This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
There is a heavy dose of day games across baseball Wednesday, which leaves just eight games for the main evening slate on DraftKings. Let's dive into the teams who are scheduled to take the field and discuss some players who could be worth considering for your lineups.
Pitchers
Julio Urias ($9,700) had a rare off performance in his last start, allowing four runs over 5.2 innings to the Rockies. The game was played at Coors Field, though, which is never an easy place to pitch. He's still having an excellent season, sporting a 1.09 WHIP and a 26.8 percent strikeout rate. Don't be surprised if he bounces back in a big way against the Giants, who are missing one of their most dangerous hitters in Brandon Crawford (oblique).
Kyle Hendricks ($9,100) didn't skip a beat in his first start after the All-Star break, allowing one runs over six innings against the Diamondbacks. After that performance, he's now allowed two or fewer runs in six of his last seven starts. During that stretch, he has a 1.02 WHIP and has given up only three home runs across 42.1 innings. He has a favorable opportunity to keep things rolling in a matchup with the Cardinals, who have the fifth-worst OPS in baseball.
If you want to load up on high-salary hitters in tournament play, then taking a chance on Matt Manning ($4,100) might not be a crazy idea. He had one disastrous outing against the Indians in which he allowed nine runs over 3.2 innings, which has contributed to his 6.95 ERA across five starts. However, he pitched at least five innings and allowed two runs or fewer in three of his other outings. Working in his favor is a matchup against the Rangers, who have the second-lowest OPS in baseball.
Top Targets
Giancarlo Stanton ($4,600) has gone cold, which is bad timing for the Yankees given their outbreak of COVID-19 and their litany of injuries. Over his last seven games, he is 4-for-27 with a 34.5 percent strikeout rate. With that being said, Matt Moore ($5,600) might start this game for the Phillies, which would certainly work in Stanton's favor. Moore has been a disaster, posting a 5.37 FIP and a 1.61 WHIP. He's also allowed 1.8 HR/9, which fits right into Stanton's wheelhouse.
With the Yankees running thin on starting pitching options, they are expected to turn to Asher Wojciechowski ($4,000) to start against the Phillies. He hasn't shown many signs of promise during his major league career, allowing 2.0 HR/9 on his way to a 5.95 ERA and 5.42 FIP. This matchup makes Bryce Harper ($5,300) a prime target.
Bargain Bats
Didi Gregorius ($3,700) is no stranger to Yankee Stadium since he was a member of the Yankees for five seasons. During his tenure in pinstripes, he slugged 54 home runs and had a .186 ISO at home, compared to 43 home runs and a .168 ISO on the road. Given Wojciechowski's issues with keeping hitters inside the ball park, Gregorius has the potential to provide value.
One of the bright spots for the Tigers this season has been the play of Akil Baddoo ($3,300), who has shown a combination of speed and power with 14 stolen bases and a .198 ISO. He's particularly thrived against right-handed pitchers, posting a .394 wOBA and a .251 ISO against them. Those positive trends could continue for his matchup with Jordan Lyles ($6,600), who has allowed 1.9 HR/9 to go along with his 1.49 WHIP.
Stacks to Consider
Blue Jays vs. Garrett Richards ($7,700), Red Sox: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. ($6,000), Bo Bichette ($5,100), George Springer ($4,700)
Richards is usually a pitcher to attack in DFS given his bloated 1.68 WHIP. He's faced the Blue Jays three times already this season, allowing a whopping 35 base runners across 16.2 innings. The result was a total of 10 runs scored by the Blue Jays. This could be a great matchup for Springer, who is 6-for-9 with a home run and a double over the last three games, to continue to build some positive momentum after an injury-plagued first half.
Astros vs. Eli Morgan ($5,700), Indians: Jose Altuve ($5,200), Kyle Tucker ($3,900), Michael Brantley ($3,400)
Morgan's first stint in the majors has not gone well with him posting a 7.86 ERA and a 6.17 FIP across six starts. He's allowed nine home runs over 26.1 innings, which proved to be disastrous when combined with his 1.52 WHIP. Tucker could be a key player to include in an Astros stack given his 151 wRC+ against right-handed pitchers this season.
Marlins vs. Erick Fedde ($8,100), Nationals: Starling Marte ($4,600), Adam Duvall ($4,800), Miguel Rojas ($4,200)
The wheels have come off for Fedde, who has allowed at least five runs in three of his last four starts. His WHIP is once again a problem at 1.44, which is nearly in line with his career WHIP of 1.49. That makes the Marlins a viable streaming option, despite their overall lack of dangerous hitters. Rojas bas been particularly hot at the plate, hitting 20-for-52 (.385) with a home run and five doubles over his last 13 games.
