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Hey, RotoBallers! Another exhilarating week of baseball is in the books! Balls are flying, and Drew Maggi finally gets the call. Baseball is moving to Mexico City, and Nick Castellanos is the biggest jokester in the game. Now that we've covered the fluff topics, it's time to take a sneak peek at Week 6, running from May 1 - May 7.
Last week didn't pan out the way I had anticipated, aside from some good hitting from Red Sox's Enrique Hernandez. Other than that, I was disappointed by the lackluster performance of my selections. This week, however, will certainly not disappoint based on the ensuing player's performance over the past week. If your team hasn't matched your expectations and you've dropped a few spots in your league, now is the time to pay attention.
If you haven't been following this series since the season started, each week I identify a handful of hitting streamers for the upcoming week. Whichever player offers the most streaming value for that week is included in the article. If you are down a player that suffered an apparent injury or you simply want to rid of a replacement-worthy player, the waiver wire is the place to be. It's time to select a handful of potential hitting streamers for Week 6!
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What Teams Offer The Most Streaming Value?
6 teams play seven games between Monday, May 1, and Sunday, May 7. Those teams are:
- Braves
- Mets
- Cubs
- Nationals
- Blue Jays
- Red Sox
There aren't as many teams playing the whole week in comparison to Week 5's 13 teams, but that doesn't mean we won't see favorable matchups. The Mets will play three in Comerica Park against a hapless Tigers rotation (4.83 ERA), plus a three-game homestand against the Rockies, which would have brought even more value if played in Coors Field. The burgeoning Cubs check into Nationals Park for four games, which will help out guys like Joey Meneses, Keibert Ruiz, and Victor Robles, who have been seeing the ball well. Let's check when these favorable matchups are happening.
- NYM@ DET, May 2- 4
- CHC@ WAS, May 1- 4
- TOR@ BOS, May 1- 4
- BAL@ KC, May 2- 4
- MIN@ CWS, May 2- 4
- SEA@ OAK, May 2- 4
- MIL@ COL, May 2- 4
This week should be an eventful week at the plate, especially with all of the favorable matchups on display. The Blue Jays should have a productive series in Boston, whose pitching staff has allowed the third most homers (40) this season. The Cubs seem to have everything clicking at the plate, and we should see some free swinging in Washington. Not to mention, the Twins rank fifth in home runs (37), and that number will certainly increase in Guarantee Rate Field.
After discussing these favorable matchups, there are a few players rostered below 50% that could take advantage of these matchups. Brett Baty, Yan Gomes, Nick Madrigal, Donovan Solano, and Kolten Wong are all players worthy of keeping an eye on this week. Let's get into it!
Week 6 Fantasy Baseball Hitter Streamers
Nick Senzel, Cincinatti Reds (2% Rostered)
Senzel was performing fairly well at the plate over the first few weeks of the season, but something clicked in his stroke that put him on an entirely different trajectory. His bat has become a legit threat over the past seven games, largely due to his .381/.480/.571 slash line in those seven games. He compiled eight RBI, along with one homer, over that span. He's always been a competent hitter, but injuries have diminished his trajectory over the past few seasons.
The Reds have two favorable matchups this week against the Padres and White Sox to culminate a six-game week. Both of the aforementioned teams have struggled on the mound this season (Padres- 4.65 ERA, White Sox- 5.88 ERA), which could be an advantage at Senzel's disposal. The 27-year-old fares better against lefties, as demonstrated by his .801 OPS against lefties this season, and it can't be a coincidence that southpaw Blake Snell is slated to start on Monday.
Yan Gomes, Chicago Cubs (16% Rostered)
The Cubs have gotten the best version of Gomes at the plate since the year started, but fantasy managers seem to pay no attention to his success. Through 65 PAs, the 35-year-old is hitting .313/.318/.563 with five home runs and a 130 wRC+. His bat has been even more impressive over the past week, as displayed by his .423 OPB across 25 at-bats. A big part of his offensive breakout can be attributed to his 12.4% strikeout rate, despite not amassing enough PAs to qualify for the leaderboards.
When Wilson Contreras departed from Chicago en route to St. Louis during free agency, there was a gaping hole at the catching position. It's fair to say that Gomes has done quite the job on both sides of the ball to address the Cubs' catching situation. With an encouraging matchup against the Nationals and the start of a homestand beginning with the Marlins, you should expect Gomes to make an impact.
