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Welcome back, RotoBallers! It's the first article of the year in this series, looking at the top hitter streamers and starts for fantasy baseball Week 2 - April 3rd through April 9th. For those new to this series, each week our fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups column will identify hitters with good matchups, and can be considered as waiver wire streamers ahead of the Sunday night waiver wire runs for leagues with weekly transactions.
Fantasy teams are built through the draft, but some can argue leagues are won through in-season management. It's an exciting time of the season, as we will have our first whole week of baseball starting Monday. Today we will review potential hitters to stream in Week 2 for fantasy managers who can make lineup changes on Monday.
We look into some hitters playing in the most games, and have favorable matchups to help you get off to a fast start early in the year. As always, check out the rest of our fantasy baseball streamers content after you read this piece!
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What Teams Offer The Most Streaming Value?
Four teams play seven games between Monday, April 3rd and Sunday, April 9th. Those teams are:
- Royals
- Blue Jays
- Nationals
- Braves
There is plenty to like for fantasy purposes in those four lineups, and the Nationals will have four games in hitter-friendly Coors Field. Most players are rostered between the Blue Jays and Braves, but there should be some hitters from both Washington and Kansas City who might be worth looking at as a streaming option. The Rays have six games and have favorable matchups against the A's and Nationals. Boston also draws a favorable schedule this week and faces the Pirates and Tigers.
We have some games in the most hitter-friendly ballparks, Coors Field, Great American Ballpark, and Miller Park. Here are those matchups:
- WAS@COL, April 6th-April 9th
- CHC@CIN, April 3rd-5th
- NYM@MIL, April 3rd-5th
- STL@MIL, April 6th-9th
That means the Nationals get four games in Coors, while the Brewers get six games at home. The Cubs get three games in the Great American Ballpark.
The Rays and Red Sox have six games with favorable matchups this week. Streamers between both teams who are under 50% rostered can be utilized this week, such as Isaac Paredes, Yandy Diaz, Adam Duvall, and Christian Arroyo.
- PIT@BOS, April 3rd-5th
- BOS@DET, April 6th-9th
- TB @ WAS, April 3rd-5th
- OAK @ WAS, April 6th-9th
Week 2 Fantasy Baseball Hitter Streamers
Yonathan Daza, Colorado Rockies (1% Rostered)
Daza has led off for the Rockies in the first three games and has a favorable matchup against the Nationals in the most hitter-friendly ballpark in baseball. The 29-year-old hit .305 this spring and slashed .316/.373/.409 with 21 RBI and 36 runs over 194 plate appearances at Coors Field in 2022. Daza is widely available everywhere and should help fantasy managers with batting average and runs hitting in the top of the order.
Michael Massey, Kansas City Royals (22% Rostered)
Massey tore it up in spring training, hitting five homers, driving in 13 runs, and swiping two bags over 17 games in Cactus League play. The Royals have seven games this week, four at home against Toronto and three on the road against the Giants. The 25-year-old has hit in the bottom of the order but should see a good amount of at-bats with seven games this week. Massey has a few tough matchups but has power and speed potential making him an attractive deep-league streamer in Week 2.
Elehuris Montero, Colorado Rockies (15% Rostered)
Montero has started at third base for the Rockies during their first three games and has won the starting gig over veteran Mike Moustakas. He homered on Opening Day and is coming off a big spring, hitting .312 with five homers and 12 RBI over 22 games in Cactus League action. The 24-year-old has four games in Coors Field and will look to continue to build on his strong spring. Fantasy managers searching for a streamer at third base should look no further than Montero.
Elehuris Montero - Colorado Rockies (1)
pic.twitter.com/K1FKGwUmmw— MLB HR Videos (@MLBHRVideos) March 31, 2023
Adam Duvall, Boston Red Sox (21% Rostered)
Duvall's power bat should play well at Fenway Park this season, and he has a favorable matchup at home for the first three games in Week 2 against the Pirates. A wrist injury sapped his 2022 season, but Duvall has legit power, evidenced by his 38 homers for the Marlins/Braves in 2021. He started at centerfield and hit fifth on Opening Day for the Red Sox; the opportunity to produce is there for the former Brave. This spring, the 34-year-old displayed that power by bashing four homers with eight RBI during 19 Grapefruit League games. He continued his hot hitting in April and blasted two homers in Saturday's victory over the Orioles. Duvall has the chance to put up some gaudy stats in Week 2, and fantasy managers searching for outfield help should look into potentially adding the veteran to their squads.
