This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
Baseball resumes Friday with a packed slate following the All-Star break. With so many options to sift through on Yahoo, let's try to help narrow down the field by highlighting some pitchers and hitters to consider.
Pitchers
Luis Castillo ($41) continues to do a great job of keeping hitters off base, posting a 1.04 WHIP this season. His strikeout rate of 26.9 percent is right about on par with his career mark, with the only real negative for him in the first half being that he gave up 1.3 HR/9. Things are looking up for him coming out of the break with a matchup against the Tigers, who have scored the third-fewest runs in baseball.
Kenta Maeda ($36) has been limited to just 33 innings because of injuries. His 5.18 ERA looks concerning, but his FIP is much better at 3.46. Even his 1.27 WHIP isn't terrible. Across three starts since returning from the IL, he has given up just four runs (three earned) while posting 21 strikeouts over 17 innings. Continued success could be coming for him in a matchup with the Athletics, who have scored the fewest runs in baseball. This game will also be played in Oakland's pitcher-friendly stadium.
The Angels' lineup isn't nearly as fearsome with Mike Trout (wrist), Anthony Rendon (lower leg) and Brandon Drury (shoulder) all battling injuries. That means their matchup with the Astros could be an opportune time to take a chance on J.P. France ($26) at his cheap salary. While he doesn't miss a ton of bats, he had recorded a quality start in each of his last six outings.
Top Targets
The Yankees come out of the break with a matchup against the Rockies at Coors Field. The Rockies will start Austin Gomber ($26), who has struggled to the tune of a 6.40 ERA and 5.88 FIP. One of the more difficult hitters that he should face on the Yankees is Anthony Volpe ($19), who is 24-for-80 (.300) with four home runs and a .364 OBP over his last 24 games.
Dean Kremer ($37) has had problems keeping hitters inside the ballpark. He has already been taken deep 20 times over 98 innings. His matchup against the Marlins makes Jorge Soler ($19) a great option. He brings a ton of power to the plate, boasting a .273 ISO this season.
Bargain Bats
With Kremer having allowed so many home runs, Soler isn't the only member of the Marlins worth considering. Jesus Sanchez ($12) and Bryan De La Cruz ($11) could also provide value at cheaper salaries. Sanchez has a .224 ISO, while De La Cruz has a .473 slugging percentage over his last 14 games.
Stacks to Consider
Braves vs. Michael Kopech ($28), White Sox: Ronald Acuna Jr. ($27), Matt Olson ($26), Ozzie Albies ($21)
The Braves have scored the third-most runs in baseball, with Acuna leading the way atop their lineup. Olson and Albies have also performed very well, recording a 144 wRC+ and a .348 wOBA, respectively. This is a nightmare matchup for Kopech, who has a 5.58 FIP that indicates that he has performed far worse than his 4.08 ERA would lead one to believe.
Blue Jays vs. Ryne Nelson ($25), Diamondbacks: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. ($16), George Springer ($18), Daulton Varsho ($7)
In his final start before the break, Nelson gave up seven runs over three innings to the Mets. His strikeout rate for the season is just 16.0 percent, which has contributed to his bloated 1.43 WHIP. This is a great spot to roll with a Blue Jays stack, with Springer being a top option to be included in one. Before being placed on the paternity list, he had hit 19-for-60 (.317) with three home runs and three doubles over his previous 14 games.
Brewers vs. Graham Ashcraft ($26), Reds: Christian Yelich ($24), Willy Adames ($18), William Contreras ($16)
When Ashcraft has been off, he has been really off this season. He has already given up at least six runs in a start five times. He even had one outing against these same Brewers in which he was hammered for 10 runs over four innings. His 1.59 WHIP isn't helping his cause, and he has only 61 strikeouts over 81.2 innings. Someone to build any Brewers stack around is Yelich, who has shown a combination of power and speed with 11 home runs and 21 stolen bases.
