This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
We have another busy night across baseball Monday with 11 games making up the main contest on Yahoo. There are a few exciting matchups, including the Astros hosting the Rockies and the Braves taking on the Nationals. Let's discuss some of the better options to consider for your entry.
Pitchers
While there are a lot of games on the schedule, there are no aces set to take the mound. Keeping that in mind, Zach Davies ($40) could be someone to consider for his matchup against the Rangers in Texas. Their new home ball park has looked pitcher-friendly in the early going, which has contributed to them averaging just 3.9 runs scored for the season, overall. Davies is coming of an excellent start against the Dodgers and has pitched well for his new squad, overall, allowing eight runs (seven earned) across 22.2 innings over his first four starts.
If you're looking for a bit of a dart throw in tournament play, Alex Cobb ($32) could be your man. He hasn't allowed more than two earned runs in any of his four starts this season and struck out at least six hitters in two of those contests. He'll be facing a Blue Jays team that will now be without one of their best hitters for the foreseeable future in Bo Bichette (knee), leaving a huge hole in their lineup. They have generally struggled to score runs even with him in the lineup, scoring four or fewer runs in 11 of their 18 games this season.
Top Targets
One of the most consistent hitters in the league has been Jose Abreu ($17), who has slugged at least 25 home runs and recorded at least 100 RBI in five of his six seasons. The only year that he didn't reach those thresholds was when he was limited to 128 games in 2018 because of injury. He's rolling again in this shortened season with four home runs and 13 RBI. This is an excellent matchup for him to be productive once again with Matthew Boyd ($32) set to start for the Tigers. Boyd allowed 1.9 HR/9 last year and has already allowed five home runs over 19.1 innings in 2020.
With Yoenis Cespedes opting out of the season, added playing time has opened up for Dominic Smith ($21). To say he has taken advantage of his opportunity would be an understatement considering he is 9-for-21 with four home runs and three doubles across his last five games. The Marlins could have a hard time slowing him down with Jordan Yamamoto ($26) on the mound since he has allowed at least four runs and two home runs in both of his starts. He was average, at best, last year with a 4.46 ERA that was supported by a 4.51 FIP.
Bargain Bats
The Braves' lineup isn't nearly as imposing with Ronald Acuna Jr. (wirst) and Ozzie Albies (wrist) on the IL. They did luckily receive some reinforcements when Nick Markakis ($14) decided to join the team after originally opting out of the season. He's jumped right back into a starting role, hitting 10-for-31 with a home run and four doubles across 11 game. While his salary isn't overly cheap, he also won't destroy your budget in what is a favorable matchup against Anibal Sanchez ($28), who has allowed 14 runs and recorded a 2.15 WHIP across 13 innings in his first three starts.
Jonathan Schoop ($9) was one of the veterans that the Tigers brought in during the offseason to help give them a more respectable lineup. He's had a rough time getting on base, but he does have four home runs already. That should come as little surprise considering he's registered at least 21 home runs in each of the last four seasons. This could be a spot to advantage of his low salary against Gio Gonzalez ($26) since he had a .376 wOBA against left-handed pitchers last season.
Stacks to Consider
Yankees vs. Martin Perez ($28), Red Sox: Gio Urshela ($16), Clint Frazier ($15), Gleyber Torres ($14)
After being hammered by the Orioles in his season debut, Perez has allowed four runs over 16.1 innings in his last three starts. Still, facing the Yankees at Yankee Stadium is no easy feat. Even with their depleted lineup, they have scored 25 runs over the first three games of this series. One of the main reasons they have been able to remain successful is Frazier, who is 8-for-15 with two home runs and three doubles since being recalled. It looks like Torres may also be breaking out of his slump since he has strung together three straight multi-hit performances.
Dodgers vs. Justin Dunn ($25), Mariners: Mookie Betts ($25), Corey Seager ($19), Cody Bellinger ($14)
This game could get ugly in a hurry for the Mariners. Dunn did make four starts with the team last season, but had never pitched above Double-A prior to that. He did not pitch well in his first state of the majors, posting a 5.76 FIP and a 1.65 WHIP. His struggles have continued in his first three starts of 2020, leaving him with a 7.21 FIP and a 1.62 WHIP. This is about as tough of a matchup as it gets against the Dodgers. Finally healthy, Seager has been excellent to start things off with a .384 wOBA and a .279 ISO. Although Bellinger has struggled, he has recorded at least two hits in two of the last three games, which included a two-homer performance Friday.
Nationals vs. Touki Toussaint ($26), Braves: Juan Soto ($27), Trea Turner ($17), Adam Eaton ($13)
The Braves' starting rotation is a mess. Injuries have robbed them of their depth and several of the starters that they have left have pitched extremely poorly. One of those who has struggled is Toussaint, who has allowed 15 runs (14 earned) over his 17.1 innings. Soto will be difficult to resist despite his expensive salary since he is hitting .425 with six home runs through 11 games. Eaton could help balance out your budget while providing value given his career .350 wOBA against right-handed pitchers.
