This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
STARTING PITCHER
Carlos Carrasco, CLE at MIN ($48): Carrasco is off to something of a slow start, as he has a 3.98 ERA, 3.78 FIP, and has "only" struck out 8.83 batters per nine innings. However, over the last three years he has averaged a 3.41 ERA, 3.14 FIP, and 10.04 strikeouts per nine innings. He should get better as the season goes on. Carrasco has also been decidedly better on the road the last few years, so getting to start in Minnesota actually should help.
Tyler Mahle, CIN at SDP ($32): Mahle has been middling with a 4.76 ERA. However, he had a 2.70 ERA in four starts last season, and he's still only 23. This is also a favorable matchup for him. The Padres are in the bottom 10 in runs scored, and they have a team slash line of .228/.293/.367. Plus, Petco Park tends to help out pitchers, so that's another point in his favor.
[Join a Yahoo Daily Fantasy Baseball contest or league today]
CATCHER
Robinson Chirinos, TEX at LAA ($12): Chirinos had a big year in 2017, posting a .255/.360/.506 slash line with 17 homers in 88 games. He isn't hitting on that level this year, but he does have seven homers already. Angels starter Jaime Barria is a 21-year-old rookie with only six starts to his name, and in that time he has a 4.42 FIP. There aren't a lot of catchers hitting well, so you might as well go with a cheaper option with some power like Chirinos.
FIRST BASE
Jesus Aguilar, MIL at CWS ($18): Aguilar is off to a great start, as he has a .307/.377/.555 slash line. Last season, his first getting regular playing time, he had a .265/.331/.505 slash line with 16 home runs. As such, even if he slows down a bit this isn't a total fluke. Hector Santiago has a 6.02 FIP, his second season in a row with a FIP over 6.00, and he's allowed 1.40 home runs per nine innings in his career.
SECOND BASE
Jed Lowrie, OAK at KAN ($15): Lowrie feels perpetually underrated, and this year he's been stellar. The 34-year-old has averaged 7.0 fantasy points per game, and he hit 14 home runs last season. Ian Kennedy has a 5.15 ERA, and a 4.38 ERA over his last three seasons. Additionally, across the last three campaigns he's given up 1.67 home runs per nine innings.
THIRD BASE
Kris Bryant, CHI at NYM ($22): You shouldn't need to be sold on the Cubs' Kris Bryant. The 26-year-old is a former MVP with a career .287/.389/.525 slash line. This season has been right in line with his prior performance as well, and unless there is an ace on the mound against Bryant, there's never really an argument against having him in your lineup. Zack Wheeler certainly isn't an ace, as Tommy John surgery unfortunately seems to have sapped him of his potential. After missing two campaigns with his arm issue, Wheeler had a 5.21 ERA last season, and that number has risen to 5.40 this year.
SHORTSTOP
Andrelton Simmons, LAA vs. TEX ($17): Last season, Simmons hit 14 home runs and had a .421 slugging percentage, a career high. This year, he has a .473 slugging percentage, not to mention a .333 batting average. Texas' Bartolo Colon has ridden good luck (namely a .220 BABIP) to a 3.55 ERA, but his 5.03 FIP is much less impressive.
OUTFIELD
Giancarlo Stanton, NYY at BAL ($19): Stanton has struggled a bit again recently, but we're still talking about a player with a .550 slugging percentage in his career. He's never had an issue hitting homers, including this year when he has 11 dingers in 53 games. Aside from an outlier season in 2014, Kevin Gausman has never been good at suppressing home runs. Over his last four campaigns he's allowed at least 1.36 homers per nine innings.
Odubel Herrera, PHI at SFG ($18): Herrera has hit well since he was a 23-year-old rookie, and he has a career slash line of .291/.349/.437. He's also notched at least 14 homers in his last two seasons, but this year he's crushing his prior career numbers. Considering he is only 26, having a career year would not be a surprise. This is Chris Stratton's first full season as a starter, and he has a 4.97 ERA and 4.79 FIP.
Teoscar Hernandez, TOR at DET ($14): Hernandez has averaged 7.5 fantasy points per game, largely because he hit eight home runs in 40 games. Though the 25-year-old has never been good at getting on base, he's shown plenty of power in his limited career. Through 107 games, he has a .506 slugging percentage. Detroit's Blaine Hardy has three starts this season, the first three of his career. Last year in relief he had a 5.42 FIP, so it's hard to get too excited about him at this point.
