This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
Now that the Wild Card round is firmly in our rearview mirror, we have a full day of playoff baseball Friday with all four series in action. Along with it comes another opportunity to win some cash on Yahoo, so here are some of the better players to consider for your entry.
Starting Pitchers
The teams that make the playoffs usually have some of the best pitchers in baseball, so there is no shortage of elite arms to choose from. The most lethal of which might be Justin Verlander ($57), who also checks in as the most expensive option. Despite having some issues preventing home runs, Verlander was once again dominant with a 3.27 FIP, 0.80 WHIP and 35.4 percent strikeout rate. Needless to say, the Rays have their work cut out for them.
Arguably the most intriguing matchup is Stephen Strasburg ($50) and the Nationals taking on Clayton Kershaw ($44) and the Dodgers. Strasburg was called upon in relief during the Wild Card game Tuesday, but he only threw 33 pitches. Still, his routine might be off and facing the Dodgers is no easy task, so he doesn't come without risk. Kershaw has also historically underperformed in the playoffs, leaving him with a 4.32 ERA across 152 innings.
Among the cheaper options, James Paxton ($36) might be worth a look in tournament play. He was as good as it gets down the stretch, posting a 1.69 ERA and a 0.83 WHIP across his last seven starts. He also struck out 45 batters over 37.1 innings during that time frame. The risk involved with him, though, is that the Twins finished the regular season with the most home runs (307) in baseball.
Correlations
The Cardinals stand out as one of the top teams to stack for this slate. As good as Mike Foltynewicz was down the stretch, he still only had a 21.4 percent strikeout rate for the season. He also allowed 1.8 HR/9. To tilt things even more in the Cardinals' favor, the Braves have a suspect bullpen, which reared its' ugly head in Game 1. Paul Goldschmidt ($18), Tommy Edman ($16) and Marcell Ozuna ($13) are the obvious high-upside options to pursue while Yadier Molina ($12) could make for a valuable cost-effective option at catcher.
Another popular team to stack will likely be the Yankees for their matchup against Jose Berrios. Despite all of the injuries that they have suffered, the Yankees remain one of the most dangerous lineups in baseball and they finished with the third-highest wRC+ (112) at home. Aaron Judge ($22), Gleyber Torres ($17) and DJ LeMahieu ($18) all carry tremendous upside. Don't sleep on Brett Gardner ($15), who set a new career high with a .253 ISO this season.
One-Offs
The Braves lost Game 1 and have their work cut out for them in Game 2 against Jack Flaherty. He rebounded from a slow start to finish with a 3.46 FIP, 0.97 WHIP and a 29.9 percent strikeout rate. Still, Ronald Acuna Jr. ($22) can do damage whenever he steps into the box, making him a player to at least consider. Even Matt Joyce ($7) has some appeal at such a cheap price based on his .377 wOBA against right-handed pitchers.
Normally, the Astros would be a great team to stack given their extremely deep and talented lineup. However, facing Tyler Glasnow and the tough Rays' bullpen is not conducive to scoring a lot of runs. Glasnow held left-handed hitters to a ridiculous .185 wOBA this season, so if you do want to take a chance on an Astro or two against him, going with a righty is likely the best route to take. One that you can grab at a somewhat reasonable price is Yuli Gurriel ($17), who had the best power season of his career with a .243 ISO.
For those looking to take a chance on Kershaw continuing his postseason woes, Howie Kendrick ($13) could be a worthwhile target. Not only did he have a .400 wOBA this season, but he recorded a .430 wOBA against left-handed pitchers.
