The NLCS resumes Friday with things knotted up at a game apiece. The Padres will turn to Joe Musgrove, who had a great regular season with his 2.93 ERA and 3.59 FIP. The Phillies will deploy Ranger Suarez, who walked five batters over just 3.1 innings against the Braves in the NLDS. He did record five strikeouts, though, and was able to escape by allowing only one run. This game brings another opportunity to play Yahoo's single-game contest, so let's highlight some hitters to consider.
Multiplier Spots
Bryce Harper ($22) has been locked in at the plate, hitting 13-for-31 (.419) with four home runs and four doubles during the Phillies' playoff run. He has at least one hit in both games of this series, and he launched a home run in Game 1. As good as Musgrove has been this season, Harper is as appealing as it gets for one of the two multiplier spots.
The Padres made improvements to their lineup at the trade deadline, with their main return being Juan Soto. He doesn't have the same star power than Soto does, but acquiring Brandon Drury ($15) from the Reds was also an important move for the Padres. He had a .327 ISO and a .403 wOBA against left-handed pitchers during the regular season, which makes him a top target for his matchup against the lefty Suarez.
Flex Spots
We're at the stage of the playoffs where the quality of the starting pitchers leaves hitters with very few favorable matchups. With that in mind, taking a chance on a power hitter is one way to hopefully gain some value. All it takes is one thing from them to differentiate themselves from the crowd. Going with that strategy, Kyle Schwarber ($16) is someone to target. He launched 46 home runs during the regular season, and he hit a home run in Game 1 of this series.
Soto ($12) had a disappointing regular season by his standards, finishing with a .376 wOBA that was the lowest mark of his career. He's still looking for his first home run of the playoffs, but he does have at least one hit in six of nine playoffs games. He's one of the most talented hitters in this game, making him almost too good to pass up at such a cheap salary.
Josh Bell ($10) was another key addition for the Padres at the trade deadline. After posting a .877 OPS with the Nationals, though, he only had a .587 OPS with the Padres. He provided key production in Game 2 of this series, going 3-for-4 with a home run. His salary is cheap enough that he should at least be on your radar.
