This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
Sundays in the dead of summer are all about baseball, and with one last Sunday in July to get through, that is the case once again. There are 15 games on the slate, with the first pitch at 12:05 p.m. ET. Usually, Yahoo does a 14-game slate cutting out the early Peacock start, but not this week for whatever reason. Looking for some DFS help? Look no further! Or, well, just a bit further. Just below, for example.
Pitching
Jesus Luzardo, MIA vs. DET ($53): Last year, Luzardo posted a 3.12 FIP, but got overlooked because Sandy Alcantara won the Cy Young. This year, Alcantara has scuffled now and again, but Luzardo has posted a 3.21 FIP. The southpaw has gotten hot as the Marlins push for a wild card spot, as he's managed an 1.48 ERA over his last seven starts. If you want to stay hot, facing the Tigers helps. They are 28th in runs scored and 29th in team OPS.
Aaron Civale, CLE at CWS ($47): Civale has a 1.97 ERA on the road this season. Since a tough start at home against the Brewers, the righty has an 1.72 ERA over five starts. The White Sox are 23rd in runs scored, but have a sub-.300 OBP. That combined with Chicago waving the white flag on the season, and that ranking will likely be lower by the end of the campaign.
Kenta Maeda, MIN at KC ($43): Maeda's overall numbers are hurt by a brutal game against the Yankees, which was followed by him missing over a month of action with a tricep strain. Since returning he has a 2.48 ERA in six starts. The Royals are 29th in runs scored, and last in team OPS, so Maeda has a good chance to get his ERA in line with his overarching performance.
Top Targets
His first season with Atlanta was impressive, but Matt Olson ($26) has been locked in this year. Specifically, he has an OPS over 1.000 at home, and also against righties. The righty Colin Rea has a 4.75 ERA and has allowed 1.48 home runs per nine innings. He's also allowed at least one homer in each of his last four outings.
The only time Rafael Devers ($22) hasn't finished with a slugging percentage above .520 over the last five seasons was 2020, the COVID-19 season. Indeed, this year he's slugging .517 with 25 homers. In his first campaign as a Giant, Ross Stripling has loathed his new ballpark. He has a 7.97 ERA with 2.7 homers allowed per nine innings in San Francisco. Plus, on the year lefties have hit .302 against him.
Bargain Bats
Interestingly, Ryan McMahon ($15) has an OPS against righties (.864) higher than his OPS at Coors Field (.797). That speaks to the southpaw's issues with lefties, but when he gets to face a righty in the Mile High City, look out. Luis Medina is a righty, and the rookie has a 7.16 ERA on the road and has allowed lefties to hit .265 against him.
I wanted to go with Zach Gelof from the Athletics, but Yahoo's salaries are moved by the most-recent results to the greatest degree, so his salary is up to $23, which is excessive. So how about Jordan Diaz ($13), a rookie slotted in at the same position for DFS (second base) with some real power. Specifically, Diaz has shown power on the road, where he's slugged .515 and hit five of his six homers. With Chase Anderson hitting the IL, the Rotowire probable pitchers grid has Ty Blach getting a start, likely serving as an opener for a bullpen game. Given that, I wanted a righty to take advantage of Coors Field.
Stacks to Consider
Reds at Dodgers (Michael Grove): Jake Fraley ($20), Elly De La Cruz ($18), Joey Votto ($16)
Injuries to the pitching staff has made the Dodgers less imposing in 2023 than in previous seasons, and Grove is an example of that. He was a top pitching prospect when he debuted, but that hasn't panned out, as the righty has a career 5.65 ERA and has allowed 1.57 homers per nine innings. Now, his 4.71 ERA at home is much better than his 8.85 ERA on the road, but he's allowed 2.0 homers per nine at Dodger Stadium. Additionally, Grove has allowed lefties to hit .311 against him in MLB for good measure.
Fraley has a .346 OBP with 15 homers and 17 stolen bases. He sits against lefties, and rightfully so, but since 2021 he has an .858 OPS versus right-handed pitchers. The counting stats have slowed down, and a lack of walks has become clear, but De La Cruz still has six homers and 17 swiped bags in 45 games. While the rookie is a switch-hitter, his .851 OPS versus righties shows a clear preference for those matchups. Votto's overall numbers since getting healthy aren't impressive, but he has a .798 OPS against righties and an .871 OPS on the road. If he gets a chance to settle in at DH, he should be fine, at least in matchups like this.
Orioles vs. Yankees (Luis Severino): Anthony Santander ($19), Adley Rutschman ($18), Gunnar Henderson ($18)
Counting disappointments for the Yankees in 2023 would take a minute, but Severino might be at the top of the list. In 11 starts he has a 6.46 ERA and has allowed 2.32 homers per nine innings. Not only that, but he has a 7.62 ERA on the road. Righties have hit .299 against him, and lefties have hit .330. Anybody who can handle a bat is worth a stack against Severino, and these three Orioles are more than up to it.
Santander has slugged .470 with 18 homers after hitting 33 home runs last season. He's a switch-hitter who tends to be slightly – but not significantly – better against lefties, but since 2021 he's slugged .500 at home. Not only is Rutschman a catcher, but Saturday he led off for the first time, increasing his fantasy upside. A switch-hitter, in his career Rutschman has an .830 OPS versus righties, and an .881 OPS at home. Henderson has 16 homers and five stolen bases, and the issues in his game are mostly against lefties. In his career he has an .849 OPS versus righty pitchers.
Twins at Royals (Ryan Yarbrough): Carlos Correa ($16), Jorge Polanco ($16), Byron Buxton ($13)
I figured I'd try to provide a stack with some lower salaries to round things out. Yarbrough was cut loose by the Rays, which was sensible, given that he had a 4.33 ERA in his time with the team. The lefty hasn't gotten any better with the Royals, as he has a 4.70 ERA, including a 6.64 ERA at home. Yarbrough has struck out a mere 4.91 batters per nine innings this year, and since 2021 righties have hit .283 against him, leading me to this stack.
Correa has followed his convoluted offseason with a disappointing campaign, but since 2021 he has an .856 OPS versus lefties. He's slugged .420 on the road this year, which isn't good, but is better than what he's managed at home. Polanco, a switch-hitter, just returned from the IL. Since 2021, he has an .807 OPS on the road, and in a handful of at-bats against lefties this year he has a .960 OPS. Buxton has been a right-handed Cody Bellinger this season, prior to Bellinger's rebound this year, of course. A once-formidable bat, Buxton has really struggled, but still has managed 17 homers and nine stolen bases in 83 games. For DFS players, that still matters, especially in a matchup like this.
