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H2H Category Streamers - Week 3 Waiver Wire

Players to target or add from the waiver wire in Week 3 for fantasy baseball H2H (head-to-head) leagues. Zach Alexander identifies the top pickups of the week based on rising fantasy value.

h2hThere are plenty of strategies that fantasy managers explore in hopes to get an advantage over their opponent. Heavy lineup, heavy starting pitchers, no catcher, all (or mostly) reliever staff, no reliever staff, etc. Even if you play a balanced lineup, injuries can cause holes. A few weeks without a key player won’t kill a season, but why accept losing when you can stream?

Streaming can be a risky business. If you do it right and check the necessary boxes, you can win the week. This column will do most of the work for you. It’ll cover weekly recommendations for when you need: steals, home runs, average, strikeouts, wins, and/or ratios (ERA/WHIP).

All position eligibility and ownership percentages are based on Yahoo! Fantasy leagues.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

 

Steals - Head-to-Head Category Streamers

Kevin Kiermaier (OF, TB) - 25% Owned

The Rays have begun the season with some serious aggression on the basepaths. They’ve stolen 14 bases as a team, which is tied for second in the league. That’s a good place to start. Add that Kiermaier has been good at the plate hitting .282/.341/.564, and we have a recipe for a good probability of a stolen base.

Nick Ahmed (SS, ARI) - 15% Owned

Nick Ahmed has been a nice surprise to start the season as he carries a .314 batting average and .327 on-base percentage through 13 games. Out of the seven steals that the Diamondbacks have, Ahmed has two.

He only stole five last year so this could be a start to an aggressive season on the basepaths. The improvement in on-base percentage combined with the two early steals make for a good stream option this week.

 

Home Runs - Head-to-Head Category Streamers

Hunter Renfroe (OF, SD) - 45% Owned

Renfroe is still under-owned (45% in Yahoo leagues)! He has a 95.8 mph average exit velocity and a .491 weighted on-base average so far this year. He wasn’t playing every day early in the season and that made him less attractive to fantasy owners.

With Franchy Cordero (elbow) and Travis Jankowski (wrist) ailing, Renfroe has the ability to take full advantage of an everyday lineup spot. He’s got four dingers and is slashing .324/.378/.824 so far this season. If you need power there isn’t a much better or widely available player available.

Mitch Moreland (1B, BOS) - 13% Owned

Moreland is currently on a power tear. He’s hit three home runs in his last three games and four in his last five. His matchups are favorable for Monday through Wednesday this upcoming week. The Red Sox visit homer-friendly Camden Yards Monday and lefty-heaven Yankee Stadium for the next two.

Moreland seems to fly under the radar each year as he’s in a platoon with Steve Pearce at first base. Despite this, he racked up 15 bombs last year in 404 at-bats. Be aware that the platoon means he only starts against righties and he’s slashed .246/.331/.450 against them with a .242/.305/.379 slash against lefties in 2018.

 

Batting Average - Head-to-Head Category Streamers

Jorge Polanco (SS, MIN) - 28% Owned

Let’s give this man some love. He’s batting .375 with a couple of taters this year. He’s batting second in a yet-to-heat-up Twins lineup. Polanco is an under-appreciated asset in the fantasy community, mainly based off of his suspension in 2018 for PEDs. This is a 15 homer, 15 stolen base shortstop in a league that is shallow at the position.

He’s hit .276 in his career, and with a full season could put up solid fantasy numbers. A seven-game slate against the Blue Jays and at Camden against the Orioles is the perfect mix for him to rake and see his ownership numbers rise.

Jose Martinez (1B/OF, STL) - 28% Owned

This one is very short term and will require some diligence. Martinez doesn’t play every day mainly because of the Cardinals crowded outfield. However, when he does play, he hits. Last season in 534 at-bats, Martinez hit .305! This is a guy who would easily be 75 percent owned or more if he was in the lineup every day.

Some would argue that Dexter Fowler’s time as the everyday right-fielder is running out as he’s currently hitting for a nauseating .176 average and has backed that up with a slightly better .180 average in 2018. Check to make sure Martinez is in the lineup before grabbing him for a stream and know that he hit righties (.313/.366/.468) better than lefties (.279/.358/.418) in 2018. Those slashes are playable against either hand whenever Martinez is in the lineup.

 

Strikeouts - Head-to-Head Category Streamers

Michael Pineda (SP, MIN) - 36% Owned

He hasn’t pitched a full season since 2016, but that’s fine because we only need him for one week. He’ll line up to see the Orioles on Friday in an obvious play as the birds are hitting .210 against right-handed pitchers this year.

