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Week 4 will be upon us and trigger happy managers looking to make moves now have a larger sample size to judge players. It’s been the year of the pitcher as is usually the case in the early going; however it should start to even out soon. My advice is to ride those hot pitchers while you can.

This piece looks at players who might be available in your league and present an alternative option to a struggling or injured player in your lineup.

Matt Joyce (OF) Tampa Bay Devil Rays

Joyce is on a hot streak as of late; in his last 4 games he is 7-17 with 2 doubles and 3 homeruns. Hitting in a prime spot in the lineup he should score a ton of runs and see plenty of RBI opportunities. Buy now or watch him produce for someone else later.

Alex Rios (OF) Chicago White Sox

Rios had an awful season last year, which scared off many owners. If he can rebound you are looking at a player with 20 homerun/30 stolen bases potential. He has been hitting much better this season and is a player you should keep an eye on.

Mat Gamel (1B,3B) Milwaukee Brewers

Gamel is not your prototypical power hitting first baseman. However his all-around ability can bring value to any team. He started off slowly but he has 4 multiple hit games in his last 8 starts, his ability to steal bases and score runs should make up for his inability to hit 40 homers.

Mike Aviles (2B,SS,3B) Boston Red Sox

Aviles is a solid middle infielder, hitting in a favorable park and lineup. He should continue to see tremendous RBI and run opportunities while stealing some bases and hitting for a little power.

Jake Peavy (SP) Chicago White Sox

Peavy is 2-0 with a 2.75 ERA/0.81 WHIP/21 K’s in 19 innings. In his last start he threw the most pitches he has all season and reported feeling no pain. If he can stay healthy, Peavy could be a candidate for comeback player of the year.

Ted Lilly (SP) L.A. Dodgers

Lilly is 2-0 in 2 starts carrying a 0.69 ERA/1.00 WHIP after missing some time with a stiff neck. The Dodgers are one of the hottest teams in baseball increasing Lilly’s value. If the veteran lefty stays healthy he’s a good source for wins and K’s.

Jake Westbrook (SP) St. Louis Cardinals

Westbrook has given up 1 earned run in 14 innings so far for the Cardinals. He has changed his delivery to avoid tipping his pitches, which seems to have worked. Pick him up, and ride out this hot streak.