Lots of big news around baseball the past 24 hours. Aaron Judge is back on the IL. Jacob deGrom will undergo Tommy John surgery and miss the remainder of the season. Alek Manoah was sent all the way to Rookie Ball to try and cure what ails him. It’s been hectic in these 90-foot streets.
However, we’re all about looking forward. Specifically forward to tonight’s 10-game featured slate on DraftKings. Let’s dive in.
Editor’s Note: Tonight’s game between the Yankees and the White Sox has been postponed due to poor air quality.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $222K Relay Throw [$50K to 1st]
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PITCHER
Stud
Max Scherzer, New York Mets at Atlanta Braves, $9,700 - It’s still hard to believe that Scherzer was priced below $9K in his most recent outing, but less than $10K remains a steal, even against the Braves. To be blunt, the veteran RHP has just started looking more like himself lately. In Scherzer’s past four appearances, he’s pitched to a pristine 1.08 ERA and 2.16 FIP. The biggest development within that span? The 38-year-old is striking opponents out again to the tune of a 29.8% rate. Facing Atlanta’s isn’t ideal, yet neither is facing a locked-in Scherzer.
Value
Jaime Barria, Los Angeles Angels vs. Chicago Cubs, $7,000 - Context matters with Barria. While a 1.59 ERA over 34.0 innings of work is fantastic, it would be misleading to not mention that 11 of Barria’s 13 appearances in 2023 have been out of the bullpen. However, the RHP has allowed just a single earned run in his two opportunities to start, and Barria seems fully built up after 91 pitches versus the White Sox last week. Matchup also matters with Barria. The Cubs are in the midst of a terrible slump at the moment. Across the last 14 days, the team ranks dead-last in baseball in wOBA (.266) and wRC+ (64). Chicago sports an NL-high 28.1% strikeout rate within that span, as well.
INFIELD
Stud
Will Smith, Los Angeles Dodgers at Cincinnati Reds, $5,500 - This game has an implied total so large you’d think the Reds had been relocated to Colorado or Mexico City. Nope. Just a regular tilt at sea level, but in the very hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park, and featuring pitchers like Brandon Williamson ($7,500) and his 6.30 xERA. Williamson is left-handed. Smith likes facing left-handed pitching. In fact, Smith is slashing .290/.439/.613 with a 182 wRC+ in his 41 plate appearances within the split in 2023.
Stud
Anthony Rizzo, New York Yankees vs. Chicago White Sox, $4,900 - You really can’t overstate how terrible 2023 has gone for Lance Lynn ($8,700), as the 36-year-old enters Wednesday’s action with an ugly 6.55 ERA across 67.1 innings. Lynn’s biggest issue? His complete inability to retire LHBs. Lefties are slashing .357/.414/.683 against the right-hander. Heck, Lynn is allowing 3.54 home runs per nine within the split. Rizzo isn’t hitting all that well lately, but this is a prime matchup.
Value
Christian Walker, Arizona Diamondbacks at Washington Nationals, $3,900 - On the heels of his breakout 2022 campaign, Walker started 2023 very slowly. However, that all changed on May 1, and Walker’s been crushing the ball ever since. In his last 128 plate appearances, the first baseman owns a .270 ISO and a 132 wRC+. Even more appealing are Walker’s numbers against LHPs within this span, as he’s produced four home runs in his past 21 at-bats versus southpaws. That equates to a stunning .619 ISO. The long ball prone Patrick Corbin ($7,200) appears to be a perfect matchup for Walker.
Value
Chris Taylor, Los Angeles Dodgers at Cincinnati Reds, $2,800 - This price tag is robbery. While Taylor has been striking out at a substantial clip this season, he’s also been destroying every left-handed pitcher in his path. In 56 plate appearances within the split, the veteran is in possession of a .471 ISO and a 172 wRC+. Did I mention the Dodgers have an implied team total of almost seven runs tonight? I did, right?
OUTFIELD
Stud
Editor’s Note: Reds OF Jake Fraley (wrist) is a late scratch today vs. the Dodgers.
Jake Fraley, Cincinnati Reds vs. Los Angeles Dodgers, $4,500 - It goes without saying that you’ll probably be at least partially invested in Elly De La Cruz ($2,700) this evening, who is still too cheap, even after a $700 price increase from Tuesday. However, there are other Reds’ bats to consider. In particular, Fraley has been a force against RHPs in 2023, hitting .295 with a 129 wRC+ within the split. Noah Syndergaard ($6,600) also happens to be surrendering 2.03 home runs per nine to LHBs. That’s kind of important.
Stud
Joc Pederson, San Francisco Giants at Colorado Rockies, $4,100 - Pederson had a somewhat quiet day on Tuesday, at least when compared to his teammates, but the story here is his health. Pederson’s off the IL and he has a tasty .401 expected wOBA in his 101 plate appearances this season. He’s also set to face Connor Seabold ($5,400) at Coors Field. LHBs own a .417 wOBA off of Seabold throughout the 27-year-old’s whole career.
Value
Daulton Varsho, Toronto Blue Jays vs. Houston Astros, $3,900 - It has not been a dream start for Varsho in Toronto, yet the converted catcher is starting to turn his season around. Varsho is currently riding a 10-game hitting streak, where he’s slashed .289/.325/.632 with four home runs and a 161 wRC+ in 40 plate appearances. In a matchup with the right-handed Ronel Blanco ($5,200) — making just his second career MLB start — I’d expect Varsho to stay hot.
Value
Mickey Moniak, Los Angeles Angels vs. Chicago Cubs, $3,500 - Moniak might be one of the best stories in baseball at the moment. The former first-overall pick in 2016, Moniak is finally having success at the MLB level, producing a .400 wOBA and a 157 wRC+ with the Angels. Yes, it’s only been a 54 plate appearance sample, but at a price like this, I’m not overly concerned. For the purposes of tonight, the fact that Moniak is left-handed is also key. Jameson Taillon ($5,500) has struggled with LHBs in 2023, as they’ve combined for a .425 wOBA off the veteran RHP.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $222K Relay Throw [$50K to 1st]
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and customer (my username is theglt13) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.