Sunday is full of MLB action as per usual, but Yahoo likes to focus on the late afternoon games and the evening outings. That means fewer DFS options, as here I am looking at the four contests starting at 4:05 p.m. ET or later. If you have plans earlier in the day, that gives you a little more time to get your lineups in. Here are my recommendations.
Pitching
Anthony DeSclafani, SF vs. KC ($30): DeSclafani basically lost his 2022 season to an ankle injury, as he only made five starts. His four road starts were a disaster, but his home start did go well! That comes after a 2021 season in which he had a 3.10 ERA at home with the Giants. DeSclafani opened 2023 shutting out the White Sox for six innings, and the Royals finished 24th in runs scored last year and have started slow in 2023.
Top Target
It's encouraging that Taylor Ward ($20) is off to a strong start to this season, as it instills confidence that his breakthrough campaign in 2022 wasn't a fluke. Last season, Ward slashed .281/.360/.473 with 23 home runs. At home, his OPS was .901 as well, so he's in good place to be facing Yusei Kikuchi. Kikuchi has had an ERA over five in three of his four seasons, and while he has an 1.80 ERA after his first start in 2023, his 5.63 FIP tells a different story.
Bargain Bat
Getting significant playing time for the first time in his career, Thairo Estrada ($17) responded with 14 homers and 21 stolen bases in 2022. His .834 OPS versus lefties certainly helped. The southpaw Kris Bubic has seen his strikeout rate drop and his ERA rise with each season of his career. Last year for Bubic that meant striking out 7.67 batters per nine innings and posting a 5.58 ERA in 2022.
Stack to Consider
Dodgers at Diamondbacks (Ryne Nelson): Freddie Freeman ($21), Will Smith ($21), David Peralta ($7)
We don't necessarily know a ton about Nelson as an MLB pitcher just yet. He made three starts in 2023, and while he had an 1.47 ERA, that came with a 3.76 FIP. In his first start of 2023, the righty allowed three runs in five innings in a trip to face the Padres. As such, I'm down to stack three Dodgers versus Nelson.
In Freeman's first season with the Dodgers, he slashed .325/.407/.511 with 21 homers and 13 stolen bases. Since 2021, he has a .950 OPS against righties for good measure. The catcher Smith is off to a red-hot start, building on his reputation as one of the best hitters at his position. He has a career .866 OPS and has hit over 20 home runs in each of his last two campaigns. Peralta has hit 30 doubles in each of his last two seasons. He's also a lefty who can handle a righty, posting a .778 OPS in those matchups in 2022.
