This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
Thursday brings a somewhat limited slate with 10 games on the schedule across baseball. Most of them have early start times, as well. Among the day games will be the conclusion of the series between the Blue Jays and Red Sox, who will start Kevin Gausman and Tanner Houck, respectively. A matchup between the Twins and Royals will see two pitchers at the opposite ends of their careers when youngster Joe Ryan faces of with the veteran Zack Greinke. The most appealing matchup among the night games will be between AL West rivals when the Mariners host the Rangers. Let's get to the task at hand and highlight some players to consider for the main Yahoo slate, which starts at 3:37 p.m. EDT.
Pitchers
It's been a great start to the season for Pablo Lopez ($40), who allowed one run over 10.1 innings in his first two starts. He only registered eight total strikeouts, but that's not an area of concern for him given his 27.5 percent strikeout rate last season. On a limited slate that consists of just five games, Lopez stands out as one of the better pitching options despite a less-than-ideal matchup against the Cardinals.
Since the start of the 2018 season, Marco Gonzales ($37) has a 4.61 FIP and a 1.28 WHIP on the road. At home, has a 3.70 FIP and a 1.14 WHIP. With a home matchup against the Rangers on tap, this could be a split to try and exploit.
The Orioles' lineup is a mess. Across 12 games, they have scored only 24 runs. In addition to that, they have struck out 125 times. Paul Blackburn ($30) will get the start against them for the Athletics, and when you also add in his reasonable salary, it will be difficult to resist adding him to your lineup.
Top Targets
It's easy to make a case for rolling with Juan Soto ($23) in DFS. He's one of the best hitters in all of baseball, evident by his career .410 wOBA and 156 wRC+. He could be a nightmare matchup for Zach Davies ($26), who has a limited 17.2 percent strikeout rate for his career.
The Marlins still have a lot of work to do with regards to their lineup. However, they may have found a cornerstone to build around in Jesus Sanchez ($21). His 31.1 percent strikeout rate across 64 games was a problem last season, but he's showing signs of improvement, entering Wednesday with a 20.0 percent strikeout rate across nine games. The Cardinals will start Jordan Hicks ($25), but with him expected to be on a limited pitch count, this could amount to a bullpen game that Sanchez could thrive in.
Bargain Bats
Going back to the Nationals' favorable matchup against Davies, Nelson Cruz ($10) could also be a way to gain some exposure, while also not destroying your budget. The veteran slugger is off to a slow start, but he's also been a bit unlucky with a .229 BABIP entering Wednesday. For his career, he has a .307 BABIP.
Tony Kemp ($12) has been one of the few bright spots on a rebuilding Athletics team. Power is not his forte, but he has a .377 OBP since the start of the 2020 season. In a matchup against Tyler Wells ($28) and the underwhelming Orioles' bullpen, Kemp is at least worth considering at his cheap salary.
Stacks to Consider
Cubs vs. Bryse Wilson ($25), Pirates: Seiya Suzuki ($28), Willson Contreras ($20), Ian Happ ($21)
Wilson's career is off to a bad start. Through 125 innings, he has a 5.54 ERA and an equally poor 5.55 FIP. His 1.58 WHIP is a big reason for his downfall, and why stacking the Cubs is so appealing. Any Cubs stack should be built around Suzuki, who is off to a crazy start with a 272 wRC+.
Mariners vs. Taylor Hearn ($27), Rangers: Ty France ($18), Eugenio Suarez ($19), Adam Frazier ($8)
Hearn hasn't been as bad as Wilson, but his career 4.79 ERA and 4.62 FIP are certainly nothing to write home about. If he can't improve on his career 1.43 WHIP, things likely won't get much better for him, either. The struggling lefty on the mound makes for a great opportunity to roll with France, given that he had a .370 wOBA versus left-handed pitchers last season.
