This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
After a fairly quiet Monday, business picks up Tuesday with 16 games set to be played across baseball. One thing that sticks out is all of the top-tier pitchers who are expected to start. Zack Wheeler will take on the Marlins, Alek Manoah will face the Orioles, Brandon Woodruff will start against the Rays and Shohei Ohtani is set to face the Athletics. The top overall matchup could be when Luis Castillo and the Mariners host Gerrit Cole and the Yankees. Let's get to the task at hand and highlight some players to consider for your Yahoo lineups.
Pitchers
Ohtani ($51) just pitched against the A's in his last start, allowing three runs (two earned) and recording seven strikeouts over 5.2 innings. It wasn't the best of starts based on his opponent, and it actually broke his streak of six straight outings with at least 10 strikeouts. Given that the A's have scored the second-fewest runs in baseball, and that this game will be played at their pitcher-friendly park, Ohtani could provide a much better stat line this time around.
Wheeler's ($56) matchup versus the Marlins is just as appealing as Ohtani's against the A's. The Marlins have been dreadful, posting the fourth-worst OPS in baseball. Wheeler has been as good as it gets, allowing two or fewer runs in five of his last six starts. For the season, he now has a 2.69 ERA and a 2.85 FIP.
It will be difficult to resist inserting two aces into your pitching spots. The trade-off is, that does a number on your budget. If you want to take a chance on a pitcher with a more reasonable salary, then Marcus Stroman ($42) could be your man. His 4.00 ERA and 3.76 FIP might not be anything to write home about, but he has a great matchup against the rebuilding Nationals.
Top Targets
It's been an inconsistent season for Charlie Morton ($45), with his last four starts being a perfect example. In two of those outings, he pitched at least six innings and didn't allow a single run. In the other two, he allowed five runs both times. One of the reasons for his struggles has been him allowing 15 home runs over 116.2 innings. Last season, he allowed 16 home runs over 185.2 innings. That trend could be an issue against Rafael Devers ($18), who is on pace to set a new career high with his .279 ISO.
Pitching for the Red Sox will be Rich Hill ($34), who has a 5.12 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP over his last eight starts. This is not a good matchup for him to get back on track, considering the Braves have a .777 OPS versus left-handed pitchers. They have been led by Dansby Swanson ($12), who has a 141 wRC+ versus lefties.
Bargain Bats
Surprisingly, the rebuilding Cubs decided not to trade away Ian Happ ($11) at the deadline. He's been one of their more productive hitters, with his 119 wRC+. At this cheap salary, he's a viable target in a matchup against Paolo Espino ($28), who enters with a 4.97 FIP and an underwhelming 17.8 percent strikeout rate.
One of Espino's glaring weaknesses has been his inability to keep hitters inside the ballpark. He's allowed 1.9 HR/9 this season and 1.8 HR/9 for his career. That could spell his downfall against Patrick Wisdom ($13), who has already gone deep 20 times.
Stacks to Consider
Cardinals vs. Ryan Feltner ($25), Rockies: Paul Goldschmidt ($27), Nolan Arenado ($27), Nolan Gorman ($17)
For a night in which runs might be difficult to come by in a lot of games, a Coors Field matchup could be just what the doctored ordered. In addition to this hitter-friendly environment, the Cardinals will be facing a pitching in Feltner who has a 1.45 WHIP and has allowed 1.6 HR/9. This will be a homecoming for Arenado, who had a career .409 wOBA at home as a member of the Rockies.
Mets vs. Mike Minor ($27), Reds: Francisco Lindor ($25), Starling Marte ($20), Darin Ruf ($14)
At this point, the rebuilding Reds just want Minor to eat innings after they traded away Luis Castillo and Tyler Mahle. The problem is, he has a 6.19 ERA and a 6.57 FIP over 11 starts. A matchup against a Mets team that has scored the third-most runs in baseball likely won't help matters. A sneaky option for a Mets stack might be Ruf, who has a .378 wOBA versus left-handed pitchers this season.
Blue Jays vs. Kyle Bradish ($26), Orioles: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. ($24), Teoscar Hernandez ($25), Whit Merrifield ($16)
The Orioles have high hopes for Bradish, who was a fourth-round pick in the 2018 Draft. He's off to a rocky start, though, with a 6.55 ERA and a 5.16 FIP. One of his main problems has been allowing 1.9 HR/9. This could be a disastrous matchup for him against the Blue Jays, who have hit the sixth-most home runs in baseball.
