This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
Wednesday starts off with a few day games, including a matchup between the White Sox and Twins in which Lance Lynn will start versus Joe Ryan. The evening slate won't be short on quality pitching options since Shohei Ohtani, Max Fried and Aaron Nola are all expected to take the mound. Fried's start against the Cardinals could turn out to be a low scoring affair with Miles Mikolas set to start for St. Louis. As we focus in on the main evening slate on Yahoo, here are some players to consider for your lineups.
Pitchers
Cristian Javier ($48) has been about as dominant as it gets, recording a 2.58 ERA and a 2.57 FIP. His WHIP is a sparkling 0.96, and he's recorded a 34.3 percent strikeout rate. Up next is a matchup against the Royals, who have scored the fourth-fewest runs in baseball. Javier's salary will do a number on your budget, but he could still be worth it.
The Yankees didn't know what to expect from Luis Severino ($48) heading into this season. Over the last three seasons, he pitched a total of 18 innings. He's been healthy this year, though, throwing 78 innings over 14 starts. He's also pitched well with a 3.35 ERA and a 3.65 FIP. It wouldn't be a surprise to see him stay hot against the Pirates, who have the third-worst OPS in baseball.
One of the top prospects within the Red Sox's organization is Brayan Bello ($32), who will make his major league debut against the Rays. He's cruised through the minors, including this season with a 2.81 ERA and 2.68 FIP at Triple-A. One of the keys to his success is his ability to miss bats that helped him generate a 34.4 percent strikeout rate. The Rays have struck out the ninth-most times and scored the seventh-fewest runs in baseball, so Bello has a favorable chance to start his career of on the right foot.
Top Targets
Kyle Schwarber ($23) hit two home runs Tuesday, giving him 25 for the season. He's been particularly hot of late with seven home runs coming over his last 12 games. He's a nightmare matchup for Josiah Gray ($41), who has allowed 2.1 HR/9 for his career.
After a slugfest in Tuesday's game against the Astros, the Royals will turn to Brad Keller ($25) to start Wednesday. His strikeout rate has fallen to 15.6 percent this season, and while his WHIP has improved compared to last year, it's still not great at 1.33. This could be a great night to roll with Kyle Tucker ($22), who has bounced back from a slow start to record a .928 OPS across his last 31 games.
Bargain Bats
Home runs aren't the only issue for Gray, who also allowed a .389 wOBA to left-handed hitters this season. In addition to Schwarber, Odubel Herrera ($9) might also be worth pursuing, especially considering the relief that he will provide for your budget.
One of the Diamondbacks hottest hitters has been Josh Rojas ($11), who is 14-for-40 (.350) with five doubles over his last 11 games. He'll try to stay locked in against Alex Cobb ($32), who has actually pitched better than his 4.59 ERA would lead you to believe when you factor in his 3.13 FIP. With that being said, left-handed hitters have a .364 wOBA against him.
Stacks to Consider
Yankees vs. Mitch Keller ($27), Pirates: Aaron Judge ($21), Giancarlo Stanton ($17), DJ LeMahieu ($18)
It's been another rough campaign for Keller, who has a 5.14 ERA and a 4.04 FIP. While his 36.7 percent hard-hit rate allowed is an improvement compared to last season, he still lacks control, with his 9.9 percent walk rate contributing to his 1.53 WHIP. The Yankees have the fourth-highest OPS in baseball, so he could be fighting an uphill battle in this matchup. LeMahieu might not have the power that Judge and Rizzo do, but he's found a way to get on base often, recording a .438 OBP over his last 18 games.
Orioles vs. Glenn Otto ($28), Rangers: Ryan Mountcastle ($23), Cedric Mullins ($21), Anthony Santander ($19)
Otto's last two starts have seen him allow a combined 10 runs over six innings. He issued six walks during that stretch, compared to just two strikeouts. His WHIP stands at 1.53 for the season, which was an area of concern last year when he had a 1.71 WHIP over six starts. The Orioles don't have a ton of dangerous hitters, but this could still be an opportune time to stack them. One of their leaders has been Mountcastle, who has a .218 ISO and a 125 wRC+.
Dodgers vs. Jose Urena ($25), Rockies: Freddie Freeman ($24), Mookie Betts ($20), Cody Bellinger ($15)
Urena began this season with the Brewers, making four appearances out of the bullpen in April. He had a 1.57 WHIP across those outings, which came on the heels of him posting at least a 1.48 WHIP in each of the last three seasons. Now a member of the Rockies organization, he is expected to be called up from the minors to make a spot start. This is a terrible matchup for him against the Dodgers, who have the highest OPS in baseball. This game could get out of hand in a hurry for the Rockies.
