Lose a stud bat to injury and need a fill-in in a pinch? Tired of that dead weight in your utility spot and looking to catch lightning in a bottle? Scott White has 10 recommendations for the upcoming scoring period, all rostered in less than 80 percent of CBS Sports leagues. They're not must-starts by any means, but they're the best you'll be able to do off the waiver wire.
- Week 17: Sleeper pitchers | Two-start pitchers
All information is up to date as of Sunday evening.
Sleeper hitters for Week 17 (July 25-31)
Bottom line is Pasquantino is too good to be available in one-third of CBS Sports leagues still. The production has lagged so far, but the amount and quality of contact point to big things for the left-handed hitter, who'll get to enjoy the short porch at Yankee Stadium for four games this week.
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Votto has come out of the break hot with two home runs in three games and has an OPS around .850 since returning from COVID-19 in late May. He'll face a pieced-together Marlins rotation and an unimposing Orioles rotation this week.
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Someone out there has to be worth picking up for the Dodgers' top-rated hitter matchups this week, which include four games at Coors Field. Lux is their one hitter who's both available and promising enough to justify a recommendation.
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Flores has had a steady, if unspectacular, season as one of the few Giants hitters who's in the lineup most every day. With four home runs in his past 13 games, he's in a good spot to take advantage of their second-ranked hitter matchups, which feature seven games against Diamondbacks and Cubs pitchers.
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McCutchen has been sneaky good for over a month now, batting .309 with seven homers, three steals and a near-.900 OPS in his past 39 games. The way the rotations line up right now, he'll miss Nathan Eovaldi in the Red Sox series and Joe Ryan and Sonny Gray in the Twins series, and those teams don't have much else to offer pitching-wise.
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The Rays' leadoff hitter does a good job getting on base and ... not much else. Still, he's hot right now, batting .390 (32 for 82) in his past 23 games, and should be able to maximize his output with the third-best hitter matchups this week, which include a four-game series against the Orioles.
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The quality of contact remains strong for Pham (91st percentile average exit velocity). Even if we're losing hope in him getting the most out of it, he's capable of taking advantage of pitchers like Trevor Rogers, Dean Kremer, Spenser Watkins and Austin Voth.
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One of the less celebrated members of the Yankees lineup, Hicks brings an element of speed and power and has been particularly productive in July, batting .314 (16 for 51) with three homers and two steals. He'll get four games against the Royals pitching staff this week.
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Best hitter matchups for Week 17
1. Dodgers WAS3, @COL4
2. Giants @ARI3, CHC4
3. Rays @BAL4, CLE3
4. Reds MIA4, BAL3
5. Angels @KC3, TEX4
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Worst hitter matchups for Week 17
1. Twins @MIL2, @SD3
2. Mets NYY2, @MIA3
3. Diamondbacks SF3, @ATL3
4. Tigers SD3, @TOR4
5. Marlins @CIN4, NYM3