This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
Someday, we might be able to see all 30 MLB teams in action in one day. The Cardinals are back and facing the White Sox, but now the Reds and Pirates have seen their game postponed. That still leaves us with plenty of options for your daily fantasy lineups, although the pitching options aren't great. The first game of the day starts at 1:00 p.m. EDT. Let's get to it!
PITCHING
You may not want to roll the dice on Frankie Montas ($50), given that his start was pushed back from Friday to Sunday because he tweaked his back. But if Montas is healthy, you'll want him in your lineup. The 27-year-old broke out with a 2.98 FIP last year, and this year that mark is down to 2.51. While the Giants have looked good offensively in terms of runs scored, they've ranked in the bottom-five in runs scored during each of the last three seasons.
Jon Lester's ($41) last few years have been middling, but he's notched a sparkling 1.06 ERA through three starts. The FIP may be at 3.89, but that's still an impressive start. The Brewers weren't expected to be poor offensively, but they rank in the bottom-five in runs scored and batting average this season.
Lance McCullers ($35) hasn't looked like himself yet, which may be fair since he missed the entire 2019 season. He's not striking out hitters to his usual degree, though that could change. And his 6.77 ERA may be terrible, but that's due to one terrible road start. At home, McCullers has impressed with a 1.38 ERA. He's home today versus the Mariners, who have shown a lack of power as a lineup.
I don't have any other pitchers I'm particularly enthused with, so I will just say that if you are down to pay a particularly-high salary, Max Scherzer ($51) is starting against the Orioles.
TOP PICKS
Fernando Tatis Jr. ($28) was incredible in a truncated rookie season by slashing .317/.379/.590 with 22 homers and 16 stolen bases. This year, he's looking primed to contend for the NL MVP. Robbie Ray hasn't been an awful pitcher in the past, but this season has been a total disaster with a 10.59 ERA and 8.24 FIP through four starts.
There are two numbers for Nolan Arenado ($24) I want to point out. Since 2018, he has compiled a 1.096 OPS versus lefties. And since 2018, his OPS at home is 1.086. He'll be hitting today at Coors Field against southpaw Kolby Allard. Allard has made two good starts, but that still leaves him with a career 5.34 ERA.
Corey Seager ($23) needed a little time last year to find his form after a serious injury, but he still produced a .272 batting average with 19 homers in 134 games. This year, he looks more like his old self and has slashed .286/.338/.540. Julio Teheran used to be an above average pitcher, but he hasn't posted a FIP lower than 4.65 over the last three seasons. Now with the Angels, he's only pitched 4.2 innings this year. But just based on past performance, I like Seager's potential here.
VALUE PLAYS
Adam Eaton ($13) was finally able to stay healthy with the Nationals last season and managed a .365 OBP with 15 home runs and 15 stolen bases. Like a lot of Nats bats, he's off to a slow start but he hits high in the lineup and now has Juan Soto around to potentially drive him in. Alex Cobb may come in with a 2.75 ERA, but that's paired with a 4.75 FIP. And that's after an 11.88 FIP in three starts during 2019. Since he's joined the Orioles, Cobb has really struggled with homers - especially at home.
Kyle Schwarber ($18) took his power to a new level last season by hitting 38 homers and posting a .531 slugging percentage. He can't really hit lefties, but he's excelled with an .874 OPS versus righties since 2018. Josh Lindblom has returned to the majors for the first time since 2017 after a three-year stint in Korea. He was primarily a reliever prior to his excursion, and he seems miscast as a starter as his 5.49 FIP through three appearances has shown.
Let's talk catchers! Specifically, let's discuss Travis d'Arnaud ($17). Last year, he hit .251 with 16 homers in 103 games across three teams, which is impressive for a catcher. Now with Atlanta, he's off to a red-hot start to the campaign with a slash line of .333/.340/.604. Elieser Hernandez is also doing well so far, but he's only faced the Orioles and Blue Jays. This represents a tougher matchup, and let's not forget Hernandez's career 5.14 FIP.
STACKS
Astros vs. Justus Sheffield: Jose Altuve ($14), George Springer ($18), Carlos Correa ($16)
Once a touted prospect, Sheffield has struggled with a 5.68 career ERA. More to the point, he has allowed a .311 batting average to righties - and that's playing home games in a pitcher-friendly ballpark. On the road, Sheffield's career ERA plummets further to 7.11. Here he's away from home, so I'm naturally grabbing three Astros' righties.
I know Altuve is off to a terrible start, but I don't expect it to continue. This is an MVP-caliber player with a career .312 batting average. He's not going to be hitting under the Mendoza line forever, and he's still a player with a great mix of power and speed. Springer showed even more power than Altuve in 2019, hitting 39 homers in only 122 games. While he too has seen his batting average dip, the 30-year-old still has produced a .333 OBP. Correa, at the very least, has been exactly what was expected by slashing .310/.402/.451.
