The Smash and Grab: 5 Teams With Elite Hitting Opportunities in Week 11
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 (3)
This is a weird week as there are not a ton of seven game teams. They are: Boston Red Sox, Kansas City Royals, Miami Marlins.
Out of these teams, really, the Red Sox are the only team I am comfortable with. They have three different opponents -- a Monday game against the Marlins, three against the Houston Astros, and three versus the Toronto Blue Jays.
Six-Game Teams (18)
The majority of teams have six games next week. So who sticks out?
Cincinnati Reds: Home for all six games this week, the Reds should continue their strong run of form (fifth-best wOBA in major league baseball entering Friday's games). Avoiding Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff in a series with the Milwaukee Brewers is a huge thing, and three games against the Colorado Rockies doesn't exactly sting, either.
Milwaukee Brewers: The Brew Crew have been of the worst offenses in baseball this season. If they are going to get right at the dish, this is the week. They travel to Great American Small Park for their first three games, followed up by three against the poor staff of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Oakland Athletics: An off day on Monday begins the week, but then things ramp up in a big way. They get the Arizona Diamondbacks for two followed by four versus the Kansas City Royals. With KC ace Danny Duffy nursing an elbow injury, this Oakland offense could explode. They've racked up a .334 wOBA (third-best) over the last 14 days.
Toronto Blue Jays: I know this feels like a rinse-and-repeat recommendation, but the Jays are just on fire at the dish. Imagine what this offense will look like when George Springer returns. They have the league's best wOBA for the year and have scorched at the dish the last two weeks, posting a 365 wOBA with an absurd .517 slugging percentage.
Five-Game Teams (9)
Arizona Diamondbacks, Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays and Texas Rangers
Coors Field (0)
None
