Wednesday features a 10-game main slate starting 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.
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PITCHER
Stud
Gerrit Cole, New York Yankees at Tampa Bay Rays ($10,500) - It’s hard to believe, but Cole has gotten even better this season. His fastball’s spin rate and velocity are at career highs, and so is his slider. Not only is his stuff nasty, but he can control it, too. His first-pitch strike rate is at a career-high, along with his csw% (called+swinging strike). Tampa Bay has been below average against right-handed pitchers this season and the Trop adds extra protection for Cole.
Other Option: Danny Duffy ($8,900)
Value
John Gant, St. Louis Cardinals at Milwaukee Brewers ($6,900) - This is not a good slate for value pitchers. Gant is a decent pitcher real-life pitcher, but he rarely gets a look in DFS. He generates a healthy amount of ground balls and has an acceptable 20.7% K rate over his career. There isn’t much upside with Gant, but he should have a safe floor against the Brewers. Against right-handed pitching, the Brewers have a 76 wRC+, .280 wOBA and a .140 ISO.
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CATCHER
Stud
Mitch Garver, Minnesota Twins at Chicago White Sox ($4,900) - Paying up for catcher doesn’t seem like a wise move on this slate, but it is contrarian. Dallas Keuchel ($6,000) isn’t the most popular pitcher to target on this slate, but Garver is mashing left-handed pitching (.381 wOBA, .378 ISO, 148 wRC+ and a ridiculous 60% hard contact rate). Garver’s 18% barrel rate is one of the highest in the league.
Other Option: Salvador Perez ($4,600)
Value
Sean Murphy, Oakland Athletics at Boston Red Sox ($4,300) - Stacking right-handed Oakland hitters against Eduardo Rodriguez ($8,200) will be popular (vs. RHB - .342 wOBA, .222 ISO and 1.75 HR/9). Murphy isn’t the cheapest way to chase a home run from the catcher spot, but there is a reason why he isn’t dirt cheap. He has a .238 ISO against left-handed pitching this season and a .224 ISO vs. LHP since the start of the 2020 season.
Other Option: Yan Gomes ($4,000)
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FIRST BASE
Stud
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto Blue Jays at Atlanta Braves ($5,200) - Max Fried ($6,100) has been blown up in two of his four starts. Fried isn’t as bad as his numbers indicate (.516 wOBA and a .310 ISO vs. right-handed batters), but all is not well because he’s pitched a good game against the Nationals. Even a regular Fried would struggle with Vlad Jr. Since the beginning of 2020, Vlad has a .390 wOBA, .311 ISO and a 149 wRC+ against left-handed pitching.
Other Option: Max Muncy ($5,500)
Value
Ryan O’Hearn, Kansas City Royals at Detroit Tigers ($3,000) - First off, check the lineup to make sure that he is starting because his strikeouts have landed him in the doghouse. O’Hearn is the typical all-or-nothing power hitter, but he doesn’t really deserve his recent benching (.354 wOBA and .241 ISO against right-handed pitching). The matchup is ideal, as Casey Mize ($5,200) is allowing a .393 wOBA, .250 ISO and 2.0 HR/9 to left-handed batters.
Other Option: Rhys Hoskins ($4,100)
SECOND BASE
Stud
Jed Lowrie, Oakland Athletics at Boston Red Sox ($4,700) - DFS players forfeit power when they roster Lowrie, but that is baked into Lowrie’s price. As mentioned above, the Oakland right-handed bats are in a great spot against Rodriguez. Lowrie has the potential to reach base multiple times and knock in some runs. His .361 wOBA and 139 wRC+ against left-handed pitching make him a key part of an Oakland stack.
Other Option: Marcus Semien ($4,800)
Value
Gavin Lux, Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Seattle Mariners ($3,500) - The left-handed Dodgers bats will be popular against Justin Dunn ($6,500) as against LHB has a .382 wOBA, .268 ISO and 2.4 HR/9. As his price indicates, Lux has not hit right-handed pitching this season, but this is a rather weak pitcher and the Mariners feature a below-average bullpen. Lux is a pretty risky one-off, but he works in Dodgers wrap-around stacks.
Other Option: David Fletcher ($3,300)
THIRD BASE
Stud
Matt Chapman, Oakland Athletics at Boston Red Sox ($4,800) - Lowrie is more of a stacking play, but Chapman works as a one-off because of his power. He’s always crushed left-handed pitching and this season is no different (0.383 wOBA, .265 ISO, 154 wRC+). It’s possible that E-Rod doesn’t get blown up, but he should be good for at least one home run.
Other Option: Rafael Devers ($5,900)
Value
Asdrubal Cabrera, Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Miami Marlins ($3,700) - Over the past week, Cabrera has been one of the hotter hitters in baseball (eight hits, .397 wOBA, 53% hard contact). Cabrera has not hit lefties that well this year, but going back to the start of last season, Cabrera, has a .356 wOBA and a .276 ISO against left-handed pitching.
SHORTSTOP
Stud
Corey Seager, Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Seattle Mariners ($5,600) - On Saturday, Seager recorded three hits. He did the same thing on Sunday. Justin Dunn ($6,500) can only mean more hits for the lefty slugger. Seager’s .174 ISO is disappointing, but 41% of his contact is hard and he’s crushing fastballs (.503 xwOBA vs. RHP fastballs).
Other Option: Bo Bichette ($5,500)
Value
Nicky Lopez, Kansas City Royals at Detroit Tigers ($3,000) - This is likely too cute for most, but hear me out. Lopez is incredibly cheap and he’s facing a pitcher that seriously struggles with left-handed batters. Since the beginning of last season, Mize has allowed a .418 wOBA, .294 ISO, 40% hard contact and 2.7 HR/9 to left-handed batters. Lopez doesn’t do much, but he doesn’t strike out either. Making contact versus Lopez and a bad bullpen is bound to work out for DFS players.
Other Option: Niko Goodrum (4,200)
OUTFIELD
Stud
Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels at Houston Astros ($6,000) - He should be in this spot every day, especially against right-handed pitchers (.550 wOBA, .452 ISO, 264 wRC+ and 47 % hard contact - yes, those numbers are real). His numbers look even better when he’s facing a young pitcher that’s still learning how to get out right-handed major-league bats. Jose Urquidy ($8,000) is allowing a .341 wOBA, .234 ISO and 1.9 HR/9 to right-handed hitters.
Other Option: J.D. Martinez ($5,600)
Value
Randal Grichuk, Toronto Blue Jays at Atlanta Braves ($4,200) - If Vlad is too costly of a way to target Fried, then consider Grichuk. Against left-handed pitching, Grichuk has a 0.455 wOBA, .290 ISO and a 196 wRC+. Even if Fried performs well, Grichuk will get an opportunity against a below-average Atlanta bullpen.
Other Option: Mark Canha ($3,800)
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