Harris Yudin analyzes fantasy baseball hitter streamers on the waiver wire, to consider adding and streaming in week 4 of the 2016 MLB season.

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 match-ups for the upcoming week.

Here are five players who are available in more than half of Fleaflicker leagues and have attractive match-ups during the fourth 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 4

Neil Walker (NYM, 2B) - 61% Fleaflicker

The fact that Walker is only owned in 61% of Fleaflicker leagues is absurd. While he does have a higher owned percentage on other websites, that number should really be close to 100%. Over the last four seasons, Walker is in the top 10 in home runs, runs scored, runs batted in and on-base percentage among second basemen. This year, despite a slow start, he is batting .293 with six home runs over 58 AB.

The Mets’ offense came alive against the Indians and Phillies, scoring 37 runs over that six-game span. Next week, they return home to host the Reds and the Giants, and will be facing Raisel Iglesias, Brandon Finnegan, Jon Moscot, Jake Peavy and Matt Cain (Madison Bumgarner in the last game is not an exciting matchup).

Walker has yet to draw a walk this year, but the Reds walk more batters per inning than any other team in baseball. Finnegan allows 4.98 walks per nine innings. On the other hand, Peavy has walked just one batter in 14 innings pitched, but leads the league in hits per nine innings with 18.00. Walker and the Mets should have a field day.

Not only is Walker a great streaming option for this week, but he should really be picked up for the long-term in just about every league.

Eddie Rosario (MIN, OF) - 50% Fleaflicker

Given his early struggles — five hits in his first 36 AB — Rosario’s full-time job was temporarily in question. However, with Oswaldo Arcia and Max Kepler gunning for his playing time, Rosario has stepped it up as of late. His .245/.288/.408 slash line doesn’t seem that impressive, but considering it was .139/.205/.194 just a week ago, you can see the strides he has made. Over the last four games, he has gone 7-for-13 with two home runs and four runs batted in.

In Week 4, the Twins will host the Indians and Tigers. On the rubber for those teams will be Danny Salazar, Cody Anderson, Josh Tomlin, Shane Greene, Jordan Zimmermann and Mike Pelfrey. Anderson and Greene both currently boast an ERA over 7.00, and Tomlin and Pelfrey are both in their 30s with very little success over the last five years. Given how well Rosario has played as of late and the favorable matchups he will face on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, it wouldn’t be a bad idea for owners in deep leagues to pick him up and slide him into their lineup on those four days.

Enrique Hernandez (LAD, OF) - 15% Fleaflicker

With both Carl Crawford and Andre Ethier hurt, Hernandez has seen an uptick in playing time. He is now working in a platoon of sorts with Chase Utley. Against lefties, Hernandez has been manning left field while Howie Kendrick plays second base, and against righties, Kendrick has been shifting to left field while Utley slides in at second base. So while Hernandez still does not have an everyday starting role, he has seen a decent amount of starts, and has pinch-hit in just about every game in which he doesn’t start.

Luckily for Kike Hernandez, the upcoming week has the Dodgers facing at least two lefties— the Padres’ starter for Friday’s game is still up in the air. Both Wei-Yin Chen and Drew Pomeranz are easier matchups than Madison Bumgarner, off of whom Hernandez hit two solo home runs and a two-run double on April 15. The 24-year-old Hernandez has recorded at least one hit in every game he has started this year, and should do at least that in his two guaranteed starts against lefties over the next seven days.

John Jaso (PIT, 1B) - 12% Fleaflicker

Through 16 games, Jaso has done an excellent job setting the table for the Pirates’ potent offense. He is hitting .368/.431/.491 on the season as of Friday afternoon, and has reached base at least once in each of his 15 games played (he has recorded a hit in 14 of them). Star outfielder Andrew McCutchen, who bats behind Jaso, has gotten off to a slow start, but playing four games in Coors Field this upcoming week is an excellent opportunity to break out of a slump. If he can get going, Jaso should see his overall numbers improve, particularly in terms of runs scored.

In Colorado, the Pirates will see Jorge De La Rosa, Chad Bettis, Jon Gray and Tyler Chatwood. Then, they travel back home and host Reds pitchers Dan Straily, Alfredo Simon and Raisel Iglesias. Six of those pitchers are right-handed (not De La Rosa), and six of them have a career ERA over 4.00 (Iglesias, 3.94). The Pirates are in for a monster offensive showing this week, and Jaso should be a major contributor. He’s somehow still only owned in 12% of Fleaflicker leagues.

Mark Reynolds (COL, 1B) - 5% Fleaflicker

Reynolds began the season in a platoon situation with left-handed hitter Ben Paulsen, but with Charlie Blackmon going down, both guys have been starting most of the Rockies’ games. Reynolds currently holds a .257/.350/.457 slash line with one home run and five runs batted in, and figures to see more of a role over the next few weeks.

This week, the Rockies get seven games in two hitter’s parks— four at home against the Pirates and three in Chase Field, where Reynolds has hit 61 career home runs. On the bump for the Pirates and Diamondbacks will be Jeff Locke, Gerrit Cole, Jonathon Niese, Juan Nicasio, Robbie Ray, Zack Greinke and Shelby Miller. Three of the seven opposing starters — Locke, Niese and Ray — are lefties, which is a dream come true for a right-handed hitter fighting for more than just a platoon role. Even though Greinke makes for a tough matchup, we’ve seen him get knocked around by the Rockies in Arizona earlier this year. An increased role and several appealing matchups make Reynolds one of the most enticing streaming options for Week 4.

MLB & Fantasy Baseball Chat Room

[iflychat_embed id="c-12" hide_user_list="yes" hide_popup_chat="no" height="400px"]