This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
There will only be six games played across baseball Thursday, but at least all of them will make up the main evening slate on Yahoo. We don't have as many options to pick from as usual, but here are some pitches and hitters who are still worth considering.
Pitchers
Max Fried ($41) has settled into a groove as the playoffs approach. He has allowed three or fewer runs in each of his last four starts, which included seven shutout innings of the Dodgers in his last outing. He even had a season-high 10 strikeouts in that matchup. With the limited options at our disposal, Fried is one of the top pitchers to target, despite a less-than-ideal matchup versus the Cardinals.
Carlos Rodon ($33) needed 92 pitches to just make it through five innings in his last start. He wasn't hit overly hard, though, allowing two runs and recording four strikeouts against the Astros. A main area of concern for him is that he has given up 11 home runs over 42.2 innings. That might not be as big of an issue when he faces the Tigers, who have hit the fifth-fewest home runs in baseball.
Cal Quantrill ($28) faced the Rays in his return from the IL last week. He didn't look rusty, giving up two runs over six innings. He still has a 4.82 FIP and a 1.51 WHIP for the season, while registering a paltry 12.1 strikeout rate. Still, a matchup against an Angels team that has a lineup that has been decimated by injuries and the team waiving players makes Quantrill worth considering at such a cheap salary.
Top Targets
Marlins' left-handed pitcher Braxton Garrett ($36) will have his hands full with Mookie Betts ($27). Over his last 25 games, Betts is 41-for-90 (.456) with a .756 slugging percentage. He also has a robust 1.129 OPS against lefties this season.
Julio Rodriguez ($28) has been the leader of the Mariners' push for a playoff spot. Over his last 18 games, he is 34-for-75 (.453) with eight home runs and five doubles. His power is of note for a matchup with Zack Littell ($31), who has given up 1.6 HR/9. While Littell has shown good control, his 4.69 ERA and 4.35 FIP are nothing to write home about.
Bargain Bats
As of early Thursday morning, the Angels had yet to name their starting pitcher for their matchup with the Guardians. Griffin Canning would be on normal rest, but they could also go the bullpen-game route. Either way, their struggles of late could make Steven Kwan ($11) and Ramon Laureano ($12) worth targeting. Kwan doesn't have much power, but he has at least one hit in seven of his last nine games. Laureano has picked up his production lately, hitting 15-for-50 (.300) with a .500 slugging percentage over his last 12 games.
Stacks to Consider
Braves vs. Adam Wainwright ($25), Cardinals: Ronald Acuna Jr. ($28), Marcell Ozuna ($28), Matt Olson ($26)
Wainwright had his last start pushed back, so he'll be on extra rest for this outing. While he has provided the occasional impressive stat line, he has also given up at least six runs in three of his last five starts. With him allowing 1.7 HR/9, this could be a disastrous matchup for him, since the Braves have hit the most home runs in baseball. His salary will do a number on your budget, but rolling with Acuna for a Braves stack is ideal. He's having the best season of his career, racking up 32 home runs and 63 stolen bases to go along with his .416 wOBA.
Cubs vs. Ryne Nelson ($25), Diamondbacks: Cody Bellinger ($23), Ian Happ ($20), Nico Hoerner ($17)
The Diamondbacks sent Slade Cecconi back to the minors, opening up a starting rotation spot that will be filled by Nelson. Before he was sent to the minors himself, Nelson struggled to the tune of a 5.47 ERA and 5.15 FIP. Left-handed hitters are slugging .530 with a .374 wOBA against Nelson, which makes Bellinger an ideal option to build any Cubs stack around.
