This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
Tuesday's packed slate will bring no shortage of big-name starting pitchers. Among the top options set to take the mound are Shohei Ohtani, Jacob deGrom and Corbin Burnes. Let's examine some pitchers to consider across the salary scale, as well as some hitters who could exploit favorable matchups.
Pitchers
Ohtani ($57) has made two starts for the Angels, recording a total of 18 strikeouts across 12 innings. He only allowed one run, which came in his last start against the Mariners. He is normally a great option whenever he is on the mound, but he especially stands out against a rebuilding Nationals' lineup that still has plenty of holes in it.
Dustin May ($38) opened the season with back-to-back starts against the Diamondbacks. He dominated both outings, allowing just one run over 13 innings. He also gave up just eight total base runners, which is not a surprise given his career 1.05 WHIP. Up next is an excellent matchup against the Giants in their pitcher-friendly home park.
One of the Twins' big offseason moves was acquiring Pablo Lopez ($43) from the Marlins. He has paid immediate dividends, allowing one run and recording 16 strikeouts over 12.1 innings. He did face two easy lineups in the Royals and Marlins. The White Sox should have a more potent lineup, but they aren't nearly as fearsome with Eloy Jimenez (hamstring), Tim Anderson (knee) and Yoan Moncada (back) all dealing with injuries. The stars could be aligning for Lopez to provide another valuable performance.
Top Targets
Josiah Gray ($27) pitched surprisingly well in his last start, allowing one run over six innings at Coors Field. However, it's still a viable strategy to attack a pitcher who has allowed 2.3 HR/9 for his career. Two powerful hitterss to target on the Angels are Mike Trout ($26) and Hunter Renfroe ($18). Renfroe brings a ton of power to the plate, posting a career .250 ISO.
Bargain Bats
Alejandro Kirk ($9) is off to a terrible start with a 45 wRC+. However, it's way too early to panic about a player who had a 129 wRC+ last season. This could be a favorable matchup for him to bounce back against Matt Manning ($27), who is not an overpowering force with his career 16.2 percent strikeout rate.
Talk about being in a favorable situation for a hitter. Jurickson Profar ($10) not only plays his home games at Coors Field, but he has been hitting leadoff for the Rockies. It's not often that you get a leadoff hitter available at this cheap of a salary for a Coors Field game. Starting for the Cardinals will be Miles Mikolas ($31), who has given up 10 runs through his first 9.1 innings this season.
Stacks to Consider
Braves vs. Luis Cessa ($27), Reds: Matt Olson ($23), Ronald Acuna Jr. ($23), Austin Riley ($18)
Cessa had a rough 2022 campaign, finishing with a 4.57 ERA and an even worse 5.02 FIP. He gave up 1.6 HR/9, while recording a paltry 17.6 percent strikeout rate. His inability to miss bats could end up being his downfall against this powerful trio. Olson is off to an especially hot start, hitting three home runs to go along with a .476 wOBA.
Cardinals vs. Kyle Freeland ($29), Rockies: Paul Goldschmidt ($24), Nolan Arenado ($21), Willson Contreras ($14)
Freeland has logged at least six shoutout innings in both of his starts this season. However, don't expect that level of success to last for too long. He has an ERA of at least 4.33 in each of the last four seasons, and he has a 1.40 WHIP for his career. For their careers, Goldschmidt and Arenado have a .436 wOBA and a .408 wOBA, respectively, against left-handed pitchers.
Rangers vs. Jordan Lyles ($32), Royals: Corey Seager ($17), Marcus Semien ($18), Nathaniel Lowe ($16)
The good news for the Royals is, Lyles recorded nine strikeouts over 5.2 innings in his last start. However, the Blue Jays still touched him up for five runs and two home runs. Him being taken deep often is nothing new, considering he has allowed at least 1.6 HR/9 in three of the last four seasons. This trio can do plenty of damage in that department, making the Rangers an ideal stacking option.
