This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
Wednesday only brings eight games for the main evening slate on DraftKings. There are a lot of great starting pitching options, though, which might make runs difficult to come by in several games. Let's dive into the matchups and highlight some players to consider.
Pitchers
Among the big-name pitchers set to take the mound are Jacob deGrom ($11,000), Gerrit Cole ($10,500) and Clayton Kershaw ($10,000). deGrom carries crazy strikeout upside, but he also comes with plenty of risk. He left his last start against the Padres with an elbow issue after allowing one hit and recording 10 strikeouts across six shutout innings. He's been cleared to make this start against the Cubs, and if there were no health concerns around him at all, he would be someone to build your lineup around. However, given his injury concern, he might be someone who is only worth considering in tournament play.
Working our way past the top-tier brings us to Anthony DeSclafani ($7,000), who has been excellent for the Giants this season with a 3.09 ERA and 3.61 FIP. His numbers are that good even with an outing against the Dodgers factored in when he allowed 10 runs across 2.2 innings. He'll have a much easier matchup here against the Diamondbacks, who have the ninth-worst OPS in baseball.
If you want to take a chance on a pitcher with a cheap salary in tournament play, then Bailey Ober ($4,600) might be your man. After struggling in his big-league debut against the White Sox, he's rebounded to allow three runs over nine innings in his last two starts. He also generated 11 strikeouts during that stretch, which is noteworthy given that he had 21 strikeouts across 16 innings at Triple-A. He certainly has a favorable matchup against the Mariners, who have the second-worst OPS in baseball.
Top Targets
One of the few hitters on the Yankees who has played well this season is Aaron Judge ($5,700). He sat out Sunday because of back spasms, but he made his return to the lineup Tuesday. While his power numbers are down slightly, they are still good considering his .235 ISO. Also, his increased walk rate has helped him generate a .387 wOBA. Expect him to be a tough out for Ross Stripling ($6,100), who has a 1.38 WHIP and has allowed 1.7 HR/9.
With injuries hitting their starting rotation, the Cubs will turn to Robert Stock ($4,000) to take the mound against the Mets. The 31-year-old has been a journeyman in the minor leagues, only pitching a total of 63.2 career innings in the majors. He's mostly pitched in relief at Triple-A, so this could end up being a bullpen game for the Cubs. That could make Pete Alonso ($5,200), who is 16-for-51 (.314) with four home runs across 14 games since returning from injury, someone to target.
Bargain Bats
Staying with the Mets' matchup against Stock, Billy McKinney ($3,200) could be someone to pursue if you can't squeeze Alonso's salary into your budget. He's been forced to play every day with all of the Mets' injuries and he's responded by hitting 14-for-48 (.292) with four home runs and five doubles over his last 15 games.
If you decide not to take a chance on Ober, then rolling with Jake Fraley ($3,700) could be a wise move. He's shown and incredible eye at the plate since being called up from Triple-A, recording a 28.2 percent walk rate. That's not the only appealing part of his game, either, given his .255 ISO.
Stacks to Consider
Astros vs. Jordan Lyles ($5,400), Rangers: Yordan Alvarez ($4,700), Carlos Correa ($4,800), Michael Brantley ($3,900)
The Astros should be one of the more popular teams to stack for this slate given their matchup against Lyles, who has a 5.37 ERA and 4.90 FIP. He's allowed 1.6 HR/9, putting him on pace to allow at least 1.6 HR/9 for the fourth time in the last five seasons. The Astros have one of the most dangerous lineups in baseball, so this could get ugly for the Rangers in a hurry. Brantley has been locked in since returning from injury, hitting 14-for-24 (.583) with five doubles over six games.
Braves vs. Garrett Richards ($6,600), Red Sox: Ronald Acuna Jr. ($5,900), Freddie Freeman ($5,100), Austin Riley ($4,900)
Richards has been playing with fire all season on his way to a 4.09 ERA and 3.83 FIP. His WHIP stands at an unsightly 1.59 thanks to his 11.0 percent walk rate. He's not missing many bats, either, given his 19.7 percent walk rate. It wouldn't be a surprise to see him struggle on any given night, especially in a matchup against the Braves. Freeman has certainly been a disappointment with his .237 batting average, but he's been pretty unlucky when you consider his .240 BABIP despite having an 11.8 percent barrel rate.
Indians vs. Keegan Akin ($5,900), Orioles: Jose Ramirez ($6,000), Amed Rosario ($3,800), Harold Ramirez ($2,900)
It's usually not a bad idea to consider stacking against the Orioles, especially on a limited slate like this one. Their 1.38 team WHIP is the sixth-highest mark in baseball. Akin hasn't been quite that bad, but his 1.33 WHIP is still underwhelming. He hasn't pitched more than five innings in any of his seven appearances either, which means the Indians could see added at-bats against the Orioles' lackluster bullpen. Rosario has been one of the Indians' hottest players, hitting 23-for-59 (.390) with two home runs over his last 15 games.
