This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
We head into the final weekend of the regular season with 18 games on the schedule Friday. However, between early start times and doubleheaders, only nine of those games will make up the main slate on Yahoo. Let's examine the matchups and discuss some of the better players to target for your entry.
Pitchers
Clayton Kershaw ($51) will look to put the finishing touches on another great season as he enters this start against the Angels with a 2.15 ERA and a 2.95 FIP. The good news is that with the NL Wild Card round not set to start until Wednesday, he can pitch this game without limitations and still be on regular rest for Game 1. The Angels having to play this game on the road also favors Kershaw given that they only have a .687 OPS on the road this season.
The Astros have to be pleased with how well Jose Urquidy ($38) has performed after being activated from the IL. He hasn't allowed more than two runs in any of his four starts and has logged at least six innings in each of his last three outings. This is a great matchup for him against the Rangers, who he held to one run across seven innings less than two weeks ago. It wouldn't be a surprise to see him duplicate that success considering the Rangers have only averaged 3.6 runs a game.
Top Targets
It's not difficult to make a case for deploying Mookie Betts ($23) in DFS whenever he is on the slate. His first season with the Dodgers has been a smashing success with his 149 wRC+ and .274 ISO. His power prowess is of particular concern for Angels' starter Andrew Heaney ($36), who has allowed at least one home run in each of his last three starts. He also struggled against the Dodgers earlier this season, allowing four runs across 5.2 innings.
Jose Ramirez ($27) is on an impressive heater down the stretch, hitting 22-for-50 (.440) with eight home runs and six doubles across his last 13 games. He only has an 8.9 percent strikeout rate over that span, raising his OBP from .349 to .384. Expect him to be a tough out for Mitch Keller ($32), who has a 6.73 FIP that indicates he has not pitched nearly as well as his 3.24 ERA would lead you to believe.
Bargain Bats
It's not often that Aaron Judge ($15) can be considering a bargain, but his salary has dropped considerably the last two days. Yes, his opponent Sandy Alcantara ($35) has pitched well this season. However, he's not an overpowering force with his 20.7 percent strikeout rate. The key here for Judge is that this game will be played in Yankee Stadium, where he has a crazy .448 wOBA for his career.
Another veteran who often doesn't quality for this section is Anthony Rizzo ($13), but a down year has significantly reduced his salary. Part of the reason for his struggles has been an unlucky .216 BABIP. Things have turned around for him lately, though, with him hitting 10-for-32 (.313) with two home runs and two doubles across his last nine games. Look for him to keep things rolling against Dylan Cease ($37), who has allowed a career .381 wOBA to left-handed hitters.
Stacks to Consider
Braves vs. Chris Mazza ($25), Red Sox: Freddie Freeman ($27), Ozzie Albies ($22), Nick Markakis ($9)
Mazza has been wild for the Red Sox with his 11.4 percent walk rate contributing to his 1.72 WHIP. His inability to keep men off base could be a disaster against the Braves, who lead all of baseball with a .838 OPS. Freeman has been leading the charge with his 183 wRC+. Markakis could be a sneaky part of a Braves stack because of the salary relief that he provides and the fact that Mazza has allowed a .391 wOBA to left-handed hitters.
Red Sox vs. Kyle Wright ($25), Braves: Rafael Devers ($25), Xander Bogaerts ($21), Alex Verdugo ($19)
This could be a high-scoring game, in general, when you also factor in Wright's 1.72 WHIP for the Braves. Like Mazza, he's had control issues, issuing 21 walks across 31.1 innings. Devers has come on strong lately, hitting 22-for-68 (.324) with five home runs and seven doubles across his last 16 games. Although Verdugo hasn't hit for a ton of power during his first season with the Red Sox, he has performed well with a .378 wOBA and a 137 wRC+.
Astros vs. Kyle Cody ($27), Rangers: George Springer ($22), Kyle Tucker ($21), Alex Bregman ($13)
Cody might have a 1.53 ERA this season, but his FIP is significantly higher at 3.69. Factor in his 13.9 percent walk rate and 23.6 percent strikeout rate and it's difficult to envision him continuing to have this level of success unless he makes some significant adjustments. Since he has pitched so well and the Astros offense has underperformed this season, they could be a sneaky stack to deploy in tournament play. Bregman stands out at his cheap salary after falling a single shy of hitting for the cycle in the series opener against the Rangers on Thursday.
