This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
Wednesday has some afternoon action, but I'm here to focus on the evening slate. Hey, it's still 10 games, which is nothing to sneeze at. You have plenty of options for your DFS lineup, but who might be sliding under the radar? Whose salary might you blanche at but you should be willing to splash the cash on? Here are some recommendations to help you in your decision making.
PITCHING
Freddy Peralta, MIL at STL ($9,800): The Brewers have an absolutely dazzling pitching staff, and Peralta is one of those gems. While he's not a big name, who would argue with a 2.26 ERA from a pitcher who has struck out 12.12 batters per nine innings in his career? More of a FIP person? His 2.98 FIP is also excellent. The Cardinals are just outside the bottom five in runs scored, so Peralta should avoid being threatened too much here.
Charlie Morton, ATL at MIA ($9,200): Morton's arm still has plenty of life in it. He may be 37, but he's made 24 starts and thrown 134.0 innings. The veteran has a 3.34 FIP on the year, and over his last 11 starts he has a 2.51 ERA. Miami sits one run below St. Louis on the season, which means it is in the bottom five in runs scored. It's also played two more games than St. Louis, by the way.
Marco Gonzales, SEA at TEX ($8,200): I am not going to overreact to the fact Gonzales has a 2.13 ERA over his last six starts. He does still have a 4.35 ERA on the season. However, this is all about the matchup, even on the road. The Rangers are 29th in runs scored and last in team OPS. They no longer have Joey Gallo. This is an offense a pitcher who is in a groove should be able to mow down.
TOP TARGETS
Ozzie Albies, ATL at MIA ($4,400): Getting on base is not one of Albies' top skills, but he can put the bat on the ball (career .275 average) and he racks up the stats that appeal to fantasy players. He's got 22 home runs and 15 stolen bases this season. On top of that, the 24-year-old has a .989 OPS versus lefties. Jesus Luzardo is a lefty, and he also has a 7.52 ERA.
Joey Gallo, NYY vs. BOS ($3,800): Gallo is kind of the opposite of Albies. He doesn't make much contact, but he's getting on base to the tune of a .367 OBP. Plus he has power of course, with 29 home runs on the season. The lefty will get to face the righty Nick Pivetta on Thursday, and Pivetta has allowed 1.54 home runs per nine innings in his career.
VALUE BATS
Brandon Lowe, TAM vs. BAL ($3,600): Lowe has struggled against his fellow southpaws this year, but against righties he has a .933 OPS. He's also seen his play tick up recently, as he's notched a .999 OPS in his last 15 games. Fortunately he gets to face the right-handed Spenser Watkins on Thursday, and the rookie pitcher has a 5.25 ERA.
Carlos Correa, HOU at KC ($3,500): Correa's power hasn't returned to 2019 levels, when he posted a .568 SLG, but he's at least bounced back from his struggles in 2020. The Puerto Rican shortstop has slugged .475 with 19 home runs. Kansas City's Brady Singer has shown an ability to suppress home runs, but otherwise he gets roughed up on the mound. He's got a career 4.86 ERA and has a 5.42 ERA this season.
STACK TO CONSIDER
Dodgers vs. JT Brubaker: Max Muncy ($3,900), Justin Turner ($3,800), Will Smith ($3,500)
When one of the worst teams in baseball is facing one of the best, it tends to benefit DFS players. Most teams wouldn't have to trot out Brubaker for 21 starts, but the Pirates have, and he has a 5.13 ERA. In fact, he has a 6.05 ERA on the road. If you need more reason to target him, how about the fact Brubaker has allowed 2.00 home runs per nine innings this year?
The Dodgers let Muncy rest Tuesday, but he's in the lineup Wednesday and he's slashed .273/.405/.557. On top of that, he has a 1.065 OPS at home. Turner has been so reliable there's not much that needs to be said. His career OPS since joining Los Angeles is .884, and this year he has an .870 OPS with 21 homers. Smith may be a catcher, and you may not need a catcher for FanDuel DFS, but he slots into your C/1B spot with a bat that matches most first basemen. The righty has always had a reverse platoon split, but that's not a worry with a righty on the mound. Smith has a career .998 OPS versus right-handed pitchers.
