This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
Wednesday's 10-game evening MLB slate begins at 7:05 PM Eastern. Offense should be plentiful with a number of subpar options scheduled to take the mound, and the players below are primed to excel while granting owners flexibility thanks to their affordability.
PITCHER
Brandon Woodruff, MIL vs. MIN ($5,900): Woodruff tossed 6.1 shutout innings against the Rays in his MLB debut last Friday and won't be this affordable for long if he can come close to replicating that effort here. Doing so shouldn't be difficult against a Twins team that ranks 27th in road OPS at .697. Woodruff also offers strong strikeout potential, as his 22.2 percent strikeout rate in Tampa Bay was right in line with his 22.4 percent mark at the Triple-A level this year. The 24-year-old right-hander also has a great opportunity to improve his record to 2-0 as opposing starter Bartolo Colon has a putrid 3-9 record this year.
Collin McHugh, HOU at CWS ($8,800): All signs point to McHugh finally picking up his first victory of the season here. He went just 4.2 innings in his first start after a long-term elbow injury, but has looked back to form since with a 1.50 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 13 strikeouts over 12 innings in his past two starts. Now the veteran righty gets to face his weakest opponent yet in a White Sox team that ranks 25th in runs per game at 4.27. Houston's top-ranked offense is likely to give McHugh plenty of support against the struggling Miguel Gonzalez, so a healthy combination of effectiveness, strikeouts and winning looks like the likeliest outcome here.
CATCHER
Cameron Rupp, PHI at ATL ($3,200): Rupp has been effective in limited action against left-handed pitching, churning out a .347 wOBA and .810 OPS in 84 plate appearances. His 16.7 percent walk rate in that split indicates tremendous patience, which should pay off against Braves starter Sean Newcomb. Newcomb walked seven in his last outing, giving him 22 free passes over 25 innings in his past five starts. That lack of control should help Rupp rack up value in two ways, by putting the catcher in hitter's counts and also giving him RBI opportunities through putting others on base in front of him.
FIRST BASE
Eric Thames, MIL vs. MIN ($3,700): Don't let recency bias steer you away from this opportunity to get an affordable hitter with a .517 slugging percentage against one of the most hittable pitchers in baseball. Sure, Thames hasn't been the same after a scorching April and Colon is coming off a complete game win (albeit with four runs allowed), but their season-long numbers speak for themselves. The left-handed slugger has a strong .385 wOBA against righties for the year, while the 44-year-old Colon has shown his age with a 7.32 ERA thanks to 125 hits and 15 homers allowed in 87.1 innings.
SECOND BASE
Wilmer Difo, WAS vs. MIA ($3,900): The switch-hitting Difo has been prolific from the right side, managing a .427 wOBA against lefties. That success should continue against Miami's Adam Conley, who enters this contest with a 5.10 ERA and 1.37 WHIP. Difo has been slotting in primarily at shortstop of late, but has also spent time at four other positions this season so getting his bat in the lineup won't be a problem.
THIRD BASE
Chase Headley, NYY at TOR ($3,400): This could be the last extended look a lineup gets at right-hander Cesar Valdez, as the Blue Jays have started stretching out alternatives in the minors after watching him get blown up for 12 earned runs in 5.1 innings over his past two starts combined. He's still here for now, though, which is music to Headley's ears. The switch-hitting corner infielder has been far more effective from the left side, with a .354 wOBA against righties and just a .240 mark facing southpaws. Headley's also in the midst of an extended hot streak, batting .344/.388/.511 in 97 plate appearances since July 8.
SHORTSTOP
Zack Cozart, CIN vs. SD ($4,600): Expect the Reds to jump all over southpaw Travis Wood, who enters play with a 6.49 ERA and 1.65 WHIP. Cozart in particular stands out from his teammates thanks to an incredible .490 wOBA in 78 plate appearances against lefties. The All-Star shortstop also benefits from batting second in a lineup that should have no trouble piling up runs in this favorable matchup at Great American Ball Park (1.07 park factor).
OUTFIELD
Adam Duvall, CIN vs. SD ($4,600): Wood's .363 wOBA allowed to right-handed hitters is too enticing not to stack against, and Duvall's .423 wOBA against lefties makes him the logical choice to use after Cozart. Cincinnati's clean-up hitter is always a threat to go deep, having mashed 58 long balls since the start of last season and five in his past 13 games. There are only so many terrible left-handed starters out there, so opportunities like this don't come around too often.
Nick Markakis, ATL vs. PHI ($3,700): Phillies starter Zach Eflin has been subpar even at the Triple-A level, with a 4.57 ERA at Lehigh Valley and a 6.13 total in the big leagues. The 23-year-old righty has allowed a .373 wOBA to left-handed hitters at the major league level, showing little improvement after surrendering a .388 mark as a rookie last year. While Markakis is no Freddie Freeman from the left side, the veteran comes $1,400 cheaper while also operating in the heart of Atlanta's order. The RBI opportunities should be there in this one, especially if Markakis finds himself batting clean-up as he has in each of the past three games.
Brett Gardner, NYY at TOR ($4,600): Gardner has done his damage almost exclusively against right-handed pitching, smacking 17 of his 19 home runs and snagging all 15 of his steals in that split while posting a .364 wOBA. Batting leadoff allows Gardner to maximize his at-bats and run-scoring potential at the top of a dangerous Yankee offense that should find plenty of success against Valdez.
