This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
Baseball starts off the week with 10 games on the schedule Monday. With the trade deadline coming Tuesday, be sure to watch out for news throughout the day as lineups could be impacted by moves. As things currently stand, here are some pitchers and hitters to pursue on Yahoo.
Pitchers
Corbin Burnes ($52) enters his matchup with the Nationals having logged at least six innings and given up two or fewer runs in each of his last five starts. During that span, he had a 0.64 WHIP and recorded 42 strikeouts over 33 innings. The Nationals rank inside the bottom-10 in baseball in runs scored, leaving Burnes with an excellent opportunity to continue his recent run of success.
In a difficult matchup against the Rangers in his last start, J.P. France ($38) gave up just one unearned run over seven innings. That marked the ninth straight start in which he has allowed three or fewer earned runs. What's impressive is that he also pitched at least six innings in eight of those outings. Despite his lack of strikeout upside, he's a great option against a Guardians team that has scored the seventh-fewest runs in baseball.
Not many people like rolling with a pitcher at Coors Field. However, for those looking to differentiate their lineup in tournament play, Seth Lugo ($41) is worth considering. He has been pitching well, logging a 3.12 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP over his last seven starts. For the season, he has a 3.62 ERA that is supported by a 3.76 FIP. The Rockies are also working with a compromised lineup after trading C.J. Cron and Randal Grichuk to the Angels on Sunday. Don't be surprised if Lugo provides value.
Top Targets
Christian Yelich ($25) already has 15 home runs and 22 stolen bases, both of which top his totals from last season. Not only that, but he has lowered his strikeout rate to 20.4 percent while recording a .364 wOBA. He stands out for a matchup against Jake Irvin ($26), who has allowed a .365 wOBA and a .497 slugging percentage to left-handed hitters.
After an ugly 2022 campaign that saw Whit Merrifield ($18) record a .294 wOBA, he has bounced back with a .339 wOBA this season. He is batting .304, while doing plenty of damage on the base paths with 21 steals. He has been particularly hot of late, hitting 29-for-73 (.397) with six home runs over his last 19 games. Up next is a matchup against the underwhelming Kyle Gibson ($29), who only has a 19.1 percent strikeout rate to go along with his 1.32 WHIP.
Bargain Bats
After Yankees' starter Luis Severino was hammered by the Orioles on Sunday, they will send another struggling pitcher to the mound in Domingo German ($43). He has given up at least five runs in back-to-back starts, which included the Mets hitting three home runs in his last outing. That has been a problem for him for much of the season, given that he has allowed 20 home runs over 103.2 innings. This could be an opportune matchup to roll with Randy Arozarena ($10) and Josh Lowe ($12) at cheap salaries. Arozarena enters with a .353 wOBA, while Lowe has followed up his .122 ISO last year with a .207 ISO this season.
Stacks to Consider
Braves vs. Griffin Canning ($31), Angels: Ronald Acuna Jr. ($28), Matt Olson ($27), Austin Riley ($23)
In his last two starts against the Yankees and Tigers, Canning allowed four runs and posted 20 strikeouts over 10.2 innings. However, this will be a much more difficult task against the Braves in Atlanta. They have a staggering .867 OPS at home, slugging 106 home runs over 54 games. That last stat is particularly troublesome with Canning having allowed 1.6 HR/9 for his career.
Astros vs. Noah Syndergaard ($25), Guardians: Yordan Alvarez ($23), Jose Altuve ($22), Kyle Tucker ($27)
Injuries have put the Guardians in a tough spot with their starting rotation. They forced them to make a move for Syndergaard, who had a 7.16 ERA and a 5.54 FIP over 12 starts with the Dodgers. Across 55.1 innings, he was taken deep 12 times. Last year, he gave up just 14 home runs over 134.2 innings. With how poorly he has performed, the Astros should be a popular team to stack. Their lineup is finally healthy, with Alvarez's return providing a huge boost. Over four games since being activated from the IL, he is 6-for-15 with a double and a home run.
Padres vs. Austin Gomber ($26), Rockies: Fernando Tatis Jr. ($23), Manny Machado ($27), Gary Sanchez ($16)
The last time the Padres faced Gomber at Coors Field, they scored seven runs off him over four innings. They accumulated 11 hits, three of which were home runs. Gomber has allowed 1.8 HR/9 this season, so his inability to keep them inside the ballpark was not a surprise. The Padres could have similar success in this rematch, given that they have .782 OPS versus left-handed pitchers this season. A top option for a Padres stack is Machado, who has a 163 wRC+ versus lefties.
