This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
Sunday provides us with MLB baseball all day. It also gives us a lot of options to pore over for our DFS lineups, which isn't always the easiest thing to navigate. That's why I have these recommendations for you pulled from the 14 games included on the DFS docket. The first pitch is at 1:35 p.m. ET.
Pitching
Luis Castillo, SEA at OAK ($51): I didn't expect any problems for Castillo after he was dealt to the Mariners, but it's still encouraging to see him post a 2.18 ERA through three starts. Now he faces the Athletics, who sit 29th in runs scored and last in team batting average.
Jose Quintana, STL at ARI ($37): Quintana surprisingly had a 3.50 ERA with the Pirates, but since being dealt he has a 2.65 ERA in three starts with the Cardinals. He's also a lefty, and the Diamondbacks have a lefty-heavy lineup. Additionally, the Diamondbacks are barely outside the bottom 10 in runs scored.
Joe Ryan, MIN vs. TEX ($37): Overall, Ryan has a 3.92 ERA, but at home that number comes in at 2.96. He'll be at home Sunday, which bodes well. The Rangers are around the middle of the pack in runs scored.
Top Targets
Over the last two seasons, Bryan Reynolds ($22) has slashed .287/.374/.504. Since the start of August, that line jumps to .313/.418/.582. Mike Minor has been utterly brutal this year, posting a 6.40 ERA while allowing 2.42 home runs per nine innings.
Switch-hitting catcher Adley Rutschman ($21) has lived up to the hype, slashing .259/.366/.458 through his first 72 games. While he'll hit from both sides of the plate, he's been much better against righties, posting a .939 OPS in those matchups. Nick Pivetta, who owns a career 4.99 ERA, is a righty who shouldn't give Rutschman much trouble.
Bargain Bats
Evan Longoria ($19) has slugged .460 this year with 10 home runs in 59 games. Since 2020, he has a .918 OPS versus lefties, and while he's been better at home in 2022, this game is at Coors Field. Kyle Freeland will be on the mound, and the lefty has a 5.21 ERA at home since 2020, an unsurprising figure given his home ballpark.
Being at home and facing a righty is ideal for Jorge Polanco ($13). He has an .838 OPS against righties and an .860 OPS at home this season. Kohei Arihara has a career 6.41 ERA and has allowed 2.33 home runs per nine innings.
Stacks to Consider
Padres vs. Nationals (Patrick Corbin): Manny Machado ($27), Ha-Seong Kim ($20), Jurickson Profar ($18)
With each passing season, things get bleaker for Corbin. This season, the lefty has a 6.96 ERA and has allowed 1.70 home runs per nine innings. On the road, his ERA somehow sits at 9.44. Since 2020, righties have hit .313 against him, so I have to attack this stack.
Over the last three weeks, Machado has an 1.018 OPS. Since 2020, he has a .945 OPS at home, so he's not afraid of Petco Park. Kim owns an .809 OPS over the last two weeks and has an .834 OPS against southpaws. Profar doesn't have much power, but he has a .774 OPS in home games. He also leads off frequently and has scored 68 runs in 114 contests.
Rockies vs. Giants (Jakob Junis): Ryan McMahon ($18), Charlie Blackmon ($14), C.J. Cron ($12)
In his first season as a Giant, Junis has a 3.61 FIP, but pitching at Coors Field is a different challenge. Since 2020, Junis has allowed lefties to hit .296 against him, so I have two left-handers in this stack.
Over the last three weeks, McMahon has a .919 OPS. He also has an .823 OPS at home over the last three seasons. Blackmon has hit .264 with 16 home runs on the season and owns an .818 OPS and .480 slugging percentage at Coors Field. Cron isn't a lefty, but he has a .985 OPS at home since he joined the Rockies. Additionally, he has an .869 OPS against right-handed pitchers this year.
Angels at Tigers (Eduardo Rodriguez): Mike Trout ($20), Luis Rengifo ($16), Taylor Ward ($11)
Rodriguez had a 4.74 ERA last year, his final season with the Red Sox. He joined the Tigers this offseason and posted a 4.38 ERA in eight starts before being away for months for both an injury and personal reasons. Rodriguez is now ready to return, but I don't expect things to go well for him right away.
Trout is back in the lineup and is also, you know, Mike Trout. He has a career 1.000 OPS and has a 1.047 OPS versus lefties this year. Rengifo has nine homers and five stolen bases. He's a switch hitter but has preferred hitting against lefties this season, posting a .981 OPS. Ward has cooled off after a slow start but still has a .259/.352/.444 slash line with 16 home runs.
