This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
A packed slate Friday leaves us with a bevy of options to ponder on Yahoo. Let's try to help make the task of setting your lineups a little easier by highlighting some pitchers and hitters who could thrive.
Pitchers
Joe Musgrove's ($45) numbers are a bit skewed because of an outing against the Giants in April in which he gave up seven runs over 3.1 innings. Over his last five outings, he has a 2.15 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. Up next is a favorable matchup against the Nationals, who have scored the sixth-fewest runs in baseball. They also have an underwhelming .688 OPS versus right-handed pitchers.
Chris Bassitt ($40) has had back-to-back disappointing outings, allowing 13 runs (11 earned) over 6.2 combined innings against the Orioles and Rangers. While those were difficult matchups, things get much easier for him Friday against the Athletics. Not only do they have the worst OPS in baseball, but they have also scored the fewest runs.
Brayan Bello ($39) did not pitch well last season during his first taste of the majors, posting a 1.78 WHIP over 57.1 innings. He has logged 59.1 innings this year, showing significant improvement with a WHIP of 1.30. He had a season-high eight strikeouts against the Yankees in his last outing, while also not giving up a home run for his fourth straight start. Look for him to continue his improvement in the WHIP department against the White Sox, who have the fifth-lowest OPS in baseball.
Top Targets
Corey Seager ($22) is one of the main reasons why the Rangers have made significant strides this season. Both his .283 ISO and his .442 wOBA are on pace to be the highest marks of his career. He stands out for a matchup against Clarke Schmidt ($25), who has allowed a career .382 wOBA against left-handed hitters. With Schmidt's struggles against lefties, Nathaniel Lowe ($17) is also someone to strongly consider. Lowe comes into this game swinging a hot bat, hitting 10-for-29 (.345) with a .500 OBP over his last eight games.
Bargain Bats
Billy McKinney ($10) logged another hit Thursday, which means he has at least one of them in all but one game since joining the Yankees. With all of the injuries to their outfield, McKinney is likely going to be locked into the starting lineup for the foreseeable future. He could have an opportunity to provide value against Dane Dunning ($31), who has a 1.61 WHIP over his last five starts.
While his salary isn't overly cheap, Elias Diaz ($15) won't exactly destroy your budget while filling the difficult catcher's spot. He has rebounded from a disappointing 2022 season at the plate to record a .346 wOBA this year. He has a .401 wOBA at home, which is where he will be for a matchup against Patrick Sandoval ($32). Sandoval could be in trouble at Coors Field, given that he enters with a 1.42 WHIP.
Stacks to Consider
Blue Jays vs. James Kaprielian ($28), Athletics: George Springer ($18), Matt Chapman ($16), Brandon Belt ($16)
The road has not been kind to Kaprielian this season. Over his eight appearances away from Oakland, he has a 1.96 WHIP. Although they haven't been consistently productive, this matchup makes a Blue Jays stack too good to ignore. That includes Belt, who made his return from a hamstring injury earlier this week. After an uncharacteristically low .303 wOBA last season, he has bounced back to record a .354 wOBA this year.
Giants vs. Zach Davies ($25), Diamondbacks: Michael Conforto ($16), Thairo Estrada ($18), Joc Pederson ($17)
Davies has a bloated 7.11 ERA, although his FIP is much better at 4.07. His WHIP sits at 1.74, and he hasn't left himself with much of a margin for error with his 18.8 percent strikeout rate. If he is going to get his ERA closer to his FIP, that process might not begin in this matchup, given that the Giants have scored the seventh-most runs in baseball. One of their leaders has been Estrada, who has shown a power and speed combination with nine home runs and 17 stolen bases.
Padres vs. Patrick Corbin ($25), Nationals: Fernando Tatis Jr. ($24), Manny Machado ($18), Gary Sanchez ($15)
Corbin hasn't been as bad as last season, but he hasn't been great, either, with his 4.89 ERA and 4.92 FIP. His strikeout rate has also fallen all the way down to 14.1 percent. This is not a good matchup for him against the Padres, who have a lot of power to go along with a .775 OPS against left-handed pitchers. Arguably the top option for a Padres stack is Tatis, who has a career .426 wOBA versus lefties.
