This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
The good news Friday is that we have a packed slate of action across the majors. The bad news is that with the playoff picture coming more into focus, we are seeing a lot of unusual lineups and rotation changes. Working under the premise that things could turn on a dime, here are some of the better options to consider for your Yahoo entry.
Pitching Overview
It feels like the Dodgers locked up their playoff spot in June. They've had plenty of time to prepare for October and have certainly made a lot of changes to their rotation during the last few weeks. One of their stars will be on the mound against the Giants when Walker Buehler ($54) makes his final appearance of the regular season. He has been excellent with a 3.03 FIP and a 1.02 WHIP while the Giants have one of the worst lineups in baseball. Expect Buehler to one of the more popular options to pursue.
The Cardinals have secured their own spot in the playoffs, but they are still trying to hold off the Brewers for the NL Central title. They will send Dakota Hudson ($32) to the mound at home against the Cubs, which could be key since he has a 1.24 WHIP at Busch Stadium compared to a 1.61 WHIP on the road. The Cubs could be without Anthony Rizzo (ankle), Javier Baez (thumb) and Kris Bryant (ankle) for this matchup, leaving Hudson as an intriguing option.
With Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole and Zack Greinke leading their rotation, the Astros are a force to be reckoned with. However, they will all have the night off Friday with Jose Urquidy ($28) set to take the mound against the Angels. He's pitched well since being recalled in September, allowing three runs and recording 14 strikeouts over 12 innings. He did log five innings two outings ago, although it's difficult to envision him lasting much longer than that here. Still, he could provide value against an Angels team that is without several of their top hitters.
Key Values/Chalk
The Rays figure to be one of the few teams that will roll out their regular lineup since they are still fighting for a Wild Card spot. That could be good news since they will be facing T.J. Zeuch and his 1.47 WHIP. One of the Rays' most reliable hitters has been Austin Meadows ($27), who is 33-for-82 (.402) with eight home runs and six doubles across his last 22 games. Another player who has been heating up is Ji-Man Choi ($20), who has five home runs over his last 12 contests.
After resting several of their top players Thursday, the Brewers will be back at it Friday with a favorable matchup against Antonio Senzatela at Coors Field. Senzatela has been about as bad as it gets, allowing 47 runs over his last 36.2 innings. Among the players who has stepped up with Christian Yelich (knee) out is Keston Hiura ($22), who has three home runs over his last eight games. Left-handed hitters have a .406 wOBA against Senzatela, leaving Mike Moustakas ($18) and Trent Grisham ($19) as two other noteworthy options.
The Red Sox are in the process of putting the wraps on a disappointing season in which their pitching staff basically ended their chances of making the playoffs. Their lineup has still been potent, so they are in play for this slate against Asher Wojciechowski and his 5.55 FIP. Left-handed hitters have recorded a .382 wOBA against him, leaving the likes of Rafael Devers ($18), Andrew Benintendi ($11) and Mitch Moreland ($15) with added intrigue.
Stacks
Yankees vs. Joe Palumbo (Rangers)
Aaron Judge (OF - $27), Luke Voit (1B - $15), Gleyber Torres (2B - $22)
Palumbo only made six career starts at Triple-A before being called up to the big leagues. While his 2.67 ERA at that level looked nice, his 4.06 FIP was less encouraging. He's been torched in the early going with the Rangers, allowing 14 runs over 13.2 innings. The Yankees have had a fluid lineup as they prepare for the playoffs, but this is still a great matchup to exploit. Judge has turned up the heat down the stretch, hitting 15-for-50 (.300) with six home runs and three doubles over his last 14 games.
Astros vs. Patrick Sandoval (Angels)
Alex Bregman (3B - $27), Jose Altuve (2B - $19), George Springer (OF - $25)
Sandoval just faced the Astros in his last outing, giving up three runs over three innings. He hasn't logged more than four innings in any of his last four appearances and could be in for another short hook here based on how well the Astros hit left-handed pitchers. Bregman has been especially potent with his 201 wRC+ versus southpaws this season.
Rockies vs. Zach Davies (Brewers)
Trevor Story (SS - $21), Nolan Arenado (3B - $27), Garrett Hampson (2B - $22)
The Rockies are one of the top stacks to consider whenever they are playing at home. Davies doesn't exactly have an overpowering arsenal with his 15.3 percent strikeout rate, so he could struggle in this hitter-friendly environment. Story and Arenado carry the highest upside while Hampson has put together an impressive finish by hitting 22-for-54 (.407) with five home runs and seven steals across his last 13 games.
