This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
With several day games on the schedule Wednesday, we are left with just nine games that make up the main evening slate on DraftKings. Let's dive into those matchups and highlight some players to consider while building your lineups.
Pitchers
Zack Wheeler ($10,300) has been locked in on the mound, allowing no runs in four of his last five starts. What's even more impressive is that two of those games came against dangerous lineups in the Dodgers and Padres. Wheeler has done a great job of keeping hitters off base, leaving him with a 0.94 WHIP for the season. He's also missing plenty of bats with his 31.3 percent strikeout rate. That stat is noteworthy for his matchup versus the Cubs, who have struck out the fourth-most times in baseball.
Alex Wood ($8,500) hasn't given the Giants much length lately, logging 5.1 innings or fewer in five of his last six starts. On the bright side, he does have 27 strikeouts across 19.1 innings over his last four starts. He has two factors working in his favor for his matchup with the Cardinals. First, they have the sixth-worst OPS in baseball. Second, the game will be played in San Francisco, where Wood has a 3.39 FIP and 1.16 WHIP.
The Yankees are thin on starting pitching options, so Domingo German ($7,700) isn't in danger of losing his spot in the rotation despite his recent struggles. It's been ugly, though, with him allowing 18 runs (17 earned) over 15.1 innings in his last four starts. If there was ever a time for him to get back on track, it could be for this matchup against the Mariners. German's problem has been his inability to limit home runs. For his career, he's allowed 1.7 HR/9. That might not be an issue in this game given that the Mariners only have a .361 slugging percentage at home.
Top Targets
Alec Mills ($7,400) has followed up his underwhelming 4.48 ERA and 5.44 FIP last season with a 4.85 ERA and 4.14 FIP this year. His WHIP has jumped all the way up to 1.45, which is a problem when you also factor in his 18.6 percent walk rate. Add in his career .371 wOBA allowed to left-handed hitters and Bryce Harper ($4,600) could be in line for another productive evening.
With the Diamondbacks short on starting pitching options, they are expected to turn to Humberto Castellanos ($4,000) for their matchup with the Rockies. While he did make five starts at Triple-A this season, he hasn't logged more than three innings in any of his appearances in the majors, so this could amount to a bullpen game. The Rockies don't have a ton of appealing hitters, but this matchup might favor Trevor Story ($5,400), who has five home runs over his last 11 games.
Bargain Bats
The Phillies exploded for 15 runs in their victory over the Cubs on Monday and Andrew McCutchen ($3,200) got in on the fun, slugging a grand slam. As disappointing as his batting average is, he does have 14 home runs. He also continues to draw plenty of walks based on his .352 OBP. With Mills' difficulties keeping men off base, McCutchen could provide value.
A matchup against Hyun Jin Ryu ($8,300) isn't exactly favorable given his 3.65 ERA and 4.19 FIP. However, Ryan Mountcastle ($3,500) is still appealing. He has a .349 wOBA against left-handed pitchers, compared to a .314 wOBA versus righties. He's also been much better at home, posting a .386 wOBA there as opposed to a .268 wOBA on the road.
Stacks to Consider
Blue Jays vs. Matt Harvey ($6,100), Orioles: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. ($5,900), Marcus Semien ($5,500), Cavan Biggio ($3,900)
Harvey has already made two starts versus the Blue Jays this season, allowing seven runs across 10 innings. His overall WHIP for the season sits at a staggering 1.71, so he's one of the top pitchers to stack against whenever he takes the mound. While his season stats aren't great, Biggio has performed better since being activated from a stint on the IL, hitting 19-for-71 (.268) with three home runs, five doubles and a .369 OBP over his last 22 games.
Padres vs. Patrick Corbin ($8,000), Nationals: Fernando Tatis Jr. ($5,900), Manny Machado ($5,300), Tommy Pham ($4,200)
This could be a disastrous matchup for Corbin since he has allowed 17 home runs across 87.1 innings. That stat is even more troublesome when you consider that he has a 1.40 WHIP. He's also seen his strikeout rate plummet to what would be a career-low 18.6 percent. Not only does Tatis have the potential to do plenty of damage in this game, but Pham could also be productive. Over his last 23 games, he is 27-for-84 (.321) with five home runs and six doubles.
Giants vs. Johan Oviedo ($6,400), Cardinals: Brandon Crawford ($5,200), Mike Yastrzemski ($5,000), Steven Duggar ($3,500)
There hasn't been much to get excited about with Oviedo. His 16.5 percent strikeout rate leaves him with little room for error and he's shown a lack of control, posting an 11.6 percent walk rate that has led to his 1.55 WHIP. This could be an ideal spot to roll with a Giants stack with Crawford being someone to build such a stack around. He's having the best offensive season of his career with a .268 ISO and a .370 wOBA.
