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Wednesday features a nine-game MLB main slate, and the action on DraftKings gets underway at 7:05 p.m. ET. Let’s go position-by-position and break down everything you’ll need to know to set your lineups.
PITCHER
Stud
Yu Darvish, San Diego Padres vs. Los Angeles Angels ($9,300) — Several of his starts have been ruined by his propensity to surrender home runs, but other than Shohei Otani — not projected to start without a DH in an NL park — who is going to homer for the Angels? Since Aug. 1, not one Angels hitter — including Ohtani — has an ISO above .180 against right-handed pitching. Take away Darvish’s home run bugaboo, and we’re left with a pitcher with a 29% K rate.
Other Option: Kyle Gibson ($8,700)
Value
Mike Minor, Kansas City Royals at Baltimore Orioles ($6,700) — Baltimore was good against left-handed pitching, but they’re not hitting lefties anymore. Since July 1, Baltimore has a 95 wRC+, .309 wOBA and a .174 ISO against left-handed pitching. They’re not pushovers, but they are worthy of being targeted with a value pitcher. In Minor’s last outing, he held the Indians to two runs over five innings. In the two starts before that, he held the Astros to three runs per game in back-to-back matchups. In the two before that — another back-to-back matchup — Minor surrendered three runs and four runs in two starts against a right-handed heavy Cardinals lineup, but he struck out 14 batters in those 11 innings.
Other Option: Luis Gil ($7,000)
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CATCHER
Stud
Salvador Perez, Kansas City Royals at Baltimore Orioles ($6,000) — It’s been several days since he has homered, so he is due. Perez is four shy of the record of 45 home runs by a catcher and a matchup against Matt Harvey ($5,300) could get him halfway there.
Value
Travis d’Arnaud, Atlanta Braves vs. Washington Nationals ($3,800) — Sean Nolin ($5,900) has only pitched 10 innings against right-handed batters and they have not been good (see stats below in the Ozzie Albies blurb). In the minor leagues, Nolin was not particularly good with a 4.16 FIP at Triple-A this season and a 5.16 FIP the season before that. In 33 at-bats against left-handed pitching, d’Arnaud has a .353 wOBA, .188 ISO, 119 wRC+ and a 13% K rate.
Other Option: Tyler Stephenson ($4,400)
FIRST BASE
Stud
Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds at Chicago Cubs ($4,600) — Alec Mills ($6,300) is a solid ground ball pitcher against right-handed batters, but the rookie struggles to retire left-handed batters — .375 wOBA, .182 ISO, 1.4 HR/9 and a 17% K rate. Votto still bangs against right-handed pitching — .426 wOBA, .338 ISO, 165 wRC+ and a 46% hard contact rate.
Other Option: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. ($5,300)
Value
Josh Bell, Washington Nationals at Atlanta Braves ($4,000) — The Nationals left-handed batters are in a good spot against Touki Toussaint ($7,300) — .329 wOBA, .225 ISO, 35% hard contact rate, 45% fly ball rate and 2.1 HR/9. Atlanta is a hitter-friendly park and Bell has some pop against right-handed pitching — .337 wOBA, .220 ISO, 109 wRC+ and a 38% hard contact rate.
Other Option: Ryan O’Hearn ($3,100)
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SECOND BASE
Stud
Ozzie Albies, Atlanta Braves vs. Washington Nationals ($5,100) — It’s a small sample size, but Sean Nolin has surrendered a .403 wOBA, .245 ISO, 43% hard contact rate and 1.7 HR/9 in 10 innings pitched against right-handed batters. Albies is crushing left-handed pitching — .399 wOBA, .277 ISO, 149 wRC+, 35% hard contact rate and a 13% K rate.
Other Option: Whit Merrifield ($5,300)
Value
Jonathan India, Cincinnati Reds at Chicago Cubs ($4,300) — Against right-handed pitching, India has a .361 wOBA, .207 ISO and a 123 wRC+. On Tuesday, India homered and doubled against the Cubs, but that’s not a surprise with the way he hits on the road — .393 wOBA, .224 ISO and a 146 wRC+.
Other Option: Kolten Wong ($3,800)
THIRD BASE
Stud
Manny Machado, San Diego Padres vs. Los Angeles Angels ($) — He’s on a 10 game hit streak with a .418 wOBA, .244 ISO and 166 wRC+ over that span. The Angels are out of pitchers, so they’ve been forced to adopt the opener method and lean on their bullpen in games. The Los Angeles bullpen has been average in relief, but asking them to routinely pitch full games is a recipe for disaster.
Other Option: Patrick Wisdom ($4,800)
Value
Mike Moustakas, Cincinnati Reds at Chicago Cubs ($4,900) — Since coming back from the IL, Moustakas has been slow to get things going, but he has a .331 wOBA, .220 ISO and 104 wRC+ against right-handed pitching despite his down season. Alec Mills pitches to contact and it works against right-handed batters (57% ground ball rate), but it doesn’t work against left-handed batters — .351 BABIP.
Other Option: Bobby Dalbec ($3,400)
SHORTSTOP
Stud
Dansby Swanson, Atlanta Braves vs. Washington Nationals ($5,000) — Against left-handed pitching, he has a .329 wOBA, .240 ISO, 104 wRC+ and a 37% hard contact rate. At home in the hitter-friendly park in Atlanta, Swanson has a .247 ISO.
Other Option: Wander Franco ($5,600)
Value
Ramón Urías, Baltimore Orioles vs. Kansas City Royals ($2,800) — At the moment, Urías is day to day, but his injury does not seem serious and a matchup against a lefty is a great spot to insert him back into the lineup. Since getting called up on June 27, he has a .352 wOBA and a 124 wRC+ against left-handed pitching.
Other Option: Adalberto Mondesi ($4,400)
OUTFIELD
Stud
Juan Soto, Washington Nationals at Atlanta Braves ($5,700) — The 2021 season is over for the Nationals and without Trea Turner, Max Scherzer, Josh Harrison and Yan Gomes — the 2022 season is probably over too. Soto is and will be a positive for Nationals fans. Against right-handed pitching he has a .434 wOBA, .212 ISO, 171 wRC+, 41% hard contact rate and 13% K rate.
Other Option: Fernando Tatis Jr. ($6,200)
Value
Rafael Ortega, Chicago Cubs vs. Cincinnati Reds ($3,800) — One of the few good stories coming out of Chicago is Rafeal Ortega. He became an everyday player after the trade deadline fire sale and he’s produced. Against right-handed pitching he has a .402 wOBA, .229 ISO and 153 wRC+. Vladimir Gutierrez ($7,700) struggles with with left-handed batters — .326 wOBA, .236 ISO, 35% hard contact rate, 47% fly ball rate, 1.9 HR/9 and a 14% K rate.
Other Option: Austin Hays ($3,100)
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