Fantasy Baseball Weekend Preview: Chase the offense with Rockies vs. Giants
The offensive fireworks should come at a predictable location this weekend, as the Giants and Rockies hook up for four games at Coors Field. Luckily, there are plenty of players on both teams who are sitting on waiver wires.
On the pitching side, the options are plentiful for those in 10-team leagues but quite scarce for managers in 12-team formats.
Top Waiver Wire Pickups
Wilmer Flores (1B/2B/3B, San Francisco Giants, 55%)
Flores has been the Giants' best hitter this summer, logging a .962 OPS since the All-Star break. And with triple-position eligibility, he is easy to fit into fantasy lineups for a four-game series at offense-inducing Coors Field against a Rockies pitching staff that ranks last in the majors in ERA. Go check if he's available.
Pete Crow-Armstrong (OF, Chicago Cubs, 14%)
The Cubs promoted Armstrong at the outset of this week, in hopes of giving their lineup one final push during the time that Jeimer Candelario is on the IL. The 21-year-old brings an exciting blend of plate skills to the majors, having hit .283 with 20 homers and 37 steals across the top-two Minor League levels this season. The left-handed hitter is in a great situation this weekend, as the D-backs will roll out three mediocre right-handed starters.
Edouard Julien (2B, Minnesota Twins, 14%)
Julien failed to maintain the momentum of a hot month of July and has instead tailed off in recent weeks. That being said, the left-handed hitter is still batting leadoff against righties, and he owns an .894 OPS in those matchups this year. Julien could thrive this weekend when the Twins face three right-handed starters and an underwhelming White Sox relief corps.
Jordan Wicks (SP, Chicago Cubs, 45%)
With a 1.99 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP across four starts, Wicks has made a successful transition to the Majors. The left-hander should log another quality outing on Saturday when he faces a D-backs offense that has cooled off from their hot start to 2023 and ranks 22nd in OPS since the beginning of August.
Matchups to Target
Giants @ Rockies
Although San Francisco ranks last in OPS since the All-Star break, their hitters could be fantasy gold when they play a four-game series at Coors Field that starts Thursday. Wilmer Flores (55%) is the most desirable player to add, followed by J.D. Davis (24%). Mike Yastrzemski (12%) and Brandon Crawford (1%) are options in deeper formats. There are fewer Rockies to chase, but Nolan Jones (59%) should be active everywhere, and Charlie Blackmon (35%) makes sense in 12-team leagues.
Padres @ A’s
San Diego could get a brief reprieve from an otherwise disappointing season when they visit Oakland, which will deploy three vulnerable starting pitchers. Aside from the five Padres who are rostered in more than 85% of leagues, managers can consider Trent Grisham (4%) and Garrett Cooper (4%) in 12-team formats. Also, Luis Campusano (3%) is a solid weekend catching streamer.
Cubs @ D-backs
Chicago heads to Arizona for a huge three-game series and will get the benefit of avoiding the top two starters from a thin rotation. With all three D-backs starters throwing from the right side, Pete Crow-Armstrong (14%) could be the top player to target.
Brewers vs. Nationals
Milwaukee could reach base often when it faces three Washington starters with a WHIP of 1.35 or higher and a relief corps with a 1.43 WHIP. Carlos Santana (22%) and Brice Turang (6%) are also good options to reach base often in this series.
Twins @ White Sox
Minnesota will face three right-handed starters with an ERA over 4.40 this weekend, which is great news for a team that has plenty of hitters who have thrived against righties. Royce Lewis (77%), Matt Wallner (4%), Edouard Julien (14%) and Alex Kirilloff (11%) are all good candidates for success.
Matchups to Avoid
Orioles vs. Rays
Tampa will put on a late push to overtake Baltimore for the AL East title when they visit the Orioles for four games. The Rays are using three starters with an ERA under 3.55 and a fourth, Zach Littell, who has proven to be serviceable. Managers will need to take a second look at starting Orioles who aren’t named Anthony Santander, Gunnar Henderson or Adley Rutschman.
Nationals @ Brewers
The Nats will run into two extremely tough right-handers this weekend, Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff, and southpaw Wade Miley has held his own this year, too. Lane Thomas and CJ Abrams are the only members of this lineup to consider for mixed-league use over the weekend.
Streaming Starters
In order, here are the best streamers from Friday to Sunday, with their start date and Yahoo roster rate in parentheses.
Tarik Skubal @ LAA (Friday, 65)
J.P. France @ KC (Saturday, 52)
Seth Lugo @ OAK (Friday, 53)
Andrew Heaney @ CLE (Saturday, 51)
Jordan Wicks @ ARI (Sunday, 45)
Wade Miley vs. WSH (Friday, 40)
Griffin Canning vs. DET (Friday, 31)
Hyun Jin Ryu vs. BOS (Sunday, 66)
Kyle Hendricks @ ARI (Saturday, 46)
Gavin Williams vs. TEX (Sunday, 41)
Kutter Crawford @ TOR (Sunday, 20)
Ranger Suárez @ STL (Saturday, 34)
Brandon Pfaadt vs. CHC (Friday, 11)
José Quintana vs. CIN (Saturday, 40)
Dean Kremer vs. TB (Sunday, 62)
