This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
Though there are 15 games Friday, only 14 are included for daily fantasy baseball purposes. The matchup between the Cubs and Padres at 2:20 PM ET has been excited from contests. That means you won't have to get your lineup in until 7:05 PM ET, which surely takes some pressure off. It's August now. The trade deadline has passed. We're getting close to being down to the wire. Here are some lineup recommendations.
STARTING PITCHERS
Vince Velasquez, PHI vs. MIA ($42): Velasquez has a 3.76 FIP, which is decent, but it's his strikeout prowess that is most exciting. He's struck out 10.23 batters per nine innings this season, in line with his career average of 9.84. This year hasn't been a fluke on that front. The Marlins are in the bottom five in runs scored, and they also have a woeful .366 slugging percentage. That's second worst in the majors.
Ariel Jurado, TEX vs. BAL ($28): This isn't so much about Jurado, who has two MLB starts to his name. Although, the 22-year-old did have an impressive start against the Astros in his last start. No, this is about the matchup. The Orioles have scored the fewest runs in the league in road games, and away from home they've slashed .225/.285/.366. Don't forget that was before the trades by and large as well. It's a bit of a gamble, but at this price Jurado could pay off huge.
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CATCHER
Francisco Cervelli, PIT vs. STL ($10): As per usual, Cervelli has excelled at getting on base, as he has a .382 OBP. He's also showed unusual power, as he has a personal best 10 homers in 65 games. John Gant has a 4.35 FIP, despite the fact he's spent some time in the bullpen this season. He has a .245 BABIP, which is likely unsustainable for a starter.
FIRST BASE
Matt Adams, WAS vs. CIN ($17): The lefty Adams excels against righties. He has a .944 OPS against right-handed pitchers, and 16 of his 17 homers have come in those matchups. Anthony DeSclafani isn't just a righty, he's a bad one to boot. The Red starter has a staggering 6.11 FIP and has allowed 2.56 homers per nine innings.
SECOND BASE
Joey Wendle, TAM vs. CWS ($16): Wendle pretty much only plays against righties, but his numbers in those matchups are solid for a second baseman. He's slashed .288/.343/.406, and all five of his homers have come against right handers. This is a great matchup for him. The White Sox are starting righty Lucas Giolito, who has a 6.26 ERA. His career ERA is 5.34, so that numbers isn't completely outside the norm either.
THIRD BASE
Jurickson Profar, TEX vs. BAL ($16): Profar has really picked up his play recently, as over his last 30 games he has a .298/.388/.452 slash line. He's also hit well at home all season, as he has a .868 OPS in his own ballpark. Given how conducive to offense the Rangers' park is, that's not surprising. The Orioles will likely be starting David Hess to replace the traded Kevin Gausman. That would be the same Hess who has a 5.94 ERA.
SHORTSTOP
Jorge Polanco, MIN vs. KAN ($15): Last season, Polanco hit 13 homers and stole 13 bases. This year, he's only played in a handful of games, but he has a .370 OBP and has averaged 6.0 fantasy points per game. Heath Fillmyer has a 4.96 FIP in limited action, and he's only struck out 4.94 batters per nine innings. The 24-year-old rookie doesn't have much of a track record, but there's no reason to see him as a real threat to Polanco and the Twins.
OUTFIELD
A.J. Pollock, ARI vs. SFG ($19): Despite being held to 63 games due to injury, Pollock has 15 homers and 10 stolen bases. The last time he was able to play a full season he hit 20 home runs and swiped 39 bags. He's been stellar when he's been able to take the field, and he's healthy right now. Chris Stratton has a 5.14 ERA this season and also a 4.54 ERA in his career.
Nicholas Castellanos, DET at OAK ($17): Castellanos has absolutely crushed lefties the last two seasons. This year he's been particularly impressive, as he has a 1.102 OPS versus southpaws. Brett Anderson has a 5.55 ERA in eight starts, and that's actually his best ERA since the 2015 season. He's clearly not the pitcher he used to be.
Lorenzo Cain, MIL vs. COL ($14): Cain has a career slash line of .291/.348/.422, and this year his OBP is up to .393 in his first season with the Brewers. He also has 19 stolen bases, putting him on pace to surpass the 20-stolen base mark for the fourth time in his career. Colorado's German Marquez has a career 4.62 ERA and has allowed 1.39 homers per nine innings. Granted, pitching in Coors Field is part of the reason for that, but Marquez had a 4.19 ERA on the road last year, so it's not all about his home ballpark. Besides, at this price, Cain seems like a great value.
