This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
We continue to follow our typical weekly pattern of smaller main slates on Wednesdays. A total of seven games kick off before the main slate begins at 7:05 pm ET, leaving us with eight games to work with. It's a fairly top-heavy pitching day and pricing is quite efficient. There are a few hitting environments that stand out as well, which we'll cover below.
Pitchers
The top of the pitcher pool is pretty straightforward. Jack Flaherty ($10,500) has had up and down results since joining the Dodgers, but he's had 24 strikeouts across only 16.2 innings. On Wednesday, he draws the Mariners, the most strikeout-prone team in the league.
Things flatten out a bit from there, but there are two players worth highlighting in the low $8,000 range. Jameson Taillon ($8,400) is the more expensive of the two and is a floor play. That's not typically something we'd want to target – especially at this price – but the draw Wednesday is his matchup against the Tigers. In the last 30 days, the Tigers have struck out at a 24.8 percent clip and a .278 wOBA.
Ryan Pepiot ($8,300) is the flashier choice, but there's also plenty of substance. He has a 26.5 percent strikeout rate, second on the slate only to Flaherty. Pepiot takes on the Athletics, who have been a relatively tough matchup by striking out only 20.7 percent of the time with a .315 wOBA in the last month.
There are a pair of high-variance value options that will square off in Yariel Rodriguez ($7,300) and Nick Martinez ($6,300). Rodriguez is my choice based on both matchup and skills (strikeout rate, specifically) but rostering either is a viable choice.
Top Hitters
Kenta Maeda has shown some improvement as a bulk reliever, but he's had a dreadful season with the Tigers. Ian Happ ($4,600) is some combination of a value and a top hitter, averaging 13 DraftKings points across his last 10 games. He's also the team's leadoff hitter.
Value Batters
Parker Meadows ($3,200) stood out as a value Tuesday and nothing changed one day later. The matchup against Taillon isn't particularly positive, but Meadows has been productive since being recalled and leading off. He's a clear value.
Dylan Carlson ($3,000) isn't the most exciting Ray that's a potential value (Junior Caminero ($3,100) is the obvious option) but he's excelled in his change of scenery since being dealt to the Rays. He's hit .286 with three homers and four extra-base hits in his 14 games. We'll have more on the Rays soon.
Stacks to Consider
New York Yankees vs. Cleveland Guardians (Joey Cantillo): Gleyber Torres ($3,800), Juan Soto ($6,500), Giancarlo Stanton ($4,800)
Cantillo is a relatively highly-regarded prospect, but he's been overwhelmed through three big-league starts. He's allowed multiple runs on two occasions while also struggling to work deep into games. A matchup against Yankee Stadium against Soto and Aaron Judge isn't a place for Cantillo to find his footing. There should be some offensive fireworks as a result.
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Oakland Athletics (Mitch Spence): Yandy Diaz ($3,700), Brandon Lowe ($4,900), Josh Lowe ($3,900)
Spence has stretches of success on his resume, but when things have gone wrong for him they've gone very wrong. That's also happened with some significant frequency. In eight starts since the beginning of July, Spence has allowed at least four earned runs three times. The Rays have been a below-average offense since the trade deadline, but there have been productive pieces nevertheless. That's highlighted by Brandon Lowe and Josh Lowe. Most potential combinations of the rest of the lineup are cheap.
