This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
Wednesday's 15-game MLB slate begins at 1:05 PM Eastern time. There are plenty of value plays to be found in this slate, including a pair of pitchers that are primed for strong outings despite costing $35 or less.
For those interested, we've started an MLB DFS slack channel for paid RotoWire subscribers. (There is a season-long one as well). To join those channels, e-mail support@rotowire.com.
PITCHER
Clay Buchholz, ARI at SF ($31): Signed to a minor-league deal May 4, Buchholz has been tremendous in three starts since returning to the highest level, allowing one run in each while posting a 14:2 K:BB over 18 innings. He won 17 games with a 2.33 ERA back in 2010, so Buchholz is no stranger to sustained major-league success. Still priced at just $31, he represents an incredible value against a Giants offense that ranks below average at 4.20 runs per game and strikes out the fourth-most (9.35 per game).
Zack Wheeler, NYM vs. BAL ($35): Wheeler's upside is undeniable, but he's been plagued by some bad luck this season, creating a buy-low opportunity in this home tilt against the struggling Orioles. If Wheeler's 5.14 ERA starts to more closely resemble his 3.88 FIP, his price would likely start to climb quickly given his robust 22.7 percent strikeout rate. Look for him to close the gap between those numbers against a Baltimore lineup that's averaging the second-fewest runs per game (3.71) and the seventh-most strikeouts (9.22).
[Join a Yahoo Daily Fantasy Baseball contest or league today]
CATCHER
Yasmani Grandal, LAD at PIT ($15): The switch-hitting Grandal has found most of his success this season against right-handed pitching, producing a .362 wOBA when batting from the left side. He's primed to raise that mark further against Pirates righty Trevor Williams, who has a .331 career wOBA allowed to batters from the left side.
FIRST BASE
Jose Martinez, STL vs. MIA ($17): Martinez has been about as good as it gets against left-handed pitching in his career, producing a .466 wOBA in 105 such at-bats. Marlins southpaw Wei-Yin Chen has allowed a .389 wOBA to right-handed hitters this season, so his chances of slowing Martinez down are slim.
SECOND BASE
Brian Dozier, MIN vs. CWS ($20): Dozier has started to heat up at the plate recently, so don't let his slow start to the season keep you from utilizing Minnesota's leadoff man in this highly favorable matchup. With a career .374 wOBA against lefties and a .437 mark last season, Dozier has established himself among the league's elite in that split, especially at the light-hitting second base position. It doesn't take an elite hitter to find success against White Sox southpaw Hector Santiago, who has a .364 wOBA allowed to right-handed batters along with a 6.28 FIP overall this year.
THIRD BASE
Maikel Franco, PHI at CHC ($11): Franco's putting together an impressive campaign against lefties, with a .344 wOBA, three home runs and just five strikeouts through 52 at-bats. The affordable third baseman represents a sneaky-good value against Cubs southpaw Jose Quintana, who has really struggled at Wrigley Field. Quintana's home ERA was 1.50 higher than his road mark last season, and that gap has widened even further in 2018 with a 6.66 to 2.62 split.
SHORTSTOP
Xander Bogaerts, BOS vs. DET ($18): Bogaerts has been raking against left-handed pitching this season, producing a .374 wOBA that's .010 higher than his career mark in that split. Don't expect the talented shortstop to slow down against converted Tigers reliever Blaine Hardy, who has allowed a .330 wOBA to right-handed batters throughout his career.
OUTFIELD
Marcell Ozuna, STL vs. MIA ($17): Ozuna joins his teammate Martinez as a strong play against his former club. The former Marlins outfielder has built up momentum by going deep Saturday and Sunday, and he's had no trouble adjusting to life in St. Louis with a .357 wOBA against lefties that's nearly identical to his career mark. Chen's aforementioned struggles against right-handed hitters put Ozuna in position to keep the good times rolling.
Gerardo Parra, COL at CIN ($13): If you don't have the money to pay up for Charlie Blackmon ($23) or even Carlos Gonzalez ($17), the least expensive of Colorado's three left-handed outfielders is an excellent consolation prize here. Parra has actually played his best baseball outside of Coors Field this season, posting a .353 wOBA in 71 road at-bats against right-handed pitching. That road success should continue against Cincinnati's Sal Romano, who has been burned to the tune of a .405 wOBA by the 136 left-handed hitters he's faced this season.
Dustin Fowler, OAK at TEX ($15): Fowler's starting to get more comfortable at the big-league level, having pumped out a pair of three-hit performances in his past four games while being elevated to the leadoff spot for the latest three-hit effort. The former Yankees prospect will have a great chance to build on his recent momentum against a pitcher that's nearly twice his age in Bartolo Colon. Colon's career wOBA allowed to left-handed hitters is .331, but that number climbed to .381 last season. Fowler should also benefit from the hitter-friendly environment, as Globe Life Park in Arlington currently has a fourth-ranked park factor of 1.23 after ranking second at 1.22 last season.
