Welcome to the 2021 Fantasy Baseball Week 13 Hitting Planner!
We are getting to the home stretch of the Fantasy Baseball season. The injuries have not slowed down, and if anyone's team looks like mine, then the injured list is overflowing.
If there was a category for combined IL time, I would be winning in a few leagues.
We are also approaching July 4th which is always a great weekend for baseball fans. I know that July 4th is also the time Fantasy Baseball owners have a great idea of who is a playoff team and who might start looking forward to 2022.
With that being said, let us jump right into the 2021 Fantasy Baseball Week 13 Hitting Planner!
2021 Fantasy Baseball Week 13 Hitting Planner
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2021 Fantasy Baseball Week 13 Hitting Planner Schedule
Source: Baseball Monster
Offenses To Target
San Diego Padres
Team wRC+: 100
The San Diego Padres offense got off to a slower start this season. However, they have been warming up as of late and I think we are close to seeing the offense that we thought we would see from San Diego this year.
They play six games on the road this week, three in Cincinnati and three in Philadelphia. Two teams with subpar pitching staffs and hitter-friendly ballparks.
The Reds are 25th in team ERA (4.78) and the Phillies are 18th in team ERA (4.31).
Notable Players
Fernando Tatis Jr.has been phenomenal this season with his 186 OPS+. He is not to blame for the Padres slow offensive start.
Manny Machado has been solid, .258/.338/.464 with twelve home runs, thirty-eight runs, forty-eight RBIs, eight stolen bases, and a 128 OPS+. That is a solid stat line, but I imagine we as Fantasy Baseball players would love just a little more from Machado.
Trent Grisham is hitting .263/.347/.474 with eight home runs, twenty-five runs, twenty-two RBIs, seven stolen bases, and a 134 OPS+. He has been solid but is recently slumping with a .222 OBP in his last fourteen games.
Eric Hosmer has gotten off to a really slow start, with a 93 OPS+. If he can get it turned around, and the rest of the offense continues to show signs of life, I really like the Padres offense not only this week but over the next few weeks.
St Louis Cardinals
Team wRC+: 88
I know I am going out on a limb with the Cardinals as their offense has not been great recently, but they have a favorable schedule this week that could provide a solid offensive week.
They will play the Arizona Diamondbacks at home for three games, before traveling to Colorado for a four-game series with the Rockies.
We all know about the Diamondbacks' struggles this season, and it is reflected in their pitching staff ranked 29th in team ERA (5.23). After that series, the Rockies pitching staff awaits with their 27th ranked team ERA (4.89) in Coors Field. I like the chances that the Cardinals' offense gives some solid performances next week.
Notable Players
I know that everyone had Tyler O'Neill as the most productive offensive player for the Cardinals coming into 2021. He is hitting .275/.319/.582 with fifteen home runs, thirty-one runs, thirty-four RBIs, five steals, and a 151 OPS+. I know that we all love to see the power numbers combined with the solid average/OBP from O'Neill, but the thing that really stands out to me is the five stolen bases. He had six coming into this year, so it is a surprise, and while it may not be a lot, getting five to ten steals from a player is better than no steals.
Nolan Arenado has been solid this season, .267/.314/.502 with fourteen home runs, thirty-five runs, and forty-eight RBIs. That is down from his career line of .291/.347/.538, however, I want to point out that his OPS+ is currently 129 which is higher than his career OPS+ of 121. OPS+ adjusts for the park, and it shows how much playing at Coors really boosted his fantasy value.
Paul Goldschmidt has slowly started to fade, hitting .255/.318/.415 with ten home runs, thirty-eight runs, thirty-nine RBIs, five steals, and a 108 OPS+. I do not see Goldy turning into the fantasy star that he once was, but he does provide sneaky value at first base by picking up steals by being a savvy baserunner.
Teams to Avoid
Washington Nationals
Team wRC+: 96
The Nationals have woken up a little bit from their offensive drought to start the year. To start the year, it was basically Trea Turner carrying the fantasy relevance from an offensive standpoint.
Juan Soto finally got healthy, and a few other guys started showing signs of life at the plate. However, I am not a fan of this lineup.
They play the New York Mets (3.11 team ERA) for one game on Monday, the Tampa Bay Rays (3.41 team ERA) for two games, and finish with a four-game set with the Los Angeles Dodgers (3.30 team ERA). Taking on three teams in the top seven of pitching scares me away this week.
Notable Players
Trea Turner has been exactly what one wanted for their Fantasy Baseball team, hitting .315/.361/.483 eleven home runs, thirty-nine runs, thirty-four RBIs, fifteen stolen bases, and a 139 OPS+.
Juan Soto has also been heating up after a slow start due to injuries. His numbers are not what everyone would like after using a top-two pick on him, but I think he should pick it up over the last few months. It will be interesting to watch him against the tougher pitching matchups.
Look out, but Kyle Schwarber has figured it out at the plate for the Nationals. He is hitting .240/.325/.519 with nineteen home runs, thirty-two runs, forty-five RBIs, and a 137 OPS+. If anyone took him late or picked him up off waivers, he has been a great value play for Fantasy Baseball owners.
Josh Bell has been a mixed bag for value this season. The 105 OPS+ is not what the Nationals wanted, but ten home runs, thirty-one runs, and thirty-two RBs is solid for fantasy purposes. Good luck figuring out what game it will come though.
Cincinnati Reds
Team wRC+: 104
The Reds' offense has been solid. But if one looks deeper, it is really just Jesse Winker and Nicholas Castellanos carrying this offense. Winker has a 158 OPS+ and Castellanos has a 151 OPS+. Outside of that, everyone else has an OPS+ of 111.
Their schedule next week is not the most favorable. They start with one game against the Philadelphia Phillies, before playing the San Diego Padres for three games, and finishing with a three-game series with the Chicago Cubs.
The Phillies' team ERA ranks 18th (4.31), the Padres have the best team ERA (3.09), and the Cubs are 11th (3.75).
Notable Players
Castellanos and Winker were mentioned earlier, and as I mentioned, there was not an OPS+ higher than 111. That OPS+ belongs to Tyler Naquin with eleven home runs, twenty-five runs, forty-six RBIs, and four stolen bases.
Joey Votto has been down this year with a .240/.331/.435 line that includes eight home runs, eighteen runs, thirty RBIs, and a 99 OPS+. I know he has been on a steady decline over the last few years, but I think most would have hoped for a higher average and OBP at the very least.
Eugenio Suarez has been a disaster this season. He is sitting at .177/.253/.376 with fifteen home runs, thirty-six runs, forty-three RBIs, and a 62 OPS+. At least he has the home runs, I guess. Outside of that, Suarez has been disappointing. Unfortunately, I feel like most have to keep playing him because of draft capital.
2021 Fantasy Baseball Week 13 Hitting Planner Sleeper/Waiver Option
Tony Kemp, 2B/OF, Oakland A's
I know this is not the sexiest option out there, but hear me out. Kemp is hitting .289/.404/.459, and while he may not hit for a ton of home runs, he is providing great value.
There are so many injuries currently, and if one is in a tough situation, Kemp could be a solid pickup to ride for a few weeks. He probably will not win a championship, but he can help for a few weeks to stabilize a lineup.
If that keeps one at the top of the league, maybe Kemp can actually help someone win a championship.
Thanks for reading the 2021 Fantasy Baseball Week 13 Hitting Planner!
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