This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
All 30 teams will be in action Friday, leaving us with a ton of options to sift through on Yahoo. Let's highlight some pitchers and hitters who stand out amongst the crowd based on their matchups.
Pitchers
Corbin Burnes ($53) enters the evening having thrown at least six innings and allowed two or fewer runs in each of his last seven starts. During that span, he had a 0.76 WHIP and struck out 52 batters over 45 innings. More success could be coming in a matchup against the White Sox, who have the third-worst OPS in baseball.
Andrew Abbott ($49) was hit hard in his last two outings, allowing a combined 10 runs over nine innings. He lacked control, issuing eight walks to go along with his eight strikeouts. Still, he has a 1.15 WHIP for the season and has allowed just one home run across his last four starts. This is a favorable bounce-back spot for him against the Pirates, who have scored the seventh-fewest runs in baseball.
Despite his poor numbers with the White Sox, the Dodgers traded for Lance Lynn ($34) because they basically just needed a veteran who could eat innings. He has shown early positive results with his new squad, allowing four runs over 13 innings. All four of those runs did come on home runs, which has been a problem area for him all season. Still, he's worth considering for a home start against the Rockies, who have just a .667 OPS away from Coors Field.
Top Targets
Although the Dodgers only scored two runs Thursday, Freddie Freeman ($28) reached base three times with a double and two walks. It continued a hot streak that has seen him record a 1.359 OPS over his last 22 games. While he will be facing a left-handed pitcher in Austin Gomber ($29), he actually has a higher OPS against lefties (1.137) than he does righties (.958).
Injuries have limited Jose Altuve ($23) to just 45 games this season. However, he has been locked in since his latest stint on the IL, hitting 21-for-53 (.396) with a .660 slugging percentage over 13 games. Based on that and his career 146 wRC+ versus left-handed pitchers, he is a top target for his matchup with Reid Detmers ($31). Detmers has control issues, with his 9.0 percent walk rate contributing to his 1.35 WHIP.
Bargain Bats
George Springer ($13) has had an uncharacteristically poor season with a .140 ISO and a .319 wOBA. However, he has stepped up with the Blue Jays fighting for a playoff spot, hitting 15-for-34 (.441) with a home run and four doubles over his last nine games. His salary is cheap enough to take a chance on him against Javier Assad ($25), who has just a 19.4 percent strikeout rate to go along with his 11.3 percent walk rate.
Dylan Coleman ($25) will serve as an opener for the Royals with Angel Zerpa expected to follow and log multiple innings. In his longest outing this season, Zerpa gave up four runs over three innings against the Phillies. Basically, this is a bullpen game for the Royals, which is an advantage for the Cardinals because the Royals have the second-highest bullpen ERA in baseball. A player with a cheaper salary to target based on this matchup is Tommy Edman ($10), who is 9-for-30 (.300) with a .364 OBP over his last eight games.
Stacks to Consider
Phillies vs. Dallas Keuchel ($25), Twins: Alec Bohm ($21), Trea Turner ($15), Nick Castellanos ($14)
With injuries hitting their starting rotation, the Twins are taking a chance on Keuchel, who had a 5.52 FIP and a 2.06 WHIP last season. Despite him holding the Diamondbacks to one run over five innings in his Twins debut, he's some to stack against. In that outing, he allowed 10 total baserunners, so things could have been much worse if the Diamondbacks had come up with a timely hit or two. A top option for a Phillies stack is Bohm, who has a .264 ISO and a .400 wOBA against left-handed pitchers this season.
Braves vs. Tylor Megill ($25), Mets: Ronald Acuna Jr. ($28), Matt Olson ($28), Ozzie Albies ($23)
In his return to the Mets' starting rotation, Megill was tagged for five runs over 4.2 innings by the Orioles. It was a continuation of a disappointing campaign that has seen him record a 5.45 ERA and a 5.24 FIP. This could be a disastrous outing against the Braves, who have hit the most home runs in baseball. They have arguably the best leadoff hitter in baseball in Acuna, who has 26 home runs and 53 stolen bases to go with his 170 wRC+.
Padres vs. Ryne Nelson ($25), Diamondbacks: Juan Soto ($23), Fernando Tatis Jr. ($13), Ha-Seong Kim ($23)
Nelson has significant home run issues. He has given up at least one home run in seven straight starts and 20 over 122 innings for the season. That's especially troublesome when you also factor in his 1.43 WHIP. For as disappointing as the Padres have been, this trio can still do plenty of damage. Soto continues to be a reliable source for production with his .243 ISO and .394 wOBA.
