Some weeks, riding the hot hand is preferable to playing the matchups
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 no more 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.
Check back Sunday for the latest updates.
Sleeper hitters for Week 24 (Sept. 2-8) Lawrence Butler RF OAK Oakland * #4 * Age: 24 Matchups SEA4, DET3 Rostered 61% Generally when I recommend a hitter with bad matchups -- and the Athletics have the third-worst this week -- it doesn't work out, but I don't see how you sit Lawrence Butler, who enters the weekend with five home runs in his past three games. And seeing as he's batting .313 with 17 homers, eight steals, and a 1.036 OPS in 48 games since the start of July, perhaps you should never sit him. Pete Crow-Armstrong CF CHC Chi. Cubs * #52 * Age: 22 Matchups PIT3, NYY3 Rostered 44% Pete Crow-Armstrong's matchups aren't so inviting either, but like Butler, he's been too hot for me to pass him over for some other hitter rostered in less than 80 percent of leagues, batting .342 (26 for 76) with four homers and six steals in his past 23 games. Of course, there's a little more downside risk given that he typically bats eighth in the lineup. Masataka Yoshida DH BOS Boston * #7 * Age: 31 Matchups @NYM3, CHW3 Rostered 79% The Red Sox actually have good hitter matchups -- the best of any team this week, actually -- so I'll use it as an excuse to recommend Masataka Yoshida again. The 31-year-old continues to swing a hot bat since the All-Star break, hitting .341 (44 for 129) with five homers, eight doubles, and nearly as many walks (13) as strikeouts (16). Wilyer Abreu RF BOS Boston * #52 * Age: 25 Matchups @NYM3, CHW3 Rostered 69% Another frequent choice to take advantage of a favorable Red Sox hitting schedule, Wilyer Abreu should do some damage against mashable righties like Luis Severino, Tylor Megill, Davis Martin, and Chris Flexen. Unfortunately, he may be out of the lineup for the other two games against lefties. Victor Robles CF SEA Seattle * #10 * Age: 27 Matchups @OAK4, @STL3 Rostered 21% Having been plagued for much of the second half by hip and finger injuries, Victor Robles has come back to go 4 for 7 with a homer and two steals in two games. The Mariners not only have the third-best hitter matchups this week but are also scheduled to face just one lefty. Against righties, Robles' batting average is nearly 40 points higher and his OPS is nearly 150 points higher. Spencer Torkelson 1B DET Detroit * #20 * Age: 25 Matchups @SD3, @OAK3 Rostered 50% Another hitter whose matchups wouldn't normally land him on this list, Spencer Torkelson is clearly a changed player after his extended stay at Triple-A Toledo, batting .311 (14 for 45) with three homers in 12 games. His power upside is more appealing than anything offered by the other hitters available in more than 20 percent of CBS Sports leagues (apart from those ahead of him on this list, of course). Connor Norby 3B MIA Miami * #24 * Age: 24 Matchups WAS2, PHI4 Rostered 37% Connor Norby has hit safely in all nine games since joining the Marlins, contributing two home runs and two stolen bases during that time, and while some of the underlying data is discouraging, you wouldn't want to back down in a week when he's scheduled to face three lefties. Norby was particularly good against left-handers at Triple-A, batting .325 with a .972 OPS. MJ Melendez LF KC Kansas City * #1 * Age: 25 Matchups CLE3, MIN3 Rostered 19% MJ Melendez, who has always demonstrated good exit velocities and a solid approach at the plate, has caught fire in August, batting .304 with five homers and a .954 OPS. The reason you may not have noticed is because he tends to sit against lefties, but that's not an issue this week with nothing but righties on the schedule. Bryan De La Cruz RF PIT Pittsburgh * #41 * Age: 27 Matchups @CHC3, WAS4 Rostered 60% After a rough first couple weeks with the Pirates, Bryan De La Cruz has begun to find his footing, batting .308 (16 for 52), albeit with just one homer, in his past 14 games. With the Pirates having the second-best hitter matchups this week, he's a reasonable bet to keep it going, especially since five of the pitchers on tap throw left-handed. De La Cruz is batting .287 against lefties compared to .223 against righties. Jose Tena 3B WAS Washington * #8 * Age: 23 Matchups @MIA2, @PIT4 Rostered 5% Acquired at the trade deadline in the Lane Thomas deal, Jose Tena has been a pleasant surprise as the Nationals third baseman, making consistently hard contact from the left side of the plate. He's been especially productive against right-handers, batting .342 (13 for 38) with both of his home runs, and that's all the Nationals are scheduled to face this week. Best hitter matchups for Week 24
1. Red Sox @NYM3, CHW3
2. Pirates @CHC3, WAS4
3. Mariners @OAK4, @STL3
4. Padres DET3, SF3
5. Dodgers @ARI1, @LAA2, CLE3
Worst hitter matchups for Week 24
1. Blue Jays PHI2, @ATL3
2. Cardinals @MIL3, SEA3
3. Athletics SEA4, DET3
4. Giants ARI3, @SD3
5. Guardians @KC3, @LAD3