This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
Pitcher
Stephen Strasburg, WAS vs. CHC ($53): Strasburg is having a similar season to the one he posted in 2016 from a numbers standpoint, with one significant difference being his reliance on groundballs to get outs. This might be important against the Cubs, as they hit the ball on the ground at a 46 percent clip. It may also surprise some to learn that the reigning World Series champions are a bottom 10 offense against right-handed pitching (.309).
Masahiro Tanaka, NYY at CWS ($37): I have said some unkind things about Tanaka this season, and while I still have my doubts about his long-term viability, I must go in the direction of the best matchup. For all his faults, Tanaka has logged a 14 percent swinging strike rate, while keeping a 48 percent groundball rate. The White Sox strike out 23 percent of the time against righties and hit the ball on the ground at a 47 percent clip.
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Catcher
Gary Sanchez, NYY at CWS ($23): Carlos Rodon will make his season debut for the White Sox after recovering from a biceps injury. While he has always had talent, Rodon's rehab stint highlighted some of the problems the young lefty has had throughout his career, as he walked nine batters while allowing 20 runs (19 earned) over just 17 innings. Sanchez has featured an ugly .188 batting average against lefties over 32 at-bats this season, but his 18 percent walk rate could pay dividends against someone as wild as Rodon. He has tallied a hard contact rate of 41 percent over that span.
First Base
Wil Myers, SD vs. ATL ($16): It seemed unlikely that Bartolo Colon would get another chance to start after being sent to the disabled list with oblique and back issues, but he will be thrown right back into the mix against the Padres. Colon has logged an incredible -18.4 RAA with his fastball this season, a pitch he throws 83 percent of the time. Myers has notched a .241 ISO against righty pitchers to go along with a 41 percent hard contact rate.
Second Base
Whit Merrifield, KC at DET ($16): Merrifield has logged a 4.2 RAA against the fastball this season while keeping a 33 percent hard contact rate against both sides of the platoon. Opposing starter Daniel Norris has logged a –13.0 RAA with his fastball, and has surrendered a 42 percent hard contact rate to right-handed hitters.
Third Base
Miguel Sano, MIN at BOS ($19): Rick Porcello is showing us the other end of the spectrum after his Cy Young Award winning season in 2016, tallying a 5.00 ERA over 16 starts. Sano should have no problem extending Porcello's misery, as he has registered a .258 ISO and a 51 percent hard contact rate against same-handed pitchers.
Shortstop
Trea Turner, WAS vs. CHC ($22): John Lackey has had home run issues with righties and lefties in 2017, but has been barreled up a bit harder by same-handed opposition, as evidenced by his 37 percent hard contact rate. Turner has kept a reverse split, logging a .170 ISO and a .352 wOBA against righties.
Outfield
Andrew McCutchen, PIT vs. TB ($24): McCutchen has been unstoppable against lefties, having tallied an ISO approaching .400 over 56 at-bats. Blake Snell pitched well in the minors after being sent down earlier this year, but whether he can curtail the 13 percent walk rate he tallied in 42 major-league innings remains to be seen.
J.D. Martinez, DET vs. KC ($18): Problems with the long ball continue to plague Ian Kennedy, as he has allowed at least one homer in all but two of his starts this year. Martinez has hit the ball better against lefties, but still holds a .267 ISO in his 120 at-bats against righties.
Kevin Pillar, TOR vs. BAL ($10): Wade Miley has logged a 5.45 ERA away from Camden Yards this season, while allowing a .500 slugging percentage to opposite-handed hitters. Pillar is a sneaky option against left-handed pitching due to the .278 ISO and 41 percent hard contact rate he has tallied over 72 at-bats.
