This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
All 30 teams will be in action Tuesday, leaving us with a ton of options to wade through on Yahoo. Let's get right to the task at hand and highlight some pitchers and hitters who could exploit favorable matchups.
Pitchers
Max Scherzer ($50) had his first double-digit strikeout performance of the season in his last outing, racking up 10 over 5.2 innings against the Braves. However, he allowed 11 hits and five runs along the way. Prior to that, he had given up two or fewer runs in six of his previous seven starts. Look for him to bounce back against a Yankees lineup that is struggling to score with Aaron Judge (toe) on the IL.
Corbin Burnes ($51) has an uncharacteristically low 23.7 percent strikeout rate this season. For his career, he has a 31.1 percent rate. He has started to miss more bats lately, racking up 43 strikeouts over his last 38 innings. Plenty more of them could be coming in a matchup against a Twins team that has struck out the most times in baseball.
Joe Musgrove ($39) had one bad start against the Giants early in the season that did a number on his ERA. However, he's settled in of late, allowing just one run in each of his last three starts. Look for him to continue to improve his ratios in a matchup against the Guardians, who have the fourth-lowest OPS and have scored the fourth-fewest runs in baseball.
Top Targets
Shohei Ohtani ($18) put on a show Monday. He led the Angels to an extra-innings victory over the Rangers, hitting two home runs. That gives him four home runs over his last four games and he is on a nine-game hitting streak that has seen him go 17-for-37 (.459) with five home runs and four doubles. The Rangers hadn't named a starting pitcher as of early Tuesday morning, but whoever it is, they could have plenty of trouble with Ohtani.
Jameson Taillon ($26) is coming off yet another bad outing after giving up four runs over five innings to the Angels. He has now allowed at least four runs in six of his 10 starts. The Pirates don't have the deepest of lineups, but one of their most dangerous hitters is Bryan Reynolds ($17). He has lowered his strikeout rate to 18.1 percent this season, which has helped him generate a .354 wOBA.
Bargain Bats
Jose Abreu ($13) is starting to show signs of life at the plate. He has at least two hits in three of his last four games, also hitting two home runs during that span. Starting for the Nationals will be Patrick Corbin ($25), which means Abreu has a favorable opportunity to build on his recent success. For his career, Abreu has a .382 wOBA against left-handed pitchers.
Edward Olivares ($12) has had a difficult time getting opportunities with the Royals. While he has made trips to the majors in each of the last three seasons, he didn't appear in more than 53 games in any of them. However, he has already played in 50 games this year, sporting what would be a career best .748 OPS. Over his last 13 games, he is 12-for-39 (.308) with two home runs, three doubles and three triples. He awaits a favorable matchup against lefty Brandon Williamson ($25), who has a 1.43 WHIP and has given up six home runs over 26.2 innings.
Stacks to Consider
Rays vs. Hogan Harris ($27), Athletics: Yandy Diaz ($19), Wander Franco ($20), Randy Arozarena ($19)
Last year, Harris had a 1.71 WHIP over 28.1 innings at Triple-A. This year, he had a 1.42 WHIP over 30.2 innings at the same level. However, with their lack of viable options, he now finds himself in the starting rotation for the Athletics. He has allowed just five runs over 15 innings in his last three outings, but two of those opponents ranked inside the bottom-half of baseball in runs scored. The same can't be said for the Rays, who have scored the second-most runs. A key option for a Rays stack is Franco, who has 22 stolen bases to go along with his .361 wOBA.
Reds vs. Jordan Lyles ($25), Royals: Elly De La Cruz ($22), Jonathan India ($18), Spencer Steer ($19)
Lyles has been dreadful, recording a 6.84 ERA and a 6.01 FIP through 13 starts. He has allowed 2.2 HR/9 while giving up a career high 11.9 percent barrel rate. De La Cruz brings plenty of power to the plate, while Steer also has a .190 ISO to go along with his .359 wOBA. India has also been a steady source for production while posting a career-low 17.8 percent strikeout rate.
Dodgers vs. Lance Lynn ($35), White Sox: Freddie Freeman ($25), Mookie Betts ($23), David Peralta ($13)
Lynn had trouble with the Yankees in his last start, giving up five runs over five innings. Not only is his 1.56 WHIP a major concern, but he has already given up 16 home runs over 72.1 innings. Prior to this season, the most home runs that he ever gave up in one year was 27 over 186.1 innings in 2017. The Dodgers have plenty of dangerous power hitters, including Freeman. After hitting a modest 21 long balls last year, he already has 13 home runs over 66 games. His .418 wOBA is also on pace to be the second-highest mark of his career.
