This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
The second round of the American League playoffs gets underway Monday with the Astros taking on the Athletics and the Yankees facing the Rays. With it comes another Yahoo DFS slate, although we'll be looking at very limited options. Here are some players to consider as you build your entry.
Pitchers
The Yankees signed Gerrit Cole ($56) to be the ace that they so desperately have needed for the playoffs. He was as good as it gets against the Indians in the Wild Card round, allowing two runs and recording 13 strikeouts across seven innings. That came on the heels of him allowing one or no earned runs in each of his final four starts of the regular season. He stands out as the most appealing pitching option and will likely be included in a lot of entries despite his lofty salary.
If you're looking for a budget-friendly option, then Chris Bassitt ($35) could be your man. He was excellent during the regular season, posting a 2.29 ERA and a 3.59 FIP. Not one to blow many hitters away, he was able to be successful because of his 1.16 WHIP and the fact that he only allowed 0.9 HR/9. The Astros' lineup hasn't been nearly as potent as in years past, so Bassitt could get the A's off to a good start to this series.
Top Targets
If you decide to avoid Bassitt, then rolling with Alex Bregman ($16) could be a wise move. He had a down year by hitting .242 with a .345 wOBA, but his .254 BABIP was also about 40 points lower than his career mark. Part of that can be attributed to his career-low 33.6 percent hard-hit rate. On the bright side, he still didn't strike out much and he once again had an excellent walk rate (13.3 percent). He's one of the most talented hitters in the league, so he could go off in any given game.
It's not often that a catcher makes this section, but Sean Murphy ($16) has earned it. He had a hit in all three games against the White Sox and launched a home run in Game 3. Dating back to the regular season, he's now on a five-game hitting streak that also included two doubles. Power is the name of the game for this young catcher given his career .254 ISO.
Bargain Bats
When Cole starts, the Yankees usually turn to Kyle Higashioka ($9) behind the plate. The two have worked extremely well together since Higashioka became his personal catcher, so there's no reason to change things up now. He did log a hit in Game 1 against the Indians and he showed power this season with a .271 ISO, which came after recorded a .250 ISO in 2019.
Stacks to Consider
Yankees vs. Blake Snell ($47), Rays: DJ LeMahieu ($19), Luke Voit ($19), Gio Urshela ($14)
Snell had his problems keeping hitters inside the ballpark this season, allowing 10 home runs across 50 innings. That could end up being his downfall against the Yankees, who boast one of the most powerful lineups in baseball. The last time he started against them, he allowed three runs and two home runs across five innings. This trio of right-handed hitters had stellar regular seasons and carried the Yankees through various injuries in their lineup. LeMahieu has torched left-handed pitchers, posting a wRC+ of at least 179 against them in back-to-back seasons.
Athletics vs. Lance McCullers Jr. ($33), Astros: Marcus Semien ($17), Tommy La Stella ($13), Ramon Laureano ($9)
If you think that the Yankees and Rays will produce a low-scoring game and roll with both Cole and Snell as your pitchers, then this trio of bats could go a long ways toward helping your budget while also providing upside. La Stella logged a hit in all three games against the White Sox and has been a huge addition for the team, finishing the regular season 28-for-90 (.311) with a home run and six doubles over his final 25 games. Although Semien couldn't duplicate his monstrous power production from 2019, he did hit seven home runs across 53 games this season and he went 3-for-12 with a home run and a double in the first round against the White Sox.
