Yahoo DFS Baseball: Wednesday Picks

Yahoo DFS Baseball: Wednesday Picks

This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.

Wednesday's 15-game MLB slate begins at 2:10 PM Eastern time. Some good discount pitching options are available in this slate, and using them allows owners to spend more money on hitting -- specifically on some premier options at traditionally light-hitting positions.

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

Matthew Boyd, DET at PIT ($32): If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Yahoo!'s pricing algorithm continues to be skeptical of Boyd, but it's hard not to like him at just $32 after three starts of allowing exactly one run in at least six innings to open the season. At just 27 years of age, there's a real chance the lefty's hot start is the result of organic growth (he also dominated in spring training) and not just a random hot streak. He'll also be going on an extra day of rest against the middling Pirates offense.

Matt Wisler, ATL at CIN ($35): Wisler earned himself another start with a masterful performance in last Thursday's season debut, as he allowed just one run on two hits while posting an 8:0 K:BB over seven dominant innings to beat the Mets. If that's what he did against an offense that ranks top-10 so far, one can only imagine what Wisler's capable of against a Reds lineup that's producing just 3.23 runs per game -- good for fourth from the bottom. There's plenty of risk attached to this pick given the 25-year-old right-hander's limited track record, but he won't be this cheap in his next start if he capitalizes on this favorable matchup, so act now if you want to maximize upside.

CATCHER

Yan Gomes, CLE vs. CHC ($15): Gomes produced a .360 wOBA against left-handed pitching last season and is off to an even better start in that split this year. He's a solid play whenever the opposition puts a southpaw on the mound, even when that southpaw is Jon Lester. Lester's .344 wOBA allowed to righties last season was the worst of his career, so he's also not as fearsome a matchup at this stage of his career compared to what he used to be.

FIRST BASE

Cody Bellinger, LAD vs. MIA ($19): Bellinger's season stats continue to be dragged down by an 0-for-9 start to the campaign, but the standout sophomore has been his usual self since then. The left-handed slugger's career wOBA against righties sits at .384, which is bad news for Marlins starter Trevor Richards, who has a 6.16 ERA and 1.68 WHIP through four career starts.

SECOND BASE

Robinson Cano, SEA at CWS ($18): Big-game James Shields has set the stage for plenty of big games from opposing left-handed hitters in recent years, allowing a .388 wOBA in that split last season and no less than a .370 mark in any campaign since 2015. Cano's long been one of the most dangerous sluggers from the left side judging by his .378 career wOBA against righties, so roll him out with confidence in this favorable matchup.

THIRD BASE

Jedd Gyorko, STL vs. NYM ($16): It's hard to imagine Gyorko getting left out of the lineup with the Mets starting Steven Matz, as the St. Louis slugger produced a .402 wOBA in 101 at-bats against southpaws last year. Gyorko's non-everyday role keeps him reasonably affordable, but his success in this split has him primed to outproduce his $16 price.

SHORTSTOP

Dansby Swanson, ATL at CIN ($19): It's not too late to jump on the Swanson bandwagon, as he continues to tear the cover off the ball in the early going -- his wOBA currently sits at .386 or higher against pitchers from both sides. Doubters will point to the small sample size, but there's a good chance that the 2015 first overall pick has simply found his stride at the highest level. Even if Swanson starts to regress, his wOBA against left-handed pitching last season was .045 higher than his mark against righties, so there's plenty of reason to believe he'll find success against Reds southpaw Brandon Finnegan.

OUTFIELD

Shin-Soo Choo, TEX vs. OAK ($20): Oakland righty Kendall Graveman has been brutal this season, allowing at least five earned runs in four of his five starts and four earned runs in the other. That rough stretch has included a .519 wOBA allowed to the 47 left-handed batters he's faced -- a staggering number even over a pretty small sample. Choo finds himself batting either first or second in the order and possesses an excellent combination of power and patience to go with a .382 career wOBA against righties, so there's little not to like about him here.

Max Kepler, MIN at NYY ($17): Kepler couldn't ask for a better environment to show off his power stroke. Yankee Stadium's famous short porch in right field does left-handed hitters plenty of favors, and the venue ranked second overall in home run park factor at 1.28 last season, even with 6-foot-7 right fielder Aaron Judge having the reach to casually snag balls headed multiple rows deep. Yankees starter Sonny Gray has a 4.63 ERA in 81.2 innings since donning the pinstripes at last year's trade deadline, so Kepler should continue to build on his hot start to the season in this one.

Leonys Martin, DET at PIT ($14): Martin's been wreaking havoc from the top of Detroit's lineup, as his average of 7.2 fantasy points per game is topped only by Brett Gardner's 7.3 among outfielders that cost $15 or less. Despite his success and fantasy-friendly spot in the order, Martin remains quite affordable heading into this date with Pirates righty Jameson Taillon, who gave up a .355 wOBA to left-handed batters last season.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Sasha Yodashkin plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: Youngsash, DraftKings: Yashdogg,Yahoo: Sasha, Fanball: Yashdogg.
RotoWire Community
Join Our Subscriber-Only MLB Chat
Chat with our writers and other RotoWire MLB fans for all the pre-game info and in-game banter.
Join The Discussion
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sasha Yodashkin
Sasha has been contributing NFL, NHL, NBA, MLB and Tennis content to RotoWire since 2015, with an emphasis on DFS. He is a huge New York sports fan who has been playing fantasy sports since middle school.
MLB DFS Picks: FanDuel Plays and Strategy for Tuesday, April 23
MLB DFS Picks: FanDuel Plays and Strategy for Tuesday, April 23
Week 4 FAAB Results - Some Hitters Emerge
Week 4 FAAB Results - Some Hitters Emerge
San Diego Padres at Colorado Rockies, MLB Expert Picks for Monday, April 21
San Diego Padres at Colorado Rockies, MLB Expert Picks for Monday, April 21
Fantasy Baseball Injury Report: Kelly's Recovery Window Uncertain
Fantasy Baseball Injury Report: Kelly's Recovery Window Uncertain
Mets-Giants, Marlins-Braves & Brewers-Pirates, MLB Expert Picks for Monday, April 22
Mets-Giants, Marlins-Braves & Brewers-Pirates, MLB Expert Picks for Monday, April 22
DraftKings MLB: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Monday, April 22
DraftKings MLB: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Monday, April 22