This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
The baseball action kicked off early Wednesday, as the Pirates and Rangers took the field at 12:35 p.m. EDT. Fortunately, there's still plenty of baseball Wednesday night for all you daily fantasy players who couldn't get a lineup in before lunch (or breakfast, depending on where you are). We'll deal with eight games, providing recommendations to help you with your lineup decisions.
PITCHING
It feels odd that Matthew Boyd ($9,500) is the third-most expensive pitcher, but it actually makes sense. The Tigers hurler has a 2.10 FIP through seven starts. He's also been decidedly better at home in his career, as he has a 3.43 ERA at Comerica Park since 2017. Sure, the Angels have Mike Trout, but the team beyond him still doesn't wow you.
The Marlins have a truly horrendous offense. They rank last in runs scored and have a .602 OPS. Kyle Hendricks ($8,400) is coming off a shutout and it wouldn't be surprising to see him blank the Marlins. You are going to want to target this Miami offense all season.
If you want a cheap option, consider Brett Anderson ($6,500). He's pitched quite well at home since rejoining Oakland last season. The 31-year-old had a 2.01 ERA at home in 2018, and he has a 3.21 home ERA this year. Cincinnati, meanwhile, has a .212 batting average as a team.
KEY VALUES/CHALK
The Rockies are at home, so sound the Coors Field alarm! Nolan Arenado ($5,500) is not totally a product of his home environment. That said, he has a 1.050 OPS at home since 2017, and he's tallied at least 37 homers in his last four campaigns. I also like Chris Iannetta ($3,900) at catcher because the Rockies are at home. He's also a right-handed bat going against Derek Holland, who is a lefty coming off an injury.
Mookie Betts ($5,400) isn't hitting like last year, when he won the MVP, but he still has a .291/.401/.493 slash line. The power is still there, as he has six homers in 36 games. He faces Andrew Cashner, who is starting for the Orioles. Cashner's 4.71 ERA is not impressive, but it's still better than his 4.98 FIP. He's also been giving up a ton of homers since joining Baltimore.
Lastly, Miguel Cabrera ($3,600) isn't hitting for power, but he is hitting. He has a .304 batting average, and the righty faces the left-handed Tyler Skaggs. Skaggs allows a .270 AVG against righties and has a career 4.36 ERA.
STACKS
Cubs vs. Jose Urena (Marlins)
Anthony Rizzo (1B - $5,300), Kris Bryant (3B, $5,200), Jason Heyward (OF - $4,600)
Now in his fifth season, Urena has never managed a FIP below 4.11. This year, his FIP is at 4.95, which is still better than his 5.45 ERA, and he's also given up a lot of homers. The 27-year-old has allowed seven homers in 39.2 innings. As such, I do not expect his trip to Wrigley Field to go well.
Rizzo has been the model of consistency as a hitter. This year, his batting average is oddly down to .244, but there is zero reason for concern. He still has a .910 OPS thanks to showing a ton of power and walking a lot. Plus, he's a lefty bat, and Urena is a right-handed pitcher.
Some worried about Bryant last season because he seemed to lose his power. He only hit 13 homers in 102 games while posting a .460 slugging percentage. 2019, though, is going better for the one-time MVP. Bryant has six home runs in 32 games with a .508 slugging percentage.
Then there's Heyward, who has had issues hitting for several years. This season, though, he's slashed .290/.407/.480 with five homers and four stolen bases. Will he keep that up? Perhaps not, but I still like this matchup because Heyward is also a southpaw. He's hit better against righties, and he'll allow you to not have to break the bank as well.
