This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
There are several day games across baseball Monday, leaving only six games to make up the main evening slate on Yahoo. The slate also starts off earlier than usual at 6:05 p.m. EDT, so be sure to get those Yahoo lineups in on time. Here are some players to consider while working your way through the options.
Pitchers
Despite there only being six games, there will be no shortage of top-tier pitching options available. One of them is Zac Gallen ($47), who has emerged as the ace of the Diamondbacks. He is coming off seven scoreless innings against the Dodgers in which he allowed only one hit. The opponent makes that stat line even more impressive. He hasn't allowed more than two runs in a game this season, which included two previous starts against the Giants, who he will face in this contest. Across those two outings, he allowed two runs and recorded 11 strikeouts in 13 innings.
There aren't many viable budget-friendly pitching options, but one to at least consider is Kevin Gausman ($39). His 4.43 ERA is nothing to write home about and he's allowed an alarming 1.8 HR/9. However, his FIP has been much better at 3.76 and his 31 percent strikeout rate is on pace to be the highest mark of his career. He's also lowered his WHIP to 1.18 compared to 1.42 last season. The Diamondbacks don't exactly have a potent lineup with their .673 OPS ranking as the third-lowest mark in baseball, so it wouldn't be a surprise if Gausman performs well in this outing.
Top Targets
Trea Turner ($26) is on an impressive hot streak. He hasn't just been hot for a few days, either, considering he is 43-for-96 (.448) with six home runs, seven doubles, three triples and five stolen bases across his last 23 games. His strikeout rate is a mere 13.5 percent during that stretch, as well. He'll look to keep things rolling against Charlie Morton ($37), who normally would be a tough opponent. However, Morton only threw 36 pitches in first start off the IL and should be on a pitch limit in this game, as well.
With the Yankees and Blue Jays battling it out for second place in the AL East, their series together that starts Monday could be very important. Both teams are battling injuries, but the Blue Jays aren't in as bad of shape as the Yankees are on that front. One player that has stepped up for the Blue Jays of late is Lourdes Gurriel Jr. ($19), who is 14-for-30 (.467) with two home runs and three doubles over his last eight games. He also has a career .366 wOBA against left-handed pitchers, making it possible that he continues to swing a hot bat with Jordan Montgomery ($28) on the mound for the Yankees.
Bargain Bats
Ramon Laureano ($12) has increased his walk rate dramatically this season to 12.4 percent compared to his 5.6 percent mark last season. That's helped him generate a .365 OBP despite his .227 batting average. He also has two home runs over his last five games, giving him 29 home runs across 156 games the last two seasons. His power makes him a viable target against Cristian Javier ($42), who has allowed 1.9 HR/9 and has a 5.14 FIP that puts his 3.35 ERA into question.
The Yankees are in a free-fall right now and a lot of that has to do with their decimated lineup. One of the key players that they are missing right now is Gio Urshela (elbow), which has forced Miguel Andujar ($7) to rejoin the team and play everyday at third base. He's mostly struggled this season moving around the field and being shuttled between the majors and the alternate site, but with regular playing time now in sight, he's 5-for-10 with a triple and two walks over his last 12 plate appearances. He's a talented young hitter who may just need some positional certainty to be successful again, so he might be worth considering in tournament play.
Stacks to Consider
Padres vs. Kyle Freeland ($26), Padres: Fernando Tatis Jr. ($27), Manny Machado ($25), Austin Nola ($17)
Freeland has been hit hard in his last two starts, allowing eight runs and 19 hits across 6.1 innings. One of those outings came against these same Padres, who recorded four runs and 11 hits against him in 4.1 innings. He doesn't strike out many hitters and has a 1.41 WHIP, so he could once again be in trouble against one of the best lineups in baseball. Tatis and Machado are the big names here, but don't sleep on Nola. He's a tough out based on his 15.1 percent strikeout rate and he's been very productive, overall, with a 149 wRC+.
Astros vs. Frankie Montas ($37), Athletics: Kyle Tucker ($22), Michael Brantley ($20), Carlos Correa ($13)
The last three starts have not gone well for Montas, who allowed 18 runs over 9.2 innings. One of the biggest differences between this season and his successful 2019 campaign has been his lack of control. He had a 5.8 percent walk rate last year, but that has ballooned up to 12.2 percent this season. Brantley stands out as one of the tops players to pursue in an Astros stack given his .393 wOBA. Tucker is in the midst of a breakout campaign that has included him hitting 24-for-58 (.414) with six home runs, three doubles and five triples over his last 17 games.
