This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
There are a lot of early start times Thursday, so let's examine the Yahoo slate that includes all 10 games throughout the afternoon and evening. We don't have the greatest pitching options at our disposal, but there still a few players who stand out based on their matchups. Also, limited top-tier pitching talent means hitting might be easier to find than normal during a smaller late.
Pitching Overview
One of the biggest names who is scheduled to pitch is Carlos Carrasco ($44). Don't let his 5.60 ERA fool you. He has a 3.31 xFIP and has been victimized by an abnormally high .376 BABIP. He also still has a 33.1 percent strikeout rate and will be facing a White Sox team that has struck out the seventh-most times in the league (343), so this could be a spot for him to shine.
If you're looking to attack a specific matchup, it doesn't get any better than Yu Darvish ($41) facing the Marlins. While the Marlins have some promising young arms, their lineup is flat out awful, scoring the fewest runs in the league (101) by a wide margin. When Darvish faced them earlier this season, he allowed two runs and recorded eight strikeouts over 5.2 innings. Despite his control issues, Darvish has upside here based on his matchup and ability to rack up strikeouts in bunches.
A name that might fly under the radar, but shouldn't be overlooked, is Chris Bassitt ($36). The main reason to consider deploying him in DFS is because of his matchup against the Reds, who have the sixth-lowest OPS (.676) in the league. Two of Bassitt's three starts this season have come against similarly bad teams in the Blue Jays and Pirates, but he's at least taken care of business by allowing four runs and recording 22 strikeouts over 17 innings, overall.
Key Values/Chalk
The chalk lineup that immediately stands out is the Rockies against Derek Holland at Coors Field. However, temperatures are expected to be in the high 30's to low 40's with, so it might be best to avoid them. Next up in line is the Angels for their matchup with Ryan Carpenter and the Tigers. Tyson Ross was originally supposed to start, but he was pushed back a day due to a stiff neck. Carpenter had a 5.49 xFIP and a 19.7 percent strikeout rate though his first six starts at Triple-A, so this game could get ugly in a hurry.
The Cubs should also be a popular target for their bout with Trevor Richards. Despite opponents' recording just a .232 BABIP against him, Richards has a 5.79 xFIP and a 1.31 WHIP. Why? Well, it certainly doesn't help that he's walked 21 batters in 37.1 innings. The Cubs scored five runs off of him in 4.2 innings earlier this season and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him struggle in their rematch.
With injuries ravaging their lineup, the Nationals finally received some reinforcements when Anthony Rendon was activated from the IL this week. They still have some dangerous right-handed hitters, so they are an option to consider against Rich Hill and the Dodgers. Hill has dealt with his own injury issues this year and did not look good in his first start off the IL, allowing three runs on two home runs over four innings against the Padres.
Stacks
Angels vs. Carpenter (Tigers)
Mike Trout (OF - $23), Andrelton Simmons (SS - $16), David Fletcher (3B- $14)
Any Angels stack has to start with Trout. While he's pricey, his upside is off the charts. Simmons makes for another great option after hitting 19-for-53 (.358) with two home runs and three doubles across his last 13 games. He's also a tough out with his career 8.9 percent strikeout rate. While Fletcher doesn't bring much power to the plate, he has more walks (nine) than strikeouts (five) so far.
Cubs vs. Richards (Marlins)
Javier Baez (SS - $23), Anthony Rizzo (1B- $22), Kyle Schwarber (OF - $11)
You can't go wrong with Baez and Rizzo in a Cubs stack. Rizzo has a career .377 wOBA against right-handed pitchers and Baez made significant strides in that area with a .361 wOBA against righties last year. Schwarber might be off to a slow start, but his power upside is appealing at this cheap price.
Nationals vs. Hill (Dodgers)
Anthony Rendon (3B- $25), Howie Kendrick (1B - $17), Victor Robles (OF- $15)
Rendon and his career .381 wOBA against lefties is without question the player to build around for a Nationals stack. Kendrick has been forced into an everyday role due to all of their injuries and he's stepped up to hit 11-for-35 (.314) over his last 10 games. Robles has found himself in a favorable spot hitting towards the top of their lineup and has shown a great combination of speed and power with eight steals and six home runs so far.
Pirates vs. Michael Wacha (Cardinals)
Josh Bell (1B - $22), Starling Marte (OF - $15), Gregory Polanco (OF - $13)
Wacha had some control issues last year with a 10.1 percent walk rate, but he's already walked 21 batters in just 31.1 innings this season. Add in six home runs allowed and he has an ugly 4.83 xFIP. This could be a spot to take advantage by deploying a Pirates stack that might not be highly owned. Bell is the one to build around since he's hitting 12-for-33 (.364) with three home runs and six doubles during his eight-game hitting streak. Marte has also hit well since returning from the IL, logging at least two hits in three of seven games. Polanco helps round out this cheap stack after he recorded a 128 wRC+ against righties last year.
