Yahoo DFS Baseball: Thursday Picks

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Published on October 20, 2022

The NLCS will take the day off Thursday, leaving us with just Game 2 of the ALCS. The Astros took care of business in Game 1, winning 4-2 at home. Justin Verlander was excellent, allowing one run and recording 11 strikeouts across six innings. They will turn to Framber Valdez for Game 2, while the Yankees while try to even things up behind Luis Severino. Let's highlight some players to target for Yahoo's single game contest.

Multiplier Spots

Yordan Alvarez ($24) didn't record a hit in Game 1, but he did manage two walks. He's the scariest member of the Astros' lineup, posting a .306 ISO and a .427 wOBA during the regular season. What's impressive is that, for a player with his power, he only had an 18.9 percent strikeout rate. He has the highest salary of any player in this game, but he could be worth it.

Harrison Bader ($18) couldn't be playing much better in his first postseason with the Yankees. He hit another home run in Game 1, giving him four total in the playoffs. When a player is as locked in as he is, it's difficult to fade him, especially in a single-game format. His salary also won't destroy your budget, making him even more appealing.

Flex Spots

Alex Bregman ($17) is yet another hitter in the Astros' lineup that makes a lot of contact, posting just an 11.7 percent strikeout rate during the regular season. He finished with a .358 wOBA during the regular season, but this game being played at home could be a big boost for him. While he only had a .300 wOBA on the road, he had a .416 wOBA at home.

Make no mistake about it, Giancarlo Stanton ($14) did not have a good regular season. Yes, he clubbed 31 home runs over 110 games. However, he only had a .327 wOBA to go along with his 30.3 percent strikeout rate. His power makes him an intriguing option at a cheaper salary, especially since he's already hit two home runs during the Yankees' playoff run.

It's not often that you see Jose Altuve ($12) in a funk like this. Through the Astros' first four playoff games, he is 0-for-19 at the plate. He has a career .862 OPS in the playoffs, so don't expect him to be held down for too long. If he does catch fire, he won't be available at this cheap of a salary for much longer.

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. Mike Barner plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: mbarner, DraftKings: mbarner51.