This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
The early part of the baseball season is always interesting, at least when the weather holds out. When teams - like the Mariners - or players - like Pete Alonso - get off to hot starts, we wonder how legitimate things are. We worry about small sample sizes, but eventually some of those hot starts turn into surprising seasons. It's another lovely Sunday of baseball. Every team is slated to be in action, mostly in the afternoon. Let's see what the day has in store for us!
PITCHING
If money is no object to you, there's always Max Scherzer ($60). He's the best pitcher in baseball, so anytime he takes the mound he's as reliable as a bet as you can find. That's doubly true since this game is at home, as he posted a 2.51 ERA in his own ballpark last season. The Pirates finished 20th in runs scored in 2018, and are back in the bottom-10 to start this campaign.
Keep an eye on the weather, but if things hold out in Minnesota, then I really like Jose Berrios ($48). He had a 3.84 ERA last year, but that improved to a 3.03 ERA at home. Plus, he struck out 9.45 batters per nine innings in 2018. It's early, but the Tigers are hitting below the Mendoza line as a team. That isn't terribly surprising, as they managed a collective .241 batting average last season.
If you want a slightly cheaper option, there's Derek Holland ($34). He revitalized his career last season when he joined the Giants, posting a 3.57 ERA. He's record a 3.38 ERA through three starts this year, and pitching in San Francisco's spacious ballpark is always helpful. The Rockies have struggled offensively to begin this campaign, and their offensive numbers are always skewed by Coors Field. On the road, they are a different team.
KEY VALUES/CHALK
The Yankees aren't a stacking option right now due to injuries, but at least Aaron Judge ($25) is still healthy. We saw the kind of power he has when he hit 52 homers as a rookie, but he also hit 27 in only 112 games last year. His numbers also dipped last season because of how he hit on the road. But at home, it was business as usual. The White Sox's Carlos Rodon is no deterrent, as he has allowed 1.08 homers per nine innings during his career.
As the weather gets warmer, the ball starts to fly farther in Texas - making Rangers home games more enticing for us fantasy players. Catcher is usually a great place to try and save some cash, and my eye turns to Isiah Kiner-Falefa ($8), who has settled in as Texas' catcher. We haven't seen him play a ton yet, but he has a .811 OPS against lefties. Brett Anderson, a southpaw, is expected to start for the A's. Few pitchers had bigger home/road splits than Anderson last year, as he posted 2.01 ERA at home, but a woeful 6.06 ERA on the road.
Let's not forget the flipside of this matchup. The Rangers are starting Shelby Miller, who hasn't posted an ERA lower than 4.09 since 2015, and who has barely been pitching over the last few years. Khris Davis ($28) is usually a safe bet, as he has tremendous power and is getting to hit in a more favorable ballpark than Oakland's. I also recommend Marcus Semien ($22), who has had double-digit homers and stolen bases in each of his last four campaigns.
STACKS
The Boston Red Sox are hosting the Baltimore Orioles, who represent a shining beacon for stacking fans. John Means is getting the start for the Orioles. We have limited information on him, but in his sparse action - mostly in relief - he has a 4.89 FIP. You may want to leave Andrew Benintendi out of your stack, as Means is a lefty, but J.D. Martinez ($25) and Mookie Betts ($24) are both worth a shot. So are some cheaper options like the recently returned Dustin Pedroia ($8) and also Steve Pearce ($19). With a lefty on the mound, Pearce will likely get the start, since he has an .851 OPS versus southpaws since 2017.
San Diego added some talent, but they still have some issues in their rotation. Eric Lauer, the starter Sunday, has a career 4.49 FIP and has allowed 1.26 homers per nine innings. That's while pitching home games at Petco Park. He's produced a career 5.01 ERA on the road, so let's look at the Arizona Diamondbacks. Ketel Marte ($17) has a career .916 OPS against lefties like Lauer. Eduardo Escobar ($14) is off to a slow start, but he slashed .272/.334/.489 last season while hitting 23 homers in 151 games. And Adam Jones ($17), in what is admittedly a small sample size, seems reinvigorated by getting out of Baltimore.
