This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
Wednesday's nine-game main slate features three elite pitchers at the top. Those who don't want to spend down will be happy to know that we have identified two stacks that won't break the bank, which should allow prospective owners to spend to their heart's content for hurlers.
Pitching
Clayton Kershaw, LAD at ARI ($10,500): Kershaw put up a tidy 31.1 DraftKings points in his start against the D-Backs last week, allowing just one hit and striking out eight over six innings. This matchup has gotten even better for Kershaw since I recommended the initial play five days ago, as Arizona now holds the lowest wOBA in the league against left-handed pitching.
Zach Davies, SD vs. COL ($8,700): Davies' 4.28 xFIP may have some prospective owners balking at this price, but the right-hander has a few major points in his favor that makes this play one of the best on the slate. The first thing to note is that the Rockies are a bottom-5 team on the road according to wOBA. We should also keep in mind that Davies holds the most effective changeup in the league according to RAA (8.2), while the Rockies hold the third-lowest RAA against the pitch.
Dane Dunning, CWS at PIT ($6,500): Dunning hasn't pitched more than five innings in any of his three starts this year, but he can still do damage at this price thanks to the 31 percent strikeout rate he has logged in 14 innings. The Pirates have tallied the lowest wOBA in the league against righty pitching and should be held in check by Dunning's 50 percent groundball rate, as they hit the ball on the ground at a 47 percent clip.
Top Hitters
Mike Trout, LAA at TEX ($5,900): To the surprise of no one, Trout is back atop the offensive leaderboards once again on the strength of the mammoth .772 slugging percentage he has logged in 101 at-bats against righty pitching. Kyle Cody has yet to allow a run in his 7.1 frames this year, but the five walks he has allowed over that span have contributed to an xFIP over 6.00 against right-handed pitching.
Eloy Jimenez, CWS at PIT ($5,200): Jimenez seems to have improved his power stroke in his sophomore season, as we can see from the .555 slugging percentage he has tallied in 110 at-bats against right-handed hurlers. JT Brubaker has really struggled at home in 2020, tallying a 5.40 ERA in four starts.
Michael Conforto, NYM vs. BAL ($4,800): Jorge Lopez has thrown the ball well at home this year but has been trounced on the road to the tune of a 7.11 ERA in three starts. Conforto has rounded out his game nicely since starting 2020 slowly against right-handed pitching. He currently holds a .551 slugging percentage against his opposite hand.
Best Values
Renato Nunez, BAL at NYM ($4,600): Nunez has kept a fairly pronounced split in 2020, tallying a .554 slugging percentage against right-handed pitchers as opposed to a .360 slugging percentage against opposite-handed pitchers. This dovetails nicely with Rick Porcello's own reverse split, as he has allowed a .517 slugging percentage against same-handed opposition.
Miguel Rojas, MIA at ATL ($3,900): It seems odd to place Rojas in a section regarding the best DFS hitters, as he has been a light-hitting infielder for much of his career, but it's hard to ignore what the veteran has done at the plate in 2020. This is particularly true when it comes to lefty pitchers, against whom Rojas has tallied a .905 slugging percentage in 21 at-bats. Meanwhile, Tommy Milone has struggled mightily against right-handed hitters, allowing a .583 slugging percentage in 115 at-bats.
Joey Gallo, TEX vs. LAA ($3,800): Gallo hasn't quite brought the thunder we are used to seeing in 2020, but still holds a .223 ISO in 39 games. Julio Teheran's next double-digit DraftKings score this season will be his first. He has allowed a .727 slugging percentage against left-handed hitters in 44 at-bats.
Stacks to Consider
Mets against Jorge Lopez: Michael Conforto ($4,800) Pete Alonso ($4,400) Robinson Cano ($4,400)
It's a pleasant surprise when we can get a stack as talented as this without having to pay exorbitant prices. This is particularly true in the cases of Alonso and Cano, as the former has notched an ISO of .323 this season, while Cano has kept a .584 slugging percentage in 77 at-bats against right-handed pitching.
Marlins against Tommy Milone: Starling Marte ($5,400) Miguel Rojas ($3,900) Garrett Cooper ($3,500)
We have one player priced at a premium in Marte, but much like our other stack, we are able to roster some powerful bats against a mediocre hurler at value prices. We spoke about Rojas above, but this is also true for Garrett Cooper, who has tallied a .283 ISO in 46 at-bats this year.
