This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
Baseball starts off the week in style with 14 games on the schedule Monday. With so many options to consider, let's get right to it and highlight some pitchers and hitters to pursue on Yahoo.
Pitchers
After a rare off outing against the Phillies, Kevin Gausman ($47) rebounded to allow only two runs and record eight strikeouts over six innings against the Orioles. He is having a magnificent season, posting a 2.86 FIP, 1.16 WHIP and a 31.7 percent strikeout rate. Another stellar stat line could be upcoming when he faces the Nationals, who have the seventh-worst OPS in baseball against right-handed pitchers.
Bryan Woo ($37) made his return from the IL to allow one run over four innings against the White Sox. He threw 65 pitches, so it's reasonable to expect him to throw 75-80 pitches in what is a great matchup against the Athletics. Not only have they scored the fewest runs in baseball, but they have also struck out the seventh-most times.
Another team that struggles to make contact is the Giants, who have struck out the fifth-most times in baseball. That could leave them in an uphill battle against Andrew Abbott ($42), who will take the mound against them for the Reds. After recording a 34.8 percent strikeout rate at Triple-A, he has a 26.8 percent strikeout rate in the majors.
Top Targets
Adam Wainwright ($25) was hit hard again in his last start, giving up six runs over 4.2 innings against the Pirates. He has a staggering 1.99 WHIP for the season and has given up 1.9 HR/9. This is an excellent opportunity to roll with the duo of Juan Soto ($23) and Fernando Tatis Jr. ($20). Soto has a .225 ISO to go along with his .380 wOBA, and Tatis also brings plenty of power to the plate with his 20 home runs over 111 games.
Bargain Bats
The Athletics are dealing with a lot of injuries to their starting rotation, which will force them to give Kyle Muller ($25) another opportunity. He had been relegated to the bullpen because of his 5.90 FIP and 1.89 WHIP for the season. Behind him will be a group of relievers that has the highest bullpen ERA in baseball. With the lefty on the mound, Dylan Moore ($12) could find his way into the lineup. Although he has a modest .724 OPS against righties this season, he has a 1.015 OPS versus southpaws. The Mariners might also put Jose Caballero ($11) in the lineup, given his .852 OPS against lefties.
Stacks to Consider
Braves vs. Austin Gomber ($25), Rockies: Ronald Acuna Jr. ($28), Matt Olson ($28), Marcell Ozuna ($28)
The Braves have scored the most runs in baseball, so a series at Coors Field will leave them an even more appealing team to stack. Gomber has been awful, allowing 1.7 HR/9 and recording a 5.48 ERA that is backed by a 5.36 FIP. The key cog for any Braves stack could be Acuna, who has a .232 ISO and a .415 wOBA.
Orioles vs. Michael Kopech ($28), White Sox: Adley Rutschman ($17), Ryan Mountcastle ($21), Gunnar Henderson ($19)
As bad as his 4.95 ERA is, it could be even worse, given that Kopech has a 6.52 WHIP. He has been extremely wild, recording a 15.0 percent walk rate that has contributed to his 1.49 WHIP. Putting a lot of men on base against an Orioles team that has scored the eighth-most runs in baseball could end up being his downfall. A member of the Orioles who has one of the more selective eyes at the plate is Rutschman, who has a 12.7 percent walk rate and just a 15.1 percent strikeout rate.
Astros vs. Chris Sale ($38), Red Sox: Jose Altuve ($23), Alex Bregman ($20), Jose Abreu ($9)
Sale will be making his second consecutive start against the Astros. While he recorded nine strikeouts over five innings against them the last time around, he also gave up four runs. The Astros usually perform well against left-handed pitchers, posting a .822 OPS against them. One of their best hitters against southpaws has been Altuve, who has a career 146 wRC+ against them.
