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Hitters to add from the waiver wire and stream in Week 20 of the 2021 fantasy baseball season. Jon Mathisen analyzes the top batter streamers to pick up.
Welcome to the top hitter streamers column for Week 20 of the MLB season (8/16 through 8/22). 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 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 @RotoBallerMLB on Twitter to stay up to date! There are only seven teams playing seven games next week so our volume streaming options are a bit limited. The dust has settled from one of the wildest trade deadlines in recent memory and traded players all across the league seem to be getting comfortable in their new surroundings. A few of these players are mentioned below. It's time to buckle up, get focused, and build some winning lineups.
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 them 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 20
Seven Game Weeks:
Stream of the Week
Abraham Toro (2B/3B, SEA): 34% Rostered
Toro has been on fire since coming over from the Astros in the Kendall Graveman trade back on July 27. He's slashing .432/.488/.757 with three doubles, three home runs, six RBI, and a stolen base over 41 plate appearances in 10 games since the trade. He's reached base safely in all 10 games, collected hits nine of those contests, and picked up five multi-hit performances. Clearly, those types of numbers aren't sustainable but they've given us a glimpse into the type of hitter that Toro can be. He played sparingly in Houston before being traded but is finally getting a chance to play every day with Seattle. Overall, he owns a .267/.337/.479 batting line with nine home runs, 26 RBI, and four stolen bases across 146 at-bats between the Astros and the Mariners. His roster shares have skyrocketed during his recent hot streak but he's still readily available in 66% of Yahoo! leagues.
The 24-year-old has improved his plate discipline and his quality of contact overall this season. He's posting career numbers in Barrel Rate (6.5%), Average Launch Angle (14.4 degrees), and Max Exit Velocity (109 mph). He's also improved his Strikeout Rate significantly, dropping it from 23.7% in 2020 to 14.7% this year. The Mariners host the Rangers for a three-game series before the Blue Jays come to town for another three-game set. They're slated to face three left-handed starters and three righties, which should benefit the switch-hitting Toro.
He's got a .806 OPS against right-handers this season, which is solid, but he excels against lefties. Toro is rocking a .389/.436/.417 batting line over 39 plate appearances against southpaws this year and will have a great shot at success against Kolby Allard, Steven Matz, and even Hyun-Jin Ryu. The M's will also face Mike Foltynewicz (5.77 ERA, 6.24 FIP) and Spencer Howard (6.16 ERA, 8.74 FIP), who don't necessarily strike fear into their opponents. As mentioned earlier, we shouldn't expect him to keep batting .400 for the remainder of the season but he's absolutely worth streaming next week and could remain on your roster down the stretch.
Abraham Toro comes in CLUTCH ?
His RBI single gets the @Mariners on the board and gives them a 1-0 lead in the 6th! #SeaUsRise pic.twitter.com/xjHM21P9cf
— ROOT SPORTS™ | NW (@ROOTSPORTS_NW) August 7, 2021
Catcher
Reese McGuire (C, TOR): 1% Rostered
The 26-year-old catcher has quietly been producing at the plate over the last 15 games, going 12-for-38 (.316/.350/.447) with five doubles and four runs scored. Overall, he's slashing .284/.329/.392 with 13 doubles, one home run, eight RBI, and 19 runs scored over 148 at-bats. McGuire hasn't been the primary catcher since fellow backstop Alejandro Kirk was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo back on July 23. The two catchers have split time fairly evenly since then but the Jays play seven road games next week and the pitching matchups benefit McGuire more than Kirk. He bats from the left side of the plate and Toronto is slated to face five right-handed starters out of seven contests between the Angels and the Mariners.
McGuire is rocking a .319/.364/.425 batting line with a home run, seven RBI, and nine doubles against right-handers this season (113 at-bats). He also holds a .894 OPS on the road compared to a .599 OPS at home. He'll likely start at least four games behind the plate while Kirk, who bats right-handed, will start against the two lefties next week. McGuire offers very little power but he's capable of smacking a double here and there while sporting a career-best 34.2% Hard Hit Rate, 88.3 Average Exit Velocity, and 107.5 mph Max Exit Velocity. Due to his lack of power and position in the batting order--typically ninth--he lacks a high ceiling. But he should provide a safe floor against some of the pitchers he's expected to face in Chris Rodriguez, Dylan Bundy, and Chris Flexen.
Also Consider: Mitch Garver (C, MIN): 36% Rostered
Corner Infield
Asdrubal Cabrera (1B/2B/3B, ARI): 5% Rostered
Cabrera has quietly been raking since rejoining the D-Backs back on July 24. He missed a little under three weeks with a right hamstring strain but is slashing .303/.425/.515 with four doubles, one home run, nine RBI, and a 9:7 K/BB ratio in 11 games since his activation. He's battled injury and inconsistency this year, straining his hamstring multiple times and requiring two separate stints on the IL. Overall, he's slashing .249/.346/.404 six home runs, 37 RBI, and a stolen base over 225 at-bats. The Diamondbacks visit the Giants for two games next week before hosting the Padres for a four-game set. On paper, the matchups look difficult but Cabrera has some historical success against the toughest pitchers he'll face.
