This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
Baseball brings 10 games to the table Monday, seven of which will make up the main evening slate on Yahoo. There are some interesting matchups among them, including the Giants hosting the Padres. Let's get to the task at hand and highlight some pitchers and hitters who could thrive in DFS.
Pitchers
James Paxton ($47) had one bad outing against the Angels, but has mostly pitched well since coming off the IL. In his six starts, he has allowed two or fewer runs five times. He also has a stellar 44 strikeouts over 32 innings. That stat stands out in a matchup against the Twins, who have struck out the most times in baseball.
Michael Wacha ($45) has been a stabilizing force within the Padres' starting rotation. He has allowed two or fewer runs in each of his last eight starts, leaving him with a 2.89 ERA and a 3.40 FIP. One of the keys to his success has been his 1.06 WHIP. While he doesn't normally record a ton of strikeouts, he could have added success in that department against the Giants, who have struck out the third-most times in baseball.
Max Scherzer ($44) was shelled by the Yankees in his last start, giving up six runs and two home runs over 3.1 innings. That came on the heels of a start against the Braves in which he allowed five runs across 5.2 innings. As bad as he was in those two outings, this is a good bounce-back spot for him against the Astros. They only have a .702 OPS against right-handed pitchers and remain without Yordan Alvarez (oblique).
Top Targets
There has been no slowing down Fernando Tatis Jr. ($24), who is 24-for-60 (.400) with five home runs, 10 doubles, seven steals and a .500 OBP over his last 16 games. He had an OPS of at least .937 in each of his first three seasons in the majors, while also stealing plenty of bases. With Ryan Walker ($25) set to open this bullpen game for the Giants, Tatis could provide another juicy stat line.
Luis Robert Jr. ($18) hasn't been as hot as Tatis, but he has increased his production lately. Over his last 17 games, he is 19-for-69 (.275) with four home runs and seven doubles. He has a career 186 wRC+ against left-handed pitchers, making him an ideal option for a matchup against Andrew Heaney ($39).
Bargain Bats
Given that Heaney has a 4.79 FIP and has allowed 1.6 HR/9 for his career, Robert isn't the only member of the White Sox to target. Elvis Andrus ($11) and Yasmani Grandal ($11) could both provide value at cheaper salaries. Andrus has at least one hit in five of his last eight games and generally does a good job of making contact, posting a career 13.9 percent strikeout rate. Although he hasn't provided much power this season, Grandal is 23-for-81 (.284) over his last 25 games.
Stacks to Consider
Reds vs. Austin Gomber ($25), Rockies: Elly De La Cruz ($21), Jonathan India ($20), Spencer Steer ($20)
Gomber is in the midst of another underwhelming campaign, posting a 7.29 ERA and a 6.34 FIP. His WHIP checks in at 1.70 and he has given up 2.2 HR/9. This could be another difficult outing for him, given that the Reds have scored the 10th-most runs in baseball. One of their more reliable hitters has been Steer, who has a 17.7 percent strikeout rate and 10.2 percent walk rate to go along with his .362 wOBA.
Rangers vs. TBD, White Sox: Corey Seager ($23), Marcus Semien ($18), Leody Taveras ($18)
The White Sox had yet to officially name a starter for this game as of early Monday morning, but it won't be Dylan Cease or Lucas Giolito, so the Rangers will likely be faced with a favorable matchup. While Seager and Semien have grabbed plenty of headlines in their loaded lineup, don't sleep on Taveras. He has a .367 wOBA, while lowering his strikeout rate from 25.8 percent last year to 18.0 percent.
Cubs vs. Osvaldo Bido ($25), Pirates: Cody Bellinger ($20), Christopher Morel ($18), Dansby Swanson ($15)
Bido faced the Cubs in his debut last week, allowing one run over 4.1 innings. The damage could have been much worse, given that he gave up four hits and three walks. He wasn't putting up good numbers at Triple-A, recording a 4.55 ERA and a 4.63 FIP over 55.1 innings. Last year, he had a 4.53 ERA and a 5.49 FIP over 111.1 innings at the same level. The Cubs could have more success against them in their rematch, with Morel standing out among their hitters. He has been locked in at the plate, hitting 12-for-29 (.414) with four home runs, a double and a triple over his last eight games.
