This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
Wednesday's featured slate begins at 7:05 p.m. EDT and consists of eight games. Below, you'll find which individual pitchers and hitters are primed to provide the best value, as well as the top lineup stacks.
Pitching Overview
The two most expensive pitchers -- Patrick Corbin ($10,900) and Shane Bieber ($10,300) -- should both be popular. Corbin will be at home in Game 2 of a doubleheader against the Rockies, and he's allowed just eight runs to go with a 50:8 K:BB ratio in 39 innings over his past six starts. Meanwhile, Bieber has an easy road matchup against Toronto's 26th-ranked offense, his 3.29 FIP and 3.15 xFIP suggest his 3.69 ERA is actually inflated, and his strikeout rate is a stellar 31.1 percent.
Owners in search of a cheaper alternative on the mound should look to the Dodgers' Ross Stripling ($7,500) at home against the Angels. Stripling's a strong source of whiffs with a 24.8 percent strikeout rate, and his 3.64 ERA, 3.85 FIP and 3.63 xFIP are all respectable. The righty should also get plenty of run support from a fourth-ranked Dodgers offense that averages 5.45 runs per game. Reynaldo Lopez ($7,000) of the White Sox is also an intriguing choice against Miami's league-worst offense.
Value Plays/Chalk
There's plenty of firepower in the below stacking recommendations, which are three of the league's top four offenses in the Yankees, Twins and Dodgers. The value in this slate isn't limited to just those three teams, however, as certain individuals from other lineups also stand out as options to target.
Padres righty Dinelson Lamet has allowed a .367 wOBA to left-handed batters in his career, and that number has climbed to .390 over a 26-hitter sample this season. With a .389 wOBA against righties this season, leadoff man Jeff McNeil ($4,200) should come through for the Mets against Lamet. McNeil can be plugged in at second base or in the outfield.
If the prospect of facing Corbin doesn't scare you, Nolan Arenado ($4,800) is a nice against-the-grain choice at third base. Corbin's better than your average lefty, but Arenado is among the most effective hitters in that split with a .425 wOBA.
Cleveland's Jose Ramirez ($4,100) still has ugly overall numbers after an extremely slow start, but he's made a dramatic turnaround recently. The third baseman is still available at just $4,100, but he's been outperforming that valuation significantly in July with a .314/.324/.629 slash line.
Stacks
Twins vs. J.A. Happ (Yankees)
Mitch Garver (C - $5,100), Nelson Cruz (OF - $4,900), Jonathan Schoop (2B - $4,100)
These two powerful offenses have gone back and forth over the first two games of this series, with each scoring 20 runs. This will likely be another higher-scoring affair, as the visiting Yankees will send a vulnerable southpaw in Happ (4.86 ERA, 5.12 FIP) to the mound. Garver leads off against lefties and has gone deep five times in his last six games, raising his wOBA against lefties to .529. Cruz has a .407 wOBA against left-handed pitching, with eight home runs in just 66 at-bats in that split this season. Schoop comes in cheaper than his two aforementioned teammates, but don't be surprised to see the second baseman get in on the fireworks offensively given his .395 home wOBA against southpaws.
Yankees vs. Jake Odorizzi (Twins)
Didi Gregorius (SS - $3,900), Aaron Hicks (OF - $4,300), Mike Tauchman (OF - $4,100)
This may not look like a great stacking opportunity on its face, but given the Yankees' continued excellence and Odorizzi's recent struggles, there's some nice value to be found here. Odorizzi's 4.72 xFIP suggests his 3.18 ERA is due for major regression, and his crash back down to earth has begun with eight home runs and 21 runs (20 earned) allowed in 28.2 innings over his last six starts. Gregorius has a .484 road wOBA against righties, and the left-handed slugger is coming off a historic 5-for-5, seven-RBI performance. The switch-hitting Hicks has been significantly better from the left side with a .361 wOBA, and that's where he'll hit from against the right-handed starter. Tauchman is the latest player to go from unheralded acquisition to quality contributor for this Yankees club -- the left-handed slugger has contributed terrific outfield defense and his bat has caught up, as he's slashing .500/.576/.821 in 33 plate appearances this month.
Dodgers vs. Jaime Barria (Angels)
Joc Pederson (OF/1B - $4,600), Cody Bellinger (OF - $5,800), Max Muncy (1B/2B - $5,100)
As mentioned earlier, the Dodgers should provide plenty of run support for Stripling, especially considering Barria has a 7.36 ERA in 33 innings this season. Pederson is the leadoff man and has a .373 wOBA against righties, including .417 at home. Plus, he's eligible at both the outfield and first base positions. Bellinger's rarely a poor option given his .454 wOBA against righties -- fitting his $5,800 salary into your lineup is the tricky part. Muncy is another left-handed slugger who offers positional flexibility (first base, second base) and hits righties hard, having produced a .387 wOBA against them.