The D-Backs will see two left-handers in Alex Wood and Blake Snell and four righties with Kevin Gausman, Chris Paddack, Yu Darvish, and Joe Musgrove on the docket. Cabrera is slashing .275/.363/.406 with six doubles, a home run, and 13 RBI against left-handed pitching this season so he's playable against Wood and Snell. He's also 9-for-34 (.375/.375/.833) with three home runs in his career against Darvish. He's taken Joe Musgrove deep before and has four hits with a .412 OBP in 14 at-bats against Gausman. Cabrera is getting up there in age (35-years-old) but he's still a well-rounded player and can be a worthwhile fantasy contributor. He's sporting a career-best 12.5% Walk Rate and 25.1% Chase Rate so he gets bumped up in OBP leagues. He's not the flashiest streamer and he doesn't fill up the box score like he used to but he should provide a safe floor.
Also Consider: Donovan Solano (2B/3B/SS, SF): 11% Rostered; Aledmys Diaz (1B/2B/3B/OF, HOU): 16% Rostered
Middle Infield
Luis Arraez (2B/3B/OF, MIN): 17% Rostered
Arraez was locked into the leadoff spot for the Twins from June 14 to July 20, slashing .343/.382/.461 with nine extra-base hits (six doubles, three triples) and nine RBI over 110 plate appearances during that span. He then hit the injured list with a right knee sprain and missed the next 10 days before being activated on July 31. He's since been moved to the cleanup spot and has gone 8-for-19 (.421/.478/.579) with three doubles, three RBI, and a 1:3 K/BB ratio over the last six games. Despite missing time with injury, Arraez has put together a solid campaign, with a .313/.376/.401 batting line to go along with one home run, 26 RBI, one stolen base, and 41 runs scored across 262 at-bats.
You shouldn't expect a whole lot of power from the 24-year-old infielder but he'll give you a rock-solid batting average and has the ability to get on base with the best of them. He has an elite 9.8% Strikeout Rate (99th percentile) and 9.2% Walk Rate (97th percentile) to go along with a .301 xBA, .346 xwOBA, .423 xSLG. He should be prioritized in OBP leagues but he can be serviceable, especially against right-handers, in any league format. The Twins are slated to face four right-handers across six games between the White Sox and Rays next week and Arraez is slashing .337/.385/.432 with 13 extra-base hits, one home run, and 21 RBI over 199 at-bats vs. righties this year. He can hold his own against lefties as well but he carries a little extra pop in his bat against right-handers. Matchups against Michael Wacha and Luis Patino are ones to circle.
It should be noted that he left Friday's win over the Astros early with right knee tightness and is considered day-to-day. As of now, it's not expected to be serious but the Twins are likely going to play this cautiously considering he just came off the IL with a knee sprain. Either way, it's a situation worth keeping an eye on. Be sure to check on his status prior to picking him up and streaming him next week.
Also Consider: Joey Wendle (2B/3B/SS, TB): 50% Rostered; Miguel Rojas (SS, MIA): 13% Rostered
Outfield
Myles Straw (SS/OF, CLE): 44% Rostered
Straw has made an immediate impact in Cleveland since coming over from Houston at the trade deadline. He's slashing .296/.321/.444 with a double, a home run, three RBI, and two stolen bases across 28 plate appearances in seven games with the Indians. He's collected hits in five of those seven games and scored four runs. Overall, the speedy 26-year-old is slashing .264/.338/.335 with three home runs, 37 RBI, 19 stolen bases, and 48 runs scored across 352 at-bats between Cleveland and Houston.
He won't provide much power but Straw is a serviceable fantasy contributor with his sprint speed, which ranks in the 96th percentile, and his plate discipline. The 26-year-old is rocking an 18.3% Strikeout Rate and 9.8% Walk Rate, which are both solid marks. More impressively, his Whiff Rate (13.1%) and Chase Rate (18.5%) rank in the 98th and 96th percentiles, respectively. His 90.3% Z-Contact and 72.5% O-Contact Rates are both well above average as well. He's been hitting leadoff over the last five games for Cleveland and sets up well as a streamer next week.
Cleveland is one of seven teams to play seven games next week as they have one makeup game against the Reds before hosting the A's for three games and visiting the Tigers for another three. Straw's slate starts off a little hard with Luis Castillo followed by Frankie Montas and Chris Bassitt but it'll get easier as the week progresses. He'll face five right-handed starters and he's slashing a stellar .286/.360/.385 with 13 extra-base hits, three home runs, and 29 RBI against them this season. Volume is the name of the game with Straw, especially if he sticks in the leadoff spot. He'll get plenty of chances to reach base and score runs as the table-setter for Cleveland. The Detroit series sets up nicely for him also as he'll get to face Tyler Alexander, Wily Peralta, and Casey Mize, who's surrendered eight earned runs over his last three starts.
Cleveland Indians legend Myles Straw Home Run
— Ben Verlander (@BenVerlander) August 1, 2021
Also Consider: Hunter Renfroe (OF, BOS): 43% Rostered; Amed Rosario (SS/OF, CLE): 29% Rostered
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