This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
We have a nine-game slate to work with Wednesday, as there are a few day games on the calendar. There are strong pitching options, but it's mostly a top-heavy day. In cash games, it'll be time to search for at least a few cheap hitters to balance that out.
Pitchers
Even in the toughest possible matchup against the Dodgers, Jacob deGrom ($11,500) has to be at least mentioned. He has a 44.7 percent strikeout rate – an insane mark even for a small sample of 29.1 innings. I do prefer Gerrit Cole ($10,800) slightly Wednesday. He's squaring off against the Angels, a far less imposing lineup than the Dodgers. Cole also offers some salary relief and the better chance to earn a win. Despite some rocky outings, Cole still has a 2.79 SIERA for the season – second-best in the pitcher pool.
Kyle Wright ($9,800) is another good option towards the top end of the price range. He isn't as skilled as either of deGrom or Cole, but he has surpassed 20 DK points in five of his last six starts. That's enough to make him a safe cash game play in a home matchup against the Rockies.
Lance Lynn ($8,000) isn't in punt or even cheap territory, but he does stand out as a decent value on the slate. After a rough start to the season, he has delivered at least 15 DK points in six of his last seven starts. I'm not scared of his matchup against the Royals, who own a .299 team wOBA across the last days – good for bottom-third in the league.
Things haven't gone well for Phillies pitchers through two games against Arizona, but I'm willing to take a chance on Bailey Falter ($7,100) as my tournament/punt play for the day. In his last four starts at the big-league level – which have all come since the All-Star break – he has 22:5 K:BB across 23 innings. He also has at least 17 DK points in three of those four starts.
Top Hitters
Atlanta continues to get strong matchups to target, even if Tuesday didn't go as planned. I'm willing to turn right back to them against Ryan Feltner, who has allowed 1.6 HR/9 on the season. Michael Harris ($4,400) has a .394 wOBA against right-handed pitching and doesn't come at a prohibitive cost.
Eugenio Suarez ($5,300) has been on fire of late, maintaining a 1.168 OPS. That doesn't carry much of any predictive value, but a matchup against Tyler Alexander does put him in a strong position to keep his production rolling. Alexander has only a 12.3 percent strikeout rate and 6.7 percent K-BB%, while also serving up 1.4 HR.9 for the season.
Value Hitters
Tony Kemp ($2,600) is consistently the Athletics' leadoff hitter. He doesn't offer any pop, meaning he's entirely reliant upon reaching base and being driven in by those behind him in the lineup. That's typically not a strong proposition given Oakland's lineup, but they do get a matchup against Anibal Sanchez on Wednesday. In 39.1 innings this season, Sanchez has only a 5.9 K-BB% and has served up 2.5 HR/9.
Lane Thomas ($2,400) has shifted into an everyday role in the Nationals' lineup, and he has occupied a premium spot in the order. He's also slugging .538 across his last 10 games, so I like him as some nice salary relief in a matchup against James Kaprielian.
Victor Reyes ($2,300) is locked into the second spot in the Tigers' lineup, which I want cheap exposure to in a matchup against Marco Gonzales. Gonzales experiences better success than his numbers suggest, but it's hard to see a 13 percent strikeout rate and 1.3 HR/9 without wanting to attack it at minimal risk.
Stacks to Consider
Atlanta vs. Rockies (Ryan Feltner): Dansby Swanson ($5,400), Matt Olson ($4,800), Austin Riley ($5,600)
This stack costs a premium, but it's the top option of the day. Feltner has a decent 11.4 K-BB% and 4.32 SIERA, but he gives up so many home runs that it's worth taking a shot on the Atlanta lineup. Despite pitching at Coors Field, Feltner has been equally bad (actually worse) on the road in a small sample this season. Make sure to note whether Ronald Acuna is back in the lineup, as that will change the potential composition of the stack.
Mariners at Tigers (Tyler Alexander): Julio Rodriguez ($6,200), Eugenio Suarez ($5,300), Mitch Haniger ($5,100)
Alexander is a worse pitcher than Feltner in nearly every indicator, and his numbers were laid out earlier in the piece. The Mariners are also a more expensive stack than Atlanta while also playing in a worse park for hitters. There are ways for this stack to go wrong, but it's a really good spot for the Seattle offense based on matchup.
White Sox vs. Royals (Kris Bubic): AJ Pollock ($3,300), Andrew Vaughn ($3,700), Eloy Jimenez ($3,900)
After a few expensive stacks, we'll highlight a potential value. Kris Bubic put together a brief spell of effectiveness, however he's allowed 14 earned runs across his last 13.1 innings and three starts. Despite being a mediocre lineup, there are a number of different ways to build a White Sox stack, particularly if Luis Robert ($5,200) is able to return. Jose Abreu ($4,100) is also worth considering.
