This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
After a fairly light schedule Thursday, baseball bounces back with all 30 teams in action Friday. There are three big headlines to follow, one of which is Aaron Judge looking to hit his 62nd home run of the season when the Yankees host the Orioles. The second noteworthy game features the Braves hosting the Mets in what will be a series that likely decides the fate of the NL East. Finally, the Phillies and Brewers will continue to battle it out for a Wild Card spot, and they face bad teams in the Nationals and Marlins, respectively. Let's dive into the Yahoo slate, and discuss some pitchers and hitters to target for your entries.
Pitchers
Clayton Kershaw ($51) is locked in as the playoffs approach. He's allowed two or fewer runs in each of his last six starts, recording a 1.85 ERA and a 0.88 WHIP during that span. The stars are aligning for him in a home start against the Rockies, who only have a .618 OPS on the road this season.
Corbin Burnes ($49) is in the midst of another masterful campaign, recording a 3.11 ERA that is supported by a 3.27 FIP. His strikeout rate is down compared to last year, but it's not exactly anything to complain about at 30.3 percent. Another excellent stat line could be coming against the Marlins, who have scored the third-fewest runs in baseball.
Joe Ryan ($46) has had his ups and downs on his way to recording a 3.70 ERA and 4.12 FIP. When he has a favorable matchup, though, he can put forth a dominant stat line. That should be the case when he takes on the Tigers, who have hit the fewest home runs and scored the fewest runs in baseball.
Top Targets
Ken Waldichuk ($26) has received a rough welcome to the majors. He's made five starts with the Athletics after being acquired from the Yankees, and he's allowed at least four runs three times. He has a 1.46 WHIP and has given up five home runs over 22.2 innings. His matchup against the Mariners means that Ty France ($20) is a top target.
Carlos Correa ($19) is ending things on a high note, hitting 36-for-100 (.360) with six home runs over his last 24 games. He has a .405 wOBA against left-handed pitchers this season, so another big night at the plate could be in store for a matchup with Tyler Alexander ($30), who has a 4.68 ERA and an equally poor 4.86 FIP.
Bargain Bats
The Angels have a lot of holes in their lineup, which is one of the reasons why they missed out on the playoffs again. One player who has stepped up, though, is Luis Rengifo ($13), who is batting .273 with a career-high 16 home runs. Over his last 14 games, he is 19-for-63 (.302) with five home runs, making him a viable option against Glenn Otto ($30).
Luis Arraez ($10) doesn't have the platoon advantage against Alexander, which is part of the reason for his cheap salary. However, he's a good contact hitter who is in the midst trying to win the AL batting title. With just a 7.3 percent strikeout rate and Alexander struggling, don't overlook Arraez if you want to save some of your budget at first base.
Stacks to Consider
Yankees vs. Jordan Lyles ($27), Orioles: Aaron Judge ($30), Gleyber Torres ($21), Harrison Bader ($8)
Lyles has made 31 starts for the Orioles, but his 4.55 ERA and 4.46 FIP are nothing to write home about. He doesn't miss many bats, generating just an 18.0 percent strikeout rate. This will be a difficult matchup for him against the Yankees, who have a .768 OPS at home. He's faced them at Yankee Stadium twice this season, allowing 10 runs (nine earned) over 11.1 innings.
Rangers vs. Reid Detmers ($39), Angels: Marcus Semien ($23), Adolis Garcia ($18), Josh Jung ($20)
Detmers has pitched well in his first extended stint in the majors, recording a 3.88 ERA and a 3.94 FIP. However, he might be wearing down, given that he has allowed at least four runs in four of his last six starts. An interesting option for a Rangers stack is Jung, who has followed up his .253 ISO at Triple-A with a .260 ISO through his first 19 games in the majors.
Padres vs. Davis Martin ($27), White Sox: Manny Machado ($21), Juan Soto ($16), Brandon Drury ($15)
Martin did not pitch well at Triple-A, recording a 6.11 ERA, 4.90 FIP and a 1.47 WHIP. His first 56 innings in the majors have resulted in a 3.86 ERA and a 4.13 FIP, but he hasn't left himself with much margin for error with his 16.8 percent strikeout rate. Regression could be coming against the Padres, with especially with Soto starting to heat up. Over his last 12 games, Soto is 15-for-45 (.333) with a 1.020 OPS.
