This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
There are nine games scheduled to be played across baseball Thursday, seven of which will make up the main evening slate on Yahoo. Let's highlight some pitchers and hitters who could exploit favorable matchups.
Pitchers
Max Fried ($46) has not pitched in more than week while recovering from a blister on his left hand. He's been cleared to take the mound against the Nationals and will try to extend his streak of six straight starts in which he has allowed three or fewer runs. He has a favorable opportunity to do so, given that the Nationals rank inside the bottom-10 in baseball in runs scored.
Tarik Skubal ($45) has been limited to 13 starts because of injury, but he has been excellent with a 3.25 ERA and an even better 2.28 FIP. His 30.7 percent strikeout rate is on pace to be the highest mark of his career, while his WHIP checks in at 0.97. Another great outing could be in the cards when he faces the Athletics, who have scored the fewest runs in baseball.
Grayson Rodriguez ($38) had maybe the best start of his young career in his last outing. He blanked the Rays over eight innings, striking out seven batters along the way. Across his last 10 starts, he has a 2.21 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP. The key to his success? He gave up just three home runs over 61 innings during that span. Considering that the Guardians have hit the fewest home runs in baseball, Rodriguez is primed to produce another valuable stat line.
Top Targets
David Peterson ($28) is facing a difficult matchup against the Phillies. One of their hottest hitters has been Trea Turner ($27), who has a 1.110 OPS over his last 37 games. Another difficult out for Peterson could be Alec Bohm ($17). While right-handed pitchers have limited him to a .111 ISO and a .314 wOBA, Bohm has a .265 ISO and a .380 wOBA versus southpaws.
Bargain Bats
With the Dodgers trying to patch together their starting rotation, they will turn to Emmet Sheehan ($31) to make another start. Prior to this season, he had never pitched above Double-A. Despite making just three appearances at Triple-A, he has been asked to chip in during their playoff push. He has struggled, though, with a 5.44 ERA and a 5.13 FIP. This could be a great matchup to take a chance on LaMonte Wade Jr. ($13) and Joc Pederson ($13). Over his last 11 games, Wade is 14-for-34 (.412) with two home runs. Pederson has a .351 wOBA against right-handed pitchers this season.
Stacks to Consider
Braves vs. Jake Irvin ($26), Nationals: Ronald Acuna Jr. ($29), Matt Olson ($26), Ozzie Albies ($19)
The Braves have the potential to tee off against Irvin. They have hit the most home runs in baseball and he has given up 20 of them over 118.1 innings. He also doesn't miss many bats, posting a 19.1 percent strikeout rate. 14 of the 20 home runs that he has given up have been hit by lefties, making Olson someone to consider building any Braves stack around.
Dodgers vs. Kyle Harrison ($27), Giants: Mookie Betts ($27), Freddie Freeman ($23), Max Muncy ($22)
The Giants are running out of healthy starting pitchers. Alex Cobb (hip) was placed on the IL Wednesday, leaving a mess behind Logan Webb. This turn will be taken by Harrison, who had recently been sent down to the minors because of his struggles. Over 24.1 innings in the majors, he has a 1.40 WHIP and has given up seven home runs. This powerful trio could do significant damage against him.
Orioles vs. TBD, Guardians: Gunnar Henderson ($23), Adley Rutschman ($16), Cedric Mullins ($15)
Shane Bieber (elbow) and Triston McKenzie (elbow) could be back soon, but neither will be ready for this matchup. This has the makings of a bullpen game for the Guardians, setting up the Orioles with significant scoring upside. They continue to be paced by Henderson, who is 20-for-60 (.333) with a .683 slugging percentage over his last 13 games.
