This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
There are some early start times across baseball Wednesday, leaving eight games for the main evening slate on Yahoo. As you sift through the options, consider the following pitchers and hitters who could take advantage of favorable matchups.
Pitchers
Gerrit Cole ($52) has been one of the few bright spots in a bad season for the Yankees. He's one of the leaders for the AL Cy Young, recording a 2.75 ERA and 3.21 FIP over 32 starts. After giving up 1.5 HR/9 last year, he has allowed just 0.9 HR/9 this season. He has given up two or fewer runs in six straight starts and will be facing the Blue Jays for the second time in as many outings. The last time he took the mound against them, he had nine strikeouts and allowed just one run over eight innings.
Pablo Lopez ($48) recorded seven strikeouts over six innings against the Angels in his last outing. His 29.2 percent strikeout rate is the highest mark of his career and has enabled him to post a 3.38 FIP and a 1.15 WHIP. A matchup against an Athletics team that has scored the fewest runs and has the seventh-most strikeouts in baseball leaves Lopez with a favorable opportunity to produce another valuable stat line.
The Rangers might need Dane Dunning ($34) to play an important role for them in the playoffs with injuries hitting their starting rotation. His 3.88 ERA looks good, but his 4.43 FIP is a bit more concerning. Still, a matchup against the Angels makes Dunning worth considering. Their lineup is a shell of what it looked like to begin the season and they have struck out the third-most times in baseball.
Top Targets
Yordan Alvarez ($27) has been limited to 110 games because of injuries, but he has already hit at least 30 home runs for the third straight season. He has an excellent eye at the plate, with his 13.8 percent walk rate and 18.6 percent strikeout rate contributing to his .417 wOBA. He is a great option for a matchup with Bryce Miller, who has allowed a .380 wOBA against left-handed hitters.
Seiya Suzuki ($23) had a horrible defensive blunder that resulted in the Cubs losing Tuesday against the Braves. He did his job at the plate, though, recording two hits and two RBI. Over his last 21 games, he is 32-for-82 (.390) with a .744 slugging percentage. Expect him to be a difficult matchup for Darius Vines, who has made just four appearances in the majors this season after recording a 5.06 FIP over six outings at Triple-A.
Bargain Bats
Ezequiel Tovar ($13) is trying to finish the season on a high note, hitting 17-for-51 (.333) with six doubles and a triple over his last 13 games. A game at Coors Field against Emmet Sheehan makes him a potential value option. Over 54.1 innings in the majors, Sheehan as a 5.13 ERA and a 4.91 FIP.
It took a lot of injuries, but Estevan Florial ($7) has finally been given a chance to play on a regular basis for the Yankees. After recording a .281 ISO and .403 wOBA at Triple-A, Florial has at least one hit in nine of his last 12 games. Facing Jose Berrios isn't the easiest of matchups, but Florial's salary is so cheap that he's at least worth considering in tournament play.
Stacks to Consider
Braves vs. Jameson Taillon, Cubs: Ronald Acuna Jr. ($29), Matt Olson ($26), Eddie Rosario ($12)
It has been all or nothing for Taillon lately. He has not allowed a run in two of his last five starts, but he gave up at least five runs in each of the other three games. His 5.05 ERA and 4.66 FIP for the season means this could be a disastrous outing for him against the loaded Braves lineup. One of their more underrated players has been Rosario, who has a .255 ISO and a .363 wOBA at home.
Dodgers vs. Noah Davis, Rockies: Mookie Betts ($27), Freddie Freeman ($25), Max Muncy ($25)
As the Rockies continue to try and piece together their starting rotation because of injuries, Davis is back in the mix. He has made seven total appearances with the team this season, five of which were starts. Given his 1.91 WHIP, the Dodgers are going to be a popular team to stack at Coors Field. It has been a historic season for Freeman, who has 27 home runs, 58 doubles and 22 stolen bases.
Twins vs. Joey Estes, Athletics: Jorge Polanco ($23), Matt Wallner ($19), Willi Castro ($21)
Estes had never even pitched at Double-A prior to this year. While he spent most of the season at that level, he recorded a 7.32 FIP over 32.2 innings after being promoted to Triple-A. In his first start with the Athletics, he gave up six runs over 4.2 innings against the Mariners. This is a great spot for the Twins, with Wallner being a prime option for any Twins stack. Over his last 13 games, Wallner is 14-for-36 (.389) with a .500 OBP.
