This article is part of our FantasyScore MLB series.
We've shifted to hump day for FantasyScore coverage this week and for the foreseeable future. Make sure to take part in the BaseballHQ Freeroll GPP contest. If you're after a few more details and FantasyScore specifics, they can be found here.
The Freeroll doesn't include the early game between the Indians and White Sox, so player analysis and recommendations will focus on the evening games.
Lineup Configuration Notes
There are plenty of high-end arms tossing Wednesday, and making room to fit at least one into your lineup is encouraged. There are plenty of capable bats at reasonable price tags to enable you to roster two excellent pitchers. Don't' forget, pitchers return the most fantasy points the majority of the time.
Interestingly, after Buster Posey, the next three most expensive catchers are all injured. So it is a position to find value. Another source of cap relief is middle infield, as just seven players are priced above the contest-average $5,000 salary. Shortstop in particular is a nice place to take a calculated risk.
Wednesday is a popular off day, too, as a number of teams don't play Thursday. This is an easy opportunity to allow a regular to receive two days of rest and only miss one game. The schedule Thursday also has eight of 12 games starting early, so additional lineup adjustments could be in store. The point being, keep an eye on lineups, as a handedness specialist could land in a favorable matchup at a cellar-dwelling cap hit.
Arms to Target
The Price is Cueto
David Price, DET, $8,900 salary, 17.8 percent of cap - Lock Price into your lineups Wednesday. His stats speak for themselves, and the Yankees are tied for the sixth most strikeouts in league.
Johnny Cueto, CIN, $8,700 salary, 17.4 percent of cap - Expect Cueto to register his first win of the season Wednesday. He has struck out 24 batters through 21 innings this season, including two 10-strikout games. Milwaukee's lineup is littered with injuries, too.
Obviously, loading up on this pair of arms will leave you strapped for cap space. FantasyScore's hitter prices are cushy, though, and a combined 35 FantasyScore points is very much within reach for the Price-Cueto combo.
Fliers
Archie Bradley, ARI, $4,300 salary, 8.6 percent of cap - Through his first two starts, Bradley has allowed a single extra-base hit. The sample size is small, but Texas doesn't pose a significant threat, either.
James Shields, SD, $7,000 salary, 14.0 percent of cap - A contrarian play given the venue, but Shields is missing a lot of bats and averaging 15 fantasy points per start. His likely low ownership lands him in risk/reward territory.
J.A. Happ, SEA, $3,700 salary, 7.4 percent of cap - Houston is striking out 9.7 times per game, and Happ's cheap. In fact, there are five starters hurling Wednesday who are twice as expensive. Just remember he is under the flier heading for a reason, and the strikeouts -- just four through 13.1 innings -- haven't been there early in 2015.
Bats to Target
Spending Up
Joey Votto, 1B, CIN, $5,000 salary, 10.0 percent of cap - The smart money says Votto's two-game bomb streak ends Wednesday, but the rejuvenated on-base machine remains a high-end play in all points settings. He is reaching base at a .492 clip for the season.
Giancarlo Stanton, OF, MIA, $6,100 salary, 12.2 percent of cap - The slugger has found his groove with seven runs, three home runs and nine RBI over his last seven games, and Stanton has a 1.248 OPS during the span. Plus, against left-handed starters, he has a career .301 ISO, .410 wOBA and .970 OPS. Cole Hamels has been a shell of his former self thus far, too.
Cap Relief
Stephen Vogt, C, OAK, $2,500 salary, 5.0 percent of cap - Scorching hot over the past four games, Vogt has four runs, three home runs and six RBI with a .462/.563/1.308 slash line. Soft-tossing Jered Weaver has already allowed four home runs this season, too.
Billy Butler, 1B, OAK, $2,800 salary, 5.6 percent of cap - Through 2009-2013, Butler averaged 20 home runs, 91 RBI and a .302/.372/.469 slash line. While not exactly the most relevant statistics for Wednesday's daily contests, the point is Butler's price reflects a 2014 blip on the radar and not his abilities at the dish, especially with him looking poised for a bounce-back year in his new digs.
Addison Russell, 2B, CHC, $2,200 salary, 4.4 percent of cap - With his debut out of the way, Russell's better days will begin soon. At his cap hit, he is in play for FantasyScore players, and Chicago is starting to score runs in bunches -- 5.6 per game over their last 10. It wouldn't be shocking to see Russell highly owned, though.
Will Middlebrooks, 3B, SD, $2,300 salary, 4.6 percent of cap - A seven-game hitting streak with two round trippers and seven RBI plus the Coors Field factor are reason enough to load Middlebrooks into your lineup, especially at his cap hit.
Wil Myers, OF, SD, $2,900 salary, 5.8 percent of cap - Sticking with the favorable hitting environment and a hot streak, Myers fits the bill. His 14 runs pace the league, and he has 10 RBI, too. Kyle Kendrick isn't likely to slow the Friars down, either.
Nick Markakis, OF, ATL, $2,200 salary, 4.4 percent of cap - Currently riding an 11-for-19 run with seven walks, Markakis is living on base (.692 on-base percentage). While the rest of the counting stats aren't adding up as quickly, opposing pitcher Dillon Gee's runs against have been piling up.
Now that you're armed with solid advice, don't forget to sign up for a freeroll on FantasyScore.
