This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
Tuesday brings the beginning of a key few series, including the Nationals hosting the Mets and the Brewers taking on the Astros. We also have another opportunity to win money on Yahoo, so here are some players and teams worth considering based on their matchups.
Pitching Overview
The Indians need to make their move now if they are going to catch the Twins in the AL Central. They have a chance to make up some ground against the lowly White Sox, who have scored the third-fewest runs in baseball. That could lead to a spectacular outing from Mike Clevinger ($55), who is having a stellar season with his 2.24 FIP, 1.06 WHIP and 36.3 percent strikeout rate.
One of the hottest pitchers in baseball down the stretch has been Jack Flaherty ($50). His 3.31 ERA and 1.08 WHIP for the season, overall, are great, but he's been even better with a 1.01 ERA and a 0.79 WHIP across his last 10 starts. That streak started against the Giants, who he will be facing again Tuesday. In that outing, he recorded six strikeouts and allowed only one run over seven innings. Considering how bad the Giants' lineup has been, this is another excellent opportunity for him to shine.
As far as cheaper options go, the one that immediately jumps off the page is Mike Montgomery ($37). He's pitched significantly better since joining the Royals, allowing two earned runs or fewer in four of his last five starts. His most impressive outing during that stretch was when he recorded 12 strikeouts across seven shutout innings against the Tigers. He'll be facing them again in this contest, leaving him with significant upside.
Key Values/Chalk
After torching the Rockies for 16 runs Monday, the Dodgers figure to be one of the chalk stacks of the night with Chi Chi Gonzalez opposing them. He's been a disaster, recording an 8.07 ERA and a 7.31 FIP. He doesn't strike out many batters and has allowed 2.3 HR/9, so this game could get out of hand in a hurry. There are a lot of players on the Dodgers to like for this matchup, including Cody Bellinger ($23), Will Smith ($20) and rookie Gavin Lux ($14), who came away with two hits in his debut Monday.
The Cardinals' lineup hasn't been great this season, ranking inside the bottom-third of baseball in runs scored. However, they are set up to have a strong performance against Dereck Rodriguez, who has a 5.49 ERA that is supported by an equally poor 5.54 FIP. One of the most appealing options on the Cardinals is Tommy Edman ($17), who is 31-for-90 (.344) with a home run and six doubles over his last 23 games.
Merrill Kelly has been among the worst starters in baseball of late, allowing 34 runs (33 earned) across 33.1 innings in his last seven starts. He had a bloated 1.92 WHIP and allowed 10 home runs during that stretch, so basically nothing went right for him. Trying to take advantage of his struggles will be the Padres, who have some hitters who could provide value. Manny Machado ($13) and Eric Hosmer ($16) are the big names to target while Josh Naylor ($12) is an interesting option who is 17-for-55 (.309) with a home run and five doubles over his last 17 games.
Stacks
Indians vs. Dylan Cease (White Sox)
Carlos Santana (1B - $27), Francisco Lindor (SS - $24), Franmil Reyes (OF - $19)
After pounding out 11 runs versus the White Sox in the series opener, the Indians have another favorable opportunity to score in bunches against Cease. His first 10 starts in the majors have been a struggle, leaving him with a 5.87 FIP and a 1.53 WHIP. Left-handed hitters have a staggering .432 wOBA against him, leaving the switching-hitting Santana and Lindor as a dangerous duo. Even though Reyes doesn't have the platoon advantage, he carries plenty of power into this matchup, which is noteworthy considering Cease has allowed 2.3 HR/9.
Cubs vs. Felix Hernandez (Mariners)
Anthony Rizzo (1B- $20), Kyle Schwarber (OF - $20), Kris Bryant (3B - $16)
Hernandez has been mediocre across two starts since returning from the IL, allowing five runs over 10.2 innings. He gave up at least one home run in both matchups and has now allowed 2.2 HR/9 for the season, overall. That makes this a very dangerous trio. After sitting out five straight games with a back injury, Rizzo has bounced back to record two multi-hit efforts over his last three games.
Twins vs. Rick Porcello (Red Sox)
Nelson Cruz (OF - $27), Jorge Polanco (SS - $19), Luis Arraez (2B - $14)
Considering his last outing came at Coors Field, Porcello actually pitched fairly well by allowing only two runs over five innings. He's given up three runs or fewer in four of his last five contests, but two of those starts came against bad lineups in the Royals and Orioles. Facing the Twins is a completely different story. Polanco is not only swinging a hot bat right now, but he has a 141 wRC+ versus right-handed pitchers for the season.
