This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
Monday brings 10 night games across baseball. There will be a lot of divisional battles, including the Nationals hosting the Braves and the Marlins taking on the Phillies. The game between the Marlins and Phillies has the makings of a great pitching matchup with Sandy Alcantara and Aaron Nola set to start for their respective squads. Another excellent pitcher who is scheduled to start is Alek Manoah, who will be battling a team from within his own division when the Blue Jays host the Orioles. Let's get to the task at hand and highlight some pitchers and hitters to consider for your Yahoo lineups.
Pitchers
Manoah ($54) shut out the Royals across six innings in his last start, marking the third time that he has pitched at least six innings and held an opponent scoreless this season. He hasn't allowed more than three runs in any of his 11 starts, thanks in large part to his 0.96 WHIP. Another great outing could be on tap since the Orioles are tied for sixth-fewest runs scored in baseball.
One of the more bizarre stats of the season is that Yu Darvish ($44) only has a 20.1 percent strikeout rate. He's never had a strikeout rate lower than 27.2 percent in any season of his career. The good news is, he still has a 3.62 ERA and a 3.39 FIP. There's the potential that he racks up a few more strikeouts in his matchup versus the Cubs, who have struck out the 11th-most times in baseball.
Based on his 3.25 FIP, Alex Wood ($34) has pitched better than his 4.23 ERA would lead you to believe. He's been a bit unlucky given his .340 BABIP allowed, despite just a 36.6 percent hard-hit rate allowed. His ERA could improve in a matchup against the Royals, who have scored the fifth-fewest runs.
Top Targets
When a left-handed pitcher is on the mound, Manny Machado ($18) is a great option for DFS. For his career, he has a .215 ISO and a .362 wOBA against them. Good luck to Justin Steele ($32), who has struggled to the tune of a 1.55 WHIP.
Jose Altuve ($20) is no longer a threat to steal bases like he did earlier in his career. At one point, he registered six straight seasons with at least 30 steals. Since the beginning of the 2020 season, he only has a total of 10. However, he's still been productive at the plate, including recording a .382 wOBA this season. He also has a career .376 career wOBA versus left-handed pitchers, making him an ideal option for a matchup with Taylor Hearn ($28).
Bargain Bats
Hearn has a 1.66 WHIP, so Altuve isn't the only player on the Astros to consider. Another member of their lineup that is appealing is Jeremy Pena ($12), who hit his ninth home run of the season Sunday. The rookie has made an immediate impact, posting a 131 wRC+ through 53 games.
With left-handed pitcher Mike Minor ($29) scheduled to start for the Reds, expect Jordan Luplow ($10) to be in the starting lineup for the Diamondbacks. For his career, he has a .372 wOBA versus southpaws, compared to a .289 mark versus righties. Minor has not looked good since being activated from the IL, allowing eight runs across 8.1 innings.
Stacks to Consider
Blue Jays vs. Kyle Bradish ($25), Orioles: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. ($19), Bo Bichette ($21), Alejandro Kirk ($22)
Bradish has been done in by the long ball, allowing at least one home run in all eight of his starts. In total, he has given up 10 home runs over 37.2 innings. This has the potential to be a devastating matchup versus the Blue Jays, who are tied for the eighth-most home runs in baseball. One of their most dangerous hitters right now is Bichette, who is 27-for-86 (.314) with six home runs and seven doubles over his last 20 games.
Mariners vs. Chris Archer ($28), Twins: Julio Rodriguez ($19), Ty France ($18), Jesse Winker ($14)
It's difficult to get overly excited about Archer's 3.65 ERA. Dig a little deeper and his 4.92 FIP is a sign that regression could be coming. This could be an ideal spot to roll with a Mariners stack, with Rodriguez being a key player to build one around. The rookie is already making a name for himself with eight home runs and 17 stolen bases through 59 games.
Braves vs. Josiah Gray ($33), Nationals: Ronald Acuna Jr. ($24), Austin Riley ($19), Michael Harris ($15)
Talk about being prone to giving up home runs. Gray has logged 133 career innings in the majors, giving up 33 home runs along the way. That could make his start against the Braves especially difficult since they have hit the second-most home runs in baseball. Riley is a viable option to build any Braves stack around when factoring in his .264 ISO.
