This might be a smaller MLB slate than usual, but it’s still stuffed with elite pitching talent at the top of the pricing list, as Garrett Crochet ($10,500), Jacob deGrom ($10,000) and Corbin Burnes ($9,300) all take the mound on Wednesday.
But we’re not here to talk about them. Quite the opposite, actually. Let’s find some DFS values on the diamond for tonight’s DraftKings contests.
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JP Sears, Athletics vs. Los Angeles Angels, $7,900
Sears is far from the usual archetype of pitcher I gravitate towards in DFS and you can count him among the Athletics’ starters that have preferred to take the mound away from Sutter Health Park, but on a slate that’s lacking pitching depth, the veteran left-hander does provide a pretty nice floor. Sears has been solid so far in 2025, maintaining a 3.31 ERA and a 3.57 xERA across 49.0 innings. He’s also managed to hold opposing lineups to two earned runs or fewer in six of his nine outings.
Sears won’t amazing anyone with his modest strikeout numbers, yet tonight’s matchup can only help in that regard. Sears will square-off with the Angels, who lead baseball in both strikeout rate (28.3%) and swinging strike rate (13.0%) over the past 30 days. Los Angeles has had its share of issues with southpaws, too. To wit, Los Angeles is hitting .193 as a team with a 59 wRC+ within the split.
C Jonah Heim, Texas Rangers at New York Yankees, $3,300
While Ryan Yarbrough ($6,500) has had some success in the Yankees’ rotation, I do not fear the 33-year-old soft-tosser — especially in a hitter’s haven like Yankee Stadium. In his 24.1 innings of work in 2025, Yarbrough has surrendered 1.48 opponent home runs per nine, which has translated into a robust 4.94 FIP. Stack accordingly.
One name I really like at his microscopic price tag is Heim. Not only has the backstop crushed LHPs this season to the tune of an .855 OPS and a 140 wRC+ in 41 plate appearances, but Heim’s switch-hitting ability makes him a perfect asset in a contest where New York’s bullpen will surely be heavily involved. Yarbrough has not thrown more than 67 pitches in an appearance in 2025.
1B Nick Kurtz, Athletics vs. Los Angeles Angels, $2,600
While Kurtz first 89 plate appearances at the MLB level haven’t been that memorable, there’s still ample reason to be excited about the top prospect. Honestly, when he’s actually made contact, things have gone pretty well. The 22-year-old owns a 113.6 maximum exit velocity — a figure that places him within the 92nd percentile of the league. Kurtz also owns a .425 expected wOBA on batted ball events. Again, it’s just a matter of that pesky 34.8% strikeout rate.
Thankfully, whiffs shouldn’t be an issue on Wednesday in a matchup with Jack Kochanowicz ($5,700), who enters the tilt with a fourth percentile strikeout rate (13.7%). Opposing LHBs have hit Kochanowicz quite hard in 2025, with the 119 the right-hander has seen combining to slash .311/.395/.515 with a .391 wOBA. Kurtz is left-handed. Kurtz is priced only $600 above the minimum. Needless to say, there’s a lot to like here.
