Yahoo DFS Baseball: Tuesday Picks
Tuesday brings a packed slate of baseball, including two doubleheaders. One of the doubleheaders has significant playoff implications with the Blue Jays taking on the Rays. A big rivalry series will take place when the Red Sox host the Yankees, but for once, the series doesn't come with much intrigue since the Red Sox find themselves in last place in the AL East. The slate will also include some big-name pitchers, including Jacob deGrom, Clayton Kershaw and Yu Darvish. With so many options to wade through, let's help narrow down the field by highlighting some players to consider for your Yahoo lineups.
Pitchers
There's not much of a case that needs to be made for rolling with deGrom ($67) in DFS whenever he's scheduled to take the hill. He's allowed more than two runs in only one of his seven starts, and he has a 0.55 WHIP to go along with 63 strikeouts over 43.1 innings. Up next is a matchup against the Cubs, who have struck out the eighth-most times in baseball.
Jordan Montgomery ($45) has quickly become the ace of the Cardinals. He pitched another gem in his last outing against the Nationals, and has allowed one or no runs in six of his seven starts since being acquired from the Yankees. He faced the Brewers during that stretch, shutting them out and recording eight strikeouts over six innings. With a rematch on tap, Montgomery remains one of the more appealing pitcher options.
Joe Ryan ($44) has developed a home run problem. Over his last 79 innings, he's been taken deep 17 times. That might not be a problem in a matchup against the Royals, though, since they have hit the fifth-fewest home runs in baseball. Over three previous starts against them, he's allowed three runs in 17 innings.
Top Targets
Two pleasant surprises down the stretch have been Joey Meneses ($18) and Lane Thomas ($17). The Nationals traded away Juan Soto and Josh Bell at the deadline, and Meneses and Thomas have done a nice job filling in for them. Meneses has a .229 ISO and a .385 wOBA, while Thomas is 32-for-95 (.337) with four home runs and six doubles over his last 23 games. They are both appealing options in a matchup against Dean Kremer ($40), who has pitched well for the Orioles, but is not an overpowering force based on his 18.5 percent strikeout rate.
Bargain Bats
Corey Seager ($13) hit a home run in the second game of the Rangers' doubleheader Monday, giving him 30 for the season. It's the first time that he's reached that threshold during his career, helping to somewhat make up for his disappointingly low .322 OBP. His power upside makes him a viable option in a matchup with Ken Waldichuk ($30), who allowed two home runs in his last start against the Braves.
On the surface, Cole Ragans' ($29) 3.80 ERA looks impressive. However, his 6.26 FIP indicates that rough days could be on the horizon. The Athletics don't have a ton of dangerous hitters, but Ramon Laureano ($9) could exploit this matchup. He has a .344 wOBA versus left-handed pitchers during his career, compared to a .326 mark against righties.
Stacks to Consider
Yankees vs. Nick Pivetta, Red Sox ($38): Aaron Judge ($27), Giancarlo Stanton ($12), Gleyber Torres ($12)
Fenway Park has not been kind to Pivetta this season. He has a 3.84 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP on the road, but a 4.76 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP at home. He's also had problems with the Yankees, allowing 17 runs over 13.1 innings. Judge is the big name to build any Yankees stack around, while Torres is also an intriguing option. He's hit three home runs over his last six games, giving him 21 for the season.
Twins vs. Kris Bubic ($26), Royals: Carlos Correa ($21), Jose Miranda ($15), Gio Urshela ($12)
Bubic is often living on the edge, given his 1.64 WHIP this season. The end result has been him recording a 5.40 ERA and 4.91 FIP. When he faced the Twins almost exactly a month ago, he allowed four runs and 13 base runners over 5.2 innings. This could be a great spot for the Twins to have success again, especially Correa, who has a 145 wRC+ against left-handed pitchers.
Cardinals vs. Matt Bush ($25), Brewers: Nolan Arenado ($), Albert Pujols ($17), Tyler O'Neill ($18)
The Brewers will be forced to go with a bullpen game Tuesday, using Bush as the opener. They have limited options right now with Freddy Peralta (shoulder) and Eric Lauer (elbow) both on the IL. Their bullpen could be in line for a difficult night against the Cardinals, who have the third-highest OPS in baseball. With 10 home runs over his last 25 games, Pujols finds himself just three home runs away from 700 for his career.
