The hump day main slate includes nine games tonight. Further, it begins at the customary 7:05 pm ET start time at DraftKings and FanDuel.
Wednesday's Starting Pitcher Strategy
An award winner from 2021 is the headline hurler tonight. However, a high-strikeout righty has GPP appeal, and a pair of youngsters merit consideration.
The hump day main slate includes nine games tonight. Further, it begins at the customary 7:05 pm ET start time at DraftKings and FanDuel.
Wednesday's Starting Pitcher Strategy
An award winner from 2021 is the headline hurler tonight. However, a high-strikeout righty has GPP appeal, and a pair of youngsters merit consideration.
Cash Game Recommendations:
Shohei Ohtani (LAA) vs. KC
Ohtani isn't resting on his laurels after winning the 2021 AL MVP Award. After recording a 3.18 ERA on the bump last year, he's had a 3.28 ERA in 11 starts this year. Additionally, according to FanGraphs, his xERA has improved from 3.32 to 3.17, xFIP has dropped from 3.55 to 2.84, WHIP has stayed steady at 1.09 and strikeout rate has surged from 29.3% to 31.2%.
Ohtani has a great matchup tonight. The Royals are 22nd in wRC+ (91) versus right-handed pitchers. Finally, the Angels are commanding -213 favorites, and the game's total is a ho-hum 8.0 runs, per Betting Pros.
George Kirby (SEA) at OAK
Kirby is the no-doubt SP2 in cash games on DK. The rookie righty hasn't been overwhelmed by the big-league spotlight. In eight starts spanning 43.0 innings, he's had a 3.56 ERA, 3.33 SIERA, 1.14 WHIP, 2.8 BB% and 22.9 K%.
In addition, Kirby has had a quality start in three of his previous four starts. He should stay hot tonight against the lowly A's. Oakland is 29th in wRC+ (73) against righties. As a result, the Mariners are -125 favorites in a game with a pitcher-friendly total of 7.5 runs.
GPP Recommendations:
Charlie Morton (ATL) vs. SF
Morton has had excellent underlying stats in his previous five starts that belies his 5.27 ERA. For instance, he's had a 2.84 xFIP and 2.66 SIERA. Moreover, Morton has had a 32.5 K% and 31.5 CSW%.
The strikeout potentiall and possibility of regression to his ERA estimators are reasons to roll the dice on Morton in GPPs. Further, San Francisco's 25.3 K% in the last 14 days awards Morton a high-strikeout ceiling.
Daniel Lynch (KC) at LAA
Lynch isn't a risk-free pick by any stretch of the imagination. However, he might be turning a corner. The young lefty has struck out a whopping 17 of the last 45 batters he's faced in his previous two starts, including striking out a career-high 10 batters in his most recent turn. Lynch has had swing-and-miss stuff this year, and his slider was at its best the last time he was on the hill.
Since Lynch isn't established as a reliable starter, there's a good chance he'll be overlooked in GPPs, enhancing his appeal. Finally, the Angels are a stellar matchup. They're 24th in wRC+ (91) against lefties with an exploitable 24.2 K%. They've also been in worse form lately, with an 85 wRC+ and 30.6 K% in the last 14 days.
Top Lineup Stacks
The Cardinals' matchup isn't as soft as last night. However, the other shoe might have dropped for Eric Lauer. After an excellent start to the year, Lauer has allowed three runs or more in his previous four starts. He's also coughed up precisely three homers in back-to-back starts. The Red Birds' top-five offense against lefties is unlikely to cure what has ailed Lauer lately.
- Home (Truist Park)
- Value: Low
- Risk: High
- Game Type: GPP
- Game Total/Moneyline: 8.5 Runs/ATL -124
The Braves are a risky stack against ace Carlos Rodon. Nevertheless, Rodon has one messy start on his ledger this year, getting hammered by the Cardinals for eight runs in 3.2 innings. The ball was flying in Atlanta last night, and Truist Park is a hitter-friendly venue. Most importantly, Atlanta's active roster has had 12 of 13 players amass at least a 100 wRC+ against southpaws since 2019. Thus, they're equipped with the talent and depth to get the better of Rodon.
- Home (Oriole Park at Camden Yards)
- Value: High
- Risk: Medium
- Game Type: Both
- Game Total/Moneyline: 9.5 Runs/BAL -130
As long as Patrick Corbin remains in Washington's rotation, there's a high probability the team facing him will appear in this section. The veteran lefty has had a 6.59 ERA and 6.32 xERA in 14 starts this year. On the heels of having a 5.82 ERA in 2021, it's mindboggling he hasn't been designated for assignment. Oh well. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. Keep stacking against Corbin.
- Unfortunately, Paul Goldschmidt received a day off on Tuesday with back tightness. As long as he's back in the lineup tonight, Goldy is the top stud hitter on the slate. The veteran first baseman is having an amazing season, owning a .417 OBP, .276 ISO and 189 wRC+ in 292 plate appearances.
- Trevor Story launched a longball last night. Tonight, he faces a southpaw. The veteran right-handed hitter has slaughtered lefties, posting a .369 OBP, .279 ISO and 137 wRC+ against them since 2019.
- Tommy Edman has been a do-it-all offensive force this year. He's also excelled against lefties in his career, with a .214 ISO and 128 wRC+.
- Tyler Nevin has a small sample against lefties in the bigs, but it's an impressive sample. In 47 plate appearances, he's hit three homers with a .426 OBP, .308 ISO and 191 wRC+. Thankfully, Nevin has also had success against southpaws in the minors at times during his career.
- Trey Mancini's power hasn't been up to previous years' standards. Nonetheless, he's had an excellent 126 wRC+ this season. Further, Mancini's batted balls have yielded a .555 xSLG that portends more power on the horizon.
- Albert Pujols is nearing the finish line. Still, he's been giving lefties fits. Since last year, Pujols has had a .293 ISO and 149 wRC+ in 189 plate appearances against them.
Wednesday's Hitter Strategy
Gamers can take a chance on the Braves in GPPs. However, the Cardinals and Orioles are appealing offenses to invest in across all game types.
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Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.