Adam Duvall is 𝗛𝗜𝗠. pic.twitter.com/GW4qZnZuSY
— Red Sox (@RedSox) April 1, 2023
Garrett Mitchell, Milwaukee Brewers (52% Rostered)
Mitchell is available in a reasonable amount of leagues and appears to be fully recovered from a hamstring injury that forced him to miss a few games at the end of spring training. The Brewers have six games at home this week, which could produce some high-scoring affairs. Milwaukee will have to face Max Scherzer and Jordan Montgomery, but outside of that, the rest of the pitching matchups are favorable. Mitchell had a torrid spring before sitting out the end with hamstring tightness. The 24-year-old owned a .727 slugging percentage and bashed four homers with a stolen base over 12 games in Cactus League action. Mitchell has a ton of upside and should be rostered everywhere. Mitchell is a solid steamer for this week and a must-stash rest of the season if available in your league.
Yandy Diaz, Tampa Bay Rays (36% Rostered)
It's hard to believe Yandy Diaz is only rostered in 36% of fantasy leagues. The 31-year-old is an on-base machine, posting a .401 OBP over 137 games in 2022. Tampa Bay has six games with favorable matchups in Week 2 against the Nationals and A's. Diaz is the primary leadoff hitter for the Rays, and there will be plenty of opportunities for the veteran to contribute in a few categories for fantasy managers this week. The Rays infielder went off in Saturday's win over the Tigers. During Saturday's victory, he went 3-for-4 with a homer, three RBI, three runs, and a walk. Diaz is one of those underappreciated fantasy assets that should not only be used as a streamer in Week 2 but rostered in all league formats.
Maybe I’m crazy but why is Yandy Diaz falling so far in drafts? Lead-off for TB. 1B/3B eligibility very soon in all formats. Likely won’t platoon. Great power when he can make contact. Is it just because 3B is so deep?
— Alex Fast (@AlexFast8) March 23, 2023
Josh Jung, Texas Rangers (56% Rostered)
Jung made his MLB debut on September 10th and struggled in the big leagues. The 25-year-old slashed .204/.235/.418 with five home runs, 14 RBI, nine runs, and two stolen bases across 26 games as a rookie in 2022. Jung looked great this spring and put last year's struggles behind him by slashing .314/.339/.627 with three homes and six RBI across 19 games in the Cactus League. The young slugger hits in the heart of the order of a loaded Rangers lineup that includes Marcus Semien, Corey Seager, Nathaniel Lowe, and Adolis Garcia. Jung has a favorable schedule this week with three games at home versus Baltimore and three away contests against the Cubs. Jung has legit power, evidenced by his .525 slugging percentage in Triple-A. Jung is lined up to have a big week and not only should be started in Week 2 with his power upside but should be rostered in all league formats.
MLB's No. 34 prospect, Josh Jung, hammers his first dinger of the spring.
How many homers will the @Rangers' No. 1 prospect hit this year? pic.twitter.com/lMlLm38i6a
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) March 7, 2023
Other Hitter Streamers to Consider
- Isaac Paredes, 1B/2B/3B - Tampa Bay Rays (10% rostered)
- Christian Arroyo, 1B/2B/3B/SS/OF - Boston Red Sox (9% rostered)
- Brandon Belt, 1B - Toronto Blue Jays (9% rostered)
- Joey Wiemer, OF - Milwaukee Brewers (9% rostered)
- Luis Garcia, 2B/SS - Washing Nationals (11% rostered)
- James Outman, OF - Los Angeles Dodgers (48% rostered)
That's it for Week 2 hitter streamers; come back next for Week 3!
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