This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
A doubleheader between the White Sox and Guardians propels us to 16 games across baseball Tuesday. There are some big-name pitchers scheduled to take the mound, including Gerrit Cole for the Yankees. Chris Sale is also expected to make his season debut for the Red Sox against the Rays. The Braves will send their strikeout machine Spencer Strider to the hill in Atlanta in what is a big start against the Mets. With so many pitchers and hitters to consider on Yahoo, let's try to help you make sense of it all by highlighting some of the top players to target for your lineups.
Pitchers
Cole ($55) is coming off of a bad start versus the Red Sox in which he allowed five runs across six innings. As good as he's been with his 3.26 ERA and 1.03 WHIP, he's allowed 16 home runs over 99.1 innings. This is a great matchup for him to bounce back against the Reds, though, since they have struck out the eighth-most times in baseball and rank inside the bottom-10 in home runs.
Logan Webb ($46) has proved that his breakout 2021 campaign was no fluke, recording a 2.98 ERA and a 3.09 FIP through 17 starts in 2022. It's disappointing that has strikeout rate has dropped by nearly six percentage points to 20.7 percent, but he's only allowed seven home runs across 105.2 innings. A favorable matchup awaits him against the Diamondbacks, who have the fifth-worst OPS in baseball.
If you want to take a chance on a pitcher with a cheaper salary in tournament play, then Glenn Otto ($31) should be on your radar. He's been inconsistent, and a lot of his 5.26 ERA can be attributed to two starts in which he allowed a combined 14 runs over six innings. He will have a favorable matchup against the Athletics, who have scored the second-fewest runs in baseball. The last time he faced them, he allowed one run and posted five strikeouts over five innings.
Top Targets
Manny Machado ($22) at Coors Field is a deadly combination. He wasted no time in the first game of what could be a productive series for him, hitting 2-for-5 with a home run Monday. Look for him to stay hot against Austin Gomber ($28), who has allowed 1.6 HR/9 this season.
When the Mariners take on the Nationals, Josiah Gray ($43) will be on the mound for Washington. He's shown an inability to keep hitters inside the ballpark, allowing 2.1 HR/9 for his career. Enter Julio Rodriguez ($21), who already has 15 home runs in his rookie season.
Bargain Bats
A Padres stack will likely be pricey. If you want to play the opposite side in this game's hitter-friendly environment, then both Jose Iglesias ($12) and Randal Grichuk ($9) might be worth considering against Mike Clevinger ($43). Iglesias has at least one hit in 10 of his last 12 games, and Grichuk has a .345 wOBA at Coors Field.
Stacks to Consider
Giants vs. Dallas Keuchel ($25), Diamondbacks: Wilmer Flores ($21), Joc Pederson ($14), Austin Slater ($19)
Keuchel actually produced a respectable stat line in his last start, allowing three runs over seven innings against the Rockies. With that being said, he still has a 7.63 ERA and 5.19 FIP for the season. This is a great spot to roll with a Giants stack, with Flores standing out as a top option for one. Right-handed pitchers have limited him to a .316 wOBA for his career, but he has a .343 wOBA against lefties.
Blue Jays vs. Andrew Bellatti ($25), Phillies: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. ($19), Alejandro Kirk ($16), Lourdes Gurriel Jr. ($17)
Bellatti will serve as the opener in what will be a bullpen game for the Phillies. It's unclear who is expected to follow him and pitch the bulk of the innings, but whoever does will have a tough assignment versus a Blue Jays team that is tied for the fourth-highest OPS in baseball. One of their leaders has been the All-Star Kirk, who has recorded a .382 wOBA.
Cubs vs. Jordan Lyles ($29), Orioles: Ian Happ ($17), Christopher Morel ($15), Rafael Ortega ($15)
Lyles is coming off of two starts against the Twins and Angels in which he allowed two runs over 12.1 total innings. As impressive as that was, he had allowed at least four runs in four of his previous five outings, and he has a 1.40 WHIP for the season. This could still be a favorable matchup to roll with a Cubs stack, especially with them playing at Wrigley Field. They have just a .687 OPS on the road, but they have a .752 OPS at home.
