RADIO
Welcome back to another installment of the hitting streamers column! This edition is for August 24 through August 30.
As will be the case every week, I will offer a couple of worthy streamers for each position (catcher, corner infield, middle infield, outfield) based on the number of games the players have for the upcoming week, favorable matchups, or injury replacements. You may not always see well-known names in this column; my goal is to identify hitters who I think have the best chance to do well for the following week, not just to identify names you may recognize who are available.
This column will highlight players owned in roughly fewer than 50% of Yahoo leagues who could present as nice streaming options for the upcoming week. For fantasy players in three-week playoff leagues, you have just over two weeks left in the regular season. Every roster move is pivotal at this time, so let's go find some streamers to help down the stretch!
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Behind the Plate
Keibert Ruiz (C, LAD) - 5% owned
Keibert Ruiz is just one of many exciting prospects that have seen playing time this shortened season. He got called up this past week after his teammate Will Smith went on the IL with neck inflammation and hit a home run in his first game. The hype around him and the lineup he will hit in makes Ruiz a viable streaming option, and the Dodgers will get some nice matchups this week with three games at the Giants and three games at the Rangers. If he gets hot, Ruiz could help push fantasy teams to and through the playoffs.
Also Consider: Austin Nola (C/1B/2B, SEA) 27% owned, Sean Murphy (C, OAK) 23% owned, Yan Gomes (C, WAS) 1% owned
At the Corners
Mitch Moreland (1B, BOS) - 27% owned
I mentioned Mitch Moreland as a streamer last week and he delivered. He has hit .462 over the last seven days. His matchups aren't quite as favorable this week, with three games at the Blue Jays (3.88 team ERA) and three games against the Nationals (4.72 team ERA). However, fantasy players should feel comfortable riding his hot bat for another week.
Tommy La Stella (1B/2B/3B, LAA) - 24% owned
Tommy La Stella has hit pretty well all season for the Angels, but he has been particularly effective lately, batting .292 with two home runs and seven RBI over he last seven days. The Angels get seven games this week, four at the Astros in a tough matchup but then three against the Mariners at home in a great matchup. His multi-position eligibility and the matchup against the Mariners makes him an intriguing streaming option this week.
Also Consider: Jesus Aguilar (1B, MIA) 27% owned, Matt Carpenter (3B, STL) 10% owned
Up the Middle
Robinson Cano (2B, NYM) - 46% owned
This one is a fun blast from the past. Robinson Cano used to be a perennial fantasy All-Star, but age and injuries have started to catch up to him over the past several seasons. However, the 37-year-old has an excellent .373/.415/.644 slash line with four HR and 13 RBI this season. This week he will face the Marlins at home for three games and then face the Yankees on the road for three games. Both matchups, while not excellent, are decent enough to warrant a streaming look for Cano, given his performance this season.
One note here. The Mets had two reported cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, leading to the postponement of their scheduled games Thursday and Friday. If any of the Mets' games get postponed this week then Cano's value as a streamer would obviously decrease.
Nick Ahmed (SS, ARI) - 24% owned
Nick Ahmed has hit well all season long but has been on a tear lately, hitting .476 with one HR and eight RBI over the last seven days. The Diamondbacks get seven games at home this week, four against a hittable Rockies rotation and three against a poor Giants rotation. At this point, fantasy players looking to stream a hot bat won't find one much better than Ahmed, making him a worthy streamer for the week.
Also Consider: Wilmer Flores (1B/2B, SF) 13% owned, Brad Miller (2B/3B/OF, STL) 6% owned, Luis Garcia (2B/SS, WAS) 4% owned
In the Outfield
Austin Slater (1B/OF, SF) - 27% owned
This is the second week in a row I've written about Austin Slater. The 27-year-old has been on a tear with a .341/.453/.659 slash line with four HR and five stolen bases. The Giants get three tough matchups against the Dodgers at home but three games at home against the dreadful Diamondbacks rotation. The matchups set Slater up with a good chance to continue to be a spark plug for the Giants and for fantasy teams.
Andrew McCutchen (OF, PHI) - 47% owned
Here's another blast from the past. Andrew McCutchen has been pedestrian on the season but has been hot lately, hitting .333 with eight RBI over the last seven days. The Phillies have decent matchups this week with three games at the Nationals and three games against the Braves at home, making McCutchen a decent OF streamer this week.
Also Consider: Randal Grichuk (OF, TB) 46% owned, Robbie Grossman (OF, OAK) 34% owned
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