Yahoo DFS Baseball: Friday Plays and Strategy

Yahoo DFS Baseball: Friday Plays and Strategy

This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.

All 30 teams are set to take the field Friday, leaving a packed slate on Yahoo. As you sift through all the options, here are some pitchers and hitters to consider for your lineups.

Pitchers

Justin Steele ($46) will take on the Diamondbacks for the second time in as many starts. The last time he faced them, he finished with six strikeouts and allowed only one run over seven innings. He has been one of the best pitchers in baseball, posting a 2.49 ERA that is supported by a 2.91 FIP. The Diamondbacks have the ninth-worst OPS in baseball versus left-handed pitchers, setting up Steele to have success in this rematch.

Seth Lugo ($40) was hammered by the Astros in his last outing, giving up six runs over 4.1 innings. Prior to that, he had pitched at least six innings and allowed two earned runs or fewer in four straight starts. He has been a reliable member of the Padres' rotation, recording a 3.80 ERA and a 3.81 FIP. Look for him to exploit a matchup against an Athletics team that has scored the fewest runs in baseball.

Tarik Skubal ($44) is finishing the season on a high note. Over his last five starts, he has given up 10 runs (nine earned) and recorded 39 strikeouts across 30 innings. He didn't exactly face tough lineups, though, with his opponents during that stretch including the Guardians, Yankees and White Sox (twice). Another favorable matchup awaits him in the Angels, who are floundering with Mike Trout (wrist) and Shohei Ohtani (oblique) hurt.

Top Targets

It has not been an easy transition to the majors for Brandon Pfaadt ($31). He has a 6.25 ERA and a 5.74 FIP, allowing 2.2 HR/9 in the process. He also doesn't miss many bats, registering just a 20.2 percent strikeout rate. His inability to keep hitters inside the ballpark could end up being his downfall against the duo of Cody Bellinger ($21) and Seiya Suzuki ($22). Bellinger has slugged 25 home runs this season, while Suzuki is 18-for-43 (.419) with three home runs and five doubles over his last 11 games.

Bargain Bats

Alec Bohm ($15) is a top option to consider whenever he is facing a left-handed pitcher. Although right-handed pitchers have limited him to a .110 ISO and a .314 wOBA, he has a .269 ISO and a .380 wOBA versus southpaws. A game against the Cardinals brings a matchup with lefty Zack Thompson ($34), who has a 1.47 WHIP for the season.

Jon Gray ($37) got off to a great start this season, but he has floundered in the second half. Over his last 12 outings, he has a 5.32 ERA and a 1.54 WHIP. That included an outing against the Guardians in which he gave up four runs across six innings. When he faces them in this rematch, Steven Kwan ($12) is an appealing option at a cheaper salary. Although he doesn't hit for a ton of power, he is 19-for-60 (.317) with a .394 OBP over his last 15 games.

Stacks to Consider

Astros vs. Zack Greinke ($25), Royals: Yordan Alvarez ($27), Jose Altuve ($24), Kyle Tucker ($23)

After recently working out of the bullpen, Greinke will return to the starting rotation for at least one turn. He has had major home run issues, giving up 25 of them over 126.2 innings. That could be troublesome against this trio. Despite being limited to 99 games because of injuries, Alvarez has 27 home runs to give him a .584 slugging percentage.

Rangers vs. Lucas Giolito ($34), Guardians: Corey Seager ($27), Marcus Semien ($22), Nathaniel Lowe ($19)

The wheels have come off for Giolito. Over his last 10 starts, he has given up 49 runs (46 earned) and 19 home runs over 51.1 innings. Not only has he been giving up a lot of home runs, but he also had a 1.60 WHIP during that span. This is a stellar matchup for Seager, who enters with a career high 1.069 OPS.

Giants vs. Chase Anderson ($25), Rockies: Mike Yastrzemski ($24), LaMonte Wade Jr. ($16), Thairo Estrada ($18)

The first game of this series was rained out Thursday, but the teams won't be playing a doubleheader until Saturday. Anderson will now start Friday and he has given up at least five runs in five of his last eight outings. That should set up the Giants to be one of the more popular stacks of the evening. Over his last 12 games, Yastrzemski is 14-for-34 (.412) with three home runs and five doubles.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Mike Barner plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: mbarner, DraftKings: mbarner51.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mike Barner
Mike started covering fantasy sports in 2007, joining RotoWire in 2010. In 2018, he was a finalist for the FSWA Basketball Writer of the Year award. Mike also won the 2022-23 FSGA NBA Experts Champions league. In addition to RotoWire, Mike has written for Sportsline, Sports Illustrated, DK Live, RealTime Fantasy Sports, Lineup Lab and KFFL.com.
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