This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
There will be no shortage of top-tier pitching options for Tuesday's busy slate across baseball. With that in mind, let's dig into the options on Yahoo and discuss some pitchers and hitters to target.
Pitchers
Several of the aces that will be in action will not be included in the main slate because of early start times. However, one that will be available to us is Shohei Ohtani ($58), who will start against the Astros. While he has given up nine runs over 11 innings in his last two starts, he also recorded a total of 21 strikeouts during that span. That helped elevate his strikeout rate to 38.6 percent for the season. The Astros' lineup isn't as potent as it has been in seasons part, leaving them with the fifth-lowest OPS in baseball.
In a strange turn of events, Logan Webb ($46) has given up eight home runs over 45 innings. Last season, he was taken deep just 11 times over 192.1 innings. For his career, he has given up 0.7 HR/9. Still, he has managed a 3.80 ERA and a 4.06 FIP, thanks to his 1.11 WHIP. Home runs might not be a problem for him against the Nationals, who have gone deep the second-fewest times in baseball.
Brandon Pfaadt ($26) brings plenty of strikeout upside with him to the mound. Last year, he had a 32.2 percent strikeout rate at Double-A, followed by a 30.6 percent strikeout rate at Triple-A. He had a 28.6 percent strikeout rate through his first five starts a Triple-A this year, eventually earning his callup to the majors. After a shaky debut against the Rangers, he has a favorable matchup against the Marlins, who have scored the fewest runs in baseball.
Top Targets
The Athletics don't have many hitters that stand out as viable options in DFS. However, Brent Rooker ($23) has been excellent with his .362 ISO and .465 wOBA. More success could be coming in a matchup against Clarke Schmidt ($31), who has a 1.70 WHIP through seven starts.
Schmidt has been particularly bad against left-handed hitters. For his career, they have a .420 wOBA against him. That makes Ryan Noda ($15) another member of the Athletics to target. Although he is striking out a lot, he does have a .381 wOBA.
Bargain Bats
Staying with the Athletics' matchup against Schmidt, a lefty of theirs to target at a reduced salary is JJ Bleday ($12). Not only did he hit seven home runs over 25 games at Triple-A this year, but he did so with just a 12.6 percent strikeout rate. Since being called up to the majors, he is 8-for-22 with two home runs and a double over six games.
Ty France ($11) looks to have rebounded from his slow start to the season. Over his current six-game hitting streak, he is 9-for-24 for with a home run and a double. He has a favorable opportunity to stay hot against lefty Andrew Heaney ($40), who has a 5.52 ERA and 6.18 FIP over six starts.
Stacks to Consider
White Sox vs. Jordan Lyles ($28), Royals: Tim Anderson ($13), Andrew Vaughn ($20), Andrew Benintendi ($15)
The Royals hoped that Lyles would be able to eat up some innings and provide a veteran presence within their starting rotation. The problem for them is, he has a 6.69 ERA and a 6.53 FIP through seven starts. He is certainly not an overpowering pitcher, recording just a 17.5 percent strikeout rate for his career. This is a great spot to roll with the White Sox, including Vaughn. Over his last 10 games, he has a .362 OBP to go along with two home runs and three doubles.
Braves vs. Nick Pivetta ($29), Red Sox: Ronald Acuna Jr. ($24), Matt Olson ($21), Sean Murphy ($24)
The Braves are a difficult matchup for most teams with their loaded lineup that has helped them score the sixth-most runs in baseball. They have also hit the second-most home runs, which is noteworthy because Pivetta has been taken deep at least one time in five of his six starts. Murphy is off to a blistering start with a 1.047 OPS.
Yankees vs. Drew Rucinski ($28), Athletics: Aaron Judge ($20), Anthony Rizzo ($18), Harrison Bader ($19)
The Yankees are expected to receive a huge boost to their lineup with Aaron Judge (hip) set to be activated off the IL. Bader also recently came back from an injury, and he has been locked in at the plate, hitting 8-for-21 with two home runs and two triples over six games. The Yankees could score runs in bunches against Rucinski, who has a 2.25 WHIP over his first two starts in the majors since 2018.
