This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
There will be 10 games played across baseball on Thursday, five of which will make up the main evening slate on Yahoo. Let's dig into the options and highlight some pitchers and hitters who could help you come in the money.
Pitchers
Just about any pitcher facing the Athletics is at least worth considering in DFS. Their lineup has been dreadful, posting the third-worst OPS in baseball. Don't expect them to get any better in a matchup against Logan Gilbert ($45), who can give trouble to even the best of lineups. His WHIP is 1.00 through nine starts and he didn't finish either of his first two seasons in the league with a WHIP higher than 1.18. In his last start against the Athletics, he had six strikeouts and gave up two runs over six innings.
JP Sears ($30) has been one of the few members of the Athletics' starting rotation that hasn't been a disaster. In fact, he has given up three or fewer runs in three of his last four starts. That included an outing against the Mariners when he threw six scoreless innings. With few viable players with cheap salaries because of the limited slate, Sears is worth considering in tournament play.
Top Targets
Bryce Harper ($19) hasn't exactly hit for a ton of power since his return from injury, posting just a .169 OPS. However, he has a .397 wOBA and is batting .324. Expect him to be a difficult out for Dylan Dodd ($26), who will be called up to start for the Braves. He posted a 1.83 WHIP over three previous outings in the majors. At Triple-A, he has a 1.67 WHIP over six starts.
Clarke Schmidt ($30) has problems with left-handed hitters. They have a .452 wOBA against him this season and a .407 mark against him during his career. Enter Cedric Mullins ($21), who has stormed out of the gate with a .231 ISO and a .372 wOBA.
Bargain Bats
Sticking with the theme of left-handed hitters thriving off Schmidt, Gunnar Henderson ($14) is a member of the Orioles to consider at a cheaper salary. He has been more productive of late, hitting 11-for-36 (.306) with two home runs, three doubles and a triple over his last 11 games.
For his career, Alec Bohm ($10) has just a .089 ISO and a .290 wOBA against right-handed pitchers. However, he has a .183 ISO and a .366 wOBA against lefties. With the underwhelming Dodd on the mound, Bohm makes a lot of sense at this salary.
Stacks to Consider
Mets vs. Kyle Hendricks ($26), Cubs: Pete Alonso ($22), Brandon Nimmo ($15), Francisco Lindor ($15)
Jameson Taillon was supposed to start this game, but the Cubs are pushing him back with Hendricks ready to make his season debut. While he did make five rehab appearances in the minors, this will be his first start in the majors since July of last season. Before he was injured, he was struggling to keep hitters inside the ballpark, allowing 46 home runs over 265.1 innings since the start of the 2021 season. The Mets could do plenty of damage in this matchup, with Alonso possibly leading the charge. He already has 18 home runs to go along with his .367 wOBA.
Yankees vs. Kyle Gibson ($32), Orioles: Aaron Judge ($27), Anthony Rizzo ($19), Harrison Bader ($18)
The Yankees love hitting at home, where they have a .759 OPS. On the road, they have a .703 OPS. Last season, they had a .766 OPS at home and a .737 OPS on the road. They will be facing an underwhelming force in Gibson, who has just a 16.7 percent strikeout rate this season to go along with his 1.36 WHIP. A Yankees' hitter who is locked in at the plate is Rizzo, who is 22-for-62 (.355) with five home runs and three doubles over his last 15 games.
