This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
Baseball closes out the work week with a packed Friday slate of games. We have a few keys series to keep an eye on, including the Red Sox hosting the Yankees and the Phillies taking on the Braves. The busy night also brings another opportunity to win some cash on Yahoo, so here are some names to target while compiling your entry.
Pitching Overview
Zack Greinke ($57) might not have overpowering stuff, but he's still been excellent with a 2.93 ERA and a 3.19 FIP. In this homer-happy environment, his 0.9 HR/9 allowed is even more impressive. His miniscule 3.3 percent walk rate has also been a huge reason why he's been able to record a 0.95 WHIP. Starting against one of the worst lineups in baseball at pitcher-friendly Marlins Park makes this an excellent matchup to try and cash in on.
Lance Lynn's ($51) days as a member of the Rangers might be numbered with the trade deadline coming next week. They figure to be one of the more prominent sellers on the pitching front with him and Mike Minor on the block. Lynn has certainly made a case for a contending team to make a run at him with his 3.93 ERA and even better 3.00 FIP. His strikeout rate has also jumped up to 27 percent, which is over four percentage points higher than his career mark. The A's aren't the easiest of foes, but pitching at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum and is also a big plus compared to Globe Life Park, so Lynn is at least worth considering.
For the second time in as many starts, Zach Plesac ($34) will take the mound against the Royals. His last outing went well with him allowing two runs and recording six strikeouts over six innings. That marked the fifth time in 10 appearances that he's pitched at least six innings and allowed two or fewer runs. With the Royals ranking towards the bottom of the league in most major offensive categories, rolling with Plesac once again could turn out to be a wise move.
Key Values/Chalk
The Rays received potentially devastating news Thursday when Blake Snell (elbow) was placed on the IL. He could be out until September, which won't help their efforts to catch the Yankees in the AL East. Their lineup should at least have a chance to thrive against Jacob Waguespack, who has a 1.47 WHIP across four appearances with the Blue Jays. With the struggling righty on the mound, Austin Meadows ($16) and Nate Lowe ($20) could provide plenty of production.
Another big series is the Cubs traveling to Milwaukee to face the Brewers. They'll step into the batter's box against Gio Gonzalez, who allowed three runs over four innings against the Diamondback in his last outing. That was actually his first start in nearly two months due to injury, so it might take him a few more games to round back into form. Javier Baez ($21) has an insane .474 wOBA against left-handed pitchers, so expect him to be a popular option.
The Twins' lead in the AL Central is starting to dwindle. They'll try to create some added distance from the Indians during their series against the White Sox, who find themselves way back in the rearview mirror at 15 games out. Youngster Dylan Cease will be on the mound and he's underwhelmed through his first three starts by allowing 13 runs (11 earned) and three home runs over 16 innings. The homers could especially be a problem with all the power bats that the Twins have. It's going to be hard to resist the left-handed duo of Max Kepler ($17) and Eddie Rosario ($20), who have a .371 wOBA and a .350 wOBA, respectively, versus righties.
Stacks
Yankees vs. Andrew Cashner (Red Sox)
DJ LeMahieu (3B - $25), Aaron Judge (OF - $25), Didi Gregorius (SS - $20)
It's not hard to make a case for stacking the Yankees any given night. Even with some key injuries, they have one of the deepest and most powerful lineups in baseball. They'll look to keep things rolling against Cashner, who has allowed 10 runs (nine earned) across 11 innings in his first two starts with the Red Sox. As good as LeMahieu and Judge gave been this season, Gregorius is about as hot as it gets, hitting 14-for-34 (.412) with two home runs, five doubles and 17 RBI over his last nine games.
Angels vs. Asher Wojciechowski (Orioles)
Mike Trout (OF - $27), Kole Calhoun (OF - $19), David Fletcher (3B - $15)
In a surprising turn of events, Wojciechowski had 10 strikeouts over 7.1 shutout innings against the Red Sox in his last start. It was a completely dominating effort with him allowing only one hit to go along with two walks. With that being said, he had a 5.83 FIP across 15 starts at Triple-A this year, so don't be afraid to stack the Angels against him. Not much needs to be said about the stellar campaign that Trout is having. Calhoun is having the best power season of his career with his .257 ISO and Fletcher is 22-for-69 (.319) with seven doubles and 11 runs scored over the last 15 games.
Cardinals vs. Jose Urquidy (Astros)
Paul Goldschmidt (1B - $19), Paul DeJong (SS - $10), Tommy Edman (3B - $7)
The Cardinals come into this matchup against the inexperienced Urquidy having scored an average of six runs over their last 10 games. It's no coincidence that Goldschmidt has five home runs during that stretch. DeJong has shown plenty of power himself, including blasting three long balls against the Pirates on Wednesday. Urquidy wasn't thriving with his 4.07 ERA and 4.31 FIP at Triple-A, leaving the Cardinals with a favorable opportunity to continue their recent run of offensive success.
