This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
A few aces take the mound Wednesday night, but there are plenty of cheaper arms worth taking a gamble on. That could be a wise strategy, which would allow for more bats against two pitchers that are getting their first starts of the season (Wade Miley and Brett Anderson).
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PITCHER
Aaron Nola, PHI at MIA ($9,900): The Marlins have hit better in recent games and tore up my Jake Arrieta lineups on Monday, but it's hard to envision that becoming a trend. Miami still has terrible numbers against righties with a 25.0 K%, .091 ISO and .271 wOBA. Nola has given up seven runs in his last three starts, yet has gone at least six innings in each of those and his K rate will improve at some point, down seven points (19.1%) from last year's number (26.6%).
GPP Fade: Stephen Strasburg, WAS vs. PIT ($10,800): Strasburg has struggled as of late, giving up four homers and 11 runs in his last three outings. Strikeouts are the only reason he's held some fantasy value and that's one thing the Pirates don't do with one of the better K rates in MLB at just 19.4% against righties.
Cheap GPP Consideration: Andrew Heaney, LAA vs. BAL ($6,000): Heaney hasn't been consistent, but he's coming off a five-inning start in which he struck out nine Yankees and only had one earned run. If he can gain some confidence from that start, he has an opportunity to carve up the Orioles, which own a 25.9 K% against southpaws in the first month of the season.
CATCHER
Matt Wieters, WAS vs. PIT ($3,200): With a righty on the mound, Wieters should start behind the plate again. He's struggled this season, but provides power with two of his six hits against righties being homers. That upside could work well against Ivan Nova, who had a .361 wOBA allowed and minimal 12.4 K% against lefty bats in 2017.
FIRST BASE
Ryon Healy, SEA vs. OAK ($3,900): Healy regained his bat in the past week with a few homers and he's hitting closer to last season's .212 ISO and .369 wOBA against southpaws. This is the perfect matchup for him as Oakland brought up lefty Brett Anderson from Triple-A, who hasn't had success in the majors since 2015. In limited time last season, Anderson had a miserable .351 wOBA against 208 righties faced.
SECOND BASE
Asdrubal Cabrera, NYM vs. ATL ($3,900): Cabrera has been a nice spark for the Mets this year and has hit safely in nine of his last 10 games. Even better is that he smoked southpaws last season for a .407 wOBA. Sean Newcomb has only had one above average outing this year and has 10 walks in his last three starts. He hasn't improved much since his rookie year when he sported a 4.81 xFIP against righty bats.
THIRD BASE
Eugenio Suarez, CIN vs. MIL ($4,500): Suarez has always been a decent bat and is now providing a bit more power with seven of his 16 hits going for an extra base. That's about where he finished last season against lefties with a .228 ISO and .383 wOBA. Wade Miley is another guy to go all-in against with righties since this is his first start due to a groin strain in the spring. Miley gave up 1.67 HR/9 to go with a 4.74 xFIP against righties a year ago.
SHORTSTOP
Amed Rosario, NYM vs. ATL ($2,900): Rosario doesn't cost much and already had success against Newcomb a couple weeks ago with two doubles. His career numbers are much better against southpaws with a .211 ISO and .352 wOBA in 59 plate appearances. Newcomb has a poor .333 wOBA against righties in his first two seasons.
OUTFIELD
Mitch Haniger, SEA vs. OAK ($4,900): It might be worth it to stack Seattle righties against Anderson because there's no telling how the lefty hurler will look in his first appearance of the season. Anderson had just a 15.4 K% against righties last year to go with a 4.27 xFIP. Haniger costs a bunch because he's been roping already with 10 homers. He didn't sport the same power numbers last year, but still managed a decent .196 ISO against lefties.
Odubel Herrera, PHI at MIA ($4,100): Herrera has most of his hits against righties this year, which is slightly different than last season, but he still had a .326 wOBA against them. That should be enough against Jose Urena, who has been inconsistent with three earned runs in three of his five starts. Lefty bats also torched him in 2017 due to a minimal 10.9 K% and 6.29 xFIP.
Adam Duvall, CIN vs. MIL ($3,700): Duvall is my cheaper play against Miley, who could easily get shelled in his first start. Duvall has been mostly power this season, which is a continuation from last year's .293 ISO and .382 wOBA against lefties. Miley gave up 24 of his 25 homers to righties in 2017 to go with a .374 wOBA.
