This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
We have a near-even split between day and night games Wednesday, but we'll opt for the night slate due to there being a more plentiful supply of tournaments with large prize pools. That leaves us with seven games to work with, beginning at 6:40 pm ET. That non-traditional main slate starting time gives us exposure to some teams we don't typically get at home, such as the Reds, Nats and Rays. There are also a lot of hitter-friendly parks available to work with, highlighted by Great American Ball Park, Yankee Stadium, Coors Field and Truist Park. Without further ado, let's preview these games on DraftKings.
Pitchers
There aren't big-name aces to choose from this evening, but there is some depth in the pool with options available at different price points. Chris Sale ($9,800) is the highest-priced pitcher of the day and is deserving based on both his skills and results. He has an excellent 24.1% K-BB and has topped 20 DraftKings points in four of his last five starts. A matchup against Boston isn't ideal, but the Red Sox's lineup is still missing a few key pieces due to injury.
For those willing to take on some risk, Aaron Civale ($8,800) is an interesting name to consider. He has an elite matchup against the White Sox. The rather clear issue is that he has a 6.14 ERA, but his 3.56 SIERA is more indicative of the skills he's shown. This should be the matchup he gets his season on track, though rostering him will admittedly take a leap of faith.
The Nationals have exceeded expectations, but that hasn't been on the strength of their bats. They have a below-average wRC+ and strike out at right around an average clip. That puts Kyle Bradish ($8,400) on the radar as someone to consider in the middle tiers of pricing.
The punt option of the day is Chris Paddack ($6,500). He's had extreme performances, both good and bad, which is reflected in his price. Though Seattle had an offensive outburst Tuesday, they're still primarily a lineup to target thanks to a 28.2 percent strikeout rate and 98 wRC+.
Top Hitters
There are significant concerns in Randy Arozarena's ($5,100) skills profile, but there's no denying he's been hot as he's smacked three home runs in his last five games. Chris Flexen has somehow avoided trouble in his last several starts but has just a 4.0 K-BB while giving up 1.5 HR/9.
Great American Ball Park is one of the best ballparks for hitters, so I want exposure to the teams playing there just about any night. Ketel Marte ($4,900) is an elite option, but Jake McCarthy ($3,600) is a nice value as the most regular leadoff hitter for the team.
Value Bats
Jordan Montgomery had a delayed start to the season after signing late in the offseason with the Diamondbacks. It appears he's still trying to get into form as he has only an 11.9 percent strikeout rate while giving up 1.7 HR/9. The Reds are cold nearly from top to bottom of the lineup, which is why they aren't listed as a recommended stack. There are still cheap ways to get exposure to this matchup, though, highlighted by Jonathan India ($3,700), who serves as the leadoff hitter against southpaws.
Paddack has been boom or bust this year, so he's likely to have a very good or very poor start. We've covered the reasons for the potential positive result, but that doesn't mean we can dismiss the negative. One hitter who can do damage quickly is Mitch Garver ($3,300), who has started to show signs of turning things around of late (average of 7.2 DraftKings points across his last 10 games).
Stacks to Consider
New York Yankees vs. Houston Astros (Spencer Arrighetti): Anthony Volpe ($4,600), Juan Soto ($6,300), Alex Verdugo ($3,700)
If he were pitching in a different matchup and hitting environment, Arrighetti would be an interesting flyer to take. Instead, he's facing New York at Yankee Stadium, so he's a pitcher to target. That's primarily due to his walk rate (12.3%), as he could quickly get into trouble. With a few extra-base hits allowed, this has the makings of an explosive offensive performance. The top of the Yankees' lineup is priced as expected, but there are some value options throughout, highlighted by Verdugo and Gleyber Torres ($3,900). There should be a price fit for this stack even for those who want to pay up at pitcher.
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Chicago White Sox (Chris Flexen): Yandy Diaz ($4,500), Josh Lowe ($4,000, Isaac Paredes ($4,700)
We highlighted Arozarena earlier in the article due to his hot streak, but the rest of the Rays' lineup is worth noting, too. We've already covered Flexen's deficient skills. Tampa Bay has the lineup to take advantage. One of the features of the lineup is the low cost that even the top of the order checks in at – particularly Lowe, who just returned from the injured list. Meanwhile, Diaz has started to have some hits fall in (multiple hits in three straight games during the team's weekend series), while Paredes has been a consistent source of power.
