This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
There is only one early start time in the majors Tuesday, leaving us with 14 games to choose from on Yahoo. With so many lineup possibilities, let's dive right in and highlight some of the top options worth pursuing.
Pitching Overview
With the Rays dealing with several key injuries to their starting rotation, they've had to rely on Ryan Yarbrough ($52) for more production than originally expected. He's stepped up in a big way, recording a 3.49 ERA that is supported by a 3.21 FIP. Even though he doesn't provide many strikeouts, he's allowed only 0.8 HR/9. Look for him to keep things rolling against a Rangers team that has the fourth-worst wRC+ against left-handed pitchers (83) in baseball.
The Cubs are in a fight to make the playoffs and have received improved production from Jose Quintana ($50) of late with him recording a 2.06 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP over his last seven starts. He'll take on a Padres team that is still reeling from the loss of Fernando Tatis Jr. (back), which has been one of the main reasons why they have averaged just 3.3 runs over their last 15 games. This is a great opportunity for Quintana to continue his recent run of success.
Zach Plesac ($33) has hit a bit of a rough patch for the Indians, allowing 16 runs (15 earned) over his last 20.1 innings. Even with that poor stretch, he still only has a 1.25 WHIP during his first season in the majors. He'll be facing an Angels' lineup that will be without Mike Trout (toe), which will make them far less dangerous. At this cheap price, he could be worth a look in tournament play.
Key Values/Chalk
The Rockies kick off a series at Coors Field against the Cardinals, so expect them to be one of the chalk stacks of the night. Not only are they at home, but they will be facing Michael Wacha, who checks in with a 5.79 FIP and has allowed 2.0 HR/9. Top-tier options like Nolan Arenado ($27), Charlie Blackmon ($20) and Trevor Story ($21) are all obviously in play while Ryan McMahon ($19) and Sam Hilliard ($13) are also worth considering. McMahon has a .376 wOBA at home.
The Cardinals should also be extremely popular against Chi Chi Gonzalez. He's eating innings for the Rockies, but he's not doing it well, leaving him with a 6.76 FIP and a 1.69 WHIP. Among the enticing options is Kolten Wong ($23), who is 19-for-47 (.404) with a home run, four doubles and three triples across his last 13 games. Tommy Edman ($21) is also performing well, hitting 11-for-36 (.306) with two home runs and three doubles over his last 10 contests.
As well as the Nationals have played lately, the Braves are starting to run away with the NL East. They'll face another one of their division rivals in the Phillies on Monday, who will sent Jason Vargas to the mound. He's more of a back-of-the-rotation option at this stage of his career and has recorded a 4.93 ERA and 1.39 WHIP since joining the Phillies. This is another favorable chance for Ronald Acuna Jr. ($22) and Freddie Freeman ($21) to shine.
Stacks
Indians vs. Jose Suarez (Angels)
Francisco Lindor (SS - $22), Carlos Santana (1B - $21), Oscar Mercado (OF - $10)
Suarez actually pitched well in his last start, limiting the Red Sox to two runs across 5.1 innings. Still, he has a 6.52 FIP and a 1.62 WHIP for the season, so this is a matchup to exploit. Lindor and Santana are the two big names that stand out while Mercado has logged at least three hits in two of his last six games and has shown a valuable combination of power and speed with 10 home runs and 13 steals across his first 98 games in the majors. At his cheap price, he could go a long way towards helping Lindor and Santana work within your budget.
Red Sox vs. T.J. Zeuch (Blue Jays)
Rafael Devers (3B - $22), Mookie Betts (OF - $25), Brock Holt (2B - $12)
If the Red Sox are going to keep their playoff hopes alive, they are going to need to do some damage in this series against the Blue Jays. The Blue Jays simply don't have many options left for their rotation, which will leave Zeuch to make this start. His 3.69 ERA at Triple-A looks nice, but he had a 5.16 FIP to go along with a miniscule 11.6 percent strikeout rate. If you are looking for a cheap option to pair with Devers and Betts, Holt is a viable target. Even though he provides very little power, he's 13-for-46 (.283) over his last 12 games.
Giants vs. Mitch Keller (Pirates)
Mike Yastrzemski (OF - $20), Kevin Pillar (OF - $23), Mauricio Dubon (2B - $18)
While Keller's 8.18 ERA looks awful, he does have a 3.70 FIP. He's been pretty unlucky with opponents recording a .469 BABIP against him, which has contributed to his woes. Despite the likelihood that Keller's numbers will improve over a larger sample size, the Giants have a few cheap bats who could be worth a look in tournament play. Yastrzemski and Pillar have been two of their better hitters this year and the highly-touted Dubon is 10-for-35 (.286) with two home runs, two doubles and two steals over 12 games since being called up from the minors.
