Sleeper hitters for Week 19 (July 28-Aug. 3)
The Twins matchups are neither great nor terrible, so this recommendation is more about capitalizing on Royce Lewis' sudden return to form. He comes out of the weekend batting .385 (10 for 26) with three homers and four doubles in his past seven games.
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The Cardinals' matchups are better than the Twins -- featuring pitchers like Cal Quantrill, Randy Vasquez, and Stephen Kolek -- but as with Lewis, this recommendation is more a matter of Ivan Herrera being under-rostered. He's an everyday DH who retains catcher eligibility, and even if you're already set at catcher, Herrera's bat is good enough for you to start him in your utility spot.
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You could say Ramon Laureano is hot now with three homers in his past seven games, but really, he's been excellent for a full calendar year, batting .288 with 23 homers, eight steals and an .858 OPS in 128 games during that time. The Orioles' matchups may not rank among the five best, but they're one of just six teams scheduled for seven games.
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I keep recommending Joshua Lowe here, and he keeps ... not delivering. Maybe I'm just a glutton for punishment, but I still see five-category potential here, particularly given his career-best strikeout and pull-air rates. It helps that the Rays have the fourth-best hitter matchups this week.
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I have to highlight a couple Mariners hitters here, seeing as they have the most favorable matchups of all. Jorge Polanco seems to have moved past the early-season oblique injury that prevented him from hitting from the right side for a while and also seems to have rediscovered his stroke, batting .274 (17 for 62) with five homers in his past 18 games.
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Those matchups for the Mariners, by the way, include pitchers such as JP Sears, Luis Severino, Jeffrey Springs, Kumar Rocker, Jack Leiter, and Patrick Corbin. Easy money, right? Surely their leadoff hitter, J.P. Crawford, will be at the center of the onslaught. He's reaching base at nearly a .365 clip.
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Nolan Schanuel has been an underrated contributor all year, especially in points leagues, and this week seems like a good time to try him out if you need corner infield help. The series against the White Sox is a particularly inviting one, and five of the six pitchers on tap are right-handers, against whom Schanuel is batting .289 with an .810 OPS.
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Trent Grisham is another hitter well-positioned to take advantage of a righty-heavy schedule. The Yankees are one of just six teams scheduled for seven games, all vs. righties, against whom Grisham is batting .278 with an .894 OPS.
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Chandler is one of the fastest ever to 30 steals, and his proclivity on the base paths makes him close to must-start in Rotisserie leagues. But even in Head-to-Head points leagues, he's worth considering with the Rays having the fourth-best hitter matchups this week.
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Spencer Horwitz, who spent the first quarter of the season rehabbing from thumb surgery, is finally beginning to deliver on his potential as a hitter, batting .348 (8 for 23) with two doubles and a homer in his past six games. It's only a start, but the Pirates' matchups in Week 19 give him a good chance to keep it going. They're the only team traveling to Coors Field.
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