This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
When Saturday began, there was the potential for four games Sunday. Instead, we have just one, with the Guardians hosting the Yankees in the only series which remains undecided. Gerrit Cole is facing Cal Quantrill, so edge to the Yankees there. For single-game contests on Yahoo, you pick a roster of five players with a salary of $75 to work with. Your Megastar is worth twice as many points. Your Superstar earns you 1.5 times the points. Here's a lineup that entices me.
MEGASTAR
Aaron Judge, NYY at CLE ($20): Hey, go big, right? Judge was the best hitter in baseball. He knocked 62 home runs over the fence. The slugger had an 1.142 OPS versus righties and an 1.141 OPS on the road. Quantrill had a 4.12 FIP this season, and righties hit .274 against him this year.
SUPERSTAR
Jose Ramirez, CLE vs. NYY ($20): I just figured why not grab the best bat for each team here? You're only picking five players. Don't get too cute. Plus, I was happy with how the rest of my lineup turned out. Ramirez is a switch hitter, so he can handle anything a bullpen throws at him. Since 2020, Ramirez has an .892 OPS versus lefties and an .897 OPS against righties. This year, though, he had a .912 OPS against righties like Cole.
FLEX
Isiah Kiner-Falefa, NYY at CLE ($13): By modern standards, Kiner-Falefa hits for average, as he hit .261 this year. As I noted, righties hit .274 against Quantrill this season. The shortstop also had 22 stolen bases, 21 of which came with right-handers on the mound. That makes sense, as it's decidedly easier to steal second against a righty.
Josh Naylor, CLE vs. NYY ($12): Like a lot of top pitchers, Cole actually allows a fair amount of home runs. It's just that because he strikes so many guys out and doesn't allow a lot of walks or hits, guys are rarely on base. Cole allowed 1.48 home runs per nine innings but had a 3.46 FIP. However, for DFS purposes, the guy who hits those solo shots still has plenty of value. Naylor slugged .522 against righties this year, and he also hit .283 in those matchups.
Oswaldo Cabrera, NYY at CLE ($10): The switch-hitting rookie Cabrera didn't play a ton this season, but when he did he was solid. In particular, he had a .796 OPS on the road. As such, the fact this game is in Cleveland may be to Cabrera's advantage, and a switch hitter has extra upside in a playoff game that could see a lot of relief pitchers take the mound.
