This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
There will be no shortage of action Wednesday with 15 games on the schedule. However, because of several early start times, only five games will make up the main slate on Yahoo. While there are limited options, here are some pitchers and hitters who are still worth targeting.
Pitchers
Clayton Kershaw ($52) has made two starts since coming off the IL. He performed well in both of them, allowing a total of two runs across 10 innings. He threw 71 pitches in his last outing, so he could expand to 80 or more when he takes on the Guardians. That still leaves him with significant upside, given that the Guardians have scored the third-fewest runs in baseball.
Kevin Gausman ($48) has proven to be a stellar addition for the Blue Jays. After recording a 3.35 ERA and a 2.38 FIP for them last year, he has a 3.24 ERA and 2.84 FIP this season. He also has a 31.7 percent strikeout rate this season, which is on pace to be the second-highest mark of his career. Facing the Orioles is no walk in the park, but the combination of his strikeout upside and the limited options for this slate still makes him a great target.
MacKenzie Gore ($34) had one of his best outings of the season the last time he took the mound, throwing 6.1 shutout innings against the Red Sox. He allowed only three baserunners, recording seven strikeouts along the way. The Yankees have the second-fewest hits in baseball, so Gore could be worth the risk in tournament play at his cheap salary.
Top Targets
The struggling Luis Severino ($25), who has a 6.82 FIP and has allowed 2.7 HR/9, makes for an ideal matchup to roll with the duo of Lane Thomas ($23) and Joey Meneses ($22). Thomas has the Nationals' most reliable hitter, slugging 20 home runs to go along with his .348 wOBA. Meneses has also been performing well of late, hitting 17-for-52 (.327) with two home runs and four doubles over his last 13 games.
Bargain Bats
It has been a difficult season for Jose Urquidy ($29), who has been limited to 38 innings because of a shoulder injury. Since being activated from the IL, he has given up six runs over 10.1 innings. His last outing came out of the bullpen when he logged two innings versus the Mariners. He'll return to a starting role against the Red Sox, which makes Masataka Yoshida ($10) someone to consider at a cheaper salary. He doesn't strike out much, which has helped him generate a .349 wOBA. Alex Verdugo ($11), who has a .354 wOBA against right-handed pitchers, is also worth considering.
Stacks to Consider
Astros vs. Chris Sale ($41), Red Sox: Jose Altuve ($25), Yordan Alvarez ($19), Alex Bregman ($20)
Sale has been limited since coming off the IL, throwing no more than 65 pitches in either of his two outings. He didn't thrive in either outing, allowing a total of five runs (four earned) over nine innings. This is not a good matchup for him against the Astros, who have a .808 OPS against left-handed pitchers. They have been led in that department by Altuve, who has a career 146 wRC+ versus lefties.
Dodgers vs. Xzavion Curry ($25), Guardians: Mookie Betts ($26), Freddie Freeman ($23), James Outman ($16)
While his 3.24 ERA and 1.19 WHIP look nice, Curry's 4.15 FIP isn't as impressive. He also has just a 16.9 percent strikeout rate, which doesn't leave him with much of a margin for error. That could end up being his downfall against the Dodgers, who have the third-highest OPS in baseball. There has been no slowing down Betts, who has a .298 ISO and a .416 wOBA.
