Wednesday’s On the Hill article will focus on the small five-game evening slate of games. With the small slate, there are very limited value hitting options and only three pitchers that I’m comfortable with rostering. As for stacking, I’m zeroing in on a game stack which could be a little lower owned then some of the other potential stacks on the board. This will be the last freebie On the Hill article as we move it to premium content, so be sure to sign up for a FREE 7-day trial.
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Let’s mow down the competition 3 Up and 3 Down…
3 Up
Ace
Gerrit Cole (FD-$11,200 / DK-$11,400)
Cole mowed down 10 Rays in his season debut while allowing just one earned run over six innings. He is a sizeable road favorite on Wednesday in a matchup with the Rangers. With the wind blowing in at about 15mph and a pitcher-friendly umpire behind the plate, Cole should excel against a Rangers team that has the 5th highest strikeout rate (24.4%) against righties over the last season plus. Now it is just a matter of if you can fit Cole into your lineup and still have enough room for quality bats.
Value
Ross Stripling (FD-$9,300 / DK-$10,200)
Stripling and the Dodgers are the biggest Vegas favorite on the board Wednesday night. He threw 5 1/3 scoreless innings in his season debut with five strikeouts. Stripling will be at home against a Giants team that has ranked 27th in wOBA (.292), 29th in ISO (.130), and 4th in strikeout rate (24.4%) against righties over the last season plus. I’ll likely use him over Cole as my SP1 to save some room for bats.
Darkhorse
Jameson Taillon (FD-$8,900 / DK-$7,900)
Taillon had a subpar outing in his season debut at Cincinnati allowing four runs over six innings with just four strikeouts. He will look to bounce back at home as a small favorite against the Cardinals. Taillon made great strides last season with a 3.20 ERA (3.58 xFIP) and a career-best 22.8% strikeout rate. He has been good against the Cardinals hitters in his career allowing just a .244 wOBA in 120 plate appearances. Cool temperatures in Pittsburgh should also help suppress scoring.
3 Down
Top Stacks
Cubs vs. Julio Teheran
Teheran was solid in his first outing of the season allowing three runs over five innings with seven strikeouts. He’ll get his first home start of the year on Wednesday against the Cubs. Teheran has allowed 1.8 HR/9 to lefties at home over the last two seasons and has had a higher ERA and wOBA allowed at home over the last two years.
Anthony Rizzo (FD-$4,400 / DK-$4,900) – Rizzo produced a .378 wOBA and .211 ISO against righties last season.
Javier Baez (FD-$4,500 / DK-$5,300) – I’m okay with either Baez, Kris Bryant or both in this spot but will give the edge to Baez who has SS eligibility. He has seven hits through his first four games including two homers.
Kyle Schwarber (FD-$3,600 / DK-$4,600) – Schwarber has already clubbed a pair of home runs this season and don’t be surprised if he goes deep at least once on Wednesday. He put up a .363 wOBA and .282 ISO against righties on the road last season.
Willson Contreras (FD-$2,700 / DK-$4,100) – Contreras is the top catcher on the slate, so we’ll include him in the Cubs stack. He is 3-for-7 with a pair of doubles against righties early on this season.
Braves vs. Jon Lester
Lester has had some trouble with right-handed heavy teams on the road the last couple of seasons. In 2018, he allowed a .323 wOBA and 1.31 HR/9 and in 2017, he gave up a .359 wOBA and 1.52 HR/9. The Braves have a potent middle of the order with some big right-handed bats. Looks like it is my first game stack recommendation of the season.
Freddie Freeman (FD-$4,200 / DK-$4,600) – He may not be a righty but that doesn’t matter much when your Freddie Freeman who had a .391 wOBA and .221 ISO against southpaws last season.
Josh Donaldson (FD-$3,400 / DK-$4,600) – Donaldson had a .386 wOBA and .241 ISO against lefties last year and is looking for his first homer with the Braves (just sayin’).
Ronald Acuna (FD-$4,400 / DK-$4,800) – Acuna has mashed lefties so far in his career with a .412 wOBA and .291 ISO.
Ozzie Albies (FD-$3,700 / DK-$4,300) – Albies has collected at least one hit in each of his four games this season including coming off a three-hit night against the Cubs on Tuesday which included a pair of doubles. He has a career .389 wOBA and .207 ISO against southpaws.
Contrarian Stack
Athletics vs. Nathan Eovaldi
Eovaldi got lit up in his first start allowing three homers and six runs over five innings to the Mariners. He has the stuff to get better than that but could continue to get off to a slow start on the road against the A’s.
Khris Davis (FD-$5,000 / DK-$4,600) – Davis has already clubbed five homers this season and posted a .416 wOBA and .360 ISO at home against righties last season.
Matt Chapman (FD-$4,300 / DK-$4,000) – Chapman has homered in back-to-back games and has three on the season. He has been more productive against righties during his career with a .368 wOBA and .259 ISO.
Kendrys Morales (FD-$2,400 / DK-$3,800) – The newly acquired Morales is off to a slow start with the A’s but posted a solid .365 wOBA and .220 ISO against righties last season.
Robbie Grossman (FD-$2,600 / DK-$3,400) – Grossman offers some salary savings with an A’s stack and has hit in the leadoff spot in each of his last three starts.
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