This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
We've reached the end of August. Wednesday brings not just the final day of another month of baseball, but nine games on the DFS docket. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m. EDT. Here are my lineup recommendations.
Pitching
Gerrit Cole, NYY at LAA ($11,100): Cole is the kind of pitcher who can rack up 200 strikeouts in a season and post a 3.31 ERA, and we kind of take it for granted. Don't let that be the case Wednesday. He gets a team in the Angels who rank 25th in runs scored and have a sub-.300 OBP.
Kyle Wright, ATL vs. COL ($10,800): Wright finally got a chance to stick in the rotation, and he's taken to it quite well. Through 24 starts, more than double his previous career total, he has a 2.99 ERA. Since this game isn't at Coors Field, I'm not worried about the Rockies as a matchup.
Michael Wacha, BOS at MIN ($9,400): I certainly wasn't expecting Wacha to post a 2.53 ERA through 16 starts with the Red Sox, but here we are. It's not like he's falling off either, as he has a 2.61 ERA since the start of June. The Twins are middling in terms of runs scored, and Byron Buxton is once again banged up. It's not a great day for pitchers, so I'd consider Wacha.
Top Targets
One season into his MLB career, Julio Rodriguez ($3,600) already has a 20-20 season to his name. He also has a chance take on lefty Tyler Alexander on Wednesday. In his last six starts, Alexander has a 5.70 ERA.
Bobby Witt ($3,500) has been effectively the poor man's Rodriguez this season, as he has 18 home runs and 26 stolen bases. He's not quite the same hitter as his fellow rookie, but the Royal is racking up the counting stats for fantasy players. It's been a tough season for Lance Lynn, who has a 5.00 ERA and has allowed 1.75 home runs per nine innings.
Bargain Bats
It seems like Luke Voit ($2,900) may be the reverse-splits type. Since 2020, the righty has an .849 OPS versus right-handed pitchers. He also has four homers in 19 games since being dealt to Washington. James Kaprielian just allowed eight runs in 2.2 innings, and he now has a 5.22 FIP.
Hey, when consider the fact Seth Brown ($2,500) has a .753 OPS versus righties and a .769 OPS on the road, he kind of looks like a viable option! Well that's the scenario Wednesday. Not only that, but Anibal Sanchez is in line to start for the Nats. He has a 6.86 FIP and had allowed 2.52 home runs per nine innings.
Stacks to Consider
Atlanta vs. Rockies (Ryan Feltner): Matt Olson ($4,000), Dansby Swanson ($3,800), Michael Harris ($3,600)
The Coors Field factor isn't everything. In his career, Feltner has a 6.06 ERA on the road. Sure, that's better than his 6.75 ERA at home but, you know, it's still bad. Atlanta features one of baseball's top lineups, and I included two lefties with a righty on the mound.
Over the last three weeks Olson has a .926 OPS and six home runs. He had reverse splits in 2021, but this year he has an .849 OPS against righties. Not that lefties are necessary here! Feltner has allowed righties to hit .291 against him in 2022. That bodes well for Swanson, who has hit .288 with 17 homers and 16 stolen bases. The rookie Harris already has 13 homers and 16 stolen bases. He also has a .919 OPS versus right handers.
White Sox vs. Royals (Kris Bubic): Jose Abreu ($3,200), Eloy Jimenez ($3,000), Andrew Vaughn ($3,000)
Bubic has allowed the fewest home runs of his career, 1.27 per nine innings. Even so, he has a 5.62 ERA. Even if you think perhaps he's been a bit unlucky, his 4.79 FIP is poor as well. Plus, in five August starts Bubic has a 6.12 ERA.
Abreu has hit .309 this year, and since 2020 he has a .945 OPS against southpaws. His power has dipped a bit at home this season, but he slugged over .500 at home in each of his previous two campaigns. I'll chalk it up to bad luck. Jimenez may be limited to DHing due to a lingering foot issue, but he's slashed .308/.378/.470, so that should work out just fine. He also has a .989 OPS at home. Vaughn is hitting .287 in his second season, and he'll be happy to see a southpaw on the mound. In his career he has an .889 OPS against lefties.
Blue Jays vs. Cubs (Luke Farrell): Vladimir Guerrero ($4,000), Bo Bichette ($3,300), Matt Chapman ($3,100)
We have Farrell as the projected starter Wednesday, and since this game is in Toronto the Cubs are, ahem, without a full arsenal of pitchers. Farrell has a career 5.17 FIP and has spent most of his career pitching in relief. Two chances to face him should be enough for this trio for Toronto.
Guerrero had been in a power drought until going yard last night, but he still has 27 home runs this season. He's also hit righties better this year to the tune of an .853 OPS. Even in a down year, Bichette has 17 home runs and nine stolen bases. He also has a .750 OPS over the last three weeks. Chapman has racked up 24 home runs, plus an appreciation for his new ballpark. There, he has an .884 OPS.
