This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
Tuesday brings another two-game playoff slate on Yahoo and it might be our last one with how the Nationals are steamrolling the Cardinals. Let's take advantage of the opportunity while we still can and discuss how both matchups might play out.
Starting Pitchers
After a dramatic win in Game 2, the Astros have to feel good about having Gerrit Cole ($61) on the mound for Game 3. He's been as dominant as ever in the playoffs, allowing one run and recording 25 strikeouts over 15.2 innings. His floor is incredibly high considering he's recorded at least 10 strikeouts in each of his last 11 starts. Although facing the Yankees at Yankee Stadium is no easy task, he's still the best pitching option on the slate.
While Cole will eat up a significant portion of your budget, Patrick Corbin ($39) checks in at a much more reasonable price. He's made a few relief appearances during the Nationals' playoff run, but just one start so far. It was a good one with him allowing two runs (one earned) and recording nine strikeouts across six innings against the Dodgers. With the Cardinals reeling, this has the makings of a favorable start at home for Corbin. If there is an area of a concern, it's that he came out of the bullpen during Game 2, so his routine might be off. Still, he only threw two pitches, so it's not as if he was taxed in that outing.
Correlations
After hanging eight runs on the Cardinals in Game 3, the Nationals have an excellent opportunity to have another productive night at the plate against Dakota Hudson. He struggled on the road during the regular season, allowing a 1.61 WHIP there compared to a 1.25 WHIP at home. Anthony Rendon ($19) and Juan Soto ($21) are the obvious high-upside bats to build around while Howie Kendrick ($9) is also deserving of consideration. He's stepped up in the playoffs, hitting 11-for-35 (.314) with a home run and four doubles over nine games.
The Yankees are thrilled to have Luis Severino starting playoff games for them after he missed most of the regular season due to injury. However, he constantly pitched around trouble in Game 3 of the ALDS against the Twins, ultimately holding them scoreless across four innings. He hasn't pitched well in the playoffs during his young career, posting a 5.33 ERA across 27 innings. The Astros should be a popular team to pursue, as a result. Jose Altuve ($21) and Alex Bregman ($20) are both pricey, but their ceilings are also extremely high. A more cost-effective Astro to consider is Michael Brantley ($11), who has a hit in both games of this series and had an excellent regular season with a 146 wRC+ against right-handed pitchers.
One-Offs
If you decide to fade Cole, then deploying hitters on the Yankees is likely the way to go. Since Gleyber Torres ($16) is hitting 9-for-22 (.409) with two home runs and four doubles during the Yankees' playoff run, he's arguably one of the top bats to build around. With Cole being a dominant strikeout pitcher, deploying a player who makes better contact could also be a viable route to take. Look no further than DJ LeMahieu ($16), who only had a 13.7 percent strikeout rate during the regular season.
For those looking to take a chance on Corbin having an off night, Paul Goldschmidt ($21) is someone to target. While his first season with the Cardinals wasn't a smashing success, he did record a .395 wOBA against left-handed pitchers. Tommy Edman ($12) also shined with a .399 wOBA versus southpaws.
