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Welcome to the hitting streamers column for the week of 6/24 through 6/30. Whether you're looking to maximize the number of games played, exploit favorable matchups, or fill in for injured players, streaming hitters can be a fruitful strategy for those willing to put in a little work every week.
Keep in mind that this column highlights players owned in approximately 50% or fewer of Yahoo leagues who could present nice streaming options for the upcoming week. This applies to any league but specifically is geared toward head-to-head weekly leagues where matchups are more critical.
If the following names aren't available, don't hesitate to check our famous waiver wire pickups list to find some appealing alternatives. Let's get to it.
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Bats to Stream and Start in Week 12
Seven Game Weeks: ARI, ATL, CHC, COL, LAD, NYM, PHI, SF
Streamer of the Week
Jay Bruce (OF/1B, PHI): 55% Owned
Bruce’s ownership levels have plummeted over the last week due to a slump, but he’ll get a nice chance to bounce back with a seven-game week this week. The Phillies get four games at home against the Mets, and are fortunate enough to avoid Jacob deGrom. That lines him up against mostly mediocre pitching, and owners shouldn’t be afraid of lefties Steven Matz and Jason Vargas.
Bruce has a .984 OPS and .388 ISO against left-handed pitching this season, which gives him better numbers against southpaws compared to righties. There isn’t a better streaming option for power and run production than Bruce this week.
Behind the Plate
Carson Kelly (C, ARI): 4% Owned
Kelly’s ownership is surprisingly low considering his production over the last two months. He got off to a horrid April, but Kelly is hitting .292 with eight homers and a .986 OPS since May 1. Alex Avila was recently placed on the injured list, which means Kelly will get the bulk of the playing time at catcher for Arizona. The Diamondbacks will face at least three left-handed starters this week, which is great for Kelly since he’s hitting .400 with a 1.328 OPS against southpaws this season. Kelly is the best option for a streaming catcher this week.
Austin Barnes (C/2B, LAD): 13% Owned
The Dodgers have a seven-game week this week, with four games in Colorado. The Dodgers only have one game against a left-handed starter, which is good for Barnes since he has been much better against righties. He has a .727 OPS and .163 ISO against right-handed pitching this season. Barnes should get 4-5 starts this week, with three games likely to occur in Coors Field. If Kelly isn’t available, Barnes isn’t a bad alternative.
Also Consider: Tony Wolters (C, COL): 4%
At the Corners
Christian Walker (1B, ARI): 20% Owned
Walker’s ownership and production has taken a nosedive since a hot April, but he’s still got a 91.3 MPH average exit velocity and a .515 xSLG this season. There is plenty of power in this bat, and Walker gets three left-handed starters this week. While the Diamondbacks play four games in pitcher-friendly San Francisco, the Giants are throwing some rather poor pitching at Arizona in that series. Madison Bumgarner is the only opposing pitcher in that series who belongs in a major league rotation. The hype has worn off of Walker, but he has plenty of upside as a streamer this week.
Jeff McNeil (2B/3B/OF, NYM): 47% Owned
McNeil is one of the safest sources of batting average in the league. He may have slowed down a bit in May, but he’s picked things up in June with a .345 AVG and a .901 OPS this month. The Mets get a ballpark upgrade with four games in Philadelphia to start the week, then get three at home against the Braves. McNeil is a great volume play and should be a nice boost to batting average with a seven game week ahead.
Also Consider: Todd Frazier (3B, NYM): 3% Owned, Brandon Belt (1B/OF, SF): 13% Owned, Evan Longoria (3B, SF): 15% Owned
Up the Middle
Robinson Cano (1B/2B, NYM): 47% Owned
Cano’s ownership has fallen below 50%, which would’ve been unbelievable three months ago. Alas, he’s hitting .233 with a .658 OPS in 202 PA thus far. There are some positive indicators with Cano; he has a 90.6 MPH average exit velocity and a 44.5% hard-hit rate. The Mets have seven games this week, with only one against a left-handed pitching, so Cano has a great opportunity to turn things around this week. This a proven bat worth taking a chance on as a volume play with upside.
Amed Rosario (SS, NYM): 39% Owned
Another Met, but the Mets are in an excellent position this week. Rosario also has the added benefit of providing speed, a rare attribute among streaming options. He’s been running more than ever this month, as Rosario already has four steals in 17 games, his best month so far. For those in need of speed at middle infield, Rosario is a great option.
Also Consider: Kike Hernandez (1B/2B/SS/OF, LAD): 23% Owned, Chris Taylor (2B/SS/OF, LAD): 23% Owned
In the Outfield
Adam Jones (OF, ARI): 55% Owned
Jones and the Diamondbacks take on three lefties this week, which makes him an excellent streaming option in the outfield. Jones has always been better against lefties, and the same is true this season, as Jones has an .804 OPS and .216 ISO versus southpaws. Arizona also gets some mediocre opposing starters, so Jones should have plenty of run producing opportunities as the Diamondbacks’ cleanup hitter. He is the top outfield option after Jay Bruce.
Alex Verdugo (OF, LAD): 18% Owned
Verdugo is in an optimal position this week, as the Dodgers have seven games with just one against a left-handed starter. They also get four games in Coors Field, all against right-handed pitching. The Dodgers get a few tough pitchers in the beginning of the week against Arizona, but Jon Gray is the only quality arm the Dodgers face in Coors. He doesn’t have exceptional power or speed, but Verdugo should provide solid volume and batting average this week.
Also Consider: Jarrod Dyson (OF, ARI): 14% Owned, Jason Heyward (OF, CHC): 19% Owned, Kevin Pillar (OF, SF): 5% Owned, Mike Yastrzemski (OF, SF): 1% Owned
More Streamers and Head-to-Head League Columns
