Yahoo DFS Baseball: Friday Picks

Yahoo DFS Baseball: Friday Picks

This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.

Pitcher

Cole Hamels, TEX vs. KAN ($44): Hamels could get lost in the shuffle with plenty of pricey arms on the bump Friday, and his price is down a bit thanks in part to a 5.5 K/9 ratio. But he's got a solid 3.50 ERA entering a matchup with the Royals, the league's lowest scoring team as of Thursday. He faced them twice last season and allowed just two runs while striking out 16 over 13.1 innings. Among Royals' regulars, just Mike Moustakas and Lorenzo Cain sport wOBAs of more than .350 over the last year-plus.

Adam Conley, MIA at SD ($30): If I'm building a lineup, I think I'm spending on Hamels and Justin Verlander ($52), which still leaves $13 per player for hitters. But if you're looking for a bargain with potential, Conley seems to fit the bill. Walks are Conley's downfall, as he allows only a .156 BABIP but 3.75 free passes per nine innings. He won't get you huge inning scoring, but the Padres rank 28th in runs scored and 16th in walks, suggesting Conley can limit damage. Further, the Padres have a 24.9 percent strikeout rate against lefties since 2016. Monitoring the Orioles starting pitcher may also prove responsible, as Yahoo currently suggests Alec Asher will start, while Dylan Bundy ($30) could get the nod.

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Catcher

Mike Zunino, SEA at OAK ($7): If paying up for pitching is your plan Friday, punting the catcher position becomes a borderline necessity. Zunino is just 8-of-41 with 16 strikeouts on the year, but Friday starter Sean Manaea enters with a 5.51 ERA over his first three starts. Zunino posted a respectable .368 wOBA and .250 ISO against lefties a year ago while Manaea allowed a .322 wOBA and 17 home runs to righties last year over 116.0 frames.

First Base

Edwin Encarnacion, CLE at CWS ($17): Encarnacion's early season struggles have resulted in a reduced price. He'll enter Friday riding a six-game hitting streak, driving in four runs in that span. He posted a .385 wOBA and .270 ISO against lefties last year and faces a struggling Jose Quintana, who has allowed 13 runs and four long balls in three starts to date.

Second Base

Joe Panik, SF at COL ($17): It's a steep price to pay at a lesser position, but there are 10 others priced at least this high at the keystone. Panik had a .313 wOBA against righties last year, a number that's raised to .404 in the early going of 2017. Panik has slashed .345/.383/.436 in 55 at bats over the last three seasons at Coors Field and will have even more appeal if he can move into the leadoff spot in favor of a struggling Denard Span.

Third Base

Manny Machado, BAL vs. BOS ($12): The price here tells you all you need to know about Machado's early season struggles, and entering Thursday he was just 2-for-12 in his last three games, so there's little to suggest he's coming around. But Machado posted a .388 wOBA and a 37 percent hard hit rate against southpaws last year. The BoSox will send Drew Pomeranz and his 5.23 ERA to the hill Friday. He allowed 20 homers and a 31.7 hard hit rate to righties last year, giving Machado a good chance at squaring up a few.

Shortstop

Ronald Torreyes, NYY at PIT ($9): Torreyes enters Friday having hit safely in five of his last six games for a team that has scored seven or more runs in three of their last four. Facing Bucs starter Tyler Glasnow, who has surrendered nine runs in only 6.2 innings across two starts, along with Torreyes' decent .313 wOBA against righties in his brief career offer a chance for him to out-perform his cheap price.

Outfield

Christian Yelich, MIA at SD ($19): Yelich has homered in three of his last five while hitting safely in all of those outings. He's posted a team-best .385 wOBA against righties dating back to 2016. The last season Padres' starter Trevor Cahill spent as at least a part-time starter was in 2014, and he allowed a .405 wOBA and 1.271 OPS to lefties and he has just a 15.6 percent career strikeout rate against left handers, somewhat obsolving the 11.91 K/9 rate he's posted in two starts this year.

Yasmany Tomas, ARI vs. LAD ($17): Of six Diamondbacks with at least 100 plate appearances against lefties since the start of last year, Tomas has been the best, owning an tremendous .446 wOBA and .317 ISO. Fill-in starter Alex Wood has thrown 11 innings in the last two seasons at Chase Field, allowing 16 hits and seven runs, while right handers posted a .343 wOBA against him in 2015, his last year as a regular starter.

Josh Reddick, HOU at TB ($12): Given his current form, it may be a little lazy to include Reddick here, and he seems likely to have a high ownership given his still manageable price. But his current .341/.362/.523 slash line speaks for itself. He had a .371 wOBA last season against righties, a number that has swollen to .441 in 34 plate appearances this year.

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. Chris Bennett plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: k30kittles, DraftKings: k30kittles.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chris Bennett
Bennett covers baseball, college football and college basketball for RotoWire. Before turning to fantasy writing, he worked in scouting/player development for the Atlanta Braves and Montreal Expos. He's also a fan of the ACC.
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