The Smash and Grab: 4 Teams With Elite Hitting Opportunities in Week 15
One thing I have learned in my journey in fantasy baseball is that volume is key -- especially in hitting.
In standard rotisserie leagues, only one category is ratio based (batting average), which allows us to maximize at-bats and plate appearances to rack up those counting statistics in runs, home runs, runs batted in, and stolen bases. And as simplistic as the approach seems, the best fantasy players find ways to garner as many shots as possible -- via volume.
Each week, this report will analyze the matchups for the upcoming week to see if any teams in particular stand out from a volume perspective as we gear up for those Free Agent Budget (FAB) bids.
The seven-game teams? Those are obvious. But what about the other matchups? Let's dig in and find out.
Seven-Game Teams (14)
There is a lot of high-powered volume this week. In fact, it would nearly be simpler to say who isn't playing seven games, but here we are.
The following teams play (at least) seven games: Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Dodgers, Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, and Washington Nationals.
With so much volume, who sticks out? In alphabetical order:
Cincinnati Reds: This may seem like the regular broken record where we keep playing the same ole Reds, but it's for good reason. While they will not be playing at home this week, they will have a delightful set of matchups they should be able to pounce on. Something just flat out isn't right with the Royals' pitching staff, and they have been getting pounded as of late (they're last in wOBA allowed over the past two weeks). They do have to face the talented Brewers staff at the end of the week (who are first in wOBA allowed in over the past two weeks).
San Diego Padres: It's not only the seven games that make this an incredible opportunity: the matchups are truly delightful, as well. While the Padres do have to face Max Scherzer, and that's no joke, the trade-off is that they do get to face Patrick Corbin and Jon Lester, who are merely shells of their former selves. They finish the week against the Colorado Rockies, so they will be a great play.
Six-Game Teams (16)
The majority of remaining teams hit the field for six games. Of these squads, here are some interesting notes:
Chicago White Sox: While they may only have a six-game week, it certainly won't provide a lack of excellent hitting opportunities for the South Siders. They start the week with three games against the Twins and end with three against the poor Baltimore Orioles rotation, including Matt Harvey. Time to feast.
Los Angeles Angels: It is starting to get a little bit ridiculous to find enough wild adjectives to describe the greatness of Shohei Ohtani. Smacking his 31st home run of the season Sunday, Ohtani is officially absurd. And he's not alone. With teammates such as Anthony Rendon and Jared Walsh also slamming the ball, it's not a huge surprise that the Halos rank as the eighth-best offense over the last two weeks. They start with three games in Boston and end with three games in Seattle. Time to fly.
Five-Game Teams (0)
None
Coors Field
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