This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
PITCHER
Jon Lester, CHC vs. SF ($56): Lester posted a sterling 10-2 record, 1.74 ERA and .183 average against over 103.1 innings this season at Wrigley Field. He also finished the season on an astounding run, going 5-0 with a minuscule 0.48 ERA and .171 average against in September, before faltering a bit in his final start in a quest for 20 wins. It's a new season in the playoffs, but Lester's body of work at home and the Giants' paltry .307 wOBA against southpaws this season bolsters his case considerably.
Clayton Kershaw, LAD at WAS ($60): Kershaw is back at full strength after wrapping up the regular season with a pair of seven-inning outings and faces a Nationals team that he stymied to the tune of 34.6 fantasy points in his only start against this season back on June 20. His upside is unquestioned and even though he was a better pitcher at home and the Nationals were tough on southpaws this season, this is simply a case of taking the best pure pitcher out of a distinguished quartet on the Friday slate.
CATCHER
Buster Posey, SF at CHC ($13): Despite Jon Lester's established dominance at Wrigley, Posey does check in with a career .313/.353/.563 line against the southpaw that includes a homer and a pair of RBI. Lester did surrender 18 of his 21 homers to right-handed hitters this season, with seven of those coming at Wrigley. Posey was excellent against left-handers, with a .381 wOBA and 37.1 percent hard contact rate.
FIRST BASE
Anthony Rizzo, CHC vs. SF ($19) Rizzo battered right-handed pitching this season to the tune of a .305 average, .404 wOBA, .273 ISO, 24 homers and 38.6 percent hard contact rate. He also amassed a .376 wOBA and .238 ISO over his last 27 games, while Giants starter Johnny Cueto gave up a 35 percent hard contact rate to left-handed hitters on the road.
SECOND BASE
Trea Turner, WAS vs. LAD ($19): Despite Kershaw serving as an outstanding play, a couple of Nationals bats have a chance to break through against him. Turner is one such player, considering his outstanding effort against both handedness of pitchers this season. He was excellent at Nationals Park as well, with a .363 average, .421 wOBA and .238 ISO , and managed a .436 wOBA versus southpaws there. While Kershaw yielded precious little to either handedness this season, his few vulnerable moments were mostly against righty bats, who tagged him for all eight homers he gave up this season, seven of those on the road.
THIRD BASE
Kris Bryant, CHC vs. SF ($17): Bryant always brings a ton of upside for tournaments in particular, and also has the added benefit of a solid, albeit brief body of work against Giants starter Johnny Cueto in their respective careers. Bryant has reached based three times in five at-bats against the Giants starter and also managed a .382 wOBA, .239 ISO, 25 homers and a 40.2 percent hard contact rate against right-handed pitching. Cueto gave up nine of the 15 homers he surrendered this season to righty bats, with eight of those coming on the road.
SHORTSTOP
Addison Russell, CHC vs. SF ($8): Russell checks in at a significant savings at shortstop, and is yet another Chicago bat who's been able to solve Johnny Cueto on occasion in the past. The shortstop is hitting .500 with a pair of doubles in his career against the Giants starter, and also tagged righties for a .360 wOBA, .215 ISO and 34 percent hard contact rate at Wrigley Field.
OUTFIELD
Josh Reddick, LAD at WAS ($12): Reddick brings some sneaky upside at a very cost-conscious price and represents one of two cost-effective bats with which to try to exploit Nationals starter Max Scherzer's vulernability to that handedness of hitter. The Nationals starter gave up 17 homers and a .323 wOBA to lefty bats this season, while Reddick punished right-handed pitching for a .322 average, .371 wOBA and 32.8 percent hard contact rate. He also finished the season wielding a red-hot bat, with a .382 average and .412 wOBA over his final 22 games. Hitting clean-up and bargain-priced, he makes for a great tournament play Friday.
Joc Pederson, LAD at WAS ($14): - Pederson is also in play Friday for many of the same reasons as Reddick. His bat offers plenty of pop for GPPs and he tagged righties for 24 of his 25 homers this season, along with a .386 wOBA, .278 ISO , 25 percent HR/FB rate and 41.3 percent hard contact rate. Meanwhile, Scherzer's issues with left-handed hitters were discussed earlier.
Jayson Werth, WAS vs. LAD ($14): Werth missed the last two games of the regular season with back tightness but is locked and loaded in the No. 3 spot in the lineup Friday. He draws the toughest of matchups in Clayton Kershaw, but it's not one the veteran slugger hasn't been able to find success against in the past. Werth boasts a .313/.389/.500 line over 32 career at-bats against Kershaw with a pair of solo homers, and a .322 average, .432 wOBA, 21.4 percent HR/FB rate and 46.3 percent hard contact rate against southpaws this season.
