This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
It will be another busy day across baseball Friday with 16 games on the schedule. There are some day games and doubleheaders, which leaves eight games to make up the main evening slate on Yahoo. Here are some players to consider for your lineup.
Pitchers
Shane Bieber ($61) has been as good as it gets. He hasn't allowed a run in five of his nine starts this season, giving him a 1.25 ERA and a 1.60 FIP. He's also been a strikeout machine with a 42.9 percent strikeout rate. The Twins might seem like a tough opponent, but their OPS ranks in the bottom-half of baseball. Across two starts against them this season, Bieber has allowed two runs and recorded 23 strikeouts across 14 innings.
There are several appealing top-tier pitching options for this slate, but if you're looking to take a chance on a player with a cheaper salary in tournament play, Yusei Kikuchi ($31) should be on your radar. He's significantly improved his WHIP this season, dropping it to 1.19 from 1.52 last season. On top of that, he's increased his strikeout rate from 16.1 percent to 27.4 percent. This should be a favorable matchup for him against the Diamondbacks, who have averaged only 4.1 runs a game.
Top Targets
Mike Trout ($27) is playing at Coors Field. Need I say more? Probably not, but I will anyway. Although his walk rate is down this season, Trout has still been excellent with a .426 wOBA and a .368 ISO. Expect him to be a tough out for German Marquez ($29), who has had troubles keeping men off base this season, resulting in a 1.35 WHIP.
Staying in that same game, Anthony Rendon ($27) is also an excellent option to consider. He's shown a tremendous eye at the plate, posting a 17.9 percent walk rate and just a 13.9 percent strikeout rate. His .417 wOBA is on pace to be the highest mark of his career and he's still hit for power with a .239 ISO. Across his last eight games, he's 9-for-28 (.321) with two home runs, two doubles and a triple.
Bargain Bats
If you're looking for a power bat, you likely won't find one in Isiah Kiner-Falefa ($11). With that being said, Kiner-Falefa is on a 13-game hitting streak in which he is 22-for-51 (.431) with a home run and three steals. This could be a favorable spot for him to extend his hitting streak against Mike Fiers ($34), who is sporting a 1.43 WHIP this season.
A recent slump by Whit Merrifield ($13) has significantly reduced his salary. He looks to be coming out of it, though, hitting 8-for-18 (.444) with a home run and two doubles across his last four games. That's even more impressive when you consider that all four games came against the Indians and their stellar pitching staff. Things should be much easier for him against the Pirates and Steven Brault ($28), who has allowed a career .349 wOBA against right-handed hitters.
Stacks to Consider
Rockies vs. Griffin Canning ($25), Angels: Trevor Story ($24), Charlie Blackmon ($16), Raimel Tapia ($16)
This is not an ideal situation for Canning having to pitch at Coors Field given that he's allowed 1.8 HR/9 this season. His WHIP has also jumped up to 1.36, which has contributed to his 5.30 FIP. Blackmon and Tapia both check in at surprisingly reasonable salaries given this matchup and their success at Coors Field. Blackmon has a career .418 wOBA there and Tapia checks in not far behind him with a .375 wOBA for his career at home.
White Sox vs. Casey Mize ($26), Tigers: Jose Abreu ($26), Tim Anderson ($25), Luis Robert ($20)
Mize's callup to the majors might have been a little premature. Although he is one of the top prospects in the Tigers' organization, he hadn't pitched above Double-A prior to this season. His first four starts in the majors have been rough, leaving him with a 6.75 ERA and a 5.70 FIP. His 1.70 WHIP is a major concern and has prevented him from pitching deep into contests. This sets up nicely for Abreu to possibly extend his 22-game hitting streak. He's been excellent during the streak, hitting 34-for-92 (.370) with 10 home runs and seven doubles.
Athletics vs. Luis Garcia ($25), Rangers: Matt Olson ($20), Tommy La Stella ($20), Ramon Laureano ($17)
Garcia will serve as the opener for this game with Jordan Lyles expected to follow and pitch the majority of the innings. Lyles has allowed 32 earned runs across 35.2 innings this season, so the A's could be set up for an offensive explosion. Lyles is also on pace to allow at least 1.6 HR/9 for the second straight season, which fits right into Olson's wheelhouse. La Stella has provided a significant boost since coming over from the Angels, hitting 9-for-28 (.321) with four doubles over the last seven games.
