This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
Not only will Friday be a busy day across baseball, but the slate will be loaded with top-tier starting pitchers. Among the big names who are scheduled to take the mound are Gerrit Cole, Shane McClanahan and Shane Bieber. There is also the potential for a sparkling pitching matchup when Corbin Burnes and the Brewers host Joe Musgrove and the Padres. Finally, we have the start of a series between two of the top teams in the American League when the Blue Jays take on the Twins. Let's dive into the main slate on Yahoo and highlight some players to consider for your lineups.
Pitchers
Burnes ($60) dominated the Cardinals is his last outing, recording 11 strikeouts and allowing three total baserunners over seven innings. He's allowed two or fewer runs in eight of his 10 starts, while recording 78 strikeouts across 64.2 innings. The Padres rank inside the bottom-10 in baseball in OPS, so another juicy stat line could be coming for Burnes.
Nathan Eovaldi ($41) has had problems keeping hitters inside the ballpark, allowing 16 home runs over 57.1 innings. His 1.12 WHIP has helped limit the damage, and he does have a respectable 25.1 percent strikeout rate. A matchup against an Athletics team that has hit the third-fewest home runs could leave Eovaldi with a big night.
It's been a disappointing start for Jose Urquidy ($32), who has a 4.80 ERA and 4.54 FIP through nine outings. He has been a bit unlucky given his .364 BABIP allowed, but his 46.9 percent hard-hit rate allowed is likely a big reason for that lofty figure. Still, at this cheap salary, he's at leas worth considering in a matchup against the Royals, who have scored the fifth-fewest runs.
Top Targets
Aaron Judge ($28) went deep in Game 1 of the Yankees doubleheader Thursday, giving him 19 home runs for the season. Pick a stat category and look at Judge's numbers. Odds are, he's excelling in whichever you chose. Tasked with trying to slow him down is Elvin Rodriguez ($28), who has allowed eight runs over his first 11.2 innings in the majors.
Not only could the Red Sox prevent the Athletics from scoring many runs in this game, but they could also score plenty against James Kaprielian ($27), who has a 5.93 ERA and 5.78 FIP across six starts. He allowed 1.4 HR/9 last season, and he's been even worse in that department this year, giving up six home runs across 27.1 innings. This could be an opportune time to deploy Rafael Devers ($27), who enters with a .262 ISO.
Bargain Bats
Miguel Andujar ($9) is making a case to stick in the Yankees' lineup, even once their health situation improves. Over the last eight games, he is 8-for-26 (.308) with just a 17.9 percent strikeout rate. While he's still looking for his first home runs on the season, his cheap salary makes him a viable option.
Staying with the Yankees, Isiah Kiner-Falefa ($9) is also an appealing player who could help balance out your budget. During his current six-game hitting streak, he is 7-for-21 (.333) with four runs scored and two stolen bases.
Stacks to Consider
Blue Jays vs. Chi Chi Gonzalez ($26), Twins: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. ($15), Bo Bichette ($19), Teoscar Hernandez ($11)
With injuries and COVID-19 hitting the team, the Twins will be forced to have Gonzalez make his first start of the season. He has a 5.36 FIP and a 1.49 WHIP for his career, so expect the Blue Jays to be a popular team to stack. Starting to heat up at the plate is Hernandez, who is 10-for-26 (.385) with a home run and four doubles over his last seven games.
Braves vs. Chad Kuhl ($31), Rockies: Ronald Acuna Jr. ($27), Austin Riley ($22), Matt Olson ($23)
The Braves had fun at Coors Field on Thursday, scoring 13 runs in a lopsided win. Kuhl has been one of the Rockies best pitchers, but the Braves are still a great team to stack. Even with his 3.56 ERA and 4.04 FIP, Kuhl only has am 18.8 percent strikeout rate. Acuna should be in the lineup after making his return Thursday, a game in which he went 2-for-5 with a double, a walk, a run scored and an RBI.
Mariners vs. Dane Dunning ($33), Rangers: Ty France ($17), Julio Rodriguez ($18), Jesse Winker ($11)
Dunning has shown flashes of promise, but he's going to need to be better at limiting baserunners if he's going to take the next step. He had a 1.44 WHIP last season, and that mark isn't much better this season at 1.38. This is not a favorable matchup for him given that the Mariners have the fifth-highest OBP in baseball. One player who could find his way on base a time or two is Winker, who has used a 13.2 percent walk rate to produce a .321 OBP, despite his .220 batting average.
