This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
Wednesday brings another 15-game schedule in the majors, 12 of which will make up the main evening slate on Yahoo. There are not only some excellent top-tier pitchers to choose from, but also some lineups who are in potentially favorable positions to thrive. Here are some of the better options to consider while completing your entry.
Pitching Overview
The three big names facing bad lineups are Chris Sale ($62), James Paxton ($55) and Charlie Morton ($55). Sale will face the Royals, who have the third-lowest wRC+ (73) against left-handed pitchers in the league and are now without one of their better right-handed hitters in Hunter Dozier (side). Morton will take the mound against a Tigers team that has scored the second-fewest runs (210).
While Paxton should have the advantage in his matchup against the Blue Jays, he might be the pitcher in this trio to avoid. He only threw 66 pitches in his last start against the Padres after spending over three weeks on the IL. With a rain out and off day, he will be on six days of rest for this outing, so he still might not be cleared to throw his normal allotment of pitchers.
Working our way down the price scale brings us to Brad Peacock ($46) against the Mariners. His return to the starting rotation has gone well with him posting a 3.17 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP. His xFIP is higher at 4.30, but a key stat is that he's only allowed five home runs across 59.2 innings. The Mariners have cooled off considerably after their hot start and dealt one of their better power threats in Jay Bruce to the Phillies, leaving Peacock with some potential here.
Key Values/Chalk
Anthony DeSclafani has allowed a .365 wOBA against left-handed hitters for his career, which includes a .432 mark against them this season. The Cardinals don't have many left-handed hitters, but this matchup makes Matt Carpenter ($16) and Kolten Wong ($8) two players to target. Carpenter has started to show signs of coming out of his slump by hitting 12-for-36 (.333) with four home runs across his last 11 games.
Sticking in that same game brings us to Dakota Hudson, who has allowed a career .412 wOBA to lefties. This is a prime opportunity to deploy Derek Dietrich ($22) and Jesse Winker ($12). Even Joey Votto might be worth considering since he is 18-for-44 (.409) with three doubles over his last 10 games.
A big-name hitter who figures to be a popular choice is Alex Bregman ($24) for his matchup against Mike Leake. Not only does Leake have a 4.71 xFIP, but he's allowed a staggering 18 home runs in 72.2 innings. With Bregman's power, his upside is off the charts.
Stacks
Brewers vs. Sandy Alcantara (Marlins)
Christian Yelich (OF - $27), Yasmani Grandal (C - $20), Orlando Arcia (SS - $15)
Alcantara's 1.41 WHIP isn't a big surprise considering he only has a 15 percent strikeout rate. He has done a good job of limiting home runs, but it should be noted that four of the six homers that he has allowed have been hit on the road. Yelich and Grandal both carry plenty of upside while Arcia could also provide value after hitting 12-for-40 (.300) with four home runs over his last 11 games.
Braves vs. Joe Musgrove (Pirates)
Ronald Acuna Jr. (OF - $17), Austin Riley (OF - $26), Dansby Swanson (SS - $17)
Musgrove's tailspin continued in his last start when he allowed five runs in six innings against the Brewers. He's now given up 30 runs (27 earned) over 30 innings in his last six starts. Acuna and Riley stand out as two of the best options on the Braves while Swanson could also provide value at a cheaper price. He's hit five home runs over his last 12 games and has cut his strikeout rate by over four percentage points compared to last season.
Red Sox vs. Jakob Junis (Royals)
Mookie Betts (OF - $22), Rafael Devers (3B - $25), Andrew Benintendi (OF - $18)
Junis has allowed plenty of baserunners this season with a 1.44 WHIP and has particularly struggled against left-handers hitters since they have a .373 wOBA against him. That makes Devers and Benintendi two of the top players to target for a Red Sox stack. Although Betts doesn't have the platoon advantage, he hasn't struggled with a 153 wRC+ against righties this year.
