This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
Thursday brings nine games across baseball, three of which have early start times. Among the afternoon games is a matchup between two American League playoff hopefuls in the Mariners and Guardians. Shifting our attention to the night games, there are the potential for some lopsided matchups. The Phillies will take on the floundering Reds and the Mets will host the Rockies with Jacob deGrom on the mound. Another potentially one-sided affair could take place when the Yankees play the Athletics. Let's focus our attention on the evening slate and highlight some pitchers and hitters to consider for your Yahoo lineups.
Pitchers
deGrom ($65) hasn't skipped a beat since coming off of the IL, recording 37 strikeouts over 23.1 innings. He's only walked one batter, helping propel him to a microscopic 0.51 WHIP. This game will be played in New York, making things even more difficult for a Rockies team that only has a .642 OPS on the road.
Aaron Nola ($50) finished last season with a 4.63 ERA, but his 3.37 FIP indicated that he didn't pitch that poorly. His luck has turned around this season, with him recording a 3.25 ERA and a 2.76 FIP. He's lowered his walk rate to 3.6 percent, which is the lowest mark of his career. His strikeout rate has remained excellent, as well, at 28.2 percent. The Reds present a favorable matchup in Philadelphia because they only have a .635 OPS on the road.
The good news is that Jameson Taillon ($38) has a 1.11 WHIP on the road this season. However, he's allowed 1.6 HR/9 there, compared to just 1.1 HR/9 at Yankee Stadium. That might not be a problem when he faces the Athletics in Oakland, though, since they have hit the fifth-fewest home runs in baseball and play in a very pitcher-friendly park. If you want to fade the top-tier pitchers for this slate, Taillon should be on your radar.
Top Targets
The Twins haven't been able to get much length from Chris Archer ($30), who has only logged 87.1 innings across his 21 starts. He walks too many batters, which is evident by his 11.3 percent walk rate. He also doesn't miss many bats, leaving him with a 20.5 percent strikeout rate. Jose Altuve ($18) has at least two hits in three of his last five games, and is having another great season with his 151 wRC+.
Jose Abreu ($17) is on fire right now, hitting 19-for-40 (.475) over his last 11 games. The only downside is that he has just one double and no home runs during that span. Still, he's a great option for a matchup against Jordan Lyles ($31), who is underwhelming with his 1.47 WHIP.
Bargain Bats
While he hasn't been as hot for as long Abreu as has been Gavin Sheets ($13), is 10-for-18 (.556) over his last five games. Left-handed hitters have a .368 wOBA versus Lyles this season, making Sheets a viable option at his reduced salary.
If you're looking to capitalize on the Astros' matchup with Archer, then Jeremy Pena ($9) should also be on your radar. While he has an underwhelming 91 wRC+ on the road this season, he has a 108 wRC+ at home.
Stacks to Consider
Phillies vs. Justin Dunn ($25), Reds: Nick Castellanos ($20), Kyle Schwarber ($21), Bryson Stott ($19)
Dunn actually pitched well in his last outing, giving up one run over five innings. However, he walked four batters along the way, and it was a very favorable opponent in the Pirates. The same can't be said for the Phillies, who have a much more dangerous lineup. For his career, Dunn has a 1.40 WHIP and has allowed 21 home runs over 116 innings. The Phillies could be in line for a big night at the plate.
Mets vs. Ryan Feltner ($26), Rockies: Starling Marte ($21), Francisco Lindor ($23), Daniel Vogelbach ($17)
Feltner has been given his first extended look in the majors, and it's not going well. Over his 12 appearances, 11 of which were starts, he has a 5.88 ERA and a 4.80 FIP. His strikeout rate is only 19.5 percent, so he doesn't leave himself with much margin for error. The Mets are a contact-oriented team that has struck out the fifth-fewest times in baseball, which could make this start an uphill battle for Feltner. Vogelbach should be in the lineup for this matchup, given that he has a .393 wOBA and a .268 ISO versus right-handed pitchers this season.
Blue Jays vs. Kutter Crawford ($35), Red Sox: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. ($22), Teoscar Hernandez ($17), Matt Chapman ($20)
Crawford couldn't get anything going in his last outing, allowing nine runs over 3.2 innings against the Orioles. He's shown flashes of promise, but allowing 11 home runs over 68.1 innings is not a recipe for success. The Blue Jays have hit the seventh-most home runs in baseball, making them an appealing stack to pursue. One of their most productive power bats of late has been Chapman, who has 13 home runs over his last 40 games.
