This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
There will be plenty of action across baseball Monday with 11 games on the schedule. Luis Castillo will be making his season debut for the Reds, setting up what could be a fun pitching duel between him and Brandon Woodruff. Overall, though, the slate is short on top-tier pitchers. There are some intriguing young players set to take the mound, including Michael Kopech and MacKenzie Gore. Let's get to the task at hand highlight some pitchers and hitters to consider for your Yahoo lineups.
Pitchers
Carlos Rodon ($55) has been as good as it gets. He hasn't allowed more than two runs in any of his five starts, recording a 0.83 WHIP along the way. He also has 41 strikeouts across 29 innings. Although his salary will do a number on your budget, he's still very appealing for a matchup against a Rockies team that has a .643 OPS on the road.
Paul Blackburn ($40) has been one of the few bright spots on an otherwise dismal Athletics squad. Through five starts, he has a 2.22 ERA that is supported by a 2.09 FIP. His control has been excellent, using a 3.3 percent walk rate to help him record a 0.95 WHIP. More success could be coming against a Tigers team that has the second-worst OPS in baseball.
It's been a bit of an odd start for Noah Syndergaard ($38), who has pitched well with a 2.63 ERA and a 3.32 FIP. However, he only has a 14.6 percent strikeout rate, which is a big decline from his career rate of 26.0 percent. He could bounce back in the strikeout department for this matchup versus the Rays, who have struck out the eighth-most times in baseball.
Top Targets
All signs are pointing towards Jazz Chisholm Jr. ($22) being one of the brightest young players in the league. He's improved his walk rate and decreased his strikeout rate this season, while posting a .310 ISO and a .417 wOBA along the way. It will be difficult to resist adding him to your lineup for a matchup against Humberto Castellanos ($26), who has a career 4.97 ERA and 4.56 FIP.
The White Sox entered the season with a fearsome lineup, but injuries and slow starts have resulted in them scoring the third-fewest runs in the league. Luis Robert ($19) is doing his best to get them out of their funk, hitting 12-for-29 (.414) with two home runs over his last seven games. He likely won't have to worry about being overmatched in this game with Zach Plesac ($33), who has a career 18.7 percent strikeout rate, expected to start for the Guardians.
Bargain Bats
Jean Segura ($10) hasn't been hitting leadoff this season, which is a bit disappointing given the power that the Phillies added to their lineup during the offseason. The good news is that he's sporting a 117 wRC+, which is on pace to be the second-highest mark of his career. He could be worth the risk at this salary against Chris Flexen ($30), who only has a career 15.9 percent strikeout rate.
The Giants have a left-handed heavy lineup, which could be a problem for their matchup against Austin Gomber ($35). Expect them to deploy the right-handed hitting Darin Ruf ($7), who has a career .393 wOBA versus lefties.
Stacks to Consider
Padres vs. Kyle Hendricks ($28), Cubs: Manny Machado ($27), Eric Hosmer ($19), Jake Cronenworth ($15)
Hendricks was roughed up again in his last outing, allowing four runs and two home runs across 5.2 innings against the White Sox. He has been taken deep six times across 30.1 innings, which comes after he allowed 1.5 HR/9 last season. Add in his 1.48 WHIP and the Padres could be in line for a big offensive night.
Angels vs. Jeffrey Springs ($25), Rays: Mike Trout ($24), Shohei Ohtani ($18), Taylor Ward ($24)
Coming off of a comeback win Sunday, the Angels have scored the most runs in baseball. That's with Ohtani having a disappointing 101 wRC+, too. One of their saviors has been Ward, who has a 243 wRC+. Amazingly, he has a 19.8 percent walk rate to go along with a 21.9 percent strikeout rate. Springs is expected to start what should amount to be a bullpen game for the Rays, so taking a chance on the Angels could prove to wise.
Diamondbacks vs. Elieser Hernandez ($31), Marlins: Daulton Varsho ($20), Ketel Marte ($16), David Peralta ($15)
The Diamondbacks rank inside the bottom-third in baseball in runs scored, which doesn't exactly make them an appealing team to stack. With that being said, Hernandez has been awful, posting a 1.44 WHIP and allowing at least four runs in three of his five starts. He also faced the Diamondbacks in his last outing, giving up five runs over four innings. Marte looks to be heating up at the plate, hitting 11-for-28 (.393) with a home run, five doubles and a triple over his last eight games.
