Here are The Game Day’s Week 23 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers: 2-Start Pitchers, Spot Starters, & Hitter Picks. Use Josh Shepardson’s Week 23 MLB Sleepers to fill out your fantasy baseball lineups with upside plays.
Week 23 Fantasy Baseball Sleepers
Week 23 Fantasy Baseball 2-Start Pitchers To Add From Waiver Wire
Josiah Gray, RHP, Washington Nationals (41% rostered in Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues)
- Start 1: vs. Philadelphia Phillies
- Start 2: vs. New York Mets
I’m completely enamored with Josiah Gray at this point. The 23-year-old rookie has hit the ground running in the majors, twirling a 3.75 ERA, 4.03 SIERA, 1.19 WHIP, 27.8 K%, and 31.1 CSW% over his first 36 innings.
He’ll look to continue that success with a pair of attractive matchups this week. The Philadelphia Phillies rank 19th in wRC+ (90) against righties, while the New York Mets are only slightly better at 17th (92 wRC+). Furthermore, both NL East foes rank in the bottom 12 in overall wRC+ since the trade deadline.
- Josiah Gray fantasy baseball tip: Gray should be universally rostered and started in fantasy baseball leagues this week.
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Bailey Ober, RHP, Minnesota Twins (7%)
- Start 1: at Detroit Tigers
- Start 2: at Tampa Bay Rays
Bailey Ober’s the only other two-start pitcher featured this week. The pickings are slim, and Ober’s not without risk. His matchup with the Tampa Bay Rays is particularly hazardous, as they’re a top-five offense in terms of wRC+.
That said, I wouldn’t be touting Ober if there wasn’t potential for him to deliver the goods. As talented as the Rays are, they’re also strikeout-prone, fanning in 25.3% of their plate appearances against righties this year. Ditto for the far less imposing Detroit Tigers, who’ve punched out at a 26.1% clip against RHP.
As for Ober, he’s held his own in his first taste of MLB action this year. The 26-year-old rookie has a 4.06 ERA and 1.24 WHIP in 15 starts as well as a strong 9.4 K/9 rate.
- Bailey Ober fantasy baseball tip: Ober’s strikeout ability may serve him well in his two-start week, putting him on the radar in 14-team mixers or deeper.
Minnesota Twins rookie Bailey Ober is one of the best Week 23 waiver wire sleeper options with strikeout potential in both of his matchups this week. (Image: USA TODAY)
Week 23 Fantasy Baseball Spot Starters To Add From Waiver Wire
Elieser Hernandez, RHP, Miami Marlins at New York Mets (50%)
Elieser Hernandez was a popular breakout this year candidate coming off a strong 2020 campaign, but injuries have limited him to only five starts this season.
Nonetheless, he’s impressed in those turns, compiling a 3.63 ERA, 3.69 xERA, 1.07 WHIP, and 23:4 K/BB ratio in 22 1/3 innings. He has a golden opportunity to improve upon those numbers with a plus matchup against the scuffling Mets this week.
- Elieser Hernandez fantasy baseball tip: Hernandez is a viable streaming option in leagues of all sizes.
A.J. Alexy, RHP, Texas Rangers vs. Colorado Rockies (0%)
The Texas Rangers received an exquisite debut from rookie Glenn Otto last week and are hoping to get similar results from A.J. Alexy this week against the Colorado Rockies at home. The 23-year-old rookie will look to exploit MLB’s worst road offense in his first career start.
For Alexy’s part, he earned his promotion by dominating in Double-A and Triple-A this year. In 65 innings split across both levels, he toyed with hitters to the tune of a 1.66 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and 29.8 K%. He also displayed an impressive ability to miss bats with a 12.7 SwStr% in Double-A and 16.9 SwStr% in Triple-A.
- A.J. Alexy fantasy baseball tip: I trust Alexy in 14-team mixers and larger leagues. Additionally, he’s a defensible gamble in leagues as shallow as 12-team mixers, albeit one with some risk in his first big-league start.
Week 23 MLB Sleeper Hitters To Add From Waiver Wire
Connor Joe, 1B/OF, Colorado Rockies (25%)
Brendan Rodgers, 2B/SS, Colorado Rockies (20%)
Sam Hilliard, OF, Colorado Rockies (3%)
- 3 Games at Texas Rangers
- 4 Games vs. Atlanta Braves
Connor Joe, Brendan Rodgers, and Sam Hilliard all represent attractive streaming options this week for a few reasons. For starters, the Rockies have a full seven-game week on tap, four of which are at Coors Field. The three in Texas have potential for fantasy goodness, too, as the Rangers have MLB’s 10th-highest ERA in August (4.69) and also play in a hitter-friendly park.
Want more fantasy baseball advice? Check out our full 2021 fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups list for Week 23.
