This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
We have a bevy of options to choose from Tuesday with 13 games making up the main slate on Yahoo. There should be some interesting lineup choices, especially when it comes to selecting hitters. Let's examine the matchups and discuss how ownership percentages might play out.
Pitching Overview
The chalk pitcher of the night figures to be Stephen Strasburg ($47) against the Giants. Strasburg's 5.40 ERA through three starts might not look great, but he had a 3.78 xFIP and a 27 percent strikeout rate. He faced the Mets twice and the Phillies, which are not exactly easy lineups to navigate. The same can't be said for the Giants, who have the lowest OPS (.572) in the league.
Another option who could be in plenty of lineups is Tyler Glasnow ($43) against the Orioles. One of the key returns in the deal that sent Chris Archer to the Pirates, Glasnow has shined so far with a 0.82 WHIP and 21 strikeouts across his first 17 innings. Just as important is the fact that he only issued three walks. The Orioles haven't been a complete disaster offensively, but they are in the bottom-third of the league in OPS (.680).
The ever-frustrating Jon Gray ($37) will take the mound for the Rockies on Tuesday in what is a favorable matchup against the Padres on the road. In his two road starts this season, he allowed four runs and recorded 16 strikeouts across 13.1 innings. The Padres also have a right-handed heavy lineup, which could work in Gray's favor since they only have a .703 OPS against righties so far.
With how poorly the Reds have performed offensively, rolling with Kenta Maeda ($37) also makes a lot of sense. Even though Maeda is off to a bit of a shaky start, he's had three difficult opponents in the Diamondbacks, Rockies (in Coors Field) and Cardinals. Meanwhile, the Reds have scored the sixth-fewest runs (55) in the league. Maeda is also coming off of a career-best 28.8 percent strikeout rate last year.
Key Values/Chalk
A trendy breakout candidate heading into this season, Nick Pivetta has been awful for the Phillies. He's already allowed 15 runs (14 earned) across his first 13.2 innings with the one silver lining being that he did record 14 strikeouts. While he held right-handed hitters to a .308 wOBA last year, lefties had more success with a .339 wOBA. Expect to see Robinson Cano ($15), Michael Conforto ($25) and Jeff McNeil ($18) in a lot of entries.
The Astros also have a great opportunity to be productive in their matchup against Marco Estrada. After allowing 60 home runs across the last two seasons, Estrada has already given up five long balls over his first 20.1 innings. He also has just 10 strikeouts, so don't be surprised if the Astros hang a crooked number here. Jose Altuve ($23), Alex Bregman ($22) and George Springer ($24) should all be among the ownership leaderboard.
After struggling to the tune of a 4.45 xFIP and 1.59 WHIP last year, Mahle has burst out of the gate by allowing one run and recording 12 strikeouts over his first 11 innings. However, don't get too excited. He faced two of the worst lineups in the league in the Pirates and Marlins. This will be a completely different story against the Dodgers, who boast the highest OPS (.891) in baseball. Left-handed hitters recorded a .415 wOBA against Mahle last year, so expect Max Muncy ($21), Joc Pederson ($20) and Corey Seager ($20) to be in plenty of DFS lineups. Cody Bellinger ($27) will also be in a lot of lineups if he's able to play after being hit by a pitch in the knee Monday.
Stacks
The problem with the trio of Altuve, Bregman and Springer is that they will eat up a significant portion of your budget. If you're looking for a most cost-effective option, Yuli Gurriel ($18) makes a lot of sense at first base. Even though he doesn't have the greatest power upside, he was a tough out last year due to his 11.3 percent strikeout rate.
With how poorly Pivetta has pitched, a Mets stack is very appealing, especially when you consider how cheap Cano and McNeil are. Another lefty to target could be Brandon Nimmo ($19), who recorded a 163 wRC+ against righties last year. Wilson Ramos ($15) also stands out as a great option to fill the catcher position.
For those expecting Mahle to post his first dud of the year, rolling with the Dodger left-handed hitters is the way to go. While expensive, Bellinger's crazy hot start makes him someone to build around if he plays. Despite his slow start, Seager could also be a key player to target based on his reasonable price tag.
If you're looking for a stack that might not have such a high ownership percentage, the Royals provide an interesting option against Reynaldo Lopez. It's hard to get excited about Lopez's 3.91 ERA last year when you factor in his 5.22 xFIP and 18.9 percent strikeout rate. He's off to a disastrous start this season having allowed 18 runs and six home runs across 13.1 innings. Whit Merrifield ($26), Adalberto Mondesi ($27) and Alex Gordon ($24) could prove to be a productive trio.
