This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
Though many MLB teams are playing out the string, nobody is mailing it in necessarily. There's opportunity to be found in DFS even among those threatening to lose triple-digit games. We have nine matchups starting at 7:05 p.m. EDT as the second leg of a Rockies-Giants doubleheader at Coors has been omitted. Here are a handful of recommendations for lineup construction.
Pitching
Pablo Lopez, MIN at CWS ($51): Lopez has delivered what the Twins hoped for, especially on the road with a 2.78 ERA. The White Sox get on base at a woeful rate. They're also last in OBP and the only MLB squad assured to finish with a sub-.300 OBP.
Corbin Burnes, MIL vs. WAS ($46): The one thing the Brewers have left to do with the NL Central likely theirs it to get Burnes on track. Maybe not at his Cy Young level, but his last start was an eight-inning shutout of the Yankees. Washington hits for average, but lacks power ranking 29th in homers.
J.P. France, HOU at KC ($32): France's rookie season has featured stark splits with a lackluster 4.59 home ERA paired with a 2.60 on the road. This is as much about the matchup as the Royals are sit bottom-six in runs scored and team OPS.
Top Targets
After a few seasons in the wilderness, Cody Bellinger ($24) has compiled his first 20/20 season and is going to hit .300 for the second time during his career (the first was when he won NL MVP). He's also been better at home, and a matchup with Zach Davies is worth it. While the pitcher's 4.62 FIP is better than his 6.81 ERA, it's still not promising.
From a DFS perspective, I'd argue the MVP of 2023 is Freddie Freeman ($19). He's batted .336 while also producing 26 homers, 18 stolen bases, and a whopping 55 doubles. The lefty will also finish with over 100 runs and RBI. Bryce Miller's rookie campaign has had its ups and downs, he's still at a 4.05 ERA and has let southpaws go .288 against.
Bargain Bats
While Sal Frelick ($12) isn't a power hitter, the young centerfielder has earned a spot in Milwaukee's lineup in part due to a .360 OBP with three homers, six doubles, and seven steals across 44 games. And like many young lefties, his numbers against lefties are poor to drag down his overall numbers. Trevor Williams is a righty, a homer-prone one at that having allowed 2.20 per nine innings while allowing lefties to hit .295 against since 2021.
In addition to 19 home runs and 14 stolen bases, Luke Raley ($12) boasts a profile that makes him enticing to roster Saturday. He's recorded an .841 OPS against righties, but the southpaw also maintain an .859 on the road. Grayson Rodriguez has looked better since being sent back down to Triple-A for seasoning, yet still lists a 5.65 home ERA while giving up a .276 to lefties.
Stacks to Consider
Phillies at Cardinals (Miles Mikolas): Trea Turner ($28), Kyle Schwarber ($27), Bryson Stott ($16)
If you like balls in play, Mikolas is your man. He rarely issues walks and is reasonably stingy with homers, yet has also produced a 15.4 strikeout percentage and both righties and lefties have averaged .281 against. I mentioned that usually the righty keeps the ball in the park, though he's posted a 6.21 over his last seven starts largely because he's allowed 2.1 homers per nine innings. It's time to stack against Mikolas, and I'm going with these three Phillies.
Remember when Turner was struggling? Well, now he's hit .270 on the year with 26 homers and 27 steals while registering an 1.399 OPS the last three weeks. Schwarber is an all-or-nothing, long-ball hitter, which usually isn't ideal against Mikolas - though that's turned around of late. And he has a .907 OPS versus righties the last couple seasons. Stott still doesn't walk, but has increased his average to .286 in his sophomore season and improved his power with 15 homers (to go with 28 swipeds). In addition to his .783 OPS against righties, he also carries a .721 versus lefties.
Tigers at Angels (Tyler Anderson): Spencer Torkelson ($22), Kerry Carpenter ($18), Matt Vierling ($15)
This is not merely me as a Tigers fan trying to squeeze in some love for my local squad before the season ends. While the overall offense in the Motor City has lacked in 2023, the team has a few decent bats and this represents a favorable matchup. Anderson wasn't great until he joined the Dodgers last season benefiting from their magic. And even though the southpaw has remained in the LA area, he's turned back into the proverbial pumpkin with a 4.88 FIP and a 6.82 ERA from his last six starts.
Torkelson has not been "first-overall pick" good, but he's racked up 28 homers in his second MLB season. He's also slugged over .500 against lefties and on the road. Carpenter is a lefty with a .762 OPS versus left-handed pitchers. Meanwhile, Anderson has allowed his fellow southpaws to bat .270 against. Vierling has managed an .880 OPS the last three weeks. In his first year with Detroit, he's also posted a .797 on the road.
Twins at White Sox (Touki Toussaint): Royce Lewis ($24), Max Kepler ($20), Willi Castro ($20)
Toussaint could turn a rotation over solely on walks. Seriously, he's allowed 5.76 per nine innings during his career, which I believe is the highest number I've ever seen. No wonder he's produced a career 5.04 FIP. In Toussaint's last outing, he allowed eight runs. In one inning. To the Royals. He's a walking white flag on the mound, so I'm jumping on this stack.
I'm just glad Lewis has managed to put a few weeks of healthy baseball together. He's slashed .302/.365/.545 with 14 homers and six stolen bases in 54 games he's managed to play, including a .923 OPS versus his fellow righties. Kepler has crushed 22 homers, with 18 coming against righties - against whom he's slugged .492. The southpaw also maintains a .962 OPS the last 21 weeks. Castro is speedy with four triples and 31 stolen bases. Maybe Toussaint will just put him on first to steal second. Castro is also a switch-hitter, though he's recorded a .762 OPS versus righties with a .435 slugging percentage.
