It’s hump day and there are eight MLB games in DraftKings’ featured window for tonight’s DFS contests. The slate locks at 7:35 p.m. EST, so there’s ample time to select your lineups for tonight’s action. With the Mariners, Cubs, Phillies, Brewers, Astros and Yankees among the teams on the field, you can pick your poison when it comes to star talent on Wednesday evening.
Here are three must-start players for tonight’s MLB DFS lineups.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $150K Bat Flip [$50K to 1st]
SP Cade Horton, Cubs vs. Braves; $8,500
Top arms are tough to come by tonight without a single pitcher in the player pool averaging 20 or more FPPG. While George Kirby and Robbie Ray headline the two top options, Cade Horton brings better recent form than both at a cheaper salary, too. The Cubs right-hander averages 14.9 FPPG this year, third-most on the slate, but bumps that average up to 19.2 FPPG over his last 10 contests. Over his last five, he’s gone over 27 points three times as well, showcasing a high ceiling. A 3.10 ERA and 1.20 WHIP are respectable marks, and while 81 strikeouts in 98.2 innings doesn’t strike fear in batters, Horton’s played good ball overall. His pitching run value ranks in the 78th percentile and he throws a five-pitch mix with pretty stable control. The visiting Braves are batting just .234 with a .682 OPS in the last two weeks, so Horton can take advantage of that slump at home.
OF Byron Buxton, Twins vs. White Sox; $5,800
The Twins aren’t great, but their star outfielder just keeps delivering fantasy points night after night. Byron Buxton is in the midst of arguably a career-best campaign, slashing .272/.333/.553 with an .886 OPS. A true five-tool player, he boasts 110 hits with 83 runs, 72 RBI and 29 homers in 105 games thus far. Those stats allow him to average 10.4 FPPG, but Buxton’s looked particularly strong of late. Over his last 10 contests, he averages 13.5 FPPG with a .282 average and 1.033 OPS, plus four homers and three stolen bases. With at least 10 points in each of his last six games, including two outings of 20 or more points, Buxton feels like an easy choice to anchor your fantasy baseball outfield against the White Sox and Yoendrys Gomez (5.20 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, 35 SO).
1B Rafael Devers, Giants @ Rockies; $5,700
Don’t let the narrative around Rafael Devers following the trade which sent him to the Giants dissuade you from slotting him into lineups tonight. The 28-year-old finally looks like himself again after rounding back into form throughout the month of August, and now he appears ready to crush the home stretch of the season. Devers slashes .263/.381/.493 this season with 137 hits, 84 runs, 96 RBI and 30 homers in 140 total games. He averages 8.9 FPPG, but that average increases to 14.8 FPPG over his last 10 games, a stretch which sees him bat .405 with a 1.353 OPS, plus five home runs. The lefty-hitting Devers also sees a positive split with a matchup against Rockies right-hander German Marquez (6.14 ERA, 1.69 WHIP, 73 SO)… at Coors Field as well. The talented hitter deserves consideration tonight.
