This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
There are a lot of quality arms for Saturday's games, and my focus is on a couple who face struggling bats. To make room in the lineup, I went for cheaper batters in favorable situations, namely the Atlanta-Colorado game at Coors Field.
PITCHER
Jose Berrios, MIN vs. SEA ($48): Berrios started this season the same way he did 2017, and I'm aiming for that to continue. He went nine scoreless innings in his first start and gets another beatable team in Seattle, which has been mediocre against righties with a .302 wOBA. Even better, the Mariners have just three runs in their last two games and aren't a team that will blow Berrios off the mound with an early .123 ISO.
Sonny Gray, NYY vs. BAL ($44): This isn't a confident play, but it's a good spot for a guy who had eight Ks in only four innings in his first outing. The reason I'm going Gray is because the Orioles haven't been good in the early season with a .249 wOBA and high 29.3 K% against righties. Similar to the Mariners, they don't go deep with a .121 ISO and have scored two runs or less more often than not.
CATCHER
Chris Iannetta, COL vs. ATL ($14): There aren't a ton of great matchups for catchers, so I'll spend a few extra bucks on a guy in a great spot. Iannetta already has four multi-hit games this season and gets a pitcher who's been all over the place in recent seasons. Anibal Sanchez didn't do much in spring outings (13 H, 5 ER, 9 IP) and got thwarted by righties for a .413 wOBA last season. Pitching at Coors Field won't help him.
FIRST BASE
Victor Martinez, DET at CWS ($10): I rode with Martinez two days ago and I'll keep that strategy as he has six hits in the last three games. Lucas Giolito didn't look great in his first start and all of his hits allowed were to lefties. Martinez is cheap and is usually a much better bat against righty arms as seen in last season's .311 wOBA.
SECOND BASE
Ryan Flaherty, ATL at COL ($12): Flaherty is one of many players I'm looking at in this game and he comes cheap in a lefty-right matchup. Flaherty has hit safely in six of seven games this season with that lone non-hit game coming Friday in Colorado when he also had three walks. Chad Bettis was shaky in his first start, walking four, and is only a favorite in this game because he's going against Sanchez.
THIRD BASE
Anthony Rendon, WAS vs. NYM ($18): There are a few different places to go in this spot, and Rendon combines decent value with some pop. His numbers are much better against southpaws with a .461 wOBA and .346 ISO in 2017 standing out. That works against Steven Matz, who gave up a .370 wOBA and all 12 of his homers to righties last season.
SHORTSTOP
Dansby Swanson, ATL at COL ($15): Swanson is another bat at a decent price at Coors, coming in with at least two hits in four of his last five games. He doesn't have the same success against righty arms, but that might not matter in Colorado, especially against Bettis, who had worse numbers against righty bats last season with a 5.32 xFIP and low 11.2 K%.
OUTFIELD
Carlos Gonzalez, COL vs. ATL ($13): Gonzalez's price is a complete steal after he went yard in the first home game of the season. Like most, he's a completely different batter at Coors with a .391 wOBA and .205 ISO against righties last season. As for Atlanta starter Anibal Sanchez, he hasn't been good against either side of the plate in recent years and had a 4.43 xFIP against lefty bats in 2017.
Marwin Gonzalez, HOU vs. SD ($16): This is Gonzalez's highest price of the season, but it still feels like value. He's much better against righty arms and had a .397 wOBA and .230 ISO against them last season. That's enhanced by Bryan Mitchell on the mound, who was miserable in his first start, giving up eight hits, five runs and three walks without a strikeout in five innings.
Gregory Polanco, PIT vs. CIN ($17): The list is long for available outfielders, and I could go with another ATL-COL player, but I won't take the easy route. Granted, this route is almost as easy given Polanco's early success. He's still fairly cheap despite four doubles and two homers in the first seven games and he gets another hittable righty. Sal Romano was fine in his first start (6.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 BB), but he's still a young arm that struggled against both sides of the plate last season with a weaker 4.64 xFIP against lefties.
