This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
Thursday's night slate may make you want to pull out your hair, but through some research, a couple pitchers will appear usable. With only four games, the options are slim. That led me to a couple big bats and the rest on the cheap end.
PITCHER
David Price, BOS at SEA ($46): It's usually not a good sign when there isn't one hands-down pitcher to use in a slate. Price is at least pitching well, even if he's far removed from his dominant years. He's hit 15 fantasy points in his last six starts and that's good enough. The Mariners have solid numbers against southpaws, but a 21.1 K percentage since May 1 opens up for Price to have six or seven strikeouts, which is what he did against a better Astros lineup two starts ago.
Anibal Sanchez, ATL vs. SD ($35): I can't remember the last time I backed Sanchez, but here we are. He's hit 21 fantasy points in three of his last four outings, and this may be his last start before he's moved back into the bullpen. Of course, the main reason to gamble on him is his opponent. The Padres are hitting better than earlier in the season, yet still have a 24.4 K percentage, .130 ISO and .288 wOBA against righties over the last month.
CATCHER
Devin Mesoraco, NYM at ARI ($10): Mesoraco may not always get on base, but he's shown power with six homers in 84 at-bats against righties to go with his career .182 ISO. That could work against Matt Koch, who has an early 2.60 HR/9 and career 5.09 xFIP against righty bats. If Mesoraco gets rested, Sandy Leon ($11) is next in line.
FIRST BASE
Freddie Freeman, ATL vs. SD ($24): You might as well strike while Freeman is hot with a homer in three straight games. He hits everyone, but his current .407 wOBA against righties is lower than what it was last year (.422) to go with a .293 ISO. Tyson Ross is only having problems against lefty bats with a .364 wOBA allowed, which is where that number has been since his somewhat breakout 2014.
SECOND BASE
Brock Holt, BOS at SEA ($10): Holt doesn't have power, but he'll get on base against righty arms with a .325 BABIP, and that's all you need from a cheap second baseman. Plus, Felix Hernandez is struggling with a 5.70 ERA and is set for a second straight year with a wOBA allowed above .350 against lefties.
THIRD BASE
Rafael Devers, BOS at SEA ($12): I had Johan Camargo ($14) in this spot, and then I saw a slightly cheaper Devers, who has hit safely in his last eight games. Devers also provides solid power with a career .192 ISO against righty hurlers. Hernandez is struggling to make it six innings these days, and his 4.66 xFIP against lefties highlights those struggles.
SHORTSTOP
Nick Ahmed, ARI vs. NYM ($13): Here's another cheap bat with one of the many Arizona players who's having success against southpaws. Ahmed has 10 extra-base hits (4 HR) against lefties to go with a career .336 wOBA. Jason Vargas had his start pushed to Thursday, and that will only help the Diamondbacks. He has a 7.71 ERA after struggling with a 4.79 xFIP against righties last year.
OUTFIELD
Andrew Benintendi, BOS at SEA ($27): I'd like to use a cheaper Boston player, but those don't exist in the outfield. Benintendi has nine of his 12 homers against righties to go with a .416 wOBA, a bit better than last season's .344 mark. Hernandez didn't make it four innings last time out against the Rays and has allowed at least four runs in three of his last four starts. He also has a 1.80 HR/9 against lefty bats, which is where he was last year with a .366 wOBA.
Michael Conforto, NYM at ARI ($13): If you have the money, Brandon Nimmo ($22) is the better play, but Conforto will do. His .322 wOBA against righties is still far removed from last year's .420 wOBA, yet he's worth a look against Matt Koch. The righty hurler has been all over the place, giving up five runs or more every other outing, which has pushed his career xFIP to 4.67 against lefties.
Chris Owings, ARI vs. NYM ($10): Owings is the answer if you want a super cheap outfielder. His numbers are iffy at best, although a career .307 BABIP against southpaws may be good enough for this matchup. Vargas hasn't made it more than five innings in any of his starts and had a .319 wOBA allowed to righties last year.
