This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
Baseball is looking at a packed schedule consisting of 13 games Wednesday. However, with several day games, only seven games will make up the main evening slate on DraftKings. Let's dig into the matchups and highlight some players to consider for your lineups.
Pitchers
Robbie Ray ($9,200) wasn't exactly sharp in his last start against the Orioles, allowing eight base runners across 4.1 innings. However, he was able to limit the damage to two runs, marking the 11th time out of 13 starts this season that he has allowed three runs or fewer. He's also been an excellent source for strikeouts, posting a 31.5 percent rate in that category. This is a favorable spot to deploy him in DFS for his start against the Marlins, who have struck out the sixth-most times in baseball.
James Kaprielian ($8,400) has only had one bad outing since being recalled from Triple-A and he's making a case to stay in the A's rotation long term. His WHIP through seven starts is 1.11 and he has a 26.8 percent strikeout rate, but there is still some cause for concern given that his FIP (4.16) is significantly higher than his ERA (2.84). Still, he's a great option for his matchups against the Rangers, who have the fifth-worst OPS in baseball.
The Astros have a plethora of young starters who have pitched well, one of which is Jose Urquidy ($8,100). He's shown excellent control, posting a 4.4 percent walk rate that has helped him record a 1.00 WHIP. That's propelled him to allowing three or fewer runs in nine of his 12 starts. Facing the Orioles in Baltimore isn't as favorable as if he was facing them in Houston, but on a limited slate, Urquidy is still an appealing option.
Top Targets
Has DJ LeMahieu ($4,900) finally broken out of his slump? It sure seems like it given that he's 14-for-43 (.326) with three home runs and three doubles over his last 10 games. He has just a 4.3 percent strikeout rate during that stretch, lowering his overall mark for the season to 15.6 percent. Don't be surprised if he keeps things rolling against Danny Duffy ($8,500) given his career .362 wOBA versus left-handed pitchers.
Injuries and doubleheaders have wreaked havoc on the Mets' starting rotation. It's expected that they will recall Tylor Megill to start Wednesday, who has only pitched a total of 40.1 career innings above Single-A. The inexperienced righty will have a tough matchup against the Braves, specifically Ronald Acuna Jr. ($6,200). Not only has Acuna lowered his strikeout rate by 6.5 percentage points compared to last season, but he also has a career-high .417 wOBA.
Bargain Bats
The Braves are also in a tough spot with their starting rotation, which will likely force them to turn to Kyle Wright ($7,400) to start against the Mets. He struggled through eight starts last season, recording a 5.90 FIP and a 1.55 WHIP. This might be the night to take a chance on Dominic Smith ($3,900), who has started to perk up a bit, hitting 8-for-27 (.296) with two home runs and two doubles over his last 10 games.
It's been an injury-plagued start to the season for Luke Voit ($4,000), who has only appeared in 13 games. He was just activated from his second stint on the IL on Tuesday and he returned in style, hitting 2-for-3 with a home run and a triple. Given his career .371 wOBA at Yankee Stadium, he could provide value at his cheap salary.
Stacks to Consider
Astros vs. Tom Eshelman ($5,100), Orioles: Jose Altuve ($5,700), Yordan Alvarez ($5,000), Michael Brantley ($4,100)
With injuries hitting their already underwhelming starting rotation, the Orioles will turn to Eshelman to make his second start of the season. He has a career 6.48 FIP and 1.39 WHIP in the majors and he didn't pitch well at Triple-A this season, either, with a 5.91 FIP and 1.42 WHIP. The Astros could be in line to score plenty of runs in this game with Altuve possibly being a key contributor. After a down 2020 campaign, he's bounced back to record a .219 ISO and a .374 wOBA.
Athletics vs. Mike Foltynewicz ($5,500), Rangers: Matt Olson ($5,500), Ramon Laureano ($4,300), Mark Canha ($4,700)
Foltynewicz has been done in by the longball this season, allowing 17 home runs over 74 innings. He also has a 1.43 WHIP, which further complicates matters. Olson could be a particularly tough out for Foltynewicz given that he only has a 16.2 percent strikeout rate to go along with his .311 ISO. Laureano has bounced back from disappointing power numbers in 2020 to record a .254 ISO this season.
Royals vs. Michael King ($7,100), Yankees: Whit Merrifield ($5,200), Salvador Perez ($5,100), Carlos Santana ($4,300)
The Royals don't have a ton of potent hitters in their lineup and are further compromised right now with Adalberto Mondesi (oblique) and Andrew Benintendi (ribs) on the IL. However, they could still be a team to consider stacking in tournament play for their matchup against King. After taking over for Corey Kluber (shoulder), King has allowed 13 runs (11 earned) across 15.2 innings. He also has a bloated 1.60 WHIP during that stretch. Perez stands out as one of the top options on the Royals to consider given that he is 29-for-93 (.312) with nine home runs and four doubles over his last 23 games.
