There is a deep list of solid pitching options on Wednesday’s 12-game MLB evening slate. You can go with a pair of high-priced options and still find value on the hitting side to make it work. You could also take on a little more risk and roster two cheaper pitchers and just load up on bats. I’ll likely go for a mix with one high-priced ace and a mid-range arm with strikeout upside in cash games while still fitting in a solid core of hitters.
As always, be sure to pay close attention to the lineups when they are released and monitor the weather leading up to game time. 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.
Create Optimal DraftKings lineups using our DFS Lineup Optimizer tool 
Pitchers
Chris Sale (BOS): $10,600 @ KC
Despite a 1-7 record on the season, Sale seems to have found a better groove on the mound over the last month. He has recorded double-digit strikeouts in six of his last eight starts and has limited the damage despite facing some good offenses. Sale will get a plus matchup on Wednesday as the Red Sox face the Royals in Kansas City. The weather conditions aren’t ideal for pitchers but that didn’t stop Eduardo Rodriguez from putting up 23.2 DraftKings points in a similar spot on Tuesday. The Royals have a .283 wOBA (28th), 73 wRC+ (28th), and 24.8% strikeout rate (10th) against lefties this year. Meanwhile, Sale has allowed just a .259 wOBA with a 32.1% strikeout rate against Royals hitters in 143 career plate appearances.
There is a deep list of solid pitching options on Wednesday’s 12-game MLB evening slate. You can go with a pair of high-priced options and still find value on the hitting side to make it work. You could also take on a little more risk and roster two cheaper pitchers and just load up on bats. I’ll likely go for a mix with one high-priced ace and a mid-range arm with strikeout upside in cash games while still fitting in a solid core of hitters.
As always, be sure to pay close attention to the lineups when they are released and monitor the weather leading up to game time. 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.
Create Optimal DraftKings lineups using our DFS Lineup Optimizer tool
Pitchers
Chris Sale (BOS): $10,600 @ KC
Despite a 1-7 record on the season, Sale seems to have found a better groove on the mound over the last month. He has recorded double-digit strikeouts in six of his last eight starts and has limited the damage despite facing some good offenses. Sale will get a plus matchup on Wednesday as the Red Sox face the Royals in Kansas City. The weather conditions aren’t ideal for pitchers but that didn’t stop Eduardo Rodriguez from putting up 23.2 DraftKings points in a similar spot on Tuesday. The Royals have a .283 wOBA (28th), 73 wRC+ (28th), and 24.8% strikeout rate (10th) against lefties this year. Meanwhile, Sale has allowed just a .259 wOBA with a 32.1% strikeout rate against Royals hitters in 143 career plate appearances.
Yu Darvish (CHC): $7,100 vs. COL
I’m not going to call Darvish a safe option, but he has been pitching better recently with at least 16.8 DK points in four of his last five outings. He will be at home on Wednesday where the temps will be cooler with the wind blowing in. It also means that Darvish will face the Rockies outside of Coors Field where they have posted a meager .288 wOBA (28th), 75 wRC+ (28th), and 24.5% strikeout rate (10th) against righties this season. There are safer options out there, but they will cost you more and still don’t exceed Darvish’s upside.
Other Notables
Hitters
Mookie Betts (OF – BOS): $4,800 @ KC
Getting an inexpensive SP2 really opens up the salary on the hitting side to roster some elite hitters at reasonable prices. Betts is a perfect example with his sub-$5k salary while playing in a good hitting environment with warm temps in Kansas City. Betts has been at his best this season against right-handed pitching with a .406 wOBA and .234 ISO including all nine of his homers for the year and will face Royals righty Jakob Junis.
Francisco Lindor (SS – CLE): $4,600 vs. MIN
Lindor has been on fire at the plate the last two games collecting three hits in each outing including smacking a couple of long balls against the Twins on Tuesday. His salary remains reasonable on Wednesday night for his matchup with lefty Martin Perez. Perez has been good at home but has struggled on the road this season with a 4.78 ERA and .319 wOBA allowed. Meanwhile, Lindor has posted a .443 wOBA and .333 ISO at home against lefties this season.
Matt Carpenter (1B/3B – STL): $4,300 vs. CIN
Carpenter is riding a five-game hitting streak that has included a pair of long balls. He has returned to his familiar leadoff spot which is where he should be on Wednesday against right-hander Anthony DeSclafani. Carpenter matches up well with DeSclafani with a .458 average (11-for-24) with three homers and seven walks during his career. He is a viable option at either 1B or 3B depending on if you need to save some salary to fill one of those spots.
Aaron Hicks (OF – NYY): $4,000 @ TOR
Hicks socked a pair of homers on Tuesday night while batting cleanup for the Yankees. He’ll look to stay hot at the dish on Wednesday against the Blue Jays right-hander Trent Thornton. Thornton has served up a .360 wOBA and 1.97 HR/9 to left-handed hitters this season, while Hicks has posted a .436 wOBA and .200 ISO against righties on the road in the early going this season. Plus, you have to like the reasonable $4k salary.
Joey Votto (1B – CIN): $3,800 @ STL
If you don’t go cheap at either 1B or 3B, then consider Votto who has been coming on at the plate over the last couple of weeks. He has collected at least one hit in nine of his last 10 games while posting a .409 average during that stretch. The home run power still hasn’t been there which could limit his upside. However, he will face righty Dakota Hudson on Wednesday who has allowed a .435 wOBA and eight homers to lefties over his 11 starts this season. I’m not saying Votto will hit a homer on Wednesday but with a favorable matchup and good hitting weather, I’m saying there is an increased chance.
Other Notables
- Derek Dietrich (1B/2B – CIN): $5,000 @ STL
- J.D. Martinez (OF – BOS): $4,800 @ KC
- Michael Brantley (OF – HOU): $4,600 @ SEA
- Carlos Santana (1B – CLE): $4,500 vs. MIN
- Tommy La Stella (2B/3B – LAA): $4,200 vs. OAK
- Shohei Ohtani (OF – LAA): $3,800 vs. OAK
- Jesse Winker (OF – CIN): $3,800 @ STL
- Buster Posey (C – SF): $3,700 @ NYM
- Robinson Cano (2B – NYM): $3,200 vs. SF
- Travis Shaw (3B – MIL): $2,800 vs. MIA
- Kendrys Morales (1B – NYY): $2,800 @ TOR
Create Optimal DraftKings lineups using our DFS Lineup Optimizer tool
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Play | SoundCloud | Stitcher | TuneIn
Brad Richter is a featured writer and correspondent at FantasyPros and a contributor at DailyOverlay. For more from Brad, you can view his archive or follow him @RotoPilot.
