This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
Usually, Sunday afternoon baseball is nice because you have work on Monday. But when it's Labor Day weekend, that doesn't apply. There are no doubleheaders currently scheduled for Sunday, so that means - at the moment - 15 games scheduled for nine innings. With that in mind, here are some picks for your DFS lineup.
PITCHING
Lucas Giolito and his no-hitter may be the main attraction, but Dallas Keuchel ($42) is enjoying a fine season in his first year with the White Sox by posting a 2.42 ERA with a 3.17 FIP. He's not even striking out six batters per nine innings, but he's not a strikeout pitcher. Keuchel's skill is in drawing soft contact and suppressing home runs. Not that the Royals hit a lot of homers, as they've only managed 44 in 39 games.
Tyler Glasnow ($48) is the mirror opposite of Keuchel, as he's struck out over 15 batters per nine innings. No, seriously. He may come in with a 4.24 ERA, but his FIP is also solid at 3.01. Miami is down in the bottom-three in runs scored, and that's uninspiring even with games left for them to make up.
Chad Kuhl ($32) has only started in five of seven appearances, but has produced a 3.10 ERA over 29 innings - with a 2.70 mark at home. The Pirates' offense has been terrible, but the Reds are also subpar with their .215 team batting average.
TOP PICKS
The Rockies' plan for Sunday is to use Ryan Castellani and Chi Chi Gonzalez as a tandem. That means they are going to piggyback a guy with a 6.02 FIP (Gonzalez) off a guy with a 6.21 FIP (Castellani). They are also both righties, which means I don't have to be concerned about the Dodgers' lefty batters. That includes Corey Seager ($22), who has managed an OPS over 1.000 against righties this season and an OPS over 1.000 at home this year.
Despite moving from Colorado to New York last season, DJ LeMahieu ($20) set personal bests in 2019 in terms of homers (26) and slugging percentage (.518). This year, he's actually improved with a .541 slugging percentage to go with his .376 batting average. LeMahieu was hitting over .400 earlier this year, and he may get closer to that mark thanks to a matchup with Asher Wojciechowski and his career 5.05 FIP.
VALUE PLAYS
I'm starting with a catcher recommendation, and that catcher is Austin Romine ($9) of the Tigers. He doesn't walk, but has posted a .281 batting average last year and currently sits at .261. Romine also has a .780 OPS versus lefties since 2018. He will be facing lefty Rich Hill of the Twins, who has produced a 4.57 FIP in 2020 after a 4.09 mark in 2019.
After getting multiple cups of coffee in the majors, Christian Walker ($17) finally played his first full season in 2019 and ended up slashing .259/.348/.476 with 29 homers and eight stolen bases. This year, he's got his average up to .290 with five homers. Pitchers tend to like San Francisco's ballpark, but Johnny Cueto has struggled to a 5.25 ERA there since 2018.
STACKS
Indians vs. Brett Anderson: Jose Ramirez ($20), Francisco Lindor ($17), Franmil Reyes ($23)
Anderson is not the pitcher he looked like early in his Oakland career by posting a FIP over 4.11 in each of his last four seasons and allowing 1.61 homers per nine innings this year. Cleveland offers a few switch hitters in their lineup that doesn't hurt when a lefty is on the mound, although I also threw in the righty Reyes. Ramirez eclipsed 30 homers and 30 stolen bases in 2018, over 20 in both stats in 2019, and has nine of each this year. Speaking of guys with power and speed, Lindor has surpassed 30 homers and swiped over 20 bags in each of his last two campaigns. And yet, Reyes has been arguably Cleveland's best hitter this year slashing .324/.387/.554.
Nationals vs. Josh Tomlin: Juan Soto ($27), Trea Turner ($25), Luis Garcia ($9)
Tomlin has mostly been pitching out of the bullpen this year, but has a 4.68 FIP while giving up 1.66 homers per nine innings over his career as a starter and reliever. Soto is a little banged up, but it's not considered too serious. If healthy, of course you want him in your lineup with his 1.211 OPS. Turner has registered one of the major's top averages at .368, which isn't surprising given his career .296 mark. I also threw in the lefty Garcia for a cheaper option. He can't hit lefties, but he's managed an .859 OPS versus righties this year.
Mariners vs. Jordan Lyles: Kyle Lewis ($21), Kyle Seager ($20), J.P. Crawford ($15)
Even if you look past Lyles' 8.59 ERA - which you shouldn't - he also comes in with a 5.65 FIP. He's not striking out anybody and has allowed over 1.50 homers per nine innings since 2019. Lewis is in the running for Rookie of the Year having slashed .317/.404/.504. Seager has hit over 20 homers in every season where he's played over 100 games and has a .371 OBP in 2020. Crawford hasn't lived up to his once-vaunted prospect status, but his big issue is facing lefties. Against righties, he's fine with a .755 OPS since 2018.
