This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
We have a split schedule Wednesday and two main slates with which to work. There are seven games in the afternoon, with contests kicking off at 1:05 pm ET. That's followed up with six games in the evening, beginning at 7:10 pm ET. Although there are more games on the 1:05 pm slate, the evening contests offer slightly bigger prizes. As a result, that's also where we'll focus.
Pitchers
Even with a limited number of games, there are a number of intriguing pitching options from which to choose. There are two decent options at the top of the price range in Kris Bubic ($9,600) and Robbie Ray ($9,300), though there are reasons to be skeptical of both. Bubic has been consistently excellent, but draws a Yankees' lineup that has the third-best wOBA of all teams in the last 30 days. Ray has also been excellent but is in Coors Field. I'd lean toward Ray based on his slightly superior strikeout rate and better matchup.
Clarke Schmidt ($8,500) is a safe option, best suited for smaller tournaments or cash games. He has between 14.7 and 22.5 DraftKing points in six of his last seven starts. The lower end of that range isn't ideal for his price, but he is safe in a positive matchup against the Royals. He does square off against Bubic, so build rosters carefully.
Zack Littell ($7,300) and David Festa ($7,200) are intriguing in different ways. Littell has been steady in a similar fashion to Schmidt, yet comes at a way cheaper price. He draws a dangerous Red Sox lineup and doesn't strike out batters at a strong rate, so this run is likely to end, but he is on a strong run. Festa has a lot of strikeout upside but has struggled to work deep into games and is volatile. The Rangers' offense exploded Tuesday night but has been weak this season.
Sean Burke ($6,500) seems to have turned a corner and is thus an intriguing punt option. He has a 17:5 K:BB across his last three starts and 19 innings pitched. That's translated to between 17 and 23.9 DK points. The Astros aren't a great matchup, primarily because they make a lot of contact.
Top Hitters
Even in his recent run of success, Littell has struggled with he long ball. He has excellent control and is decent at limiting baserunners overall, limiting the stacking upside of the Red Sox on paper. Rafael Devers ($5,300) and Jarren Duran ($4,700) are both good options to build through.
Value Bats
Mike Tauchman ($3,600) hits atop the White Sox order and has been quietly productive by averaging 9.4 DK points across his last 10 games. Ryan Gusto had flashes of production early on this season but has a 1.64 WHIP. Tauchman may not produce all in one swing, but he should get on base with the chance to score runs.
Brooks Lee ($3,000) has been able to hit for average but not much else this season. That's changed a bit of late, as he is averaging 7.6 DK points across his last 10 games. Whether it's Lee or other Twins' hitters, they are a decent target given the matchup against Jack Leiter.
Stacks to Consider
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Boston Red Sox (Walker Buehler): Josh Lowe ($4,800), Brandon Lowe ($4,900), Yandy Diaz ($4,200)
Buehler had a few strong starts early in the season but has gotten hit hard in his last few outings. He's allowed a pair of home runs in consecutive starts, including 10 earned runs across 7.2 frames. It's possible that he bounces back, but his skills have been shaky even when he's had success. The Rays are a relatively easy team to stack in terms of price, leaving a lot of pitching and secondary stack options open.
San Francisco Giants vs. Colorado Rockies (Kyle Freeland): Heliot Ramos ($4,900), Jung Hoo Lee ($5,000), Willy Adames ($4,400)
This is likely to be a chalky option, but the Giants should be able to put up some runs against Freeland. Freeland has a 2.18 WHIP and 7.71 ERA at Coors Field this season. The top of the Giants' order is in flux, so check their lineup before locking in the stack.
Try our DraftKings MLB Lineup Optimizer to discover more expert recommendations, customize the player pool, set exposure percentage and mass-enter DFS lineups.