Pineda has struck out 10 batters in nine innings so far, and also posted strikeout rates in the mid-20’s in his time with the Yankees. If Chris Davis even sniffs the Orioles lineup for Friday, you can count on at least two strikeouts from him alone.

Derek Holland (SP/RP, SF) - 10% Owned

Holland has been serviceable so far this year posting a 3.38 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 16 innings. Except for his first start where he let up three runs and was pulled after four innings, he’s had two pretty impressive outings striking out seven Dodgers and nine Padres.

He is expected to line up against the Pirates next weekend who have slashed .194/.280/.209 against southpaws so far. I’d say that’s a pretty safe bet for some strikeouts from a widely available arm.

 

ERA/WHIP - Head-to-Head Category Streamers

Wade LeBlanc (SP/RP, SEA) - 5% Owned

Wade Leblanc has been a solid pitcher for the Mariners rotation. In 27 starts in 2018, he posted a 3.72 ERA. He’s not a big strikeout pitcher but he should line up to face an Angels lineup that is currently slashing .172/.287/.263 against left-handed pitchers. That’s enough to fire him up this week.

Aaron Sanchez (SP, TOR) - 25% Owned

Can we get 2016 Sanchez back? Coming off a nice performance in Boston where he let up only one run in five innings of work, Sanchez is looking much better than he has the past two years. He has dealt with some injuries and pushed himself mostly out of the fantasy conversation. He is expected to face the Twins next week, and although they hit righties well (.269/.326/.484), Sanchez is an option here.

Despite Boston’s struggles early, they’re not an easy lineup to navigate and Sanchez did that well. A nice confidence boost from that start combined with a swinging strike rate of 10.6 percent (9.5 percent is league average) so far this year should give some momentum going into the start against the Twins. If this one does go well, you may consider holding him to see if he can bring the 2016 guy back out.

 

Wins - Head-to-Head Category Streamers

Anibal Sanchez (SP, WAS) - 20% Owned

Is it fair that he had to face the Phillies lineup in both of his first starts? Absolutely not, but this is a good chance to jump on the low ownership and get him going for a stream this week. Sanchez was a stud in 2018 pulling off a major comeback to throw a 2.83 ERA over 136 2/3 innings.

Whether you believe in the re-emergence, Sanchez should face the Marlins next weekend. The Marlins are slashing .188/.262/.301 against right-handed pitchers. There’s a high probability for a win here with the Nationals offense to back him up.

Aaron Brooks (SP/RP, OAK) - 2% Owned

Brooks has had a solid start to the season. He went six innings with no runs against the Red Sox, got hammered for five runs over five innings against the Astros, and managed a quality start, letting up three runs in six innings against the Orioles.

The Blue Jays are up next for the 28-year-old righty and they are dead last in batting average against righties in the league so far. The Jays are slashing a not-so-terrifying .179/.271/.338 against right-handed pitchers. Oh, also give me the guy who has Khris Davis (and the rest of the A’s lineup) mashing behind him for run support.

More Streamers and Head-to-Head League Columns




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REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Quinshon Judkins

Arrested on Saturday for Battery and Domestic Violence
Terry McLaurin

Could be a Holdout at Training Camp
Roger McCreary

a Candidate for a Contract Extension?
Max Fried

Exits Start With Blister
Mike Evans

Buccaneers Could Have Difficult Time Retaining Mike Evans
Charles Cross

Could Sign Extension Before Training Camp
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One to Watch Going into Training Camp
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Appears Re-Energized
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Still a Key Piece in Ravens Offense
Ndamukong Suh

Officially Announces his Retirement
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Motivated After Disappointing Season
Tre Harris

Still Unsigned
Hunter Dobbins

to Miss Rest of Season With Torn ACL
Nolan Arenado

Held Out of Lineup on Saturday
Alexandre Sarr

Plays Well in Summer League Loss to Phoenix
Yang Hansen

Looks Good on Friday Night
Carlos Correa

Sitting on Saturday
Austin Riley

Placed on 10-Day Injured List
Nolan Arenado

Exits Friday's Contest With Sprained Finger
Jake Burger

Expects to Play on Saturday
Erik Karlsson

Open to Move Away From Pittsburgh
Zach Hyman

Hopes to be Ready for Start of Next Season
SJ

Jeff Skinner Joins Sharks on One-Year Contract
Wyatt Langford

Records Four-Hit Night
Cal Raleigh

Homers Twice, Drives in Five
Cody Bellinger

Swats Three Homers in Victory
Jake Burger

Leaves With Quad Discomfort on Friday
Carlos Correa

Exits Game With Mild Ankle Sprain
Edward Cabrera

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Austin Riley

Leaves Game Early on Friday With Abdominal Tightness
Kon Knueppel

Struggles in Summer League Win
Rafael Devers

Dealing With Back Inflammation
Walter Clayton Jr.

