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Whether you're in need of an injury fill-in or just a hot-hand play, Scott White has you covered with 10 sleeper hitters for the upcoming scoring period, all rostered in less than 80 percent of CBS Sports leagues. They're not must-starts by any estimation, but they're the best you'll find off the waiver wire.
All information is up to date as of Sunday evening
Sleeper hitters for Week 6 (April 28-May 4)
Not only has Austin Hays hit the ground running after an early IL stint for a calf injury, lending credence to the idea that his production was inhibited by a deep left field fence in Baltimore and a kidney infection in Philadelphia, but he'll also get to enjoy a full seven games at the most homer-friendly ballpark this week. It's part of the reason why the Reds have the fourth-best hitter matchups.
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The Reds' home park has long helped TJ Friedl's power play beyond his pitiful exit velocities, so he also stands to benefit from having a full seven games there this week. He's off to a promising start as the Reds leadoff hitter, having swiped five bases already, and is among the more under-rostered hitters in Fantasy.
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Though he's been a top-30 outfielder so far with his aggressive base-stealing and get-on-base-at-all-costs approach, Sal Frelick remains available enough to mention here. The Brewers have the fifth-best hitter matchups this week, primarily because of their three-game set against the White Sox pitching staff.
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The recent call-up has been straight-up murdering the ball, delivering prodigious exit velocities while striking out just twice. It's hard to fit another catcher into your lineup when you don't have a need at the position, but the fear of missing out should be sky high right about now. The Marlins matchups aren't among the best, but they're hardly prohibitive, particularly given the three games against the Athletics staff.
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The Reds' matchups and venue should also be a boon to Noelvi Marte this week, but my interest in him is more related to current events. He's forced his way into the lineup with his performance of late and hit a 116.7 mph home run Tuesday, reminding us all of the potential that went dormant last year.
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After a slow start to the season, Rhys Hoskins has done some of his best work of late, batting .432 (16 for 37) with three homers and a double in his past 11 games. We know the track record is favorable, apart from last year, and like Frelick, he'll get to feast on the fifth-best hitter matchups this week.
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Mike Yastrzemski has leaned even more into the skills he already had, walking at an elite rate and putting the ball on the ground only 33 percent of the time, and it's led to some impressive numbers early on. I doubt it's sustainable for the 34-year-old, but with the Giants having the second-best hitter matchups this week, let's stick with him for now.
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Another 30-something off to an unsustainable start, Wilmer Flores actually went into Sunday with the MLB lead in RBI thanks to an uncharacteristic power display out of the DH spot. He'll have to slow down eventually, but the Giants matchups are so good, with four games coming against the Rockies pitching staff, that I'd bet against it happening this week.
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While many would like me to embrace Matt Mervis' early power surge, I'm hesitant both because of his 36 percent strikeout rate and the fact that he typically sits against left-handers. That second issue doesn't matter this week, though, with only one such pitcher on the schedule.
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The Braves are the one team visiting the Rockies at Coors Field this week, which is a catalyst for an offensive explosion. In such a scenario, you would expect that their leadoff hitter would be one of the prime beneficiaries, and even though Alex Verdugo has already lit a spark at the top of the lineup, he remains highly, highly available.
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Best hitter matchups for Week 6
1. Twins @CLE4, @BOS3
2. Giants @SD2, COL4
3. Mets @WAS1, ARI3, @STL3
4. Reds STL4, WAS3
5. Brewers @CHW3, CHC3
Worst hitter matchups for Week 6
1. White Sox MIL3, HOU3
2. Diamondbacks @NYM3, @PHI3
3. Padres SF2, @PIT3
4. Angels @SEA2, DET4
5. Rays KC3, @NYY3
