This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
There is no shortage of action across the majors Friday with all 15 games making up the main slate on Yahoo. With so many options to ponder, let's get right to it and highlight some of the better players to target for your entry.
Pitching Overview
Clayton Kershaw ($54) is having yet another excellent season with a 2.96 ERA and a 3.69 FIP. This outing against the Giants will also mark his 25th start, which is impressive when you consider the injury concerns that surrounded him during spring training. In his two previous starts against the Giants, he allowed only two runs over 14 innings. Look for him to have another valuable performance against what is one of the worst lineups in baseball.
Of all the cheaper options, Homer Bailey ($39) might be the most appealing. After being torched by the Cubs for seven runs. He's allowed six runs over 24.1 innings in his last four outings. That's really encouraging when you consider that he faced the Yankees two times during that stretch. He'll face a much weaker foe in the Tigers, who he has allowed two runs to over 12 innings this season.
The Rangers starting rotation behind Mike Minor and Lance Lynn has left a lot to be desired. They've recently added Brock Burke ($33) to the back end of their staff despite him only making two career starts at Triple-A. He did have excellent numbers at Double-A this season, posting a 3.18 ERA and a 2.79 FIP. While he hasn't provided many strikeouts across his first three starts in the majors, he's only allowed three runs over 18 innings. He did recently battle a stomach virus, which resulted in manager Chris Woodward stating they could put him on a pitch count versus the Orioles if he feels weak. There is some risk involved here, but if he isn't limited, taking a chance on Burke in tournament play could prove to be profitable.
Key Values/Chalk
Whether he starts or follows an opener, Tommy Milone is expected to pitch the bulk of the innings for the Mariners in their matchup with the Astros. He's allowed at least four runs in four of his last nine appearances, leaving the Astros as one of the top teams to pursue. One of the most popular players to deploy will likely be Alex Bregman ($27), who is 29-for-69 (.420) with four home runs and eight doubles over his last 17 games.
Don't look now, but the Diamondbacks have played their way back into the playoff race by winning nine of their last 10 games. Their lineup has been a big reason for their success, averaging 5.9 runs during that stretch. They'll look to keep things rolling against Tyler Mahle, who has allowed a .363 wOBA to left-handed hitters. Ketel Marte ($23) and Eduardo Escobar ($20) are two top-tier players to target while Josh Rojas ($10) could also provide value at a more reasonable price.
Pursuing some of the players on the Marlins might not be a crazy idea with Jorge Lopez on the mound for the Royals. He's allowed nine runs over six innings in his last two appearances and has a 5.44 FIP for the season, overall. Starlin Castro ($22) has arguably the highest upside on the Marlins, especially since he is 23-for-61 (.377) with six home runs and five doubles over his last 16 games.
Stacks
Yankees vs. Jhoulys Chacin (Red Sox)
Aaron Judge (OF - $21), Gleyber Torres (2B - $20), Didi Gregorius (SS - $14)
David Price was initially expected to start this game for the Red Sox, but he's been scratched because of tightness in his wrist. The Red Sox are expected to deploy their bullpen for this game with Chacin leading things off. He's hasn't pitched in the majors since July and has a 1.56 WHIP for the season, so this game could get ugly in a hurry. It's going to be difficult to resist Judge, who is 19-for-60 (.317) with eight home runs over his last 15 games.
Nationals vs. Dallas Keuchel (Braves)
Anthony Rendon (3B - $27), Juan Soto (OF - $27), Kurt Suzuki (C - $16)
Keuchel has been a key addition for the Braves since they sorely needed a reliable veteran to help bolster their rotation. He's managed to record a 3.72 ERA through 14 starts, although his FIP sits at a pedestrian 4.61. He also has a 1.32 WHIP, so he could have some issues against a Nationals team that has averaged 6.2 runs across their last 15 games. Suzuki has the potential to be an excellent choice to fill your catcher's spot with his .389 wOBA against left-handed pitchers.
Athletics vs. Spencer Turnbull (Tigers)
Marcus Semien (SS - $22), Matt Olson (1B - $21), Seth Brown (OF - $23)
The good news with Turnbull is that he's only allowed 0.9 HR/9. However, he walks a lot of batters and only has a 20.9 percent strikeout rate, which has contributed to his bloated 1.44 WHIP. Left-handed hitters have recorded a .358 wOBA against him, leaving Olson and Brown as two very appealing options. Brown has quickly made his presence felt in the majors, hitting 13-for-29 (.448) with three doubles and two triples.
