This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
Wednesday's post-trade deadline schedule is unusual, and it makes for an unusual DFS situation. While there are 15 games on the slate, most of them are in the afternoon. The main docket on FanDuel consists of the five games starting at 7:05 p.m. EDT or later. That means fewer options than usual, but I have dug up some recommendations. Unlike Eric Hosmer and the Nationals, none of them will refuse to suit up for your squad.
MLB DFS Pitchers for Wednesday on FanDuel
Freddy Peralta, MIL at PIT ($?): As I write this late Tuesday evening, FanDuel has Brandon Woodruff listed as the pitcher for the Brewers. However, it has been announced that Peralta will be returning from the 60-day IL to make the start, and regardless of what his salary ends up being I want him in my lineup. Through eight starts prior to his injury he had a 2.10 FIP, and last year he had a 3.11 FIP. This is a good matchup to return to, as the Pirates are 28th in runs scored and team OPS.
Julio Urias, LAD at SF ($9,300): This matchup is not ideal, as the Giants are in the top 10 in runs scored. That being said, getting Urias at this salary was enticing to me nevertheless. He has a 2.71 ERA through 20 starts, even though he's allowed 1.23 home runs per nine innings, well above his career 0.88 HR/9. Plus, the Dodgers pitcher is a southpaw, and the Giants employ a lot of lefty hitters.
Blake Snell, SD vs. COL ($9,100): The Padres were the stars of the trade deadline, but they were bolstering their lineup more than the rotation. Fortunately for San Diego, Snell has pitched well recently, as he has a 2.81 ERA over his last five starts. That includes a bad start at Coors Field, but getting the Rockies at Petco is much more favorable.
Top FanDuel MLB DFS Targets
Reminiscent of his own time calling Coors Field home, Nolan Arenado ($3,800) has slashed .292/.359/.532 with 20 home runs. He also has a .932 OPS against lefties, though he hasn't gotten to face many southpaws. An opportunity arrives Wednesday though, with Justin Steele on the mound. This particular lefty has a 4.71 ERA on the road.
Best FanDuel MLB DFS Bargain Bats
The skills of Connor Joe ($2,800) play into the nature of Petco Park. He doesn't hit a lot of home runs, but he has 18 doubles, four triples, and six stolen bases. Joe also has a .352 OBP. Since joining the Rockies, Joe has an .847 OPS against lefties. Snell is a lefty, so with only a handful of teams in action I like Joe's upside.
FanDuel MLB DFS Stacks to Consider
Padres vs. Rockies (Chad Kuhl): Manny Machado ($4,000), Jake Cronenworth ($3,200), Jurickson Profar ($3,200)
Obviously, the Padres just traded for Juan Soto ($3,900), not to mention Brandon Drury ($3,600) and Josh Bell ($3,200). I would happily consider any of them for this stack, especially the lefty Soto. Also the generational talent Soto. Just in case they aren't ready to play Wednesday, though, I figured I would eschew recommending the new guys in town. As for the Rockies' pitching situation, Kuhl has a 4.88 FIP, in line with his career 4.60 FIP. He also has a 5.03 ERA on the road, so that isn't just altitude inflation.
Machado is almost as productive offensively as Soto, and he has 18 home runs and seven stolen bases. He also has a .936 OPS at home since 2020, showing his new teammates you can excel at Petco. Cronenworth is having a tough year at home, but since 2020 his home OPS is .778, so it's perhaps a bit of bad luck. Plus, he has an .812 OPS against righties in that time span as well. The switch-hitting Profar is usually leading off, and he has a .382 OBP over the last three weeks so that makes sense. He also prefers facing righties, as he has a .783 OPS in those matchups.
Angels vs. Athletics (James Kaprielian): Taylor Ward ($3,000), Jared Walsh ($2,600), Luis Rengifo ($2,400)
Suddenly, Kaprielian is not striking anybody out. He's averaged a mere 5.96 strikeouts per nine innings. He also has a 5.36 FIP, above his already shaky 4.80 career FIP. Kaprielian also struggles with home runs, having allowed 1.51 per nine innings in his career. Even with no Mike Trout around, there's enough to like for a stack from the Angels.
Ward has had a breakout campaign, having slashed .276/.372/.465. At home he's been even better, posting a .930 OPS in LA's ballpark. Walsh has struggled to hit in general this year, but in the past he's smashed righties. In fact, even with a down year he has an .887 OPS against right-handed pitchers since 2020. Rengifo has hit .275, and over the last three weeks he's hit .362. The switch hitter also has an .834 OPS at home.
Brewers at Pirates (Roansy Contreras): Christian Yelich ($3,600), Rowdy Tellez ($3,400), Kolten Wong ($3,000)
We have Contreras returning from Triple-A to get a start for the Pirates. He has a 4.89 FIP in 2022. In other places, Zach Thompson is listed as the projected starter, and he has a 5.09 ERA. Both pitchers are righties, so either way I'm down to stack three lefties from the Brewers.
Yelich has lost his power, but not his penchant for getting on base. He has a .361 OBP, and his career OBP is .378. The lefty also has eight home runs and 14 stolen bases. Tellez has slugged .478 and hit 21 home runs. He also has an .828 OPS versus right-handed pitchers. Wong has an .824 OPS over the last three weeks. A lot of that is from facing righties, as the lefty has an .846 OPS this season in those matchups.
