This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
While there are several early start times across baseball on Wednesday, we still have nine games making up the main evening slate on DraftKings. There are some exciting matchups amongst the bunch, as well, including the Yankees hosting the Blue Jays and the Red Sox taking on the Braves. Let's discuss some players to consider as you build your lineups.
Pitchers
Tyler Glasnow ($10,500) is just happy that he's not facing the Blue Jays again. In two starts against them this season, he's allowed 10 runs across 10.2 innings. Against everyone else, he's allowed 10 runs over 51.1 innings. Add in his 36.0 percent strikeout rate and he could be a dominant force against the Royals, who entered Tuesday ranked inside the bottom-third of baseball in OPS.
One thing that you're not likely to get from Marcus Stroman ($9,200) is strikeouts. He has a 20.3 percent strikeout rate this season, which is close to on par with his 19.6 percent career mark. However, he doesn't walk many hitters and he generates a lot of groundballs, which has helped him record a 3.74 FIP and a 1.08 WHIP. Don't be surprised if he provides value at home against the Rockies, who have an abysmal .583 OPS on the road.
Staying in that same game, German Marquez ($6,700) is also someone to consider. His 4.82 ERA leaves a lot to be desired, but his FIP is better at 3.97 and he's only allowed 0.9 HR/9. His problem has been a lack of control, leaving him with a 12.8 percent walk rate. With that being said, the Mets have been decimated by injuries to their lineup, which has contributed to them posting the third-worst OPS in baseball entering Tuesday. If there was ever a matchup for Marquez to shine, this is it.
Top Targets
After playing his home games at Coors Field for his entire career, a move to the Reds has been a welcomed one for Jeff Hoffman ($6,300). However, he's not exactly thriving with his new team based on his 4.31 FIP and 1.46 WHIP. He's also shown very little control, leaving him with a 12.4 percent walk rate. Add in his underwhelming 19.2 percent career strikeout rate and this could be a prime spot to deploy Juan Soto ($6,100). While he hasn't hit for much power this season, he still has more walks than strikeouts.
Jose Urena ($5,700) is usually a pitcher to target in DFS. He only has a career 15.9 percent walk rate and his 1.48 WHIP comes on the heels of him posting back-to-back seasons with a WHIP of at least 1.48, as well. The problem is that he'll be facing the Indians, who don't exactly have many potent bats. Their biggest weapon at the plate is Jose Ramirez ($5,900), who could take advantage of his favorable matchup considering his .292 ISO and .375 wOBA entering Tuesday.
Bargain Bats
Jonathan Schoop ($3,300) has shown signs of turning things around after a slow start, entering Tuesday having hit 11-for-39 (.282) with a home run and three doubles over his last nine games. Given that he's slugged at least 21 home runs in each of the last four full seasons, and that he hit eight across just 44 games last year, he could provide value in a matchup against an Indians team that is searching for starting pitching options and had yet to officially name a starter as of late Tuesday night.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. ($3,000) is another player who started off poorly, but has started to perk up lately. Entering Tuesday, he was 15-for-35 (.429) with a home run and three doubles over his last nine games. He's coming off of back-to-back seasons with a wOBA of at least .358, so he could provide value against Domingo German ($9,600), who has allowed 1.7 HR/9 for his career.
Stacks to Consider
Red Sox vs. Drew Smyly ($7,200), Braves: J.D. Martinez ($6,000), Xander Bogaerts ($5,700), Enrique Hernandez ($4,200)
There hasn't been much to like about Smyly's start to the season given that he has a 5.11 ERA and a 6.36 FIP. He can't seem to keep hitters inside the ballpark, allowing 11 home runs over 37 innings. That's not a new trend for him, either, given that he's allowed 1.5 HR/9 for his career. Martinez and Bogaerts are two big bats on the Red Sox with tremendous upside, while Hernandez is worth considering because he has a career .345 wOBA against left-handed pitchers.
Reds vs. Joe Ross ($8,000), Nationals: Nick Castellanos ($5,500), Jesse Winker ($5,800), Tyler Naquin ($4,300)
Ross has been all over the map this season. He's allowed one or no runs in three of his eight starts, but he's also had two outings in which he allowed at least eight runs. The end result has been a 5.72 ERA that is supported by a 5.97 FIP. His 1.47 WHIP is a concern that might not go away given that he has a career 1.38 WHIP. The Reds had the fifth-highest OPS in baseball entering Tuesday, which makes this a dangerous matchup for Ross. Winker has really taken his game to the next level, recording a .329 ISO and a .463 wOBA.
Padres vs. Adrian Houser ($8,000), Brewers: Fernando Tatis Jr. ($6,500), Eric Hosmer ($4,900), Jake Cronenworth ($5,700)
House or Josh Lindblom ($6,000) could start this game for the Brewers. Given that Lindblom hasn't pitched more than 3.2 innings in any of his appearances this season, he could just be an opener if he does start. He's been awful, anyways, with a 2.18 WHIP across 14.2 innings. Houser isn't much more than an innings-eater. He's followed up his disappointing 5.30 ERA and 4.82 FIP last season with a 4.53 ERA and 5.23 FIP through his first nine starts of 2021. The combination of his career 1.35 WHIP and 21.5 percent strikeout rate doesn't exactly leave him with a bright future, either. After entering Spring Training with a bit of a question mark surrounding his role on the team. Cronenworth has thrived as an everyday player, posting a 135 wRC+ to go along with a 13.2 percent strikeout rate entering Tuesday.
