Sleeper hitters for Week 24 (Aug. 31-Sept. 6)
Willi Castro is startable everywhere but catcher in CBS Sports leagues and is particularly productive at home, batting .310 with an .842 OPS there. Adding fuel to the fire is that the Rockies' schedule rates as the most favorable to hitters this week.
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Cole Carrigg's numbers have slipped a bit of late, but he's still batting .302 with an .855 OPS at home, where the Rockies are playing all six of their games this week. Even with the possibility of him being out of the lineup Monday for disciplinary reasons (he still came off the bench Sunday after missing a start for the same reason), the possibility for a big week from a power/speed threat with premium on-base skills is too enticing to pass up.
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Walker Jenkins' first full week in the majors comes with a favorable hitter slate that includes Drew Anderson, Erick Fedde and Anthony Kay, as well as a struggling Jackson Jobe and Sean Burke. Meanwhile, his hitting profile is so strong that I suspect we'll come to view him as must-start regardless of the matchups.
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Tristan Peters went into the weekend with a five-game home run streak, and though he came out of it with just two additional hits, he would still qualify as a hot-hand play. While the power surge may have the White Sox rethinking their stance on him as a platoon player, it's a moot point this week with seven righties on the schedule, all from the miserable Astros and Twins pitching staffs.
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Christian Encarnacion-Strand's recent success -- he's 10 for 25 with a home run and three doubles in his past six games -- likely solidifies his everyday role for the Orioles, who have the second-ranked hitter slate this week. That slate includes a trip to Coors Field and three games against left-handers, who Encarnacion-Strand has throttled to the tune of a .318 batting average and 1.093 OPS.
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Ty France is somehow available in half of CBS Sports leagues even though he's still sporting a .287 batting average and .863 OPS on the year, with little sign of those numbers abating. He has the same favorable matchups that Walker Jenkins does this week.
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I've been pretty hard on Tommy Edman on the Fantasy Baseball Today podcast, pointing out that he doesn't have a ton to offer in Fantasy if he's no longer the base-stealer he was in his Cardinals days, but a more complete assessment would point out that his power numbers have ticked up slightly. The Dodgers have the third-best hitter matchups this week, featuring some of the most vulnerable pitchers in the Cardinals and Nationals rotations, and Edman is usable at three different positions.
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Nate Lowe has yet to make a big splash for the Guardians, but he should be able to take advantage of their fifth-ranked hitter slate, particularly with it being so righty-heavy. He's batting .281 with an .857 OPS against right-handers this season.
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After going missing for a couple solid months, Travis Bazzana is showing signs of life again, batting .300 (9 for 30) with a double and a steal in his past eight games. The timing is ideal with the Guardians having such a favorable hitter schedule this week, which is likely to include a spot starter for both the Blue Jays and the Tigers.
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I've harbored hopes that the Astros might be able to restore the bat speed that's gone missing for Daulton Varsho this season since it's been a point of emphasis for them in recent years, and while there isn't clear evidence of that yet, he has homered twice in his past eight games. It gives him some momentum heading into a week in which the Astros have the fourth-best hitter slate, featuring mashables like Anthony Kay, Luis Castillo, Merrill Kelly and what's likely to be a fill-in starter for both the White Sox and the Diamondbacks.
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