This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
A fair amount of the MLB action Saturday is in the afternoon, but fortunately it's included in Yahoo's DFS slate. While two early afternoon games have been omitted, there are still 13 games left with the first pitch at 4:05 p.m. EDT. That means you'll have plenty of options, but here are a few names I'll highlight.
Pitching
Logan Webb, SF vs. MIA ($45): It took Webb a couple seasons to get going, but he's posted a 2.99 ERA over his last three campaigns - including a 3.20 in 2023. And his home mark during that extended stretch is 2.44. The Marlins sit bottom-three in runs scored once again, which provides little threat to Webb.
Hunter Brown, HOU vs. OAK ($44): Brown's rookie run has gone reasonably well with a 3.43 ERA and a .336 BABIP that seems likely to improve. The A's rank near the bottom in offense, and this represents a great matchup even away from their pitcher-friendly ballpark.
Jon Gray, TEX vs. COL ($36): Gray will face his former team while sporting a 3.15 ERA through eight starts. However, he's only allowed one run over his last two starts and claims he's included a tweaked slider in the mix. That bodes well against the Rockies, who are middling in terms of runs scored even with their home games being at Coors Field.
Top Targets
There remain few bats as reliable as Freddie Freeman ($22), especially with a righty on the mound. The southpaw boasts a .947 OPS versus right-handed pitchers since 2021. Miles Mikolas lists a 3.87 ERA over his last four seasons, and lefties have hit .311 against this year. Pitchers who don't strike out many batters, like Mikolas, are at a disadvantage against Freeman.
It feels like we still overlook Shohei Ohtani ($18), at least when he's not upending the conventions of baseball. He's produced an .891 OPS with 10 home runs and six stolen bases, but the lefty still feels underappreciated. Ohtani will face righty Louie Varland on Saturday, and he's given up 1.84 homers per nine innings during his career while allowing southpaws to go .278 against.
Bargain Bats
Has Javier Baez ($17) been a disappointment with the Tigers? Sure, but not against lefties with an .880 OPS against them since 2021. Patrick Corbin is set to take the mound for the Nationals with a 4.65 ERA, which would be his lowest mark since 2019. Considering righties have hit .298 against Corbin, that number seems ready to rise.
Rafael Devers ($14) has experienced some issues this year, but not with power having slugged .557 with 13 homers while slugging .580 versus righties the last couple campaigns. Joe Musgrove is struggling so far for the Padres with a 6.63 ERA from four appearances while allowing 2.37 home runs per nine innings.
Stacks to Consider
Yankees at Reds (Luke Weaver): Anthony Rizzo ($21), Anthony Volpe ($21), Gleyber Torres ($17)
In his first season with the Reds, Weaver struggled to a 6.26 ERA - and that's not surprising. He's finished with an ERA over 6.00 in two of his previous three year, including mostly pitching out of the bullpen during 2022. Weaver isn't an MLB-caliber pitcher, but the Reds are starting him and will therefore stack some Yankees.
The lefty Rizzo had trouble making consistent contact last year, yet still managed 32 homers. He's currently at 10 home runs, but is also batting .300. Like a lot of promising rookies, Volpe has struggled to hit for average and take walks, but is at seven homers and 13 steals. He's also been solid against righties, and Weaver has allowed right-handers to go .328 against during 2023. Torres has recorded six homers and five stolen bases after 24 and 10 last season. He's also better against lefties, but his .747 OPS against righties is encouraging in this matchup.
Phillies vs. Cubs (Jameson Taillon): J.T. Realmuto ($20), Kyle Schwarber ($17), Bryson Stott ($13)
Taillon's 3.74 FIP is notably better than his 6.66 ERA, but it still isn't great along with an uninspiring career 3.77 FIP. He's also given up at least three runs in five of six starts, and lefties have hit .326 against. And that's why I'm stacking two lefties here.
While Realmuto is a righty, he's a catcher with a .298 average, three home runs, and seven steals. And since 2021, he's produced an .830 OPS versus right-handers. Schwarber hit 46 homers last year with 10 so far this season. And over the last three seasons, he's managed a .913 OPS versus righties. Stott doesn't offer a lot of power, but he does have three home runs to go with five swipes and a .279 average.
Padres vs. Red Sox (Chris Sale): Fernando Tatis ($19), Xander Bogaerts ($12), Ha-Seong Kim ($11)
Sale has been healthy, but that's only part of the intention for a pitcher. In terms of performance, the lefty has posted a 5.40 ERA through eight starts. To the extent its relevant, Sale lists a 7.20 road ERA, and this matchup is in San Diego.
Tatis has put his slow start behind him batting .282 with six homers and three stolen bases - including a .929 OPS against lefties like Sale. Bogaerts' first season as a Padre has gone well with a .366 OBP supplemented by six home runs and four steals. He's also enjoyed his new ballpark, where he's maintained an .868 OPS. After 11 homers and 12 swipes in 2022, Kim has four and six this year along with an .876 OPS versus southpaws.
