This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
There are nine MLB games starting at 6:40 p.m. EDT or later Wednesday. The NBA (and NHL) finals aren't happening just yet, so there's nothing better on the sports front than a bit of MLB action! Looking for some DFS recommendations? You've come to the right place!
Pitching
Logan Gilbert, SEA at OAK ($10,200): The Mariners really benefit from the reliability, and innings-eating, of Gilbert and Luis Castillo. Gilbert has made 12 starts, and nine of them have been of the quality variety. Given that Oakland is in the bottom five in runs scored and has a sub-.300 OBP, there's a good chance he adds a 10th quality start to his ledger.
Jameson Taillon, CHC vs. CWS ($8,200): It's not the best time to be a baseball fan on the south side of Chicago, which probably makes some Cubs fans happy. It should also make Taillon happy, as he gets to take the mound against MLB's worst team. While Taillon has a 4.10 FIP compared to his 2.84 ERA, the White Sox are comfortably last in runs scored and team OPS. He should have no problem with this matchup.
Albert Suarez, BAL at TOR ($6,900): Suarez has been bouncing between the rotation and the bullpen, and he's only pitched five or more innings three times this year, but that includes his last outing. Plus, when he's pitched, he's been impressive, as he has an 1.57 ERA and 2.78 FIP. Baltimore is vying for the top seed in the AL, whereas Toronto looks like it will be a seller before the trade deadline, which speaks to the different circumstances these teams find themselves in. The Blue Jays are in the bottom six in runs scored.
Top Targets
In truth, Juan Soto ($4,600) has never needed much help from his ballpark. He has one of the best batting eyes of his generation, perhaps the absolute best. However, his left-handed swing is pretty perfect for his new ballpark in the Bronx. Since 2022, he has a .977 OPS versus righties, but his OPS at Yankee Stadium this year is up over 1.000. Chris Paddack is pitching regularly for the first time since 2021, and he has a 4.57 ERA in part because he's allowed 1.62 homers per nine innings.
A counting-stat accumulator when on the field (which has not been as often as most hope), Fernando Tatis ($3,800) has 10 homers and six stolen bases through 64 games this year. It's perhaps not surprising that he has an .840 OPS on the road but has struggled at home, as Petco Park can be tough in hitters, but he also has an .805 OPS against his fellow righties while struggling a bit against lefties. Jose Soriano has moved from the bullpen to the starting rotation, and while his FIP has actually dropped from 3.96 to 3.88, he now only has managed to strike out 8.33 batters per nine innings. That's solid, but obviously not what he could do as a reliever, and not enough for me to avoid him.
Bargain Bats
Man, Dylan Moore ($3,000) must absolutely hate Safeco Field. Since 2022 he has a .581 OPS at home, but a .944 OPS on the road. He's playing regularly right now due to injuries, and Moore and the Mariners will be in Oakland, which is obviously a road outing. Joey Estes has only made six MLB starts across two seasons, but he has a 6.46 ERA in that time.
As us Tigers fans lament Spencer Torkelson being sent back down to Triple-A, at least Colt Keith ($2,500) is starting to look like he belongs in MLB. The rookie has an .826 OPS over the last three weeks. Jose Urena has a 3.74 ERA, but a 4.59 FIP. He actually has a career 4.80 FIP, and his numbers this year are, in part, because he was in the bullpen to start the season. I'm going with Keith, a southpaw, because lefties have hit .305 against him since 2022.
Stack to Consider
Rangers vs. Tigers (Kenta Maeda): Corey Seager ($4,000), Adolis Garcia ($3,600), Josh Smith ($2,900)
The Tigers took a couple flyers on pitchers this offseason. Jack Flaherty has worked out, but Maeda has not. He's struck out a mere 6.69 batters per nine innings, allowed 2.24 homers per nine, and he has a 6.25 ERA through nine starts. If that wasn't enough, he has a 10.80 ERA on the road, making this stack even more appealing to me.
After posting an 1.013 OPS with the Rangers last season, Seager started the 2024 campaign slowly. However, over the last three weeks he has an 1.322 OPS, so he's looking like an MVP candidate again. Garcia really enjoys his home ballpark. Since 2022 he has an .866 OPS at home. While he's a righty, and so is Maeda, this year right-handers have hit .300 against him. Smith is playing third base due to Josh Jung's injury. He's slashed .280/.367/.413. He also has an .802 OPS versus righties, with an .859 OPS at home for good measure.
Rays at Marlins (Braxton Garrett): Isaac Paredes (3,500), Yandy Diaz ($3,200), Amed Rosario ($2,800)
Baseball is in a rough spot in the Sunshine State. Both of these offenses have been questionable, but the Rays are still ahead of the Marlins. Garrett has only made four starts this season, but he has a 4.56 ERA. At home he has a 10.24 ERA, and while that's based on just a couple outings, he had a 4.46 ERA at home last year. Garrett is a lefty, and has handled southpaws well, but righties have hit .266 against him since 2022, and I have three righties in this stack.
Paredes has been the bright spot for the Rays offensively, having slashed .294/.381/.488. He has 10 home runs through 57 games after hitting 31 last season. Diaz is having a down year, but in three of the prior four seasons he posted an OBP over .400. He has a .721 OPS against lefties this season, but had an 1.101 OPS in those matchups last year, and .892 the year prior. Rosario has earned more playing time for the Rays, and after picking up three hits Tuesday his average is up to .303. He's never had a ton of power, but since 2022 he's slugged .451 against lefties, while also hitting .291 in those matchups.
