This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
September is here, and the MLB season has hit the final stretch. However, there are still many more daily fantasy opportunities waiting for you. There are 15 games Saturday, with two of them starting at 4:05 PM EST. If you are cool with a 13-game slate, you can wait until the evening, but otherwise get your picks in during the afternoon. Here are some daily fantasy recommendations.
STARTING PITCHER
Jon Gray, COL at SD ($43): Gray has been a curious case all season, with a disappointing 4.76 ERA but a half-decent 3.47 FIP. However, recently his more traditional numbers have also improved, with a 3.39 ERA over his last 10 starts. Pitching at Petco Park is definitely easier than at Coors Field, and the fact the Padres sport a .236 team batting average also helps.
Masahiro Tanaka, NYY vs. DET ($41): Tanaka is another pitcher who has recently been on his game, with a 2.88 ERA over his last eight outings. Meanwhile, the Tigers have been flailing offensively since the All-Star break, ranking 29th in runs scored during this stretch.
[Join a Yahoo Daily Fantasy Baseball contest or league today]
CATCHER
Yadier Molina, STL vs. CIN ($14): Molina is perhaps a bit overrated, in terms of the Hall of Fame talk he generates, but the guy still ranks as an above-average hitter for a catcher. He enters with a .272 batting average and has hit 16 homers in 104 games. Luis Castillo has slumped to a 5.07 ERA, but on the road that number shoots up to 6.18.
FIRST BASE
Joey Votto, CIN at STL ($15): Votto's power has been down this year, but he remains a steady bat with a knack for getting on base. The veteran comes in with a .420 OBP, in line with his career number of .427. The Cardinals will be starting Daniel Poncedeleon, who has only started twice and logged 21.2 major-league innings. And in that time, he's posted a 4.26 FIP.
SECOND BASE
Robinson Cano, SEA at OAK ($13): Cano missed a big chunk of the season due to a PED suspension, but he's averaged 6.6 fantasy points per game when available. Since returning to action, he's managed a .277 batting average, so he seems no worse for the wear. Daniel Mengden is getting a spot start for the A's, which bodes well for Cano as the hurler is struggling with a 4.78 FIP and has allowed 1.43 homers per nine innings.
THIRD BASE
Anthony Rendon, WAS vs. MIL ($18): Rendon has been hot recently, which has lifted his slash line on the season to .297/.357/.505 with 18 homers in 109 games. He's also enjoying a 10-game hitting streak. Chase Anderson comes in with a 5.40 FIP and has allowed 1.80 homers per nine innings, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see Rendon keep his streak going – perhaps even with a home run.
SHORTSTOP
Gleyber Torres, NYY vs. DET ($15): On the season, Torres maintains a robust .858 OPS with 21 homers in 97 games. He's been scorching over his last 14 games, with a 1.120 OPS. Daniel Norris hasn't pitched for the Tigers since April, but he still has a 5.87 ERA – with a career 4.45 mark.
OUTFIELD
Justin Upton, LAA at HOU ($20): Upton is back from the disabled list, and he brings his 26 homers with him. He's crushed righties all season, slashing .288/.377/.526 in those matchups. Josh James is a righty, and he will also be making his MLB debut Saturday. That bodes well for Upton.
Alex Gordon, KC vs. BAL ($19): Gordon has had some struggles this year, but he has found some of his old form of late. Over his last 30 games, he has posted a .250/.356/.410 slash line with four home runs. It shouldn't be hard for Gordon to stay hot in a matchup against Dylan Bundy. Bundy enters with a horrible 5.37 ERA, but his ERA registers at 8.87 over his last nine starts.
Tommy Pham, TAM at CLE ($16): Pham has put up impressive numbers since being traded to the Rays, but he was actually turning things around before that with a .790 OPS over his last 30 games – which includes a .367 OBP. Rookie hurler Shane Bieber has struggled with a 4.52 ERA, and that number ballooned to 5.53 across his last 10 starts.
