This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
After a busy Opening Day on Thursday, baseball takes a step back with just five games on the schedule Friday. While that doesn't leave us with a ton of options, there is still money to be won on Yahoo. Here are some pitchers and hitters to consider for your entries.
Pitchers
Cristian Javier ($54) could be an ace in the making for the Astros. Give his first extended opportunity as a starter last season, he finished with a 2.54 ERA, 3.16 FIP and a 0.95 WHIP. Just as impressive was his 33.2 percent strikeout rate. The White Sox only had a .678 OPS versus right-handed pitchers last season, compared to a .767 OPS versus lefties. Javier has a favorable opportunity to burst out of the gates with a strong outing.
Dustin May ($37) only logged 30 innings last season after recovering from Tommy John surgery. While that likely means that he will have his innings limited this season, he should be a full-go on Opening Day after throwing 94 pitches in his final start of the spring. With his career 3.94 FIP and 1.09 WHIP, he's someone to target in a matchup against the Diamondbacks.
Nick Martinez ($30) only made 10 starts for the Padres last season, but will begin this year in the starting rotation. He threw over 80 pitchers in his final starts of the spring, so he shouldn't be facing any significant pitching limitations. On a limited slate, it's not a bad idea to try and exploit the Rockies when they are on the road. They only had a .620 OPS away from Coors Field last season.
Top Targets
The Mets earned a win over the Marlins on Thursday, scoring five runs along the way. Three of those runs came off Sandy Alcantara, which is no easy feat. Now they will take on Jesus Luzardo ($41), who did show promise last season with a 3.32 ERA and a 3.12 FIP over 18 starts with the Marlins. However, the limited slate still makes Francisco Lindor ($18) and Starling Marte ($18) appealing options. Lindor has a career .353 wOBA versus left-hander pitchers, while Marte had a .380 wOBA against them last season.
Bargain Bats
Staying in that Mets and Marlins game, Garrett Cooper ($14) and Jean Segura ($15) might also be worth considering. The Mets will start David Peterson ($32), who has had control issues with a career 10.7 percent walk rate. Cooper went deep against Max Scherzer on Thursday and he has a career .187 ISO versus left-handed pitchers, compared to a .158 ISO versus righties. Segura had a wOBA of at least .367 against left-handed pitchers in three of the last four seasons.
Stacks to Consider
Dodgers vs. Merrill Kelly ($37), Diamondbacks: Mookie Betts ($19), Freddie Freeman ($22), Max Muncy ($17)
This game being played in Los Angeles is significant. For his career, Kelly has a 4.07 FIP and a 1.23 WHIP at home. However, he has a 4.85 FIP and a 1.31 WHIP on the road. Any Dodgers stack should include Freeman, who had a 157 wRC+ in his first season away from the Braves. His home runs were down last season, but his .393 wOBA was his highest mark over a full season since 2017.
Mariners vs. Hunter Gaddis ($25), Guardians: Julio Rodriguez ($23), Teoscar Hernandez ($19), Jarred Kelenic ($12)
After throwing their ace Shane Bieber on Opening Day, the Guardians will turn to Gaddis in their second game. Triston McKenzie (arm) could miss the first month of the season, leaving a big hole in their rotation. Gaddis has recorded some impressive strikeout numbers in the minor leagues, but he has also had trouble limiting home runs. He gave up 20 home runs over 97.1 innings at Single-A in 2021, and he allowed 24 home runs over 128.2 innings across Double-A, Triple-A and the majors last year. His home run issues could be a problem against the powerful duo of Rodriguez and Hernandez.
