This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
Baseball returns from the All-Star break with a bit of an unusual schedule Thursday. There will be two doubleheaders, one of which is an exciting matchup between the Yankees and Astros. The other doubleheader is at the opposite end of the spectrum with the Athletics hosting the Tigers. As far as single games go, one of them features the Dodgers squaring off against the Giants. In total, six games are on the schedule. With the two doubleheaders among the limited slate, we don't have a traditional large contest to play on Yahoo. Let's dive into the single-game contest between the Dodgers and Giants and breakdown some players from both sides.
Pitchers
Carlos Rodon made the All-Star team, but withdrew from the game because of a blood blister and a split nail to a finger on his pitching hand. After a week of rest, he'll be back on the mound right out of the gate. He has faced the Dodgers two times this season, allowing two runs and recording 11 strikeouts across 12 innings. After having allowed two runs or fewer in eight of his last nine outings, he'll certainly provide a difficult matchup for the Dodgers' lineup.
The Dodgers had two of their top pitchers in Clayton Kershaw and Tony Gonsolin participate in the All-Star game, so they'll turn to Mitch White to take the hill Thursday. He hasn't provided them with much length, logging more than five innings just one time across his 13 appearances (eight of which were starts). Overall, he's produced a pedestrian 4.25 FIP and 1.29 WHIP. The Giants have a significant pitching edge in this matchup.
Top Targets
For those who decide to fade Rodon, there may be no more appealing hitter on the Dodgers than Mookie Betts ($17). He's had plenty of success against left-handed pitchers this season with a .389 wOBA against them. For his career, he has a .374 wOBA versus southpaws.
The Giants don't have many players with expensive salaries, and with White pitching, their hitters will likely be popular. One that stands out is Joc Pederson ($8), who has gone deep 17 times across 79 games. He's significantly increased his power from last season, when he had 18 home runs over 137 games.
Bargain Bats
Since the righty White will start for the Dodgers, Luis Gonzalez ($7) is likely to be in the lineup for the Giants. Left-handed pitchers have given him plenty of problems, and with the Giants' health situation improving, he's been sitting against them recently. However, he has a 141 wRC+ versus right-handed pitchers.
It's been a disappointing season for Brandon Belt ($11), who only has a .781 OPS. However, he started to show signs of life heading into the break, hitting 11-for-21 (.524) with three home runs and two doubles over his last seven games. Although his overall numbers aren't great, he does have a .358 wOBA against right-handed pitchers.
