Week 6 brings about fantasy baseball’s first full week in May. Injuries are happening at a furious pace, and a handful of call-ups are taking place. Fantasy managers need to be ready to pounce on incoming prospects. Sure, maybe the youngster struggles out of the gate, but adding a potentially starter-level talent from the waiver wire can be a league-winning move.
Another way to win your head-to-head leagues is to maximize games played. Here is a look at the Week 6 schedule with the idea of accomplishing that feat.
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A Look at the Schedule
Week 6 brings a massive slate of games. Sixteen teams play seven games this upcoming week. The remaining 14 clubs have six contests.
The high volume of games drastically limits the streaming advantage this week. Fantasy managers are going to want to go with talent over schedule in most cases. Here are the top pickups for Week 6 that managers can use to round out their starting lineups. To be eligible, players must be rostered in no more than 50 percent of Yahoo Leagues.
Top Pickups
Jose Martinez (1B/OF – STL): 50% owned
It is supposed to be players rostered in under 50 percent of Yahoo Leagues, but this one deserved a mention. Martinez is crushing at the plate, batting .375/.414/.488 so far this season.
If that is not enough, he is a career .315/.375/.479 hitter over 1,001 plate appearances. He is not a massive power or speed guy, but the Cardinals lineup looks deep this season. Martinez should continue to bat in the middle of it.
St. Louis hosts the Phillies and Pirates in Week 6. That should present an opportunity for Martinez to continue putting up gaudy numbers.
Alex Verdugo (OF – LAD): 25% owned
The A.J. Pollock injury sounds serious, leaving plenty of at-bats for Verdugo, who turns 23 on May 15. Verdugo has a career .309 average with a .367 on-base percentage in the minors, and he’s currently batting .342 for the Dodgers. Expect him to hit and receive plenty of run scoring and RBI opportunities in a deep lineup.
Carter Kieboom (SS – WSH): 31% owned
Kieboom is the perfect opportunity to catch lightning in a bottle. Recently called up from Triple-A the 21-year-old is still available in plenty of leagues. Last season, he had 16 homers and nine steals in the minors with a .357 on-base percentage.
It is not crazy to think he could come to the MLB and hit 20 homers with 10 steals. If Kieboom is back in the minors on June 1, as a fantasy manager you did not lose much. His upside is worth the risk. Add him now.
Kolten Wong (2B – STL): 48% owned
Wong has four home runs and six steals already this season. He is also batting .260 with a .385 OBP. The 28-year-old could be a 15-15 option this season, but health has always been an issue. Add him now, though, while he’s playing well.
Wong hits better for his career against right-handed pitching. He supports a .257 average with a .334 OBP plus more power and speed. The Cardinals are scheduled to face seven righties in Week 6.
Yonder Alonso (1B – CWS): 14% owned
The White Sox have seven road games in Week 6, traveling to Cleveland for four games before heading north to Toronto for a weekend series. Alonso hits well against right-handed pitching, and the Sox are scheduled to face only righties.
Jorge Alfaro (C – MIA): 41% owned
Normally, I do not put a catcher in this article, but Alfaro deserves it. He will likely finish the year as a top-10 option at the position assuming health. Alfaro already has five homers and is batting .288/.345/.475. Add him if your backstop is struggling.
Jose Peraza (2B/SS – CIN): 48% owned
Peraza has stolen over 20 bases in three straight seasons. He already has four this season. Hopefully, he develops a bit more power. He set a new career high last season with 14 home runs. It was a slow start, but he is gradually rounding into form. Peraza is one of the top middle infield options to add this week, even as the Reds are making a west coast swing in Oakland and San Francisco.
Ryon Healy (1B/3B – SEA): 35% owned
Healy is coming off back-to-back seasons with at least 24 home runs. He is also a career .271 hitter against left-handed pitching. The Mariners are on the road all week, playing four games in New York against the Yankees and three in Boston. They are also scheduled to face four lefties during that stretch. Healy could be in for a big Week 6.
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Tyler Watts is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Tyler, follow him @tylerpwatts.
