MLB

The Smash and Grab: 4 Teams With Elite Hitting Opportunities in Week 19

There's a lot of volume this week with plenty of seven-game teams. Which ones stick out as opportunities to target?

One thing I have learned in my journey in fantasy baseball is that volume is key -- especially in hitting.

In standard rotisserie leagues, only one category is ratio-based (batting average), which allows us to maximize at-bats and plate appearances to rack up those counting statistics in runs, home runs, runs batted in, and stolen bases. And as simplistic as the approach seems, the best fantasy players find ways to garner as many shots as possible -- via volume.

Each week, this report will analyze the matchups for the upcoming week to see if any teams, in particular, stand out from a volume perspective as we gear up for those Free Agent Budget (FAB) bids.

The seven-game teams? Those are obvious. But what about the other matchups? Let's dig in and find out.

Seven-Game Teams (13)

There is a lot of high-powered volume this week.

The following teams play (at least) seven games: Arizona Diamondbacks, Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians, Los Angeles Angels, Miami Marlins, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, Seattle Mariners, San Francisco Giants, Texas Rangers and Washington Nationals.

With so much volume, who sticks out?

New York Yankees: I am as puzzled as the next person in attempting to figure out what in the heck is going on with this offense -- it is definitely struggling, but perhaps the acquisitions of Anthony Rizzo and Joey Gallo can finally kick start this puppy into existence. It's been mediocre, at best, all season, clocking in the middle third of nearly every category. This week, it is primed to explode, playing seven games within their friendly confines against the Detroit Tigers and the Seattle Mariners. It's put up or shut up time.

Pittsburgh Pirates: While the Pirates have been a bit up-and-down as of late, this is their week to get right. They get to travel to the friendliest ballparks in the NL Central, starting with three in Milwaukee only facing Freddy Peralta among the Big 3, and then traveling to homer-haven Great American Ballpark for a four-game set. Can they get back on a patented hot streak and disrupt the NL Central race?

San Francisco Giants: I am not sure anyone was ready to forecast that the Giants would be among the league's elite offensive attacks, and now that they've added Kris Bryant, this offense is really ready to cook. They start with four in Arizona, facing a banged-up pitching staff that isn't that solid before traveling to Milwaukee for three to end the week. They will face both Brandon Woodruff and Corbin Burnes to start the series, but don't ignore this team.

Toronto Blue Jays: Living in a world where Cavan Biggio and Lourdes Gurriel bat seventh and eighth truly flexes the muscles of how powerful this team is. And, this is the only team that gets eight games this week, so here you go. The sheer numbers alone are outstanding, but couple that with four against the murky Indians staff and then another four against the poor Red Sox staff, all at home at the Rogers Centre, is a pretty intriguing set of matchups.

Six-Game Teams (12)

Five-Game Teams (5)

Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland Athletics and San Diego Padres.

Coors Field

Chicago Cubs (3), Miami Marlins (3)