We're back in action for this Wednesday card. What's interesting about this slate is that we have games spread throughout the day. There's usually a larger main slate, but only six games make up the main card starting at 7:05 ET. I actually love that because 12 teams make up a plentiful player pool while not giving us too many options to dissect. It's also a limited pitcher's pool, but there's really not even any terrible pitchers on this slate. That should make it interesting from a lineup construction standpoint, so let's get into it!
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Pitching
Michael Wacha, KC vs. BOS ($8,000)
Wacha has quietly been one of the most reliable pitchers over recent years. This righty has a 3.40 ERA and 1.16 WHIP since 2022 while registering a 2.83 ERA and 0.99 WHIP so far this season. His home numbers are even more impressive, posting a 2.63 ERA and 0.84 WHIP in KC this season. A matchup with the Red Sox sounds scary on the surface, but this is one of the worst lineups in baseball. Boston ranks 27th in wOBA and 29th in runs scored, with Wacha scoring at least 17 DraftKings points in three straight matchups with the Sox.
Aaron Civale, ATH at LAA ($6,500)
It's surprising to see Civale pitch so well, but we can't fade him given his recent form and this outstanding matchup. Let's start there because the Angels have the worst K rate in baseball this season. They were last in that statistic last year as well, and we love that since these A's pitchers always perform much better outside of Sacramento. Civale has pitched well no matter where he is, collecting a 2.70 ERA and 1.39 WHIP. He's also got a 2.08 ERA and 1.19 WHIP on the road while throwing 6.1 one-hit innings in his last matchup with the Angels last season.
Top Targets
Nick Kurtz, ATH ($5,700) vs. Jack Kochanowicz
Kurtz is looking to set some records in his sophomore season, entering this matchup amid a 42-game on-base streak. That's quite the start after a Rookie of the Year campaign, posting a .459 OBP and 1.054 OPS across his last 29 outings. That doesn't even include his three-hit, five-RBI game on Tuesday, so it's safe to say this is one of the hottest hitters in baseball. We'll discuss the matchup with Kochanowicz in the stacks section, but we also love that Kurtz has compiled a .442 OBP and 1.110 OPS against right-handers since his call-up.
Alec Burleson, STL (vs. Carmen Mlodzinski) $4,400
Burleson is another player coming off a big game, but that's been a regular thing all season. This everyday three-hole hitter for the Cards has collected a .277 AVG and .781 OPS so far this year. He's also hitting .292 over the last month while posting an OPS north of .800 in that span. His splits are equally as sensational, as he sports a .381 OBP and .889 OPS against right-handers this year. That won't bode well for Mlodzinski, who has a 6.57 ERA and 1.54 WHIP across his last five starts. St. Louis is one of the best stacks on this slate, with Jordan Walker ($5,400), JJ Wetherholt ($4,900) and Ivan Herrera ($4,300) looking like good options.
Bargain Bats
Andrew Vaughn, MIL (vs. Edward Cabrera) $3,400
It's hard to believe that Vaughn is still just $3,400. He's been playing at $5K level since being traded to Milwaukee last season, amassing a .375 OBP and .869 OPS in 64 games after that trade last year. He's been even better this season, generating a .442 OBP and .928 OPS. That's why he's regularly been hitting fourth and fifth in this bludgeoning Brewers lineup, and we're not scared of a matchup with Cabrera. The Cubs righty has a 5.26 ERA and 1.50 WHIP across his last seven starts, with Milwaukee projected to score more than four runs in this game.
Salvador Perez, KC (vs. Connelly Early) $3,100
Perez has been a perennial All-Star candidate throughout his career, but it hasn't been happening this season. That's why he's dropped to $3,100, but we're willing to use him at this diminished salary for a multitude of reasons. The first is that the catcher position is among the weakest in DFS. The second is that he's facing a lefty, with Perez's OPS sitting .150 points higher with the platoon advantage in his favor this season. The final variable is that Perez is showing signs of breaking out of his slump, homering in two of his last seven outings.
Stacks to Consider
Athletics at Los Angeles Angels (Jack Kochanowicz): Shea Langeliers ($5,800), Kurtz ($5,700), Brent Rooker ($4,800) and Carlos Cortes ($4,200)
The A's are coming off their best offensive showcase of the year, dropping a season-high 14 runs on Tuesday night. This talented lineup is always capable of shellings like that, with the A's ranked top 10 in OBP and wOBA. That's bad news for a pitcher like Kochanowicz, who has collected a 6.10 ERA and 1.63 WHIP since the start of last year. In one start against them last season, the A's had 12 baserunners across four ugly innings.
Kurtz is our favorite option in this A's stack, but Langeliers is right there with him. He's been the best catcher in baseball, accruing a .335 AVG and .997 OPS while averaging more than 10 DraftKings points per game. Rooker has struggled this year, but he's homered in two of his last four fixtures after registering an .853 OPS across the last three years. Cortes has the platoon advantage against Kochanowicz while totaling a .330 AVG and .924 OPS across 79 games since his call-up last season.
