Hey, everyone. Jared from Fantasy Cruncher here. I’ll be writing the Wednesday, Friday and Saturday FanDuel MLB Lineup Advice articles every week for FantasyPros this year. I’m excited to share my thoughts and recommended plays with you throughout the season!
We only have a nine-game slate to work with on Wednesday night, thanks to few games in the early part of the day. For reference throughout the season, be sure to bookmark our overview of MLB Park Factors and how to Use Weather to Your Advantage in MLB DFS. Also, check out our GPP and Cash Games Primers to learn more about different daily fantasy game types specific to MLB.
Win cash playing in FanDuel’s MLB Squeeze 
Weather
Weather shouldn’t be much of a factor tonight (if at all), so we aren’t going to be steering clear of any situations in particular.
Overall Thoughts
It’s a night where paying up for pitching is absolutely how I want to start my lineup construction. Coors is out of the picture, and both deGrom and Scherzer are staring at some pretty elite match-ups. This lineup is better positioned for cash game relevancy than for tournaments, so plan your contest entries accordingly.
Pitcher
Max Scherzer (WAS): $11,500 @ SF
Scherzer is right there with deGrom in terms of opponent total and win probability, and I prefer him as a play on FanDuel based on a nearly equal price. He’s a bit more expensive but has superior skills and recent numbers over the last 30 days, which gives him the edge for me.
A 12.7 K/9, 2.3 BB/9, 2.53 SIERA and 16% whiff rate in that time are all fantastic – and the Giants sport some of the softest team wOBA and ISO numbers in the league vs. RHP. I say fire him up with confidence in all formats, folks.
Other Notables
Catcher
Matt Wieters (WAS): $2,400 @ SF
I want some shares of LHBs against Matt Cain tonight to back up my play of Scherzer and exploit a very extreme LHB split where he is giving up a wOBA better than .380 to lefties over the last couple years. Catcher is not a spot I need to spend up at tonight, so rolling with a $2,400 guy who has power potential in this match-up is right on point.
Other Notables
First Base
Jose Abreu (CWS): $3,600 vs. BOS
There are some 1Bs in this price range you can think about today, but Abreu’s power, hard hit rates and moderate K rates vs. LHP are where I want to invest. The White Sox have been LHP killers all season and possess some scary splits in this regard, and I would like to make sure I have a piece of the action.
He has a nice floor in this match-up with the potential to give us 20+ FanDuel points, too. If you want a cheaper name, Lucas Duda is my choice.
Other Notables
- Lucas Duda
- Albert Pujols
- Matt Adams
- Hanley Ramirez
Second Base
Daniel Murphy (WAS): $3,600 @ SF
Murphy was the first hitter that I locked into my lineup today as I want to have a high floor, solid upside play against an exploitable arm. His ISO of .224 and .382 wOBA – not to mention a mere 8% K rate – are elite for the split vs. RHP. And I don’t need to remind you of how bad Cain is against lefties, do I?
Other Notables
Third Base
Evan Longoria (TB): $3,300 @ TEX
I am high on the Rays offense tonight as well, and there are some pretty nice value bats to consider behind an elite SP spend like Scherzer to consider. Austin Bibens-Dirkx takes the mound for the Rangers, but we are likely to have more of a bullpen game here once again as he isn’t expected to go deep. Longoria has been swinging the bat well, has excellent ISO and wOBA numbers for the split (.204 ISO most notably) and in a great hitter’s environment, I’m happy to roll him out there in a very solid situation.
Other Notables
Shortstop
Alcides Escobar (KC): $2,400 vs. DET
Escobar isn’t someone I typically chomp at the bit to get into my lineup but assuming he’s batting at the top of the order, for a guy that keeps the ball in play and against a pitcher like Mike Pelfrey, he’s in play. I see him as a cheap leadoff option that can get us six or so points which will do the trick in cash games.
He’s an easy fade in GPPs, though. Note that in a situation where you pay down off of a guy like Abreu to Duda for example, you can easily spend up here for a stronger overall play.
Other Notables
Outfield
Kevin Kiermaier (TB): $2,900 @ TEX
All three of my OFs are under the $3,000 mark, but I think they are all in very solid situations. Kiermaier has started to come alive a little bit, and like I mentioned with Longoria, the value/match-up is very good. He can do damage with both the bat and his legs, and I believe the price point makes him a high-end option on the evening slate.
Ben Gamel (SEA): $2,700 vs. COL
When Nelson Cruz left the game early last night, Gamel came in off the bench and just kept on getting hits. I’m assuming that he’ll be back in the lineup again tonight, and Senzatela has been more susceptible to LHB so far this season. There’s a very good chance he will be in the #2 spot in the order as well, which improves his run-scoring chances for a very reasonable price point.
Andrew Romine (DET): $2,600 @ KC
Romine should continue to hit at the top of the order for the Tigers while Ian Kinsler is on the shelf, and Ian Kennedy possesses some of the highest hard hit rates for the slate. You can’t beat the price for a leadoff bat, and assuming that’s the situation once lineups are announced, you can sign me up.
Other Notables
- J.D. Martinez
- Corey Dickerson
- Michael Conforto
- Justin Upton
- Jose Martinez
- Andrew Benintendi
- Steven Souza
- Mookie Betts
- Nick Markakis
- Eric Young
My Lineup
- SP – Max Scherzer (WAS): $11,500 @ SF
- C – Matt Wieters (WAS): $2,400 @ SF
- 1B – Jose Abreu (CWS): $3,600 vs. BOS
- 2B – Daniel Murphy (WAS): $3,600 @ SF
- 3B – Evan Longoria (TB): $3,300 @ TEX
- SS – Alcides Escobar (KC): $2,400 vs. DET
- OF – Kevin Kiermaier (TB): $2,900 @ TEX
- OF – Ben Gamel (SEA): $2,700 vs. COL
- OF – Andrew Romine (DET): $2,600 @ KC
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Jared Kwart is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Jared, find his work at FantasyCruncher.com and follow him @FCJaredK.
