This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
Sunday, in normal times, means a relaxing day of afternoon baseball. These days, things are a little more chaotic. Doubleheader games are only seven innings and not included for DFS purposes on Yahoo. Sorry, Phillies and Marlins. No J.T. Realmuto revenge game for you DFS players. The Padres and Giants also have COVID issues at the moment. And yet, there are still an abundance of options. Get your lineup in early. It's Sunday after all, and consider these players.
PITCHING
Charlie Morton ($37) has not been what was expected this year, as he's produced a 3.94 FIP. However, in this short season, a lot of that is based on a poor start in his first game after a long layoff. Over the last five outings, Morton has posted a 3.20 ERA. Boston's offense has been called a disappointment, mostly because it hasn't lived up to its usual standards. I'm down to ride with Morton against a team that has been decidedly mediocre. At the very least, I expect Morton to pick up a home win if he goes five innings.
Michael Pineda ($41) looked respectable in his first season with the Twins, posting matching 4.01 ERAs and FIPs. He got off to a late start to this year and didn't make his first start until Sep. 1, but has managed a 2.03 FIP through two outings. Cleveland ranks in the bottom-five in runs scored per game and also sits with a .316 team OBP, so Pineda's strong start should continue.
Are you willing to take a shot on Frankie Montas ($39)? He comes with a 4.54 FIP, but last season posted a 2.98 mark. Montas also started the season hot before a few rough starts, but only allowed two runs over five innings in his last outing. I'm willing to trust him giving the matchup. The Rangers - i.e Montas' opponent - and the Pirates are neck and neck for having the worst offense in the majors, and the Rangers still have a sub-.300 team OBP.
TOP PICKS
Weirdly, DJ LeMahieu's ($22) numbers at home got a lot better when he left the Rockies for the Yankees, as last season's .977 OPS is up over 1.000 this year. LeMahieu is also a righty facing the left-handed John Means. Means has struggled a 7.18 FIP, largely due the fact he's allowed an alarming 3.12 homers per nine innings this season.
The Rockies are at home, so that's going to draw my eye. Trevor Story ($25) is hitting in his typical excellent fashion by slashing .299/.374/.565 with 10 homers. However, he's been even better than usual when it comes to swiping bags with 14 already. Story will be facing the lefty Andrew Heaney, who enters with a 5.70 road ERA.
VALUE PICKS
Speaking of left-handed pitchers, Martin Perez is also a southpaw with a 5.18 FIP in his first season with Boston. The Rays aren't in a great spot here, because they roll out a ton of lefties in their usual lineup. However, Willy Adames ($17) is a righty. He tends to have issues hitting at home, but I'd take a shot in this matchup as he's produced a .369 OBP and .507 slugging percentage in 2020.
Jesse Winker ($22) is dealing with a sore back, but his bat is valuable if he's able to take the field. Usually stepping in as Cincinnati's designated hitter, the 27-year-old has managed a .569 slugging percentage with 10 homers in 43 games. Carlos Martinez, who pitched entirely out of the bullpen last season, is back to starting. It's not going well over two starts with a 12.27 ERA.
STACKS
Angels vs. Ryan Castellani: Mike Trout ($28), Anthony Rendon ($27), Andrelton Simmons ($18)
This would be a expensive stack, but it might be well worth it. Castellani is a rookie pitcher for the Rockies, and it's been a rough introduction to the majors. The hurler has posted a 7.51 FIP and has allowed 2.83 homers per nine innings. Pitching at Coors has been pretty brutal for him, which could pay off big time for the Angels. Trout isn't stealing bases, but he's also going to eclipse the 1.000 OPS mark for the fourth straight season. Why quibble with near perfection? Rendon had a 1.010 OPS during his final season with Washington and has produced a .429 OBP in his first season in LA. Simmons doesn't offer as much power, but does have a .286 average and sometimes leads off for the Angels. Hitting at the top of this lineup can lead to crossing home plate pretty easily.
Cubs vs. Adrian Houser: Anthony Rizzo ($14), Ian Happ ($20), Kris Bryant ($9)
Houser switched between the bullpen and the rotation last season and pitched well, but this year being a full-time starter has not gone as hoped with a 5.48 ERA that rises to 8.36 at home. On top of that, Houser has allowed a .292 batting average to lefties since 2018. Naturally, I had to grab a lefty here, as well as one switch hitter. Rizzo is experiencing a down year, but his career slash line sits at .271/.372/.485. And his issues have been against southpaws, as he's produced an .822 OPS versus righties. Happ is enjoying a much better year, arguably the best at the plate of any Cub arguably and carries an .896 OPS versus righties since 2018. Bryant struggling this season, but has an MVP to his name and hit 31 home runs last year. I still believe in his bat potential.
Royals vs. Chad Kuhl: Whit Merrifield ($15), Adalberto Mondesi ($9), Salvador Perez ($16)
Kuhl has posted a 3.38 ERA - the lowest in his career - but dig deeper and you'll find a 5.87 FIP. The issue is a .213 BABIP that is not sustainable and giving up almost two homers per nine innings - with at least one long ball in each of his last six games. There's not a ton of power in this trio, but there are other ways to rack up fantasy points. Merrifield has crushed nine home runs, but also has recorded seven steals. Speaking of stolen bases, Mondesi has 16 of them even though he's barely hitting above the Mendoza Line. Perez is a smart catch to put on your roster, as he just returned from injury and hit 27 homers with 80 RBI in each of the last two seasons.
