This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
Friday will be busy with all 30 teams in action. There will be no shortage of exciting series, as a result. In a battle between AL East foes, the Rays will host the Blue Jays, who will send Kevin Gausman to the mound. The Yankees will also be in action, with Gerrit Cole scheduled to start the second game of their series with the White Sox. In the National League, the Dodgers will be at home with Clayton Kershaw on the mound when they do battle with the Phillies. As we sift through all of the options for DFS, here are some pitchers and hitters to consider.
Pitchers
Not much of an argument needs to be made for rolling with Max Scherzer ($61) in DFS. He's remained a dominant force, posting a 2.92 ERA and a 3.04 FIP over six starts. His strikeout rate checks in at 34.3 percent, which puts him on pace to have his eighth straight season with a strikeout rate of at least 30 percent. Good look to the Mariners.
Gausman's ($53) numbers to start the season are video game like. As if his 2.13 ERA wasn't impressive enough, he has a 0.78 FIP. Also, he's recorded 46 strikeouts while issuing just one walk over 38 innings. The Rays have a few dangerous hitters, but they have also struck out the ninth-most times in baseball. Another great start could be forthcoming for Gausman.
If you want to take a chance on a pitcher with a cheaper salary, then Zach Davies ($28) should at least be on your radar. He's allowed more than three runs in just one of his six starts, and he'll be facing a Cubs team thank ranks inside the bottom-third in baseball in runs scored.
Top Targets
Marco Gonzales ($32) continues to have home run issues. Last season, he allowed 1.8 HR/9. He's already been taken deep eight times across 25.1 innings this season. This has the makings of an ideal matchup for the powerful Pete Alonso ($19), who already has eight home runs.
Speaking of power hitters, Yordan Alvarez ($20) is another great option for this slate. He homered twice Thursday, giving him 10 for the season. Up next is a matchup against Josiah Gray ($38), who allowed 2.4 HR/9 last season. He's made some improvements this season, but he's not exactly thriving by allowing 1.4 HR/9.
Bargain Bats
Alex Verdugo ($10) has been pretty unlucky. He's only batting .216, part of which can be attributed to his .214 BABIP. He has a 11.4 percent strikeout rate and his 38.6 percent hard-hit rate is in line with his career mark, so expect him to turn things around in short order. He's already showing signs of improvment, getting at least one hit in four of his last five games. With his career .349 wOBA against right-handed pitchers, Verdugo could provide value against Dane Dunning ($35).
Going back to the Mets' matchup against Gonzales, Mark Canha ($10) is also someone to have on your radar. Although he hasn't hit for much power out of the gate, his 131 wRC+ is on pace to be the second-highest mark of his career.
Stacks to Consider
Rockies vs. Zack Greinke ($29), Royals: C.J. Cron ($21), Ryan McMahon ($15), Charlie Blackmon ($16)
Talk about an inability to miss bats. Greinke has generated just 10 strikeouts over 33.2 innings this season. Despite his good control, not having swing-and-miss stuff could be a problem for a game that is being played at Coors Field. Cron remains the most dangerous player in the Rockies lineup, recording a .305 ISO to go along with a .408 wOBA.
Angles vs. Daulton Jefferies ($25), Athletics: Mike Trout ($27), Shohei Ohtani ($20), Jared Walsh ($20)
The wheels might be starting to come off for Jefferies, who allowed three runs (two earned) across 15.1 innings in his first three starts. Since then, he has allowed 15 runs over 14 innings. He has just 19 strikeouts over 29.1 innings, which isn't that surprising given his 20.5 percent strikeout rate at Triple-A last season. He could be in big trouble against the Angels, who have scored the most runs in baseball.
Yankees vs. Vince Velasquez ($25), White Sox: Aaron Judge ($25), DJ LeMahieu ($15), Anthony Rizzo ($19)
Velasquez has generally had problems keeping hitters off base, resulting in a 1.39 WHIP for his career. He's been in that same territory this season with a 1.37 WHIP to go along with a modest 21.2 percent strikeout rate. Although the Yankees' lineup hasn't been as fearsome on the road, they did score 15 runs in the series opener Thursday. Judge, who has a 193 wRC+, should be at the center of any Yankees stack.
