Since there are games throughout the day, tonight’s main slate has seven games and starts at 6:40 pm ET at FanDuel and six games starting at 7:05 pm ET at DraftKings. Today’s primer whittles the picks for the main slate to three pitchers, one stack, three studs and three values/punts.
Wednesday's Starting Pitcher Strategy
The first listed pitcher has the highest ceiling on the slate, making him a desirable option in tournaments. However, he's not a must-use pitcher in cash games. Instead, the second and third pitchers are DK's suggested pair for cash games.
Cash Game Recommendations:
Garrett Whitlock (BOS) at MIN
Whitlock hasn't lit the world on fire this year. However, he's pitched adequately. According to FanGraphs, in seven starts spanning 39.0 innings, Whitlock has a 4.38 ERA, 4.50 xERA, 3.91 xFIP, 1.23 WHIP, 4.4 BB%, 20.9 K% and 30.6 CSW%. The young righty's ability to generate swinging strikes and earn called strikes should result in more strikeouts. So, he's a positive regression candidate.
The Twins are a good matchup for Whitlock tonight. They're tied for 24th in wRC+ (82) and have a 30.0 K% in the last 14 days. They've also been strikeout prone against righties all year, fanning at a 27.1% clip against them this year. As a result, Whitlock should pile up DK and FD points on punchouts tonight, elevating his floor and ceiling.
Gavin Williams (CLE) vs. OAK
Williams was the 23rd pick in the 2021 MLB Amateur Draft. He's pitched up to his first-round billing in his professional career and dominated this year specifically. In 12 starts spanning 60.1 innings in Double-A and Triple-A in 2023, Williams has a 2.39 ERA, 3.41 FIP, 0.98 WHIP, 10.2 BB% and 34.3 K%. Furthermore, he had a 17.2 SwStr% in Double-A and a 15.4 SwStr% in Triple-A.
Williams has an outstanding matchup to begin his big-league career. The Athletics are tied for 25th in wRC+ (86) and have a 25.8 K% against righties. Finally, per Betting Pros, the Guardians are -175, and the game's total of 8.5 runs is acceptable. So, Williams is an exciting pick at his tiny salary on DK.
GPP Recommendation:
Shohei Ohtani (LAA) vs. LAD
Taming the Dodgers isn't an easy task for right-handed pitchers. LA is tied for sixth in wRC+ (110) against them this year. They're also patient, walking at a 10.5% clip. However, they're tied for 19th in wRC+ (94) and have had a 23.3 K% in the last 14 days. So, it's a good time for Ohtani to catch them.
And, of course, Ohtani is a stud. That's especially true when he toes the slab in his home ballpark. In 211.1 innings at home since 2021, Ohtani has had a 2.04 ERA, 2.98 xFIP, 0.99 WHIP, 8.0 BB% and 32.3 K%. Thus, Ohtani's ceiling is unmatched tonight. He's tailor-made for GPPs.
Top Lineup Stack
The Giants have a top-10 offense against righties. This year, they're tied for sixth in wRC+ (110) against right-handed pitchers. San Francisco is also dialed in at the dish. They're tied for second in wRC+ (127) in the previous 14 days.
Meanwhile, Yu Darvish is a much less threatening pitcher taking the hill in San Francisco than doing so in San Diego. In 205.0 innings on the road since 2021, Darvish has had a 4.57 ERA, 4.01 xFIP, 1.16 WHIP, 6.4 BB% and 24.6 K%. The veteran also isn't great at controlling the running game. Instead, he's allowed 11 stolen bases in 13 starts this year.
- In 125 plate appearances against righties this year, Corey Seager has a .440 OBP, .333 ISO and 209 wRC+.
- Mike Trout has amassed a .372 OBP, .253 ISO and 142 wRC+ in 234 plate appearances against righties in 2023.
- In 130 plate appearances against right-hander hurlers this season, Joc Pederson has a .392 OBP, .243 ISO and 147 wRC+. He also launched a homer last night.
- In 119 plate appearances against lefties in Jake Burger's career, he has a .336 OBP, .321 ISO and 151 wRC+.
- In 160 plate appearances against righties in 2023, Mike Yastrzemski has a .352 OBP, .246 ISO and 136 wRC+.
- Triston Casas has found his stroke lately. In the last 30 days, Casas has had a .368 OBP, .171 ISO and 122 wRC+ in 95 plate appearances.
Wednesday's Hitter Strategy
The Giants are the only listed stack for tonight. However, using only a few players from San Francisco and surrounding them with one-offs is also a sound strategy on this small slate.
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Whether you're new to fantasy baseball or a seasoned pro, our Fantasy Baseball 101: Strategy Tips & Advice page is for you. You can get started with our Sabermetrics Glossary or head to a more advanced strategy - like Maximizing Your Potential in Multi-Lineup Contests - to learn more.
Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.
