This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
Another day, another 15 games set to be played across baseball. Wednesday's slate is loaded with top-tier starting pitchers, including Justin Verlander, Julio Urias and Brandon Woodruff. Gerrit Cole will also be on the mound for the Yankees when they take on the Blue Jays in Toronto. He hasn't pitched well of late, though, allowing four runs in each of his last three starts. One notable pitcher set to make his return from the IL is Tyler Glasnow, who has yet to appear in a game this season. While he will be limited to around 45 pitchers, getting him back as the beginning of the playoffs approach could be huge for the Rays. Let's get to the task at hand and highlight some players to consider for your Yahoo lineups.
Pitchers
Verlander ($57) has looked great since being activated from the IL, allowing two runs and recording 13 strikeouts over 11 innings. During that span, he allowed a total of just eight baserunners. He'll take a 2.61 FIP and a 0.84 WHIP into a matchup with the Diamondbacks, who have the eighth-worst OPS in baseball.
Aaron Nola ($47) is yet another excellent pitcher who is scheduled to start. After a disappointing 2021 campaign, he's bounced back with a 3.28 ERA and a 2.64 FIP. He continues to miss plenty of bats with his 28.7 percent strikeout rate, and his 0.99 WHIP is on pace to be the second-best mark of his career. Look for him to stay hot against the Cubs, who have struck out the sixth-most times in baseball.
The only problem with so many appealing pitchers for this slate is that their hefty salaries will do a number on your budget. For those looking to save some funds at pitcher, Martin Perez ($36) is a top target. He's allowed three or fewer runs in seven of his last eight starts, leaving him with a 2.90 ERA and a 3.20 FIP for the season. He's also had plenty of success against the Mariners, holding them to six runs (four earned) over 17 innings.
Top Targets
Jake Odorizzi ($32) was roughed up by the Phillies in his last start, allowing eight runs across four innings. He has a 1.65 WHIP since joining the Braves, and has allowed eight home runs across 37.2 innings. This could be a great opportunity to roll with the duo of Joey Meneses ($20) and Lane Thomas ($17), who have been surprisingly productive for the Nationals. Meneses has a .249 ISO and a .398 wOBA, while Thomas is 51-for-189 (.270) with eight home runs, 10 doubles and six stolen bases across his last 48 games.
Bargain Bats
Staying with the Nationals, Alex Call ($9) is also worth considering. He has at least one hit in six of his last eight games, which comes on the heels of him recording a wOBA of over .400 at Triple-A.
As of early Wednesday morning, the Giants had yet to officially name their starting pitcher for their matchup with the Rockies. This has the potential to be a bullpen game, which means Charlie Blackmon ($9) might be worth taking a chance on. He's been locked in as the season comes to a close, hitting 13-for-37 (.351) with two doubles and two triples over his last 10 games.
Stacks to Consider
Twins vs. Johnny Cueto ($36), White Sox: Carlos Correa ($20), Gio Urshela ($14), Luis Arraez ($9)
Cueto has shown signs of slowing down, posting a 5.67 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP over his last five outings. What's just as concerning is that those starts came against the Diamondbacks, Royals, Mariners, Athletics and Guardians, none of which have noteworthy lineups. One of the more appealing hitters to include in a Twins stack is Arraez, who is batting .313 with a .346 wOBA.
Braves vs. Josiah Gray ($29), Nationals: Michael Harris II ($24), Dansby Swanson ($18), Matt Olson ($13)
Whenever Gray is on the mound, he has to be considered one of the top pitchers to stack again. In his first full season as a starter, he's allowed a whopping 37 home runs over 142.2 innings. The Braves have hit the second-most home runs in baseball, making this an especially difficult matchup for Gray. As disappointing as Olson has been with his .333 wOBA, he still brings plenty of power to the plate, given his 29 home runs.
Angels vs. Adrian Martinez ($27), Athletics: Mike Trout ($27), Shohei Ohtani ($25), Luis Rengifo ($19)
Martinez's first taste of the majors has not gone well. Through 10 starts, he has a 6.10 ERA and a 5.75 FIP. Just as concerning is that he had a 5.72 ERA and a 6.37 FIP over 18 starts at Triple-A. Trout and Ohtani are the two big names for an Angels stack, but don't sleep on Rengifo. Over his last 12 games, he is 16-for-54 (.296) with four home runs and a double.
