This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
Next Saturday is the so-called Week 0 of college football. The matchups aren't all that exciting, but I know some of you will have divided interest when the action begins on the gridiron. This Saturday, it's all about MLB with eight evening games on the DFS slate. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m. EDT. Here are my recommendations.
Pitching
Joe Musgrove, SD vs. WAS ($42): The move to San Diego has really paid off for Musgrove. He posted a 2.92 ERA at home last season and a 2.87 this year. Washington ranks 26th in runs scored and no longer employ Juan Soto or Josh Bell.
Logan Gilbert, SEA at OAK ($40): Gilbert has compiled a solid sophomore season with a 3.51 ERA. He was going better before a couple recent tough starts against the Yankees. The Athletics aren't as imposing of a matchup as the Bronx Bombers sitting 29th in runs and team OPS.
Dustin May, LAD vs. MIA ($40): Finding a third pitcher for Saturday was tough. May is a bit of a gamble making his first MLB start after Tommy John surgery. The Dodgers boast baseball's best offense and the Marlins are 27th in offense. If May is able to go five innings, I bet he picks up a win. My concern is that he may not make it that long.
Top Targets
Bryan Reynolds ($23) has been red hot of late with a 1.022 OPS the last 21 days to boost home run total to 20. I think he can stay hot as Justin Dunn has pitched 8.1 innings so far this season and already allowed four homers.
In addition to hitting .304, Trea Turner ($20) has produced 18 homers and 20 stolen bases. And since 2020, he's registered a 1.093 OPS versus lefties. Meanwhile, Braxton Garrett has allowed righties to hit .280 against in his career and a 5.12 road ERA.
Bargain Bats
The modern quasi-apathy about batting average benefits a player like Christian Walker ($18), who can trot out there with a .221 but keeps on playing because he's slugged .476 thanks to 29 home runs. Dakota Hudson allows a lot of contact, especially to righties who have hit .299 against this year. He's also only struck out 5.07 batters per nine innings. The chances of Walker making contact Saturday are elevated in this matchup, and we know the kind of damage he can do.
From a non-fantasy perspective, Marcus Semien ($15) has endured a rough season. For DFS folks, his 18 home runs and 19 stolen bases have been quite beneficial. Semien's new home ballpark has not been kind to him, but he has an .814 OPS on the road. On the flip side, Chris Archer has posted a 7.29 ERA across his last five starts.
Stacks to Consider
Cardinals at Diamondbacks (Madison Bumgarner): Nolan Arenado ($22), Tyler O'Neill ($14), Dylan Carlson ($13)
Bumgarner is simply not the pitcher he was as a Giant. This is his best season as a Diamondback, and he still maintains a 4.50 FIP. The southpaw can still handle lefties, but right-handed batters have gone .285 against this year and .274 since he joined Arizona's rotation. The Cardinals offer plenty of righties to handle the veteran pitcher.
Arenado's overall slash line is .299/.363/.560, but he's recorded a 1.012 OPS against lefties and a .904 since 2020. O'Neill has seven homers and eight stolen bases and his struggles at home aren't an issue in this matchup. He also boasts an .874 OPS versus lefties the last three seasons. Carlson is a switch hitter, but he prefers to face southpaws with an .894 OPS against them the last couple campaigns.
Giants at Rockies (Ryan Feltner): Wilmer Flores ($20), Brandon Belt ($15), Joc Pederson ($13)
Another day at Coors Field, another stack to take advantage. In his career, Feltner has a 6.95 ERA. He's also allowed 1.89 home runs per nine innings. And at home, he's unsurprisingly given up 2.4 home runs. Righties hit him, lefties hit him.
Over the last three weeks, Flores has a .911 OPS. He's a career .266 hitter and has racked up 16 home runs. Since 2020, Belt has posted a .930 OPS against righties. He's struggled on the road this year, but this is Coors Field. And just last season, he produced a 1.024 OPS in away games. Speaking of power, Pederson has 18 home runs. He also lists a .502 slugging percentage against righties and a .507 slugging mark on the road.
Padres vs. Nationals (Josiah Gray): Manny Machado ($22), Brandon Drury ($15) Jake Cronenworth ($13)
Gray has posted a 5.71 career FIP. His biggest problem? Keeping the ball in the park having allowed 2.38 home runs per nine innings since reaching the majors. As such, I wanted some power potential in this stack.
Machado offers plenty of pop with 22 home runs and a .536 slugging percentage. And since 2020, he's slugged .567 at Petco Park. Drury has shown the most power of his career slugging .502 and hitting 23 homers, with three of those since joining the Padres. Cronenworth went deep 21 times last year and has 12 this year. Since 2020, he's managed an .818 OPS versus righties and a .797 home OPS.