Yuli Gurriel, Miami Marlins (3% Rostered)
Gurriel has started to heat up in his ninth season in the pros. After agreeing to a minor league deal just before the season kicked in, Gurriel immediately proved his place as a major league hitter. He's hitting to the tune of a .807 OPS this season, to the addition of a .341 wOBA. He's creating louder contact in part to a 38.5% hard-hit rate, and his plate discipline numbers are low like most years (12.5 strikeout rate). He hit 6-for-23 (.261) over the past seven games, which is a slight dropoff from his usual performance, but it isn't anything to fuss about.
The Marlins have a challenging week up ahead, with the Braves and Cubs on the tab. They've had quite an impressive stretch at home, with a 9-6 mark, which could give them a little wiggle room against a top-heavy Atlanta pitching staff. Gurriel doesn't statistically prefer a righty or lefty on the mound, but he should find himself a chunk of hits this week.
Carlos Santana, Pittsburgh Pirates (7% Rostered)
One of the most under-the-radar acquisitions this offseason for the Pirates has been Santana. Despite a down year at the plate in 2022, Santana has been a force to be reckoned with at the plate. His bat has been most relevant in the past 15 games, as shown by his .310/.369/.431 slash line with 11 RBI. He went 9-for-27 (.333) in the past seven games and continues to provide a spark for a booming Pirates offense.
The Pirates are inarguably the hottest team in baseball, aside from the Rays, and are 9-1 in the past 10 games. With an action-packed week in store, highlighted by a must-see matchup with the Rays and a brief homestand against the Blue Jays, Santana will see a fair share of dominant pitchers. Although, considering his recent outburst at the plate, I would certainly stream him for Week 6.
Max Kepler, Minnesota Twins (4% Rostered)
After a horrid start to the season, Kepler has started to right his ship. He struggled mightily at the plate and went hitless in his first 13 at-bats. Since breaking his slump, most notably over the past 15 games or so, Kepler has been a hitting machine. He exhibits a .306/.379/.571 slash line, along with three homers and eight RBI over that span. He's 9-for-22 in his last seven games, which increases his OPS to .811.
The Twins should have an eventful week with a visit to Guarantee Rate Field, followed by a tough matchup in Cleveland. The three-game set with the White Sox is bound to be a slugfest based on their team's 5.88 ERA, and Kepler will certainly take part in the action. Streaming Kepler is a must, especially with the favored matchup early in the week.
Jason Delay, Pittsburgh Pirates (1% Rostered)
One of the most unsung contributors in the Pirates lineup has been Delay. He has emerged as a skilled hitter despite a replacement-level hitting performance in 2022. The 28-year-old is hitting over .500 in the past seven games and is 11-for-20 over that span. On the season, Delay is slashing .390/.435/.610 with a 1.045 OPS across 41 ABs. He's only made 12 starts behind the plate since Austin Hedges is sharing catching reps, but that will likely change if Delay continues to hit.
As the second Pirates position player in this article, Delay will also be facing a line of dominant pitchers. He's been one of the hottest hitters in baseball and owns a .420 wOBA with a 165 wRC+. It isn't a given that Delay can sustain such a high level of hitting, but he's definitely worth streaming for Week 6.
Blake Sabol, San Francisco (3% Rostered)
Sabol has done most of the heavy lifting behind the plate for the Giants this season since Roberto Perez and Joey Bart have been sidelined with injuries. He's made 15 starts behind the plate and has put on quite the show offensively. He is 7-for-his-last-22 ABs which includes three home runs, one of them a walk-off this past Tuesday, and a .727 SLG.
The 25-year-old owns a middling .292 OPB this season but has been hitting at an all-star level in recent games. The Giants are facing two tough pitching staffs in the Astros and Brewers, but this won't be Sabol's first time facing elite pitching. He'll get most of the catching reps this week since his bat has become relevant and is a viable option to stream for the upcoming week.
Other Hitter Streamers to Consider
- Danny Jansen, C- Toronto Blue Jays (17% rostered)
- Manuel Margot, OF- Tampa Bay Rays (4% rostered)
- Jesus Aguilar, 1B- Oakland A's (2% rostered)
- Ryan Noda, 1B/OF- Oakland A's (1% rostered)
- Henry Ramos, OF- Cincinnati Reds (0% rostered)
- J.P. Crawford, SS- Seattle Mariners (6% rostered)
That's it for Week 6 hitter streamers; come back next for Week 7!
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