This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
As we get ready to enter the final week of the regular season, baseball brings us the customary packed Friday slate. With so many options to consider, let's get right down to business and highlight the best matchups to exploit while crafting your Yahoo entry.
Pitching Overview
The Mets will continue their push towards a playoff spot with their ace Jacob deGrom ($56) on the mound. He's been as good as it gets after the All-Star break, recording a 1.69 ERA and a 0.89 WHIP across 12 starts. He also has 101 strikeouts across 80 innings during that stretch. This will mark his second start against the Reds, who he shut out across seven innings earlier this season. Expect to see him included in a lot of entries despite his hefty price tag.
After a couple of rough outings, Zack Greinke ($50) has settled down to allow one run across 12 innings in his last two starts. While Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole garner all the headlines, Greinke is having another valuable fantasy campaign with a 3.27 FIP and a 1.00 WHIP. This has the makings of another strong outing for him against the Angels, who have lost Mike Trout (foot), Shohei Ohtani (knee) and Justin Upton (knee) for the remainder of the season.
The Nationals have the potential to be a very dangerous team if they get into the playoffs with Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg and Patrick Corbin at the top of their rotation. One of the more underappreciated members of their starting staff has been Anibal Sanchez ($38), who has a 3.86 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. His FIP isn't as impressive at 4.43, but he's still worth considering for this matchup against the Marlins at pitcher-friendly Marlins Park.
Key Values/Chalk
The Dodgers will continue their assault on the National League at home versus the Rockies and Peter Lambert. They could be in line for a very productive evening when you consider Lambert's 5.88 FIP and 1.71 WHIP. Left-handed hitters have a .411 wOBA against him, making Cody Bellinger ($20), Max Muncy ($17), Corey Seager ($18) and Joc Pederson ($19) all players to consider.
Another one of the top teams in the NL will be in a favorable spot to score in bunches when the Braves take on Tyler Beede and the Giants at home. The location of this game is noteworthy since Beede has a 5.88 FIP and a 1.71 WHIP on the road compared to a 4.13 FIP and a 1.28 WHIP at home. He's also allowed 1.7 HR/9 for the season, overall, leaving the likes of Ronald Acuna Jr. ($17), Freddie Freeman ($20) and Josh Donaldson ($18) with tremendous upside.
In one of the more important series of the weekend, two teams battling for playoffs spots will face off when the Indians host the Phillies. While Friday's starter Drew Smyly hasn't been a complete disaster since joining the Phillies, he has a 5.23 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP over his last eight starts. He also allowed 2.6 HR/9 during that stretch. Among the more appealing options for the Indians is Jordan Luplow ($24), who enters with a 195 wRC+ against left-handed pitchers.
Stacks
Yankees vs. Jacob Waguespack (Blue Jays)
Aaron Judge (OF - $23), Gleyber Torres (2B - $22), Austin Romine (C - $15)
Waguespack probably won't be happy to see the Yankees since they have scored six runs and hit three home runs against him in 7.1 innings this season. Attacking him with right-handed hitters might be the sound move since he's allowed a .374 wOBA against them compared to a .279 wOBA against lefties. Romine should continue to see added playing time behind the plate with Gary Sanchez (groin) out and he's performed well when given the opportunity, hitting 24-for-73 (.329) with two home runs and seven doubles over his last 20 games.
White Sox vs. Jordan Zimmermann (Tigers)
Jose Abreu (1B - $22), Yoan Moncada (3B - $20), Eloy Jimenez (OF - $21)
Although Zimmermann's 4.75 FIP indicates he hasn't pitched as poorly as his 6.32 ERA would lead you to believe, he's not doing himself any favors with his miniscule 16.1 percent strikeout rate. The White Sox don't have a very deep lineup, but this trio has an excellent opportunity to take advantage of this favorable matchup. Moncada is scorching hot right, hitting 29-for-62 (.468) with a home run and eight doubles across his last 14 games.
Mariners vs. Richard Bleier (Orioles)
Kyle Lewis (OF - $24), Kyle Seager (3B - $18), Austin Nola (1B - $13)
The Orioles plan to treat this matchup as bullpen game, which could be a recipe for disaster given their lack of talented pitchers. Aaron Brooks will likely be used to log multiple innings, which should work in the Mariners' favor since he has a 5.64 FIP and has allowed 1.9 HR/9. Rolling with Lewis could be key for a Mariners stack considering he already has five home runs through his first nine games in the majors.
