This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
Early-season MLB action continues Tuesday with eight games on tap. There are plenty of strong value plays to be found at this stage of the campaign, especially in the form of young players or bounce-back candidates whose low prices don't match their high potential. Mixing those players in with established sluggers in favorable matchups is a good way to get a leg up on your DFS competition regardless of contest type.
PITCHER
Tyler Anderson, COL at MIL ($38): Anderson's 2017 debut comes against a Brewers lineup that scored just 4.14 runs per game last season, and will take place in Miller Park, which had a park factor of 0.97 in 2016. His home park, Coors Field, sported a league-high 1.37 mark in 2016, yet Anderson still managed to maintain a 3.54 ERA in 19 starts as a rookie. The lefty's price is sure to rise if he carries that success and 3.54 K/BB ratio into his sophomore season, so getting him for $38 in such a favorable matchup represents a massive bargain.
Lance McCullers Jr., HOU vs. SEA ($47): McCullers was dominant at Minute Maid Park last season, taking advantage of his home stadium's league-low .81 park factor to achieve a 2.40 ERA and 12.0 K/9 in 10 starts. With top sluggers Nelson Cruz and Robinson Cano among others possibly still recovering from a cold for the Mariners, it wouldn't be surprising to see the 23-year-old continue his home success with another low-scoring, high strikeout performance in his first start of 2017. His upside is as high as that of any pitcher in this slate, even with some alternatives priced as much as $10 above McCullers.
CATCHER
Stephen Vogt, OAK vs. LAA ($12): Vogt batted fifth in the order on Opening Day, and should reprise that spot against right-hander Matt Shoemaker, who struggled to the tune of a 5.29 ERA over five starts in Cactus League play. The left-handed batting catcher strongly prefers to face righties, having posted a .319 wOBA against them in 2016 after racking up a .353 mark the previous season. His 14.3 percent strikeout rate in that split last season also gives Vogt more opportunities to take advantage of his role in the heart of the lineup by picking up cheap RBI groundouts and sac flies.
FIRST BASE
Greg Bird, NYY at TB ($14): New York management clearly believes Bird's .451/.556/1.098 line from the spring is a sign of things to come, as evidenced by his placement in the three-hole to open the season. The 24-year-old slugger owns a career .378 wOBA in 134 at-bats against righties, and faces one here in Jake Odorizzi. Bird won't stay this cheap for long if he keeps crushing the ball the way he has been, so take advantage of this buy-low window while it's still open.
SECOND BASE
Logan Forsythe, LAD vs. SD ($16): Forsythe's .405 wOBA against lefties last season makes him a strong choice any time one takes the mound for the opposition. The offseason acquisition hit fifth in the order for his new team in the season opener, putting Forsythe in position to drive in runs against underwhelming southpaw Clayton Richard. Richard posted an ugly 8.10 ERA with just nine strikeouts in 20 Cactus League innings.
THIRD BASE
Evan Longoria, TB vs. NYY ($16): Longoria should be able to build on the momentum from his Opening Day homer against the pitcher he most prefers to face. The third baseman has a .403/.500/.819 line in 72 at-bats along with 13 walks and just seven strikeouts against the veteran southpaw, while his 29 hits and 16 extra-base hits off Sabathia are more than Longoria has off any other pitcher. Given his career .378 wOBA against lefties in general, it's no surprise Longoria has gotten the best of this familiar foe over the years.
SHORTSTOP
Tim Beckham, TB vs. NYY ($8): Those looking to spend big on other positions would do well to snag Beckham for just $1 above the minimum. He batted seventh against Masahiro Tanaka on Opening Day, but will likely move up in the order with the left-handed Sabathia on the mound. Beckham's career .322 wOBA against lefties suggests the 2008 first overall pick is capable of doing some damage here, especially with the aging Sabathia having allowed a .370-plus wOBA to right-handed hitters in two of the past three seasons.
OUTFIELD
Yasiel Puig, LAD vs. SD ($9): The reward outweighs the risk with Puig, who costs just $2 above the minimum despite a career .287/.361/.472 line. His career wOBA against lefties is .366, and the Cuban outfielder still managed a very serviceable .333 mark in that split in a down year last season. Puig will have a great opportunity to come out of the gate hot this time around against Richard given the pitcher's struggles (.345 wOBA allowed) against right-handed hitters in 2016.
Hunter Pence, SF at ARI ($9): Pence's .350 wOBA against left-handers last season was right in line with his career .362 mark in that split, while Arizona starter Patrick Corbin surrendered a .363 wOBA to right-handed hitters last season. This excellent matchup is further enhanced for the affordable outfielder by the venue, as Chase Field ranked second only to Coors Field with 1.23 times more runs scored per game than the average ballpark. While he's no longer the 20-homer, 20-steal threat he has been for most of his career, Pence still has the skills to capitalize on favorable situations like this one.
Kyle Schwarber, CHC at STL ($16): Gone are the days when seeing Adam Wainwright on the mound was considered a deterrent. The 35-year-old former ace posted a pedestrian 4.62 ERA last season while allowing a .361 wOBA to left-handed hitters. Schwarber owns a .406 career wOBA against righties, putting him in position to make life difficult for the diminished Wainwright out of the leadoff spot.
