This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
After a quiet Thursday, baseball ramps back up with 15 games Friday. One of the biggest series features the Yankees battling the Rays at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees have had a sizable lead in the AL East for most of the season, but the Rays have made it a race down the stretch. Another noteworthy series will take place out West when the Padres host the Dodgers. Although the Dodgers have run away with the NL West, these games are big for the Padres, who have their sights set on a Wild Card spot. With so many options to consider on Yahoo, let's dive right in and highlight some pitchers and hitters to consider for your lineups.
Pitchers
The struggles of Lucas Giolito ($37) is one of the reasons why the White Sox have failed to live up to expectations this season. He has a bloated 5.21 ERA, although his FIP is a bit better at 4.30. His .354 BABIP allow is unlucky, but his 39.8 percent hard-hit rate allowed is more than five percentage points higher than last season. As bad as he's been, he's still a viable option against the Athletics, who have scored the second-fewest runs in baseball.
Frankie Montas ($35) had his best start as a member of the Yankees in his last outing, holding the Rays scoreless over five innings. He allowed one hit and didn't issue any walks, while striking out seven batters. His inconsistency since joining the Yankees makes him a bit risky, but a rematch against the Rays might make him worth it. Not only did they struggle against him last time, but they have the 10th-worst OPS in baseball.
The Orioles have been full of pleasant surprises during their pursuit for a Wild Card spot. One of them recently has been Austin Voth ($35), who has a 2.23 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP over his last seven outings. He faced some easy lineups during that span, but he also combined to pitch 12 innings and allow one run while facing both the Blue Jays and Astros. His salary is cheap enough to at least make him worth considering at home against the Red Sox, who only have a .691 OPS on the road.
Top Targets
German Marquez ($32) is on pace to tie his career high by allowing 1.5 HR/9 this season. Of the 25 home runs that he has given up, 17 of them have been hit at Coors Field, which is where he will face the Diamondbacks. This could be a great spot to deploy the powerful duo of Christian Walker ($25) and Daulton Varsho ($22), who have hit 32 and 23 home runs, respectively.
Bargain Bats
How often do you see Yordan Alvarez ($13) with a salary this low? A hand injury has plagued him of late, but he has a hit in three of his last four games and he has a .409 wOBA for the season. There is the potential for value here in a matchup against Michael Lorenzen ($29), who will be coming off the IL to make his first start in over two months. He wasn't great before being sidelined, posting a 4.94 ERA and a 4.46 FIP.
Another player with a surprisingly cheap salary is Alek Thomas ($11). He's been adept at making contact, following up his 13.8 percent strikeout rate at Triple-A with an 18.1 percent strikeout rate since being called up to the majors. Over his last eight games, he is 9-for-25 (.360) with three doubles. Add in the bump for playing at Coors Field and he might be too good to pass up.
Stacks to Consider
Rockies vs. Zach Davies ($31), Diamondbacks: C.J. Cron ($14), Ryan McMahon ($15), Elias Diaz ($12)
Davis has actually pitched well of late, allowing two or fewer runs in four straight starts. An outing at Coors Field could end his recent run of success in a hurry. He did face the Rockies there earlier this season, allowing three runs and a home run over five innings. Any Rockies stack should be built around Cron, who has a .387 wOBA at home.
Phillies vs. Patrick Corbin ($27), Nationals: Bryce Harper ($23), Rhys Hoskins ($18), Jean Segura ($19)
This is a pretty interesting matchup. Corbin has shown signs of turning things around, allowing two runs or fewer in each of his last three starts, and recording a 1.09 WHIP during that span. He faced a couple of difficult lineups, too, in the Mets and Padres. However, the Phillies present a tough test because they have the sixth-highest OPS against left-handed pitchers (.775) in baseball. In two previous meetings with the Phillies, Corbin allowed a combined 15 runs (eight earned) over four innings. Hoskins is a great option for this matchup, given his 175 wRC+ versus lefties this season.
Dodgers vs. Mike Clevinger ($32), Padres: Mookie Betts ($24), Freddie Freeman ($18), Chris Taylor ($8)
Clevinger probably isn't happy about having to face the Dodgers again. He's started against them twice in the span of about a month, and he allowed five runs in both outings. The Dodgers have hit three home runs off of him over just eight innings. Although his salary will do a number on your budget, Betts could be a key hitter for this slate. He's as hot as it gets, hitting 17-for-50 (.340) with six home runs and six doubles over his last 13 games.
