This is a great weekend to get a temporary boost in the hitting department. Since Opening Day took place one week ago, most aces made their second 2025 start on Tuesday or Wednesday, which means that teams will use their weakest starters this weekend.
On the pitching side, the lack of elite talent creates plenty of streaming options, albeit with some risk involved. We saw the downside of streamers at the outset of the week when the likes of Kumar Rocker, Chris Paddack and Emerson Hancock all struggled on Monday.
Matchups to Target
Athletics @ Rockies: Although the peak Coors Field benefits typically occur during warm weather in the summer months, there is still an advantage to trying to collect base knocks at this hitter-friendly venue in April. Colorado is set to deploy three right-handed starters, which makes skilled lefty J.J. Bleday (29%) the best streaming option on either team. Those in deeper formats can also target Miguel Andujar (1%) or Jacob Wilson (11%), who would probably hit .350 if he played all his games at Coors Field. Ryan McMahon (41%) is the best Rockies hitter to consider.
Red Sox vs. Cardinals: Boston will work at their hitter-friendly home park against a trio of manageable starters. Kristian Campbell (50%) perfectly blends streamer value and long-term upside. Trevor Story (7%) is off to a slow start but can be considered in deep formats.
Reds @ Brewers: All six scheduled starters for this series are average or worse. And the hitter-friendly nature of Miller Park will only enhance the potential for offense. There are plenty of excellent Cincinnati options, including Christian Encarnacion-Strand (41%), TJ Friedl (37%), Gavin Lux (7%) and Jeimer Candelario (11%). All three Reds starters throw from the right side, which makes Garrett Mitchell (18%) and Sal Frelick (7%) from the Brewers more appealing than usual.
Tigers vs. White Sox: Although the weather is unpredictable in Detroit during April, it’s still a good idea to target players who are facing the rebuilding White Sox, who are unlikely to sustain their early success. Spencer Torkelson (36%) is not only one of baseball’s best early season stories, and he’s also the top Tiger to grab from the waiver wire. Colt Keith (22%) is another man to consider.
Braves vs. Marlins: Atlanta should snap out of an early season slump when they face three beatable Miami right-handers this weekend. Unfortunately, the team doesn’t offer many streaming options, as most of the players from this talented lineup are widely rostered. Those in deep leagues can consider catcher Drake Baldwin (7%) and outfielder Jarred Kelenic (1%).
Matchups to Avoid
Twins vs. Astros: Players on the Twins and Astros are poor volume plays by virtue of being the only teams who are scheduled for just ...
