This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
While baseball brings a full schedule Wednesday, there are several early start times. That leaves six games to choose from for the main evening slate on Yahoo. Let's examine the matchups and highlight some pitchers and hitters to target.
Pitchers
Spencer Strider ($56) had a difficult matchup against the Dodgers in his last start. He gave up four runs over six innings, but he still recorded nine strikeouts. His strikeout rate is 38.0 percent for the season, leaving him with tremendous upside in DFS. Up next is a matchup with the Cardinals, who have a modest .740 OPS on the road. Expect to see Strider included in a lot of lineups, and rightfully so.
Clarke Schmidt ($34) struggled against the Tigers in his last start, giving up three runs over 4.2 innings. However, that game was in Detroit. He has a 1.49 WHIP on the road, compared to 1.21 WHIP at home. Since he will face them at Yankee Stadium for their rematch, he has the potential to provide a more valuable fantasy stat line.
The Angels' lineup is ugly right now. Shohei Ohtani (oblique) joined their list of injured players and they should struggle to score runs for however long he is out. That could make Kyle Gibson ($33) worth a look in tournament play. He has given up at least seven runs in two of his last four starts, but he has a respectable 3.96 FIP and 1.27 WHIP on the road this season.
Top Targets
Patrick Sandoval ($30) has not been pitching well lately, giving up 17 runs (12 earned) over 17 innings in his last four starts. For the season, he now has a bloated 1.45 WHIP. This could be an opportune matchup to roll with the right-handed hitting duo of Ryan Mountcastle ($19) and Adley Rutschman ($17). They have a .451 wOBA and a .395 wOBA, respectively, against lefties.
Bargain Bats
Jordan Lyles ($28) is usually a pitcher to attack in DFS. He has an ugly 6.20 ERA and 5.70 FIP, while also allowing 2.0 HR/9. When he takes on the White Sox, Oscar Colas ($12) could be worth the risk at his cheap salary. It has been a difficult transition to the majors for him this season, but he hit 11 home runs over 55 career games at Triple-A, so he brings power to the plate.
Giancarlo Stanton ($9) has had another injury-filled campaign. Even when he has been healthy, he has mostly struggled. His 96 wRC+ is on pace to be the lowest mark of his career. However, he does still have 22 home runs across 86 games. All it takes for him to provide significant value is for him to run into one against Matt Manning ($34), who is not an overpowering pitcher with his career 16.1 percent strikeout rate.
Stacks to Consider
Braves vs. Dakota Hudson ($26), Cardinals: Ronald Acuna Jr. ($26), Marcell Ozuna ($26), Eddie Rosario ($16)
Hudson doesn't miss many bats, recording just 33 strikeouts over 56 innings. That could lead to disastrous results against the Braves, who have a loaded lineup that has scored the most runs in baseball. They also thrive at home, where they have a .865 OPS. He may not be the biggest name in their lineup, but don't sleep on Rosario. He has also thrived at home, posting a .272 ISO and a .368 wOBA in Atlanta.
Royals vs. Touki Toussaint ($27), White Sox: Bobby Witt Jr. ($23), Salvador Perez ($12), MJ Melendez ($16)
Toussaint has been wild, walking 32 batters over his last 46 innings. That left him with a 5.28 ERA and a 1.52 WHIP during that span. This could be a rare matchup in which the Royals are worth stacking. They also have a .738 OPS at home, which is a huge improvement over their .656 OPS on the road. Their most dangerous hitter is Witt, who has 39 stolen bases to go along with his 28 home runs.
Mets vs. Joan Adon ($25), Nationals: Pete Alonso ($23), Francisco Lindor ($22), Jeff McNeil ($19)
Given an opportunity to start down the stretch, Adon has allowed 16 runs over 24 innings in five starts. He also posted underwhelming numbers as a starter at Triple-A this year, recording a 4.62 ERA that was backed by a 4.68 FIP. Although McNeil doesn't bring the same power to the plate that Alonso and Lindor do, he is 32-for-96 (.333) with two home runs and six doubles over his last 23 games.
