Baseball only brings six games to the table Thursday, four of which will make up the main evening slate on Yahoo. While we don't have nearly as many options to choose from as usual, here are some pitchers and hitters who could exploit their matchups.
Pitchers
Tarik Skubal ($37) struggled against the Red Sox in his last start, giving up five runs (four earned) over 5.1 innings at Fenway Park. Although his 4.18 ERA is not impressive, there is a lot to like about his advanced stats. His FIP is 2.09, he has a 4.6 percent walk rate and a 1.14 WHIP. He has also allowed just one home run over his 32.1 innings. Look for him to bounce back with a better stat line when he faces the Guardians, who have scored the fourth-fewest runs in baseball.
Lance Lynn ($36) has looked like a different pitcher since joining the Dodgers. He has only allowed five runs (four earned) over 18 innings, posting a 0.94 WHIP and striking out 22 batters along the way. He did have a couple of favorable matchups, including home starts against the Athletics and Rockies. Another favorable opponent awaits him in the Brewers, who have the fourth-worst OPS in baseball.
Top Targets
Whenever a left-handed pitcher is on the mound, Nolan Arenado ($16) is an attractive option in DFS. For his career, he has a .403 wOBA against them. For as good as Jose Quintana ($30) has been for the Mets over his five starts, he's not an overpowering force, given his career 21.1 percent strikeout rate. It's even worse this season at 16.3 percent.
The Tigers don't have many imposing hitters within their lineup, which has resulted in them scoring the second-fewest runs in baseball. However, one player who has stood out is Riley Greene ($17). After a disappointing 2022 campaign, he has stepped up to record a .182 ISO and a .370 wOBA. More success could be in the cards against Xzavion Curry ($27), who has a much higher FIP (4.31) than he does ERA (3.39). He also has just a 16.1 percent strikeout rate to go along with his 9.1 percent barrel rate allowed.
Bargain Bats
Paul Goldschmidt ($14) has been even better than Arenado, posting a .429 wOBA against left-handed pitchers for his career. It should also help his cause that he will face Quintana at home. He only has a .166 ISO and a .337 wOBA on the road, but he has a .191 ISO and a .376 wOBA at home.
Stacks to Consider
Mets vs. Adam Wainwright ($25), Cardinals: Pete Alonso ($26), Francisco Lindor ($23), Jeff McNeil ($18)
If the Cardinals weren't out of the playoff hunt, Wainwright might have been removed from the starting rotation already. Over his last seven starts, he has a 2.87 WHIP and has given up 41 runs (38 earned) over 23 innings. He was taken deep eight times and issued 13 walks to go along with just 15 strikeouts. Expect to see plenty of Mets stacks, with Alonso likely in a good chunk of them. His batting average remains low, but he has already hit 36 home runs.
Diamondbacks vs. Rich Hill ($26), Padres: Christian Walker ($21), Tommy Pham ($14), Gabriel Moreno ($10)
Hill has continued to struggle since being dealt to the Padres, giving up nine runs over 6.1 innings. For the season, he has a 1.51 WHIP and has allowed a career-high 10.1 percent barrel rate. This right-handed trio could all give him problems, with Walker standing out among them. He has demolished left-handed pitchers to the tune of a .379 ISO and .433 wOBA this season.
