Best hitter matchups for this week include the Marlins, Phillies and Mets
By Scott White May 3, 2026 at 10:24 pm ET • 1 min read 
Whether you're in need of an injury fill-in or just a hot-hand play, Scott White has you covered with 10 sleeper hitters for the upcoming scoring period, all rostered in less than 80 percent of CBS Sports leagues. They're not must-starts by any estimation, but they're often the best you'll find off the waiver wire.
All information is up to date as of Sunday evening.
Sleeper hitters for Week 7 (May 4-10)
Moises Ballesteros C CHC Chi. Cubs • #25 • Age: 22 Matchups CIN4, @TEX3 Rostered 62% Moises Ballesteros earned high marks as a hitter in the minors and has begun to live up to it in the majors, too, carrying a .317/.380/.598 slash line into the new week. He still tends to sit against left-handers, but the Cubs are in line to face just one of those in a seven-game scoring period. 
Carter Jensen C KC Kansas City • #22 • Age: 22 Matchups CLE4, DET3 Rostered 75% Left-handers can also sometimes pose a problem for Carter Jensen, but the Royals are scheduled to face just two in their seven games this week. You may have a hard time fitting in another catcher in an environment rich with them, but Jensen is good enough and plays often enough to suffice in a utility spot as well. 
Spencer Torkelson 1B DET Detroit • #20 • Age: 26 Matchups BOS3, @KC3 Rostered 73% After a stretch of five straight games with a home run toward the end of April, Spencer Torkelson just added a sixth Sunday, further diminishing concerns that he won't be able to live up to last year's 31 homers. Four of the pitchers on tap for the Tigers this week throw left-handed, which should work to the benefit of a guy whose batting average was 30 points higher and OPS was 130 points higher against lefties than righties last year. 
Nate Lowe 1B CIN Cincinnati • #31 • Age: 30 Matchups @CHC4, HOU3 Rostered 9% Nate Lowe has served as the Reds' everyday DH since Eugenio Suarez was lost to an oblique injury and has been obliterating the ball in that role, homering five times with an average exit velocity of 92.3 mph. His strikeout and pull-air rates are the best they've ever been, and he's looking at a slate of hittable righties like Jameson Taillon, Colin Rea, Michael Burrows and Kai-Wei Teng. 
Brandon Marsh CF PHI Philadelphia • #16 • Age: 28 Matchups @MIA1, ATH3, COL3 Rostered 37% Brandon Marsh is looking like a more complete hitter this year, bringing his strikeout rate down to a respectable level and getting occasional chances against left-handed pitchers. Even if he ends up sitting against the two on the schedule this week, his power/speed profile makes him the Phillies hitter most poised to take advantage of their second-ranked hitter matchups. 
Cole Young SS SEA Seattle • #2 • Age: 22 Matchups ATL3, @CHW3 Rostered 46% Cole Young's massive spring hasn't translated to the regular season, but he is finally beginning to make an impact, batting .367 (11 for 30) with two doubles, a home run and a stolen base in his past eight games. He has some attractive matchups this week against the back of the Braves rotation and the White Sox pitching staff. 
Spencer Steer 1B CIN Cincinnati • #7 • Age: 28 Matchups @CHC4, HOU3 Rostered 54% Spencer Steer has been barreling up the ball consistently, with a 17.6 percent rate that ranks in the 93rd percentile, and it's begun to bear fruit with him batting .290 (18 for 62) with four homers and three doubles in his past 20 games. As already discussed for Nate Lowe, the Reds' matchups are pretty favorable this week. 
Nathan Church OF STL St. Louis • #27 • Age: 25 Matchups MIL3, @SD4 Rostered 24% Nathan Church's average exit velocity has been creeping up over the past couple weeks, combining with his high pull-air rate for a surprising home run output. He tends to sit against left-handers, but the Cardinals aren't scheduled to face any of those this week, which makes Church a prime candidate to take advantage of the fourth-best hitter schedule. 
Dominic Canzone LF SEA Seattle • #8 • Age: 28 Matchups ATL3, @CHW3 Rostered 29% Dominic Canzone's Baseball Savant page continues to burn as red as Betelgeuse, with his 95.7 mph average exit velocity standing out in particular. His biggest drawback is that he never ever plays against left-handed pitchers, but the Mariners have only one of those scheduled for this week. 
Jung Hoo Lee CF SF San Francisco • #51 • Age: 27 Matchups SD3, PIT3 Rostered 45% Improved contact quality and a higher launch angle has led to a .281 batting average and even better .291 xBA for Jung Hoo Lee. The Giants' fifth-ranked hitter matchups are all the more appealing to him given that all the opposing pitchers are right-handers. He has a batting average 40 points higher and an OPS 140 points higher against righties than lefties in his career. Best hitter matchups for Week 7
1. Marlins PHI1, BAL3, WAS3 2. Phillies @MIA1, ATH3, COL3 3. Mets @COL3, @ARI3 4. Cardinals MIL3, @SD4 5. Giants SD3, PIT3
Worst hitter matchups for Week 7
1. Astros LAD3, @CIN3 2. Braves @SEA3, @LAD3 3. Guardians @KC4, MIN3 4. Diamondbacks PIT3, NYM3 5. Yankees BAL1, TEX3, @MIL3
Join the Conversation comments
