Here are The Game Day’s Week 20 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers: 2-Start Pitchers, Spot Starters, & Hitter Picks. Use Josh Shepardson’s Week 20 MLB Sleepers to fill out your fantasy baseball lineups with upside plays.
Week 20 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers
Week 20 Fantasy Baseball 2-Start Pitchers To Add From Waiver Wire
Zach Thompson, Miami Marlins (28% rostered in Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues)
- Start 1: at San Diego Padres
- Start 2: vs. Chicago Cubs
Zach Thompson headlines my favorite two-start pitchers this week. While he hasn’t been much of a workhorse, averaging fewer than five innings per start, there isn’t much else to dislike about the rookie’s profile. The 27-year-old righty has held the opposition to three runs or fewer in all nine of his starts for the Miami Marlins, compiling a 2.53 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 24.3 K%, 9.0 BB%, 45.1 GB%, and 27.8 CSW% over 42 2/3 frames.
- Zach Thompson fantasy baseball tip: The San Diego Padres provide a challenging first start on the road, despite the absence of superstar shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. Thankfully, the Chicago Cubs are a Charmin-soft second matchup, especially at home. Gamers in leagues as shallow as 12-team mixers should roster Thompson this week.
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Casey Mize, Detroit Tigers (48%)
- Start 1: at Baltimore Orioles
- Start 2: vs. Cleveland Indians
Casey Mize has a mouthwatering layout this week. The Baltimore Orioles rank 25th in wRC+ (85) against righties, while the Cleveland Indians aren’t much better at 22nd (88).
The No. 1 pick in the 2018 MLB Draft is enjoying a breakout in his second season. In his last seven starts lasting 33 and 2/3 innings, he’s tallied a 3.48 ERA, 4.38 SIERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 52.4 GB%. While the 24-year-old’s 17.6 K% during that stretch leaves something to be desired, his 27.1 CSW% hints at the potential for more strikeouts.
- Casey Mize fantasy baseball tip: With a 3.12 ERA and 1.05 WHIP since the beginning of May, Mize has been a reliable starter for much of the season and is an option in leagues as shallow as 12-team mixers.
Steven Matz, Toronto Blue Jays (36%)
- Start 1: vs. Los Angeles Angels (in Anaheim as a makeup game)
- Start 2: at Seattle Mariners
Steven Matz will make a pair of road starts this week in pitcher-friendly parks against mediocre offenses. While his 4.30 ERA and 1.37 WHIP aren’t anything special, his 3.83 FIP and 3.8 K/BB ratio are a bit more promising. He’s also pitched better recently with a 2.70 ERA over his last four outings.
- Steven Matz fantasy baseball tip: Matz isn’t as appealing of an option this week as Thompson or Mize, but he’s still a usable option in 14-team mixers or deeper formats.
Steven Matz and the Toronto Blue Jays will look to remain hot this week after winning 8 of their last 10 games. (Image: USA TODAY)
Week 20 Fantasy Baseball Spot Starters To Add From Waiver Wire
Ross Stripling, RHP, Toronto Blue Jays at Los Angeles Angels (17%)
Similar to Matz, Ross Stripling has struggled a bit this season but has performed better lately. Since May 19, he has a 3.39 ERA, a 1.03 WHIP, and a 62:19 K/BB ratio over his last 13 appearances (12 starts) spanning 66 1/3 innings. Looking at those turns, he’s allowed two earned runs or less in 10 of those outings while typically logging 5-6 innings per start.
- Ross Stripling fantasy baseball tip: I opted to highlight Stripling to feature a player on under 20% of rosters, giving gamers in deeper leagues a streamer option. Stripling’s a useful option in 14-team mixers or larger.
See our full 2021 fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups list for Week 20.
Week 20 MLB Sleeper Hitters To Add From Waiver Wire
Harrison Bader, OF, St. Louis Cardinals (37%)
- 3 Games at Pittsburgh Pirates
- 3 Games at Kansas City Royals
Harrison Bader carried a 29.1 K% into this year for his career, suppressing his batting average to an ugly .234. He’s cut that mark all the way down to 18.1% this year, resulting in a batting average surge to .275. The 27-year-old brings some power and speed as well with nine homers and six steals in 204 plate appearances this season. He has soft pitching matchups this week, enhancing his fantasy baseball outlook for this scoring period.
Kolten Wong, 2B, Milwaukee Brewers (33%)
- 4 Games at Chicago Cubs
- 3 Games at Pittsburgh Pirates
The Milwaukee Brewers are one of the few teams with seven games scheduled for this week, five of which project to be against right-handed starters. That bodes well for the lefty-swinging Kolten Wong, whose career OPS is nearly 50 points better against RHP. Milwaukee’s leadoff hitter is a volume-driven suggestion.
