This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
Friday's packed schedule across baseball includes several exciting starting pitchers scheduled to take the mound. The first game of the evening features Rays' phenom Shane McClanahan starting against the Reds. As the evening moves along, Pablo Lopez and Chris Bassitt will face off when the Mets host the Marlins. Runs could also be difficult to come by in the Phillies and Cardinals game when Zack Wheeler starts against Adam Wainwright. Let's get to the task at hand and highlight some players to consider for your Yahoo lineups.
Pitchers
A move out of Cincinnati has proven to be a big boost for Sonny Gray ($45). Through 11 starts with the Twins, he has a 2.47 ERA that is supported by a 3.14 FIP. While his strikeout rate has declined to 24.7 percent, he's also shown improved control, generating a 6.4 percent walk rate on his way to a 1.04 WHIP. This could be a great night to deploy him against the Rangers, who have the sixth-worst OPS against right-handed pitchers in baseball.
The Athletics continue to flounder their way through the season, with their lineup being no exception to their struggles. They have scored the second-fewest runs and have the worst OPS in baseball. That means it could be a productive night for Astros' starter Jose Urquidy ($41), who has allowed three runs over 19 innings in his last three starts.
After a disappointing 2021 campaign, Zac Gallen ($38) has bounced back to record a 3.40 ERA and a 3.82 FIP. He's limited opposing hitters to a 32.9 percent hard-hit rate and is on pace to set a new career best with his 1.05 WHIP. A favorable matchup awaits him in Arizona against the Rockies, who only have a .630 OPS on the road.
Top Targets
The Giants will likely have to go the bullpen game route against the Padres with injuries continuing to impact their starting rotation. That makes Manny Machado ($17), who hit a home run in Thursday's matchup, an appealing option. This game being played in San Diego is noteworthy because Machado has a .424 wOBA at home this season.
If you look at his season stats, rolling with Whit Merrifield ($19) at his expensive salary might not seem like a wise choice. However, he's on a bit of a hot streak, hitting 9-for-29 (.310) with a home run, a triple, two doubles and three stolen bases over his last seven games. With his opponent Aaron Civale ($28) carrying a 1.54 WHIP, Merrifield might actually be worth adding to your lineup.
Bargain Bats
The Red Sox lost the series opener against the Yankees on Thursday, which was a tough matchup against Gerrit Cole. They will now face Nestor Cortes Jr. ($43), who has a 4.68 ERA over his last five starts. The problem was, he allowed seven home runs across 25 innings during that stretch. It could be worth taking a chance on Trevor Story ($12) and J.D. Martinez ($11), who have very cheap salaries relative to their talent. Also, they have career .411 and .400 wOBAs, respectively, against left-handed pitchers.
Stacks to Consider
Yankees vs. Connor Seabold ($25), Red Sox: Giancarlo Stanton ($18), DJ LeMahieu ($18), Aaron Hicks ($15)
The Red Sox will be forced to turn to another young starting pitcher with injuries hammering their starting rotation. Seabold has logged 8.2 innings across his first two starts, posing a 2.08 WHIP along the way. Asking him to try and hold down this loaded Yankees' lineup will be a tall order. They've even started to receive more production from Hicks, who is 8-for-20 (.400) with two home runs and two doubles over his last seven games.
Orioles vs. Reid Detmers ($28), Angels: Ryan Mountcastle ($18), Austin Hays ($13), Jorge Mateo ($8)
Detmers is expected to re-enter the Angels' starting rotation since Michael Lorenzen (shoulder) was placed on the IL. He was struggling before being sent down, recording a 5.67 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP across his last six starts. One of his issues this season has been the long ball, with him giving up 11 home runs over just 58 innings. This could be a particularly favorable spot for Mountcastle, who provides plenty of power with his .498 slugging percentage.
Braves vs. Erick Fedde ($27), Nationals: Matt Olson ($19), Dansby Swanson ($22), Michael Harris ($18)
Fedde has a 10.8 percent walk rate to go along with his modest 19.0 percent strikeout rate. Add his 1.41 WHIP to a matchup against a Braves team that has the third-highest OPS in baseball and runs could be plentiful in this game. Olson stands out as one of the better hitters on the Braves to target based on his .237 ISO and .361 wOBA against right-handed pitchers.
