This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
Wednesday brings plenty of games across baseball, including the continuation of a key series between the Yankees and the Red Sox. Things are also tightening up in the NL Wild Card race with the Reds looking to continue to make a push for a playoff spot against the struggling Cubs. Trying to hold them off is the Padres, who will have to turn to the newly-signed Jake Arrieta in what is not an ideal matchup against the Rockies at Coors Field. One of the better pitching matchups will be Freddy Peralta and the Brewers facing Jack Flaherty and the Cardinals. Let's dive into the main 10-game evening slate on DraftKings and highlight some players to potentially target.
Pitchers
The Braves have used a recent hot streak to take over first place in the NL East. They have a favorable opportunity to stay hot against the Marlins, who have among the worst lineups in baseball. Looking to exploit that matchup will be Charlie Morton ($9,700), who is one of the more appealing pitching options for this slate. His first season with the Braves has been a smashing success given his 3.49 ERA that is supported by a 3.35 FIP. Also, he has a 28.0 percent strikeout rate.
Zack Greinke ($8,100) is coming off of a masterful start against the Angels in which he recorded seven strikeouts over seven shutout innings. He only allowed two base runners for the entire game, lowering his WHIP to 1.12 for the season. While he doesn't miss a ton of bats, his ability to keep hitters off base isn't anything new given his career 1.16 WHIP. It wouldn't be a surprise to see him thrive against the Royals, who have the fifth-worst OPS in baseball.
The Rangers have been a team to target against given that they have the worst OPS in baseball. They will be facing the Mariners and Marco Gonzales ($7,600), who also started against them in his last outing. He dominated, allowing one run and recording nine strikeouts in a complete game. He also started against the Rangers earlier in the month, allowing one run across six innings in that game. Expect him to be a popular option in DFS, and rightfully so.
Top Targets
The Dodgers could be in line for a high-scoring night against the Pirates with JT Brubaker ($6,800) on the mound. He has a 5.15 FIP and has allowed 2.0 HR/9. Among the more appealing players on the Dodgers is Max Muncy ($5,700), who certainly brings plenty of power to the plate given that he had a .285 ISO entering play Tuesday.
The reason why Nick Pivetta ($8,900) was successful at the start of the season was that he wasn't allowing many home runs, which has normally been a troublesome area for him throughout his career. That's changed down the stretch, though, with him allowing 14 home runs over his last 64.2 innings. That makes the powerful duo of Aaron Judge ($5,400) and Joey Gallo ($4,500) two top targets.
Bargain Bats
Brady Singer ($6,400) has been a bit unlucky this season given that he has a 5.42 ERA, but a 3.87 FIP. His problem has been a .367 BABIP allowed despite just a 4.6 percent barrel rate allowed. Given his 22.1 percent strikeout rate, though, he doesn't leave himself with a big margin for error. The Astros will present a tough matchup and Michael Brantley ($3,900) has the potential to provide value. While he doesn't bring much power to the plate, he's an extremely tough out considering he entered Tuesday with a 10.8 percent strikeout rate and a .374 wOBA.
The Mariners' lineup isn't bursting with talented hitters, which normally means they should be avoided in DFS. However, a matchup against Mike Foltynewicz ($5,100) and his 6.20 FIP could lead to a productive evening. Among the players with a cheaper salary on their roster to consider is Abraham Toro ($4,100), who entered Tuesday with a 1.002 OPS since being acquired from the Astros.
Stacks to Consider
Red Sox vs. Andrew Heaney ($7,900), Yankees: J.D. Martinez ($4,800), Xander Bogaerts ($5,200), Hunter Renfroe ($4,100)
Simply put, Heaney has been a disaster since joining the Yankees. Across three starts with his new squad, he's allowed 15 runs over 15 innings. He gave up eight home runs during that stretch and has now allowed 24 of them over 109 innings this season. His propensity for giving up the long ball could be his undoing against the Red Sox, as well. Martinez and Bogaerts are two of their more high-profiled hitters to consider, but don't sleep on Renfroe. He has a career .294 ISO against left-handed pitchers.
Braves vs. Jesus Luzardo ($6,100), Marlins: Ozzie Albies ($5,000), Austin Riley ($4,600), Dansby Swanson ($4,800)
Luzardo has continued to disappoint after being traded to the Marlins. In fact, he's been about as bad as Heaney, allowing 15 runs over 14.2 innings. The good news is that he "only" gave up three home runs during that stretch, but he was done in by a 1.91 WHIP. That's not a new area of difficultly for him given his 1.71 WHIP for the season. This matchup is especially enticing for Albies, who has a career 150 wRC+ versus lefties.
Rays vs. Spenser Watkins ($5,500), Orioles: Brandon Lowe ($5,300), Wander Franco ($5,300), Austin Meadows ($4,700)
Watkins is yet another pitcher in a long line of struggling starters for the Orioles in recent years. He's given up at least four runs in each of his last four outings, leaving him with a 5.25 ERA and a 4.96 FIP with the Orioles, overall. While he did have a 3.58 ERA at Triple-A, his 5.12 FIP was a warning sign of things to come. This could be another great matchup to roll with Lowe, who entered Tuesday with five home runs and two doubles over his last nine games.
