This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
There are only eight games across baseball Thursday, which doesn't leave us with a ton of exciting matchups. Among the few highlights will be the beginning of a series between the Yankees and White Sox in Chicago. Out West, the Dodgers will also play host to the Phillies. There will be a few ugly matchups, as well, including when the Tigers play the Athletics, and when the Pirates host the Reds. As far as DFS goes, let's discuss some players to consider for your Yahoo lineups.
Pitchers
Is Dylan Cease ($46) becoming matchup proof? He's been lights-out this season, recording a 1.00 WHIP and 47 strikeouts across 34 innings. The Yankees might seem like a daunting foe, but they only have a .661 OPS on the road, compared to a .765 OPS at home.
The Tigers continue to struggle to score runs. They have only hit 12 home runs as a team, and they have the second-worst OPS in baseball. Getting the start against them will be James Kaprielian ($36), who allowed one run over 5.2 innings to the Twins in his last outing. Given the matchup, expect Kaprielian to be a popular option.
When looking for lineups to attack, few have been as bad as the Royals. In fact, the Royals have the third-worst OPS in baseball. Normally, avoiding Taylor Hearn ($30) and his 1.84 WHIP would likely be wise. However, based on this matchup, he could be worth a look in tournament play. He has at least missed some bats, recording a 24.2 percent strikeout rate.
Top Targets
The Nationals will send Joan Adon ($25) to the mound for their game against the Mets. He's been wild, issuing 18 walks over 28.1 innings. His lack of control could be an issue for him against Brandon Nimmo ($21), who has a career 14.9 percent walk rate.
Staying with the Mets' matchup against Adon, Starling Marte ($21) is also someone to target. After getting off to a slow start with his new team, he is 12-for-33 (.364) with a home run and three doubles over his last eight games.
Bargain Bats
The Athletics hope that Kevin Smith ($11) will be a key member of their lineup for years to come. He was impressive at Triple-A last season, posting a .398 wOBA and a 144 wRC+. While his numbers don't jump off the page in the big leagues this season, he could exploit a matchup against Beau Brieske ($32), who has only pitched a total of 25 innings above Double-A.
Dylan Carlson ($11) has dropped his strikeout rate to 16.2 percent this season, which is more than eight percentage points lower than in 2021. However, he has just a 78 wRC+, and his 17.8 percent hard-hit rate is a concern. He may be breaking out his slump, though, since he's gone 10-for-27 (.370) with a home run and four doubles over his last nine games. More success could be coming in a matchup against the Orioles, who had yet to name their starting pitcher as of early Thursday morning.
Stacks to Consider
Rangers vs. Jon Heasley ($27), Royals: Corey Seager ($16), Marcus Semien ($12), Nathaniel Lowe ($14)
Heasley made three starts for the Royals last season, and it didn't go well with him recording a 4.91 ERA and a 6.03 FIP. He had jumped straight from Double-A to the major, so his time at Triple-A this season was actually his first at the level. The Royals need him to start this game, though, so the Rangers could be in line for a productive performance. Any Rangers stack should include Seager, who has homered three times over the last two games.
Reds vs. JT Brubaker ($31), Pirates: Tommy Pham ($20), Tyler Naquin ($16), Colin Moran ($16)
This season has been another struggle for Brubaker, who enters this matchup with a 1.42 WHIP. The Reds' lineup is showing signs of life, including when they scored 14 runs against the Brewers on Wednesday. One of their hottest hitters has been Moran, who has four home runs over the last four games.
Nationals vs. Taijuan Walker ($31), Mets: Juan Soto ($20), Nelson Cruz ($10), Yadiel Hernandez ($16)
Walker has had problems limiting home runs. Last season, he allowed 1.5 HR/9, and he's already been taken deep two times over 11 innings this season. Oddly enough, all three of his previous starts came against the Phillies. The Nationals don't have as deep of a lineup, but this trio could still be productive. Hernandez has provided them with a significant boost, posting a .394 wOBA and a .519 slugging percentage.
