This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
There are only a couple days left in the season, but Saturday night's slate doesn't feature too many projects on the mound. That allowed me to fade the highest-priced option in Aaron Nola, who might not be worth the price as it is. Instead, I found a couple southpaws who can produce similar totals and that led to much better bats.
PITCHER
James Paxton, SEA vs. TEX ($43): Paxton returned from illness earlier in the week and looked like himself outside of allowing a couple homers and reaching only 71 pitches. He should be close to normal for this outing and that usually means at least eight strikeouts. Paxton hasn't had much success in two starts against the Rangers this year, though they've been bad against lefties in the last month with a 22.8 K% and .266 wOBA.
Steven Matz, NYM vs. MIA ($35): Matz didn't make it past three innings in his last start, but the Nationals are much better than the Marlins. Plus, Matz reached at least 16 fantasy points in his prior six outings. The Marlins are at the bottom of most lists in the last month with a 24.2 K% and .258 wOBA against southpaws.
CATCHER
Mike Zunino, SEA vs. TEX ($12): It's been a rough season for Zunino, but he's shown some life with a .345 OBP against righties (58 plate appearances) in the last month and a .190 ISO for the season. In four starts, Adrian Sampson has allowed three home runs and a .414 OBP to righty bats.
FIRST BASE
Tyler Austin, MIN vs. CWS ($12): Austin has been a surprising boost for the Twins and sports a .314 ISO and .364 wOBA against lefties, which comes from 11 extra-base hits (8 HR) in 86 at-bats. Carlos Rodon is ending the season on a sour note having allowed at least four runs in four of his last five starts to go with a 5.36 xFIP against righties.
SECOND BASE
Jason Kipnis, CLE at KC ($17): Kipnis is 0-for-8 in his career against Jakob Junis, but that's going to change at some point. To help, Kipnis is roping righty hurlers with a .429 OBP and .472 wOBA in his last 70 PA. Junis has been the opposite, allowing 23 hits and 10 runs in his last three starts to go with a .337 wOBA allowed to lefties for the season.
THIRD BASE
Eduardo Escobar, ARI at SD ($16): No one on Arizona is hitting well, but it's hard to deny Escobar's overall success against righty arms this year with a .258 ISO and .353 wOBA. Jacob Nix has allowed 20 runs in his last four starts and has a .401 wOBA allowed to lefty bats in eight starts. Nix was also destroyed by the Diamondbacks a month ago, failing to make it a full inning after giving up five runs in the first.
SHORTSTOP
Ronny Rodriguez, DET at MIL ($11): This is a shot in the dark, but Rodriguez has been fairly useful against southpaws with a .167 ISO in limited time. As a team, the Tigers have hit lefties well and Wade Miley isn't a guy that's going to carve through a lineup with a .374 wOBA allowed to righty hitters. If Rodriguez doesn't start, throw Orlando Arcia ($9) in this spot.
OUTFIELD
Lorenzo Cain, MIL vs. DET ($21): The Brewers are in the playoffs, yet are still fighting for positioning and should pile up runs against Daniel Norris. Cain has blasted lefties this year with a .163 ISO and .435 wOBA. As for Norris, he returned this month from injury and is still the same pitcher as always with a career .333 wOBA against righties.
Ryan Braun, MIL vs. DET ($16): Braun's usually a good play against lefties due to power with a .282 ISO and .366 wOBA. Norris still doesn't have a quality outing in 10 starts this season and he'll have trouble again with 1.72 HR/9 allowed to righty bats.
Robbie Grossman, MIN vs. CWS ($16): Grossman continues to be undervalued whenever a lefty is on the mound with a stout .429 OBP and .384 wOBA against them. Rodon has decent numbers for the season, but is struggling against most lineups lately and gave up nine hits and six runs to the Cubs last outing.
