This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
Despite COVID-19 concerns, the MLB season continues to press on. There are 15 games on the schedule Tuesday, nine of which will make up the main evening slate on Yahoo. Let's dive right in and discuss some players to target for your lineup.
Pitchers
We are once again looking at an ugly group of starting pitchers to choose from. The one big name on the list is Walker Buehler ($50), but he's facing the Astros and will likely be on a pitch count, making it hard to have any confidence in deploying him. A pitcher who might be worth considering is Merrill Kelly ($33), who will take on the Rangers at Globe Life Field. The Rangers' new home park has initially played like a bit of a pitcher's park. During their three-game series against the Rockies, both teams scored a combined 13 runs. Kelly's 4.51 FIP and 1.31 WHIP in 2019 don't exactly make him a standout option, but this might still be a favorable spot to deploy him.
If you're looking for a pitcher with strikeout upside, you're not going to find one in Zach Davies ($30). He has just a 16.8 percent strikeout rate for his career. Even taking that into consideration, he could still be productive in his matchup against the lackluster Giants' lineup. The Giants only scored nine runs during their three-game series with the Dodgers and they didn't have to face Buehler or Clayton Kershaw (back) in any of those contests. Another positive with Davies is that he generally does a good job of limiting home runs, allowing just 1.03 HR/9 for his career.
Top Targets
It's not difficult to make an argument to play Mike Trout ($25) in DFS, regardless of his matchup. However, he really stands out for this slate facing Justus Sheffield ($29). The young left-handed pitcher has been unable to live up to the hype so far, posting a 4.71 FIP and a 1.72 WHIP last season. Trout could be in store for a big night.
At this point, fading Nelson Cruz ($24) has proven to be hazardous. He's come out of the gate red hot, slugging three home runs and totaling 10 RBI through three games. Age continues to be just a number with him considering he is coming off of 41 home runs in just 120 games last season. Trying to slow him down will be Carlos Martinez ($32), who will be starting after exclusively pitching out of the bullpen in 2019.
Bargain Bats
With how poorly Sheffield pitched last season, Trout might not be the only player on the Angels who is worth targeting. If you want someone from their lineup who comes at a much cheaper cost, consider Albert Pujols ($8). He still hit 23 home runs last year and had a .340 wOBA against left-handed pitchers compared to a .293 wOBA versus righties.
As of early Tuesday morning, the Royals had yet to name their starting pitcher for their matchup against the Tigers. Regardless of who they roll with, it's not as if they have a lot of quality options. If you're looking for a cheaper catcher, Austin Romine ($10) is a viable target. He proved to be a capable backup and injury replacement for the Yankees last year, batting .281 across 240 plate appearances. Now the starter for the Tigers, he's 3-for-10 with a home run over three games.
Stacks to Consider
Mets vs. Matt Hall ($25), Red Sox: Pete Alonso ($21), J.D. Davis ($17), Amed Rosario ($18):
The Mets took advantage of the depleted Red Sox staff Monday by scoring seven runs in their win. They'll look to keep things rolling against the left-hander Hall, who posted a 5.30 ERA and a 4.76 FIP at Triple-A for the Tigers last season. Alonso and Davis bring the power to this stack while Rosario had a .370 wOBA against southpaws last year.
Royals vs. TBD, Tigers: Jorge Soler ($20), Adalberto Mondesi ($18), Whit Merrifield ($16)
Both of these teams have bad pitching staffs, which contributed to 20 total runs being scored in the series opener Monday. The Tigers have also yet to announce their starter as of early Tuesday morning, but the Royals are still an enticing stack to pursue. Merrifield is off to a noteworthy start, registering at least one hit in each of the Royals first four games while slugging two doubles and a home run.
Cardinals vs. Homer Bailey ($34), Twins: Paul Goldschmidt ($20), Tommy Edman ($19), Kolten Wong ($16)
Bailey has a trouble keeping runners off base, posting a 1.37 WHIP for his career. He's been even worse than that lately, registering a WHIP of at least 1.64 in four of the last five seasons. His career 19.1 percent strikeout rate doesn't exactly help his cause, either. After a breakout 2019 campaign in which he recorded a .357 wOBA, Edman has recorded a hit in each of the Cardinals' first three games. With Bailey allowing a wOBA of at least .356 to left-handed hitters in four of the last five seasons, Wong is also a viable target at a somewhat budget-friendly price.
