This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
There are only seven games scheduled across baseball Thursday. With the majority of them having early start times, we have just three games to choose from for the main evening slate on Yahoo. That doesn't leave us with a ton of viable options, so with that in mind, here are some pitchers and hitters to consider.
Pitchers
Pablo Lopez ($43) continues to do a good job of limiting baserunners, recording a 1.13 WHIP over 11 starts. That puts him on pace for a fourth straight season with a WHIP below 1.20. More success could be coming in that department against the Guardians, who have the second-worst OPS in baseball.
Prior to this year, Tanner Bibee ($31) had never pitched above Double-A. After recording a 1.76 ERA and 2.60 FIP over three starts at Triple-A, he was called up to help the Guardians battle through injuries to their starting rotation. He might not return to the minors even when they get healthy, given his 2.88 ERA and 3.02 FIP over six outings. While his 25.0 percent strikeout rate isn't anything to write home about, he could provide added production in that department against a Twins team that has struck out the most times in baseball.
Top Targets
Spencer Steer ($18) has rebounded from a slow start to hit 25-for-64 (.391) with three home runs and five doubles over his last 15 games. While his strikeout rate sits at 20.4 percent for the season, it was just 14.5 percent during his recent hot streak. Combine his hot hitting with his career .392 wOBA against left-handed pitchers and he's a viable option in a matchup against Chris Sale ($47).
Bargain Bats
Gio Urshela ($11) doesn't put up flashy numbers, but he is a good hitter who has been an important addition for the Angles. He has been especially productive lately, hitting 19-for-51 (.373) with a home run and five doubles over his last 16 games. Facing Framber Valdez ($53) won't be easy, but Urshela's salary is low enough to make him worth taking a chance on.
Stacks to Consider
Astros vs. Reid Detmers ($30), Angels: Alex Bregman ($14), Jose Altuve ($20), Jose Abreu ($7)
Detmers likely hasn't pitched as bad as his 4.93 ERA would lead one to believe. His FIP is much better at 3.61, and he has been a bit unlucky with a .387 BABIP allowed. Still, his 9.3 percent walk rate has contributed to his 1.53 WHIP. For this limited slate, this right-handed trio could be worth considering. Especially Altuve, who has a career .382 wOBA versus left-handed pitchers. Bregman is right behind him with a career .380 wOBA against them.
Red Sox vs. Hunter Greene ($37), Reds: Rafael Devers ($14), Masataka Yoshida ($19), Alex Verdugo ($17)
Greene dominated the Cubs in his last start, recording 11 strikeouts over six hitless innings. That marked his fourth start of the season with at least 10 strikeouts, leaving him with a 32.8 percent strikeout rate. However, he has also allowed at least four runs in three of his last five outings. During that five-start span, he gave up seven home runs. That could be a problem at hitter-friendly Fenway Park. This trio generally does a good job of avoiding strikeouts, especially Yoshida, who has just a 10.1 percent strikeout rate.
