This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
With Wednesday's slate in the majors being heavy on day games, we don't have a lot of options to pick from for the main evening contests on Yahoo. The starting pitching options are especially thin, which could make filling out your entry a bit tricky. Let's dive into the matchups and see which ones stand out as opportunities to exploit.
Pitching Overview
The biggest name on the board is James Paxton ($40). He had one of his more impressive outings in the a while the last time he took the mound, allowing two runs and recording six strikeouts over six innings against the Red Sox. In fact, he only allowed five baserunners. That was a very encouraging sign since he has a bloated 1.46 WHIP for the season, overall. Despite his struggles, he should still be a popular option for this slate based on his strikeout upside and the fact that he's facing the underwhelming Orioles' lineup.
Another matchup to exploit is Eduardo Rodriguez ($49) against the Royals. He's having a very average season with a 4.28 FIP and a 1.32 WHIP, but the Royals have the second-lowest wRC+ (75) against left-handed pitchers in baseball. The last time he faced them in Kansas City, he allowed two runs and recorded seven strikeouts over 5.2 innings. It's also important to note that Rodriguez has a 3.89 FIP at Fenway Park this season compared to a 4.65 FIP on the road.
For those looking for a cheap tournament option, Zac Gallen ($32) might be your man. He shined with a 1.77 ERA and a 33.6 percent strikeout rate at Triple-A this season, eventually earning himself a call up to the Marlins. He kept rolling in the big leagues, posting a 2.72 ERA, 3.57 FIP and a 28.5 percent strikeout rate through seven starts. However, in a bit of a surprising move, the Marlins traded him to the Diamondbacks at the deadline. This will mark his first start for his new team and it won't come against the easiest of lineups in the Phillies, but with so few options, he is at least worth considering based on his strikeout upside.
Key Values/Chalk
Normally, the Orioles are a pitching staff to stack against. However, with their best pitcher in John Means (shoulder) scheduled to be activated off the IL to make this start, the Yankees aren't a slam dunk play. With that being said, it's hard to ignore the likes of Aaron Judge ($16) and DJ LeMahieu ($21) facing a lefty considering the limited options.
With Zach Davies (back) recently hitting the IL, the Brewers are running out of healthy starting pitchers. Drew Pomeranz will start this game, but he likely won't be able to pitch more than a few innings, so expect them to try and cobble together nine innings with their bullpen. Among the most appealing players on the Pirates is Bryan Reynolds, who is 26-for-78 (.333) with four home runs and five doubles across his last 20 games.
Stacks
Red Sox vs. Glenn Sparkman (Royals)
Rafael Devers (3B - $26), Andrew Benintendi (OF - $24), Mitch Moreland (1B - $13)
The Red Sox figure to be the chalk stack of the night against Sparkmann, who has struggled to the tune of a 5.58 ERA and 5.94 FIP. He's already allowed 20 home runs over just 88.2 innings and left-handed hitters have a .380 wOBA against him. That leaves Devers and Benintendi as two of the more enticing players on the Red Sox to target. Moreland is also a cheaper option worth considering. Despite his poor average, he's still hitting for power with his .278 ISO.
Diamondbacks vs. Jason Vargas (Phillies)
Ketel Marte (OF - $22), Christian Walker (1B - $18), Eduardo Escobar (3B- $18)
Vargas made a good first impression with the Phillies, allowing two runs and recording five strikeouts over 6.1 innings against the White Sox. He's had a nice bounce back campaign with his 3.93 ERA, although his 4.66 FIP indicates he has been a bit lucky. This is a tough matchup against the Diamondbacks, who have the fourth-highest wRC+ (115) against left-handed pitchers. Marte is in the midst of a breakout season and has really shined with a 147 wRC+ against southpaws. Escobar has actually been even better with a 153 wRC+ against them.
Brewers vs. Trevor Williams (Pirates)
Christian Yelich (OF - $24), Mike Moustakas (3B - $15), Eric Thames (1B - $10)
While Williams doesn't have an overpowering repertoire, the good thing about him during his career is that he's been able to limit home runs. Unfortunately for the Pirates, that hasn't been the case this year with him allowing 1.4 HR/9. Left-handed hitters also have a .380 wOBA against him, making this a particularly dangerous trio. Not much else needs to be said about the fantastic season that Yelich is having while Moustakas has also thrived with a .260 ISO.
