This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
Saturday's main slate on Yahoo starts at 4:05 p.m. ET and covers 11 games. Not included in the mix are the two in the doubleheader between the Padres and Rockies. It's at Petco, so you aren't missing a Coors Field opportunity. Here are my lineup recommendations.
Pitching
Kevin Gausman, TOR at DET ($51): Look, you can't go wrong targeting the Tigers with your pitcher. Their offense has been truly futile this year, something I know all too well as a fan. The thing is, Gausman doesn't even really need the help with a 2.78 ERA to go with an 1.76 FIP.
Eric Lauer, MIL vs. WAS ($41): Lauer is the new hotness in the Milwaukee rotation. Following in the footsteps of Brandon Woodruff and Freddy Peralta, Lauer has posted a 2.38 ERA and has struck out 10.32 batters per nine innings. He'll be facing a Nationals team hovering around the bottom-10 in runs scored.
Zach Plesac, CLE vs. OAK ($35): If you're looking for encouraging signs, Plesac does have a 2.25 ERA over his last two starts. Or just look at the Athletics numbers as they rank 29th in runs scored and last in team OPS.
Top Targets
Though Aaron Judge is overshadowing him, Giancarlo Stanton ($21) has shown plenty of power slugging .512 with 12 home runs and has produced over 30 long balls in his last two full campaigns. I'm focused on homers because Matt Swarmer has a 5.31 FIP compared to a 1.50 ERA because he's allowed 2.25 home runs per nine innings.
Last year, it was Austin Riley who broke out for the Braves. This year, it seems to be Dansby Swanson's ($19) turn. He's slashed .286/.354/.446 with seven homers, nine stolen bases and an .837 home OPS since 2020. In his sophomore season - and his first as a full-time starter - Zach Thompson has managed a 4.81 FIP.
Bargain Bats
Yes, Luis Urias ($16) has been ice cold, but started the year hitting well and in his first real MLB action last season posted a .790 OPS with 23 homers and five stolen bases. Maybe all he needs is a little of the elixir known as Patrick Corbin. Washington's pitcher enters with a 6.71 ERA, giving him a 5.74 mark over the last three seasons. He's also allowed righties to hit .308 against since 2020.
After missing some time, Daniel Vogelbach ($13) is back in action and as per usual is struggling against lefties but doing fine against righties. Since 2020, he's recorded a .798 OPS against right-handed pitchers, and that's up to .838 in 2022. It seems that Charlie Morton has lost a step in his age-38 season with a 5.63 ERA through 11 starts.
Stacks to Consider
Astros vs. Marlins (Braxton Garrett): Jose Altuve ($22), Jeremy Pena ($17), Alex Bregman ($15)
Garrett is getting a second start, which is a little surprising as he allowed four runs in 3.1 innings in his first one for a career 5.60 ERA. Miami's decision to use him on Saturday is Houston's gain.
After a rough 2020, Altuve has slashed .278/.351/.498 the last two seasons is already at 11 homers this year. The rookie Pena has replaced Carlos Correa and has posted a .276/.328/.459 slash line. Bregman hasn't looked like his old self, but at this salary it's worth betting on a hitter with a career .872 OPS and an .850 at home this year.
Blue Jays at Tigers (Beau Brieske): Bo Bichette ($20), George Springer ($19), Santiago Espinal ($17)
The Tigers carry a litany of injuries damaging the rotation, leaving guys like Brieske to shoulder the load even if they're clearly not up to the task. He's struggled to a 6.55 FIP and has given up 2.57 home runs per nine innings through his first career eight starts. The Blue Jays boast a lineup that can punish homer-happy pitchers, and I didn't even include Vladimir Guerrero.
Bichette just hit his 10th home run to go with four stolen bases, and he's fully put his slow start behind him with a .961 OPS over the last three weeks. Springer has 12 home runs himself, and this season has slashed .282/.354/.538. That comes after an .907 OPS in 78 games last season, his first with the Jays. Espinal has quietly hit .298 and posted a .355 OBP in his career. And while he hasn't shown a lot of power before, he's slugging .449 this year.
Royals vs. Orioles (Tyler Wells): Bobby Witt ($19), Andrew Benintendi ($15), Salvador Perez ($13)
Moving to the rotation, Wells has posted a 4.46 FIP and allowed 1.32 home runs per nine innings. Not only that, he's only struck out 5.48 batters per nine. Wells simply isn't missing batters and that leaves a lot more opportunities for contact from an opponent like the Royals.
Witt has registered seven home runs and 10 stolen bases along with weirdly extreme reverse platoon splits as lefties have held him to a .286 OPS with an .820 against righties. It isn't surprising when Benintendi has a rough at-bat against a southpaw, but Wells is a righty. He's hitting well this year with a .316 average and .380 OBP. Perez is only hitting .210, but has slugged .425 with nine home runs. And don't forget the catcher went deep 48 times in 2021.
