This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
Baseball starts off the final week of August with eight games on the schedule Monday, seven of which will make up the main slate on Yahoo. The night will be lacking top-tier pitching options, so look for there to be plenty of scoring across the league. Here are some of the better players to consider when crafting your squad.
Pitching Overview
The most expensive pitcher is Sonny Gray ($53) and he could be well worth his price tag for his matchup against the Marlins. His career has been rejuvenated with the Reds, recording a 3.39 FIP and a 1.12 WHIP. His most surprising stat has been his 29.2 percent strikeout rate, which is more than seven percentage points higher than his career mark. With how putrid the Marlins' lineup has been, expect to see Gray included in plenty of entries.
Jason Vargas ($39) has been a welcome addition to the Phillies' starting rotation, allowing exactly two runs in three of his four starts. He's shown plenty of improvement compared to last season, although his 18.6 percent strikeout rate severely limits his upside. Even taking that into consideration, he could end up being one of the most productive pitchers for this slate since he will be facing a Pirates team that has the worst wRC+ (70) against left-handed pitchers in baseball.
It's tough to get excited about Alex Young ($32) considering he has a 4.66 FIP to go along with an 18.4 percent strikeout rate, but since we don't have a ton of viable options, he's worth a look against the Giants. The Giants have managed a 95 wRC+ on the road, but they have a meager 75 wRC+ in their home park. They also only have an 84 wRC+ versus lefties.
Key Values/Chalk
Tommy Milone is expected to follow an opener and pitch the bulk of the innings when the Mariners host the Yankees. He has a 4.95 FIP and has allowed 2.0 HR/9, which could be his downfall against the powerful Yankees' lineup. There are several hitters worth considering, but the best of the bunch might be Aaron Judge ($15). He's finally coming out of his slump, hitting a home run in three straight games.
Brad Keller has an ugly 7-13 record, but he does have a 3.95 ERA to go along with a 4.32 FIP. One of his strengths is his ability to keep hitters inside the ball park, which has resulted in him allowing only 0.8 HR/9. However, he has a 1.33 WHIP and doesn't have overpowering stuff, so the A's are a lineup worth considering. Marcus Semien ($22) could be a key player to target with him hitting 29-for-99 (.293) with seven home runs and eight doubles across his last 25 games.
Playing at pitcher-friendly Oracle Park isn't exactly ideal, but the Diamondbacks could still provide some production against Tyler Beede. To say that he has struggled would be an understatement since he has a 5.77 FIP and a 1.63 WHIP. Left-handed hitters have a robust .385 wOBA against him, leaving Ketel Marte ($23), Eduardo Escobar ($16) and Jarrod Dyson ($12) with plenty of upside.
Stacks
Dodgers vs. Eric Lauer (Padres)
Cody Bellinger (OF - $20), Will Smith (C - $27), Justin Turner (3B - $19)
Lauer has actually pitched well against the Dodgers this season, allowing six runs (five earned) over 17 innings. However, with such a limited slate, the Dodgers are still one of the better stacks to consider based on their talent. Smith has been a monster with his .458 ISO and Bellinger isn't a player to shy away from with a lefty on the mound because he has a 160 wRC+ against them this season. Turner also checks into this matchup with a career .353 wOBA versus southpaws.
Phillies vs. Joe Musgrove (Pirates)
Bryce Harper (OF - $22), Rhys Hoskins (1B - $11), Corey Dickerson (OF - $16)
Musgrove couldn't build on his strong outing against the Cubs, following that up by allowing six runs (five earned) across five innings versus the Nationals. He's been all over the map this season and really gets hit hard when he's off, giving up at least five runs in a start eight times. That makes the Phillies worth taking a chance on. Look for Harper to return from the paternity list for this contest. Dickerson has proven to be a key addition for the Phillies, hitting 19-for-69 (.275) with three home runs, five doubles and two triples over his last 18 games.
Brewers vs. Adam Wainwright (Cardinals)
Christian Yelich (OF - $23), Mike Moustakas (3B - $18), Eric Thames (1B - $15)
Wainwright has managed to produce a 3.79 FIP at home, but he's been awful with a 5.08 FIP on the road. To make things even worse for him in this start, the Brewers have a 103 wRC+ at home. In particular, Yelich has a 192 wRC+ at Miller Park, so he should be the anchor for any Brewers' stack. Thames has also performed better at home, recording a .380 wOBA there compared to a .335 wOBA on the road.
