Hot bats with favorable matchups can win you fantasy baseball

Looking for an edge over your opponents in your quest at fantasy glory over the last two weeks?

Take a look at the hitters on your roster, as well as hot swingers available on the waiver wire, who will face teams ranked at the bottom of the league in team ERA.

Hot hitters with favorable schedules will come in handy, because we’re not worried about whether their bats can sustain long-term success.

We’re worried about short-term production, and targeting bats with soft schedules should give your squad a boost.

That is why Roto Rage believes a player such as the Dodgers’ Tommy Edman — who is eligible as a shortstop, second baseman and outfielder — is a must-add.

Edman entered the weekend having played in just 21 games — hitting .300 with four homers, 13 RBIs, 12 runs, five stolen bases and a .821 OPS.

Edman truly found his groove in his first 10 games this month — hitting .325 with four homers (all of which came in back-to-back two-homer games on Tuesday and Wednesday), 10 RBIs, seven runs, two stolen bases and a 1.007 OPS.

He hit .353 with four stolen bases and a .978 OPS in 13 games since Aug. 29.

Let’s also remember that this is a player who averaged double-digit homers, 53 RBIs, 30 stolen bases and a .708 OPS from 2021-23, and who also happens to mostly hit in the middle of one of the best offenses in the game.

The best thing about Edman may be the Dodgers’ remaining schedule.

After finishing their four-game set against the Braves on Monday, the Dodgers will head to Miami to face a Marlins team that owns the third-worst team ERA in the majors as well as the second-worst team ERA at home (5.14).

Next comes three home games against the Rockies, who own the worst team ERA in the league, before hosting the Padres (we’re going to pretend this one doesn’t exist).

Edman & Co. will end the season with three games in Colorado, where the Rockies also own the worst home ERA (5.36).

(FYI: Edman is a career .337 hitter against Colorado and has hit .321 against Miami.)

Use the Dodgers’ soft schedule to your advantage over the final two weeks and add Edman, who remains available in 70 percent of ESPN leagues.

Eugenio Suarez was mentioned in this space last week, and we’re going right back to him.

Not only did he hit .325 with 18 homers and a 1.049 OPS in his first 49 second-half games, but he hit .427 with 10 homers, 23 RBIs, 24 runs and a 1.387 OPS in his past 18 games before Friday.

He still is rostered in fewer than 50 percent of ESPN leagues, and he kicks off this week with three games at Colorado.

The Angels’ Zach Neto (24.2 percent rostered) hit .324 with a homer, four RBIs, four stolen bases, seven runs and a .952 OPS in his first 10 games this month, and a respectable .266 with nine homers, 28 RBIs, 29 runs, 15 stolen bases and a .854 OPS in his first 49 games since the All-Star break.

Outside of a four-game set against the Astros, the Angels will close out the season against the Rangers, who own a 5.24 road ERA (third-worst in the league), and six games against the dreadful White Sox, who have the second-worst team ERA in the majors (4.85).

Taylor Ward (48.5 percent) is another hot Angels bat to target.

Lane Thomas hit .390 with three homers, 14 RBIs, a stolen base and a 1.137 OPS over his first 11 games this month.

He will face the Twins (four games), Cardinals (three) and Reds (two), all teams with ERA’s above 4.00 in the second half, in the next two weeks.

Tyler O’Neill had eight homers in his past 17 games before Friday, and was hitting .314 with five homers and a 1.229 OPS in his first 10 games this month.

Half of Boston’s final 12 games will come against Toronto (4.33 team ERA) and Minnesota (4.17 ERA).

The Cubs’ Dansby Swanson (62.2 percent) entered Friday hitting a respectable .272 with five homers, 27 RBIs, 33 runs, 11 stolen bases and a .775 OPS in his first 48 games in the second half.

After this weekend’s series in Colorado, the Cubs have three games at home against the A’s followed by a four-game set versus the Nationals, both ranked among the bottom nine in team ERA.

After a series against the Phillies, he’ll finish against a Reds rotation that has a 4.49 ERA since the break.

Big hits

Matthew Boyd SP, Guardians

Hasn’t allowed more than three earned runs in any of his six starts, and is 2-1 with a 2.18 ERA, 35-7 strikeout-walk rate, .190 opponents’ average and 15 percent swinging-strike rate.

Taylor Ward OF, Angels

Had at least one hit in 20 of his past 21 games — going 26-for-80 (.325) with seven homers, 11 RBIs, 16 runs and a 1.076 OPS.

Pablo Lopez SP, Twins

He is 5-0 with a 1.12 ERA, 39-6 strikeout-walk rate, .243 opponents’ average and a 14 percent swinging-strike rate in his past six starts.

Cedric Mullins OF, Orioles

Over his first 10 games this month, he hit .343 with four homers, nine RBIs, seven runs, two stolen bases and a 1.153 OPS.

Big whiffs

Colin Rea SP, Brewers

Though he has two wins in his past six starts, he has allowed 26 earned runs over his past 31 ²/₃ innings (7.39 ERA), as well as 11 homers and a .306 opponents’ average and .957 OPS.

Luis Garcia Jr. 2B, Nationals

Was 7-for-46 (.152) with no homers or RBIs, three runs, 11 strikeouts and a .437 OPS over his past 15 games.

Kutter Crawford SP, Red Sox

Before taking the mound Sunday against the Yankees, he had lost six of his past seven starts while maintaining a 5.17 ERA.

Triston Casas 1B, Red Sox

His last homer came on Aug. 25, and he was 8-for-46 (.174) with 18 strikeouts and a .487 OPS in his next 15 games.

Check swings

– In his two starts since being recalled, Reid Detmers (43.7 percent rostered) is 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA, 18-4 strikeout-walk rate, .186 opponents’ average and 15 percent swinging-strike rate. He is striking out 10.56 per nine and has a 13.6 percent swinging-strike rate this year. His next start is Monday against the horrific White Sox.

– Dean Kremer has not lost since Aug. 8 — going 3-0 with a 2.62 ERA, 32 strikeouts, .213 opponents’ average and a 10 percent swinging-strike rate over his past six starts.

– Toronto’s Bowden Francis entered the ninth inning with a no-hitter for the second time in his past four starts on Wednesday. He is 5-2 with a 1.83 ERA, .127 opponents’ average and 48-6 strikeout-walk rate over his past nine appearances (eight starts), and somehow still is available in 50 percent of ESPN leagues. Guess he has to finish a no-no to get some love from fantasy managers?

– Jake Burger has been stuck on 25 homers since Aug. 21, going 15-for-70 (.214) with 16 strikeouts, four RBIs and a .548 OPS in 18 games since.

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– After allowing seven runs in his Aug. 11 start against Arizona, Cristopher Sanchez has not allowed more than three earned runs in any of his past five starts while going 2-1 with a 31-3 strikeout-walk rate, .219 opponents’ average and a 14 percent swinging-strike rate.

– Corey Seager, who hadn’t played since Sept. 2, will miss the remainder of the season to repair a sports hernia on the right side of his groin. The 30-year-old Ranger was hitting .294 with 12 homers, 26 RBIs, 23 runs and a .924 OPS since the All-Star break. Among shortstops, Seager entered Friday ranked fifth in RBIs, fourth in average, third in OBP, slugging percentage, OPS and homers, and 15th in runs.

– Jacob deGrom (will add later tonight after his start and may move up top instead of Kremer)

Team name of the week

Ways and Means Committee