This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
Baseball made it through an abbreviated regular season and now turns its attention towards the playoffs. We have four series that will get underway Tuesday, which also brings us another opportunity for some DFS action on Yahoo. Here are some players to consider as you build your entry.
Pitchers
With a lot of good teams set to start off series, that means it is ace day. That also means you'll need to pay up for the position. One of the best pitchers on the table will be Gerrit Cole ($52), who finished his first season in pinstripes with a 2.84 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP. His FIP wasn't as spectacular at 3.89 and his strikeout rate was down compared to the last couple of seasons, but it was still excellent at 32.6 percent. This is a great matchup against the Indians, who posted the fourth-lowest OPS (.689) in the league this season.
If you're looking to save a little at pitcher, Blake Snell ($39) is a viable target. He wasn't overly sharp this season despite what his 3.24 ERA would lead you to believe. His FIP finished at 4.35 and he allowed a career-high 1.8 HR/9. However, he still missed plenty of bats with a 31 percent strikeout rate. The last time he took the mound against the Blue Jays, he held them to two runs while recording nine strikeouts across 5.2 innings. The one downside with Snell is that he usually doesn't pitch deep into games since he failed to pitch at least six innings in any of his 11 starts.
Top Targets
Jose Abreu ($23) was one of the most productive hitters in baseball this season. He played in all 60 games for the White Sox, slugging 19 home runs and recording 60 RBI to go along with his 167 wRC+. On a day filled with excellent starting pitchers, rolling with an established hitter who normally hits for a high average is not a crazy idea. It could also help his cause that the A's are starting Jesus Luzardo ($32) since Abreu has a career .389 wOBA against left-handed pitchers.
There are few hitters across the league who enter the playoffs as hot as George Springer ($22). He was on a tear in September, hitting 31-for-91 (.341) with nine home runs across his final 23 games. Just as encouraging was that he only had a 15.2 percent strikeout rate during that stretch. Kenta Maeda ($50) was excellent for the Twins, but it is worth noting that nine of his 11 starts came against teams who ranked inside the bottom-seven in the league in OPS.
Bargain Bats
Punting catcher isn't a bad idea. There are few good offensive options, to begin with, so rolling with a player at the minimum salary can help you spend up elsewhere. Expect Kyle Higashioka ($7) to be in the lineup for the Yankees since he has become Cole's personal catcher. He's provided some power from behind the plate, following up his .250 ISO in 2019 with a .271 ISO this season.
Another minimum salary player to consider is Jake Lamb ($7). Forced into more playing time because of injuries, he finished the season 12-for-45 (.267) with three home runs and four doubles across his last 13 games. He should in the lineup with right-hander Lucas Giolito ($51) starting for the White Sox.
Stacks to Consider
Twins vs. Zack Greinke ($33), Astros: Nelson Cruz ($18), Eddie Rosario ($17), Luis Arraez ($9)
For the first time since 2016, Greinke finished a season with an ERA over 4.00. However, his 2.80 FIP indicates he had another excellent campaign. Still, he's one of the least overwhelming pitchers set to take the mound across these four games given his 24.5 percent strikeout rate. Cruz and Rosario bring the power to this stack while Arraez is an excellent contact hitter who has a .390 OBP for his career.
Yankees vs. Shane Bieber ($58), Indians: DJ LeMahieu ($20), Luke Voit ($17), Gio Urshela ($14)
This is purely a contrarian option in tournament play. Bieber has obviously been one of the best pitchers in baseball, posting a 2.07 FIP and a 0.87 WHIP to go along with an insane 41.1 percent strikeout rate. Still, this is a dangerous trio that won't exactly destroy your budget. Voit brings tons of power with his .333 ISO while both LeMahieu and Urshela produced a wOBA of at least .365. Again, this is only a stack to consider if you're looking to go with players in a tournament who likely won't be included in a lot of lineups.
