This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
With a lot of early start times Wednesday, we don't have the busiest of nights on Yahoo with eight games making up the main evening slate. Still, we have an intriguing mix of pitchers and hitters to consider, so let's dig into the matchups and highlight some players to target.
Pitchers
Tyler Glasnow ($46) has once again been a force for the Rays, recording a 38.4 percent strikeout rate. Still, his 4.21 ERA isn't great, in large part, because he's allowed 1.6 HR/9. He has been much better on the road this season, recording a 2.86 FIP there and allowing 1.1 HR/9 compared to a 4.02 FIP and allowing 2.1 HR/9 at home. He'll be on the road here against the Mets, who aren't exactly hot offensively after having scored three runs or fewer in six of their last 10 games.
One of the few bright spots for the Red Sox on the pitching side of things has been Nathan Eovaldi ($34). He's dramatically improved his control, posting a 3.4 percent walk rate after having an 11.6 percent walk rate last season. Really, he's only had one horrible outing, which is when he gave up eight runs across 5.1 innings against the Yankees. Otherwise, he's allowed three runs or fewer in six of his other seven starts. That includes two excellent outings against the Orioles, who he will face again Wednesday. Across those two matchups, he allowed two runs and recorded 10 strikeouts over 13 innings.
Top Targets
Simply put, Whit Merrifield ($19) is a tough out. His strikeout rate checks in at only 12 percent, which would be the best mark of his career. He's also shown an excellent combination of speed and power, slugging nine home runs and stealing 10 bases. This is a great matchup for him to once again be productive considering Carlos Martinez ($27) has a bloated 2.07 WHIP.
Staying in that same game, Paul Goldschmidt ($16) is an appealing option for the visiting squad. Starting for the Royals will be left-handed pitcher Danny Duffy ($32), who has a 5.01 ERA that is supported by an equally poor 5.06 FIP. Goldschmidt has been stellar against lefties throughout his career and this season has been no different given his .449 wOBA against them.
Bargain Bats
J.D. Martinez ($12) is finally starting to show signs of life. He's 8-for-26 (.308) across the last six games, slugging two home runs and two doubles during that stretch. He had three hits in the series opener against the Orioles on Tuesday and yet his salary was reduced by a dollar. Look for him to try and take advantage of the inexperienced Dean Kremer ($34), who only had only pitched 19.1 career innings at Triple-A heading into this season. His 2.36 FIP through three starts with the Orioles looks nice, but it will be difficult for him to continue to be successful if he doesn't improve his 13.8 percent walk rate.
Another veteran who has posted underwhelming numbers is Anthony Rizzo ($13). He's been somewhat unlucky, though, when you factor in his .218 BABIP. He's still not striking out much and might be turning a corner after hitting 8-for-25 (.320) with a home run and a double over the last seven games. This is certainly a favorable matchup for him against Trevor Williams ($27), who has been awful with a 6.36 FIP and a 1.63 WHIP.
Stacks to Consider
Giants vs. Ryan Castellani ($26), Rockies: Brandon Belt ($22), Alex Dickerson ($19), Donovan Solano ($14)
It seemed like the Giants would have one of the worst lineups in baseball heading into the season. However, they have actually performed well with their .784 OPS ranking as the seventh-highest mark in baseball. That could mean trouble is brewing for Castellani, who has allowed almost as many walks (21) as he has strikeouts (24). He's also given up 11 home runs over 38.2 innings. Belt has surprisingly had a resurgent season, posting what would be career-highs in wOBA (.416), wRC+ (166) and ISO (.275). Dickerson has been just as productive, posting a 155 wRC+ and a .295 ISO.
Twins vs. Casey Mize ($27), Tigers: Byron Buxton ($21), Josh Donaldson ($18), Eddie Rosario ($17),
This will mark Mize's third start of the season against the Twins. He wasn't lit up in the first two, but he didn't really pitch all that well, giving up five runs across seven innings. His problem has been keeping men off base, leaving him with a 1.48 WHIP, overall. Even if Nelson Cruz (knee) remains out, this is a matchup that the Twins could exploit. Buxton has been red-hot down the stretch, hitting 12-for-36 (.333) with seven home runs across his last 10 games.
Rockies vs. Logan Webb ($29), Giants: Trevor Story ($19), Kevin Pillar ($16), Charlie Blackmon ($10)
The Rockies playing on the road without Nolan Arenado (shoulder) probably won't make them a popular stack. However, they do have some upside versus Webb, who has allowed 21 runs across 21.1 innings over his last five starts. Story is the obvious big name here, but don't sleep on Pillar, who is 15-for-34 (.441) during his current nine-game hitting streak. This is also a rare opportunity to deploy Blackmon at a reasonable salary, although he has struggled of late. Still, even with his poor play lately, he has a .359 OBP and just an 18.4 percent strikeout rate for the season.
