This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
We've got a midday start for DFS on Saturday. The main slate of contests covers 11 games that start at 4:05 p.m. ET or later. The second half of the doubleheader between the Tigers and Rockies is not included. Here are my recommendations.
Pitching
Frankie Montas, OAK vs. TEX ($50): Until he's dealt, Montas will get to enjoy Oakland as his home ballpark. He's excelled at home since 2020 with a 3.22 ERA. The Rangers added two big bats to a lineup that ranked 28th in runs scored last season. And while Corey Seager has hit well, it's been a slow start for Marcus Semien.
Ian Anderson, ATL vs. MIA ($40): Anderson got lit up in his first start, but only allowed one run in 5.2 innings last time out. He carries a career 3.41 ERA, so I think he'll be just fine. The Marlins ranked 29th in runs scored in 2021 and didn't make any additions to make me feel like this year will be much better.
Noah Syndergaard, LAA vs. BAL ($37): So far, so good for Syndergaard with his new team. He's made two starts and posted a 1.59 ERA with an average fastball velocity of 94.8. That's not peak Thor, but it's not nothing. Speaking of nothing, the Orioles effectively don't project fear from their lineup. It ranked 26th in runs scored last year and doesn't look improved this season.
Top Targets
Now this is the Francisco Lindor ($23) that we expected to see last year. Even though he struggled in his first season as a Met, he still hit 20 homers and stole 10 bases. So far, Lindor has posted a .304/.403/.589 slash line with four homers and three stolen bases. Humberto Castellanos of the Diamondbacks enters with a career 4.97 ERA, and Arizona can be a tough place for pitchers.
Ty France ($23) has proven himself as someone who can hit for average and get on base having hit .296 over the last three seasons. He's also showing some power in 2022 with a .528 slugging percentage. As a rookie, Kris Bubic produced a 4.73 FIP. Those numbers have regressed to a 5.13.
Bargain Bats
Last year, Sean Murphy ($18) hit 17 home runs and slugged .405. For a catcher, that's valuable. This year, he's slashed .259/.302/.569. Since 2020, the left-handed Martin Perez has allowed righties to hit .288 against, and that bodes well for Murphy.
It feels inevitable Carlos Correa ($13) is going to turn things around and won't be a "bargain bat" much longer. He comes in with a career .833 OPS and an .851 last season. The vaunted free-agent signing has been picking up some hits recently, so the turnaround may already be happening. Philadelphia got tired of Vince Velasquez, so they cut him and then San Diego signed him. He proceeded to register an 8.53 ERA in four starts before the Padres gave up on him, and now he's trying to hang on with the White Sox.
Stacks to Consider
Cardinals vs. Tyler Mahle ($42): Nolan Arenado ($25), Paul Goldschmidt ($15), Tommy Edman ($19)
Each successive start has been worse for Mahle, who's struggled to a 7.82 ERA after three outings. His home ballpark hasn't been kind to him of late with a 5.01 ERA since 2020. The Cardinals lack a worthwhile lefty bat, but still provide plenty of potential for this stack.
Maybe it just took Arenado a season to adjust to the thicker air of St. Louis compared to Denver, and even then he managed to hit 34 homers in 2021. This year, he's slashing .413/.481/.848 with five homers. Goldschmidt is off to a slow start, but boasts a career .907 OPS and in his worst season after his rookie campaign slashed .260/.346/.476 with 34 homers, so he'll be fine. The Cardinals routinely use two switch hitters in Edman and Dylan Carlson, and the former has been decidedly better this year. He tends to prefer facing lefties, but enters with a .341/.413/.634 slash line while stealing 30 bases last season.
Braves vs. Elieser Hernandez ($34): Matt Olson ($24), Ozzie Albies ($19), Marcell Ozuna ($17)
Hernandez's second start was much better than his first, but he still has a 6.06 FIP this season. He's only produced a FIP below 5.23 once during his career, so I don't hold out much hope for him. The Marlins' starter has also allowed lefties to hit .275 against since 2020, which plays into this stack.
Olson is off to a strong start with his new club and is a lefty who actually hits lefties better of late. That just means you don't have to worry when this game goes to the bullpen. In his last season with the A's, Olson registered a .911 OPS and hit 39 home runs. Albies crushed 30 home runs and stole 20 bases last year, and this year he's already gone long five times. He also performs better at home, where he's recorded an .842 OPS since 2020. Getting to DH seems to be helping Ozuna as he's hit .271, slugged .542, and notched four homers.
Angels vs. Spenser Watkins ($25): Jared Walsh ($19), Taylor Ward ($17), Brandon Marsh ($17)
Watkins had a rare good start in his last outing, but that was on the road against an Athletics team lacking in potent bats. He still carries a career 7.32 ERA, and last year allowed 2.30 home runs per nine innings. The Angels left their lefties on the bench against a southpaw starter Friday, but they'll likely be playing Saturday and two of them are listed here.
Walsh built on his brief campaign in 2020 with an impressive 2021 where he slugged .509 while hitting 29 home runs. And since 2020, he's managed a .997 OPS against righties. Ward is a righty, but he's off to a red-hot start to the season slashing .348/.464/.522. Marsh didn't do much last year, but he was decent against right-handed pitchers by posting a .726 OPS. He's off to a much-better start in 2022 with a .915 OPS. Marsh has struggled mightily against lefties, but he's raked against righties with a 1.288 OPS.
