This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
There will be a heavy dose of day games Wednesday, leaving just six games to make up the main evening slate on Yahoo. With that in mind, let's dig into the matchups and highlight some pitchers and hitters to consider.
Pitchers
The Twins have struck out the most times in baseball, so their lineup is one to consider attacking. Looking to exploit their weakness will be Hunter Brown (45$), who has a 28.1 percent strikeout rate. He has been excellent in his first extended stint as a starter in the majors, posting a 3.12 ERA that is supported by a 3.04 FIP over 10 outings.
Alek Manoah ($34) has had major control issues. After posting a 6.5 percent walk rate last season, it has jumped up to 14.9 percent this season. He has also given up nine home runs over 53 2/3 innings after allowing just 16 all of last season. As bad as he has been, he is worth considering in a matchup against the Brewers. They have the fifth-worst OPS in baseball and are currently without one of their best hitters in Willy Adames (concussion).
Louie Varland ($34) has helped stabilize a Twins starting rotation that has been hit hard by injuries. He has allowed three runs or fewer in five of his six starts, while also recording 34 strikeouts over 34 innings. If there is a downside, it's that he has given up nine home runs. However, his inability to keep hitters inside the park might not be a problem against the Astros, who are tied for the ninth-fewest home runs in baseball.
Top Targets
Carlos Carrasco ($28) has been a significant disappointment for the Mets in the early going. His 6.75 ERA is supported by a 6.44 FIP, with his strikeout rate dropping all the way down to 13.3 percent. He has also walked 12 batters over 25.1 innings, which is a stark contrast to the 41 walks that he issued over 152 innings last season. If he can't turn things around against the Phillies, Bryce Harper ($19) could be in line for a big night at the plate.
Clarke Schmidt ($30) has allowed a .404 wOBA to left-handed hitters during his career. While the Mariners don't have a ton of potent left-handed hitters, they do have one in Jarred Kelenic ($14). After struggling to the tune of a .238 wOBA over 54 games last season, he has stood out with a .365 wOBA over 52 games this year.
Bargain Bats
Trea Turner ($12) has started off his career in Philadelphia on a sour note with a .663 OPS. One of the main problems has been his 24.7 percent strikeout rate that is more than six percentage points higher than his career mark. However, Carrasco is on pace to have a strikeout rate of 23.6 percent or lower for the third straight season, so striking out might not be an issue for Turner in this matchup.
Tommy Henry ($26) will take the mound for the Diamondbacks after throwing 10 pitches in a relief appearance Saturday. He doesn't exactly miss a ton of bats, registering almost as many walks (14) as he has strikeouts (18) over his 34 innings this season. The struggling lefty on the mound means that Kris Bryant ($11), who has a career .403 wOBA against left-handed pitchers, is worth targeting.
Stacks to Consider
Red Sox vs. Luke Weaver ($29), Reds: Rafael Devers ($14), Masataka Yoshida ($19), Jarren Duran ($13)
Weaver had his best start of the season in his last outing, holding the Cardinals scoreless over 6.1 innings. However, even with that stellar performance, he has a 5.45 ERA and a 5.29 FIP. He has allowed nine home runs over 38 innings, which could be a big problem at hitter-friendly Fenway Park. Bringing plenty of power to the plate will be Devers, who has 13 home runs to go along with his .251 ISO.
Diamondbacks vs. Dinelson Lamet ($25), Rockies: Corbin Carroll ($19), Ketel Marte ($17), Pavin Smith ($8)
Lamet (back) is expected to be activated from the 15-day IL to start this game. He has made 12 appearances this season, all of which have come out of the bullpen. He struggled in the roll, recording a 2.44 WHIP over 10 2/3 innings. However, with injuries hammering their starters, Lamet will join the rotation after throwing 63 pitches in his final rehab outing. His max might be 75 pitchers in this matchup, so even if he performs well, we could see a lot of the Rockies' bullpen against a Diamondbacks team that has scored the sixth-most runs in baseball.
Blue Jays vs. Julio Teheran ($26), Brewers: Bo Bichette ($24), Matt Chapman ($13), Daulton Varsho ($15)
The Brewers brought in Teheran to try and help their rotation fight through injuries. He made his first start of the season last week against the Giants, allowing one run over five innings. That marked his first appearance in the majors since he made one start for the Tigers in 2021. Since leaving the Braves after the 2019 season, he has a 1.62 WHIP over 41.1 innings. A player who stands out for a Blue Jays stack is Bichette, who is 17-for-41 (.415) with two home runs over his last nine games.
