This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
The long wait is finally over. The World Series begins Friday in what is an unexpected matchup. The fact that the Astros won the American League is no surprise, given that they had the best record there in the regular season. However, the Phillies, who entered via a Wild Card spot after finishing third in the NL East, will be representing the National League. We have a great pitching matchup out of the gate with Justin Verlander squaring off against Aaron Nola. This game brings an opportunity to play Yahoo's single game contest, so let's discuss some hitters to consider.
Multiplier Spots
Bryce Harper ($24): Injuries limited Harper to just 99 games this season. His .877 OPS was his lowest mark since the 2016 campaign, and a far cry from the 1.044 OPS that he produced last season. However, he's caught fire in the playoffs, hitting 18-for-43 (.419) with five home runs and six doubles. It's difficult not to include him in one of the key multiplier spots with how hot he's been.
Kyle Schwarber ($21): The addition of Schwarber during the offseason is one of the main reasons why the Phillies have been so successful. He provides a ton of power, finishing the regular season with 46 home runs and a .286 ISO. After a slow start to the playoffs, Schwarber has gone deep in three of the last five games. When he gets on a power surge like this, he can do damage against even the best pitchers in baseball.
Flex Spots
Jeremy Pena ($19): The Astros were able move on from Carlos Correa at shortstop because they had Pena waiting in the wings. Correa was clutch for the Astros in the postseason, posting a .849 OPS for his career. Pena is showing that he can also be counted on when it matters the most, hitting 10-for-33 (.3030) with three home runs and three doubles during the Astros' playoff run.
Kyle Tucker ($14): Tucker provides a unique combination of power and speed, finishing the regular season with 30 home runs and 25 stolen bases. He also does a great job of making contact, posting just 17.1 percent strikeout rate for his career. A player with his upside at this cheap of a salary is very appealing.
Jose Altuve ($10): The Astros have reached the World Series despite receiving virtually no contributions from Altuve. Across their first five postseason games, he went 0-for-23 at the plate. The good news for the Astros is, he showed signs of turning things around at the end of the ALCS, recording three hits over the last two games. He finished the regular season with a .233 ISO and a .397 wOBA, so don't be surprised if he comes up big in the World Series. For his career, he has a .853 OPS during the playoffs.