Plays Well on Friday Night
Cody Williams

Scores 21 Points in Summer League Loss
Kyle Filipowski

Leads the Way on Friday Night
Teoscar Hernández

Teoscar Hernandez Returning on Friday
Sauce Gardner

Wants to be Highest-Paid Cornerback
Rhamondre Stevenson

Heading into an Important Season
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Josh Metellus, Vikings Have Mutual Interest in Extension
Tua Tagovailoa

2025 Could be Tua Tagovailoa's Last Season in Miami
Rashawn Slater

has "Full Confidence" a Deal Will Get Done
Byron Buxton

Returns on Friday
Isaiah Jackson

Signs Three-Year Extension
Jake Meyers

Placed on 10-Day Injured List With Calf Strain
Brandon Lowe

Placed on 10-Day Injured List With Oblique Tightness
Kodai Senga

Reinstated to Start on Friday
Alex Bregman

Officially Activated and Starting on Friday
Marvin Bagley III

Joining the Wizards
Herbert Jones

Signing Extension with Pelicans
Jacob Toppin

Returning to Hawks
Chicago Bears

Bears Extend General Manager Ryan Poles
Dalton Knecht

Avoids Serious Injury
MarShawn Lloyd

in a "Much Better Spot" Heading Into Training Camp
Javon Small

Signs Two-Way Deal
Dustin Hopkins

Browns Still Counting on Dustin Hopkins
Demarcus Robinson

Sentenced to Three Years of Probation
Jalen Nailor

In Line for WR3 Role in Minnesota
Ryan Reaves

Traded to Sharks
Vladislav Kolyachonok

Moves to Dallas
Matt Dumba

Lands in Pittsburgh
Mackie Samoskevich

Re-Signs with Panthers on One-Year Deal
Josh Manson

Inks Two-Year Extension with Avalanche
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Derrick Lewis

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Steve Garcia

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Calvin Kattar

In Dire Need Of Victory
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Morgan Charriere A Favorite At UFC Nashville
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Tuco Tokkos

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Junior Tafa

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Jalen Williams

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Alijah Martin

Agrees to Two-Way Deal With Raptors
Tristan Vukcevic

Set to Return to Washington
Anfernee Simons

Celtics Are "Actively Trying to Trade" Anfernee Simons
NBA

Alex Ducas Heading to Australia
Dominick Barlow

Inks Two-Way Deal With 76ers
Jordan McLaughlin

Spurs Re-Sign Jordan McLaughlin to One-Year Deal
Dylan Harper

Out Thursday, Expected to Play Saturday
VJ Edgecombe

Diagnosed with a Sprained Thumb
Gary Woodland

Looking to Find Rhythm at Scottish Open
Aaron Rai

Brings Consistent Play to Scottish Open
Maverick McNealy

a Solid Value Play at Scottish Open
Aldrich Potgieter

Making Scottish Open Debut
Tom Kim

Looks to Rebound at Scottish Open
Brian Harman

a Safe Option at Scottish Open
Luke Clanton

a Sneaky Value Play at Scottish Open
Sam Burns

Looking to Stay Hot at Scottish Open
Nicolai Hojgaard

May Feel More at Home in Europe
Harry Hall

Showing Fine Form Heading to Scotland
Ryan Fox

Playing Well Since Early Spring Struggles
Max Greyserman

has Solid History at the Genesis Scottish Open
Harris English

Aims High for Scotland Next
Corey Conners

Primed for the Genesis Scottish Open
Daniel Brown

Attempts the Scottish Swing Again
Jacob Bridgeman

Needs Putter to Work at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Headlines Field at Genesis Scottish Open
Rory McIlroy

a Smart Play for Scottish Open
Adam Scott

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NASCAR

Sepp Straka Not Likely to Find Momentum at Scottish Open
Justin Rose

Hopes Month Hiatus Helps Him Bounce Back at Scottish Open
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Tyler Johnson Retires After 13 NHL Seasons
Jack McBain

Inks New Five-Year Deal with Mammoth
Cam York

Re-Signs with Flyers for Five Years
Jake Knapp

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Ty Gibbs

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Alex Bowman

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Alex Bowman

Bubba Wallace Wrecked by Alex Bowman Again, Putting Playoffs in Doubt
Michael McDowell

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Austin Hill

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Tyler Reddick

Scores a Strong Third-Place Run at Chicago
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has his Worst Weekend of the Season at Chicago
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