This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
Major League Baseball starts off the first full week of the regular season with 12 games on the schedule Monday. With most teams having already played a few games, we're starting to see the back-end of starting rotations. That could lead to some high-scoring affairs. We'll also see the start of some exciting series, including the Yankees hosting the Blue Jays. Out West, things will heat up when the Giants and Padres start off their series against each other. Let's get down to business and highlight some pitchers and hitters to consider for the main evening slate on Yahoo.
Pitchers
The matchup between the Blue Jays and the Yankees certainly has the potential for plenty of runs. With that being said, Alek Manoah ($50) is still someone to consider. He was excellent in his 20 starts last season, recording a 3.22 ERA and a 3.80 FIP. He only allowed 1.0 HR/9, to go along with his 1.05 WHIP and 27.7 percent strikeout rate. Add in the other lackluster options for this slate and Manoah could end up having one of the best pitching lines of the evening.
The last time we saw Nick Martinez ($29) in the majors, he was a member of the Rangers in 2017. He didn't pitch well during his first four seasons, posting a 5.36 FIP and a 1.45 WHIP. He most recently pitched in Japan, recording a 1.62 ERA over 23 starts last season. The Giants are battling injuries right now with Evan Longoria (finger), LaMonte Wade (knee) and Tommy La Stella (Achilles) all on the IL, so Martinez might be able to take advantage of their compromised lineup. During their three-game series against the Marlins, the Giants only scored a total of 10 runs.
The Angels needed to make improvements to their starting rotation, so one of the moves that they made was bringing in Michael Lorenzen ($26). After mostly working as a reliever with the Reds, he's going to get a chance to start. He hasn't thrown more than 33.2 innings since the 2019 seasons, and has never thrown more than 113.1 innings in his career, so he likely won't be one of their workhorses. However, he could start off the season on a high note facing a Marlins team that had the second-worst OPS in baseball last season, and began the 2022 campaign with a total of nine runs across their three-game series with the Giants.
Top Targets
If Juan Soto ($25) is on a slate, he has to be considered as one of the top targets. The Nationals' superstar is coming off of another stellar season, posting a .420 wOBA and a 163 wRC+ in 2021. Expect him to be a tough out for Huascar Ynoa ($35), who was good for the Braves last season, but he wasn't exactly dominant with a 4.05 ERA and 3.93 FIP.
Talent is not a question with Byron Buxton ($24), it's been his inability to stay healthy that has been a cause for concern. He's healthy out of the gate, though, and has already hit three home runs on the young season. Next up is a matchup against Chris Flexen ($33) in Minnesota. The location is noteworthy because, while Flexen had a 3.35 FIP and a 1.18 WHIP at home last season, he recorded a 4.52 FIP and a 1.34 WHIP on the road.
Bargain Bats
Ty France ($14) might not generate a lot of headlines, but he's quietly been a very important member of the Mariners. Last season, he recorded 18 home runs and 85 RBI to go along with his .353 wOBA. He showed an excellent eye at the plate, posting a career-best 16.3 percent strikeout rate. A matchup against Dylan Bundy ($29), who had a 6.06 ERA and 5.51 FIP last season, makes France an appealing option with a salary that won't destroy your budget.
The Nationals hope that Keibert Ruiz ($13) will be behind the plate for them for years to come. He appeared in 72 games at Triple-A last season, hitting over .300 and mashing 21 home runs. He already has two multi-hit games under his belt this season, so he could also be someone to target in the Nationals' matchup against Ynoa.
Stacks to Consider
Blue Jays vs. Jameson Taillon ($36), Yankees: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. ($21), Bo Bichette ($23), Teoscar Hernandez ($21)
The Blues Jays' lineup picked up where it left off last season, scoring 20 runs in their three-game series against the Rangers. They could spell doom for Taillon, who allowed a career-high 1.50 HR/9 last season. Across three appearances against them last season, Taillon gave up nine runs over 13 innings. While these three players come with hefty salaries, their upsides are also through the roof.
Braves vs. TBD, Nationals: Austin Riley ($19), Ozzie Albies ($18), Adam Duvall ($14)
This game was supposed to be started by Anibal Sanchez, but he's unlikely to take the mound because of a neck injury. As of early Monday morning, the Nationals had yet to officially name their starter. They could be leaning towards starting Josh Rogers, who made six starts for them last season. The lefty has not been good at keeping hitters inside the ballpark, allowing 2.3 HR/9 over 61.2 innings in the majors. That could end up being his downfall against Riley, who hit a career-high 33 home runs last season.
Angels vs. Elieser Hernandez ($32): Shohei Ohtani ($22), Mike Trout ($24), Jared Walsh ($20)
Hernandez showed promise during the shortened 2020 season, posting a 3.16 ERA and 3.89 FIP across six starts. However, he reverted back to his previous struggles last season, recording a 4.18 ERA and 5.38 FIP over 11 starts. With him allowing 2.0 HR/9 for his career, he's someone to stack against in DFS. Enter this powerful trio of Angels' sluggers. Ohtani is still looking for his first home run of the young season, but Trout and Walsh have already gone deep.
