This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
We're getting quite close to the end of the MLB regular season. The playoffs are shaping up to be fun, and the DFS action will of course continue. You'll have fewer options, though, and also less favorable matchups for both hitters and pitchers. The difficulty goes up for MLB players and DFS players in the postseason. Let's make the most of this Wednesday, then. There are eight games starting at 7:07 p.m. ET or later. Here are my recommendations.
Pitching
Pablo Lopez, MIN vs. OAK ($11,400): This will be a tune-up start for Lopez to make sure he's in fine form for the playoffs. In his first season with the Twins he has a 3.38 FIP. Of course, this matchup is what entices me the most, given that the Athletics are last in runs scored and team OPS.
Dane Dunning, TEX at LAA ($7,800): When you have a team with everything to play for against a team with nothing to play for, not to mention a litany of key injuries, that's a matchup to target. Dunning has been far from great, but he does have a 3.38 ERA on the road, plus a strong, healthy offense to support him. The Angels may be in the middle of the league in runs scored, but Shohei Ohtani (elbow) and Mike Trout (wrist) aren't walking through that door.
Matt Waldron, SD at SF ($7,000): I wanted to throw in one, "Take a shot, save some salary, see what happens" pitcher, and that's Waldron. He's homer-prone, sure, but his last two starts have gone well, with a 2.45 ERA in those matchups. The Giants are in the bottom 10 in runs scored, and their no-star lineup is a spotty squad. Like I said, this is a roll of the dice, but I think it's a worthwhile one.
Top Targets
They had to sweat it a bit, but the Rangers got back in gear and are headed toward the postseason. Marcus Semien ($5,800) has been crucial to that, as he has an 1.076 OPS over the last three weeks. He's also been better against his fellow righties, against whom he has an .838 OPS. That's good, because Griffin Canning, who has a 4.85 ERA at home, has kept lefties in check but allowed righties to hit .264 against him.
Having only recently returned from injury, the Brewers will likely give Christian Yelich ($4,900) some playing time to get in the swing of things, as opposed to being overly cautious with their clear best hitter. The southpaw has 19 homers and 27 stolen bases, not to mention an .879 OPS versus righties. Miles Mikolas has struck out 5.86 batters per nine innings, and lefties have hit .286 against him. He allows a ton of contact, and Yelich should be able to take advantage.
Bargain Bats
I implore Ezequiel Tovar ($4,000) to take a walk once in a while, but from a DFS perspective, 15 homers and 11 stolen bases from the shortstop position is nice. The righty has been effectively even in terms of production against righties and lefties, but unsurprisingly has a .790 OPS at home. Los Angeles is just trying to patch the pitching staff together to make it to the playoffs, so this could be a bullpen game at Coors Field. Tovar is set up well for that.
Apparently I am in the mood to really take some shots with the regular season coming to a close soon. Austin Wells ($3,000) is a lefty catcher, and you need a catcher for your DraftKings lineup. You can save some money here with the guy the Yankees are now turning to when a righty is on the mound. Wells is only 24, and he had an .801 OPS at Triple-A. Jose Berrios has consistently had issues with lefties. Since 2021, he's allowed southpaws to hit .272 against him. Anything positive from Wells would be value added to your lineup, and also allow you to allot extra salary to some big names elsewhere.
Stacks to Consider
Astros at Mariners (Bryce Miller): Yordan Alvarez ($5,600), Kyle Tucker ($5,300), Michael Brantley ($4,300)
On the one hand, Miller has a 3.34 ERA at home, much better than his 5.18 ERA on the road. On the other hand, he's kept righties in check but allowed a .298 average to southpaws. Yeah, I'll stack three lefties against the rookie, especially with the Astros out for blood.
Well, Alvarez has an 1.236 OPS over the last three weeks, an 1.067 OPS against righties this year, and an 1.145 OPS on the road in 2023 for good measure. That'll cover it. In addition to a career-high .367 OBP, Tucker is on the cusp of his first 30/30 season. He also happens to have a .976 OPS on the road. Brantley has been day-to-day with a shoulder issue, but unless Jon Singleton gets off the bench (hey, it's possible) he's the only other lefty that sees any playing time. Plus, since 2021 Brantley has an .875 OPS versus righties.
Atlanta vs. Cubs (Jameson Taillon): Matt Olson ($6,400), Marcell Ozuna ($4,600), Michael Harris ($4,400)
Atlanta could take it a little easy down the stretch, but there is a lot of lineup uncertainty for playoff locks and cellar dwellers alike at this time of the campaign. As such, I'll bet on Atlanta's talent for a stack and adjust if called upon. Taillon has posted a 5.56 road ERA, having allowed 1.8 homers per nine innings in away outings. Given that Atlanta hits more home runs than anybody, that isn't a good formula for success for the Cubs and their right-handed starter.
Your home run champ for 2023, Olson also has an .389 OBP that really stands out. The southpaw has slugged a whopping .646 against righties, but then also has slugged .647 at home. Ozuna has been better versus lefties, but his .830 OPS against right-handed pitchers is still quite good. Righties have hit .260 against Taillon, so that works for me. After topping out at 19 homers as a rookie, Harris has the chance to put up a 20/20 season in his sophomore campaign. His .808 OPS against righties and .805 OPS at home are both encouraging.
Twins vs. Athletics (Joey Estes): Max Kepler ($4,300), Edouard Julien ($4,000), Willi Castro ($3,400)
When there's nothing left to burn, you must set yourself on fire. That's the 2023 Oakland Athletics in a nutshell. They gave Estes his first MLB start and he allowed six runs (five earned) and three homers in 4.2 innings against the Mariners. Oakland is starting Estes again, because the team has nothing to lose by doing so. The Twins, and your DFS lineup, have plenty to gain.
Kepler probably splashes the most power in a shorthanded Twins lineup. He's slugged .472 with 23 homers, but slugged .538 at home. Julien essentially need to be at home facing a righty, but that's exactly what he's doing Wednesday. He has an .885 OPS versus right handers and a .926 OPS in Minnesota. Castro has tallied five triples and 32 stolen bases. He's a switch-hitter, but his .787 OPS against righties gives him a clear preferred matchup. Julien essentially need to be at home facing a righty, but that's exactly what he's doing Wednesday. He has an .885 OPS versus right handers and a .926 OPS in Minnesota.
