This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
We have 15 games across the majors Wednesday, some of which come with early start times. There are some top-tier pitchers scheduled to take the mound in the afternoon, including Lucas Giolito against the Blue Jays, and Zack Wheeler against the Rangers. A potentially underrated pitching matchup for the evening portion of the schedule features Sonny Gray and the Twins taking on Tristan McKenzie and the Guardians. The Yankees will also try to extend their lead in the AL East over the Rays with Jordan Montgomery on the mound. As far as the building your lineups for the main Yahoo slate goes, here are some pitchers and hitters to consider.
Pitchers
Shohei Ohtani ($46) is a great option for his matchup against the Royals, who have scored the fourth-fewest runs in baseball. Even without the favorable matchup, he's usually one of the top pitchers to consider whenever he takes the mound, given his 3.28 ERA and 3.09 WHIP. He continues to miss plenty of bats, recording a 31.2 percent strikeout rate.
Montgomery ($42) has been a big reason why the Yankees have one of the best starting rotations in baseball. He's given them added length, logging at least six innings in six of his last eight starts. Overall, he has a 2.72 ERA and a 3.54 FIP. More success could be coming against the Rays, who have scored the sixth-fewest runs in baseball.
After getting smoked by the Yankees, Keegan Thompson ($35) bounced back to shut out the Braves over six innings in his last start. He struck out nine batters along the way, while allowing a total of four baserunners. Up next is a start against the floundering Pirates, who have the third-worst OPS in baseball. He has already faced them twice this season, pitching a total of nine shutout innings.
Top Targets
It's been a down season for Juan Soto ($18), who has never finished with an OPS below .923. That mark stands at .800 right now, though, with his hard-hit rate dropping to 44.5 percent. That is more than three percentage points lower than his career mark. With that being said, he's still one of the most talented hitters in baseball, and he could thrive in a matchup versus Tyler Wells ($34), who generally pitches to contact given his 15.1 percent strikeout rate.
Trevor Story ($19) is currently on a five-game hitting streak that has included two home runs. He's had plenty of problems versus right-handed pitchers, leaving him with just a .308 wOBA against them this season. However, he has a .343 wOBA versus lefties, putting him in play for his matchup with Tarik Skubal ($44).
Bargain Bats
Andres Gimenez ($12) certainly doesn't have the easiest of matchups versus Gray. However, he's in the midst of an impressive campaign that has seen him record a .362 wOBA. He's increased his hard-hit rate from 30.4 percent last year to 41.6 percent this season. His salary is low enough to make him a viable option, despite the tough matchup.
Javier Baez's ($9) struggles are a big reason why the Tigers have one of the worst lineups in baseball. He's showing signs of catching fire, though, hitting 9-for-24 (.375) with two home runs, three doubles and a triple over his last six games. Amazingly, he only had an 8.0 percent strikeout rate during that stretch. If he can stay hot in this matchup versus Michael Wacha ($40), his salary likely won't be this cheap for much longer.
Stacks to Consider
Giants vs. Charlie Morton ($39), Braves: Brandon Belt ($16), Joc Pederson ($18), Luis Gonzalez ($15)
It's been a rough start to the season for Morton, who has a 5.08 ERA and a 4.24 FIP. Left-handed hitters have a .385 wOBA against him, which could be a particularly troubling stat for his matchup against a lefty-heavy Giants lineup. Belt and Pederson are two dangerous veterans, while the youngster Gonzalez has a .351 wOBA, which comes on the heels of his .347 wOBA at Triple-A in 2021.
Angels vs. Daniel Lynch ($32), Royals: Mike Trout ($25), Taylor Ward ($16), Matt Duffy ($9)
The Angels lost one of their best right-handed hitters when it was learned that Anthony Rendon (wrist) would be sidelined for the remainder of the season. Still, they could be worth stacking against Lynch, who has a 1.58 WHIP since joining the majors last season. He'll certainly have his hands full with Trout, who has a 188 wRC+.
Orioles vs. Patrick Corbin ($28), Nationals: Austin Hays ($22), Ryan Mountcastle ($23), Jorge Mateo ($12)
Corbin imploded in his last start against the Phillies, giving up nine runs over 3.1 innings. Only two of them were earned, but his 1.78 WHIP this season isn't helping his cause. He's also allowed 10 home runs over 37 innings in his last seven starts. Mountcastle could exploit that weakness, given that he has 45 home runs since the start of last season.
