at least, aside from his most recent starts), and Simon offers what might be the most appealing matchup for a left-handed hitter. Opposing batters have slashed .367/.421/.679 with eight homers and 30 RBI in 109 AB against Simon.
All Houston lefties should be in fantasy lineups next Saturday, and with Valbuena available in so many leagues, he makes for an enticing streaming option— even if it is just for one day.
Corey Dickerson (TB, OF) - 36% Fleaflicker
Corey Dickerson remains one of the best platoon players in all of fantasy baseball. He hasn’t hit well overall, but his power numbers versus righties — 11 HR, 25 RBI, .531 OBP, .308 ISO — are among the best in the American League. Dickerson is clearly not the same outside of Coors Field, but he still holds some value in deep leagues.
In Week 11, the Rays host the Mariners and Giants. On the bump for those teams will be Taijuan Walker (who has allowed eight homers to lefties), Nathan Karns, Hisashi Iwakuma, Jeff Samardzija, Jake Peavy (.350 AVG vs. LHH) and Albert Suarez (23.1 IP for career). While there are some tough match-ups in there, for a lefty like Dickerson, not having to face left-handers Wade Miley and Madison Bumgarner is a huge victory. Especially with the injury to Brandon Guyer, Dickerson should be in the lineup most days this week, and could be in for another power surge.
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