Check out all of our starting pitcher rankings and other lineup selection tools here to help you make smart fantasy baseball lineup decisions. MLB betting tips for each day's slate of games will also be added in the morning. MLB game odds are provided by ESPN BET
, and all fantasy advice is geared toward ESPN 10-team leagues with standard scoring.
Note: All information is accurate as of the time of publication. For updates, including what you might have missed from last night, as well as any breaking news that might impact today's MLB slate, be sure to check out the latest fantasy baseball news.
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Pitchers to stream on Wednesday
Shane Baz is generating some optimism for next season down the stretch with a 3.70 ERA and 1.23 WHIP over his past five games, which includes a rough outing against the Chicago Cubs. Most encouraging is 30 strikeouts in 24 1/3 innings over this span. The Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles are playing out the string, but Baz likely wants to end the season on a high note.
The Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padres have clinched playoff berths but still have something on the line in their matchup in Petco Park. The Padres are trying to chase down the Los Angeles Dodgers for NL West supremacy while the Brewers are trying to lock down the NL's best record. A solid effort from Quinn Priester cements his status in the playoff rotation, especially with Brandon Woodruff questionable for the NLDS. Priester is on a roll with a 2.41 ERA and 1.13 WHIP over his past six efforts, supported by 33 punch outs over 33 2/3 stanzas. The Padres' lineup will be shorthanded with Fernando Tatis Jr. out with an illness.
Stephen Kolek is making his case to be in the Kansas City Royals' 2026 rotation with five straight quality starts, missing a sixth by just one out. That said, while his 1.91 ERA and 0.76 WHIP in that span appear impressive, he fanned just 21 batters in 33 frames. Allowing just one homer with only six walks minimized damage. Kolek is in a great spot to pad his punch outs more than usual with a matchup against the Los Angeles Angels and the lineup leading the league in strikeouts.
Pitchers to avoid on Wednesday
A strong case can be made for Jack Flaherty to step up in the crucial matchup between the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Guardians. He has pitched well lately with a 2.70 ERA and 1.20 WHIP over his past four games, but only 17 strikeouts in 20 innings with a generous nine walks indicate the veteran has enjoyed a bit of recent good fortune. Even if he pitches well against the Guardians, Flaherty faces the lineup with the league's lowest strikeout rate, tempering fantasy potential. A lot more can go wrong than right in this AL Central encounter.
Hitters to stream on Wednesday
Andrew Alvarez's 2.84 ERA and 1.11 WHIP to open his career seem impressive, but he fanned only 15 while issuing seven free passes in his inaugural 19 frames. The rookie left-hander is vulnerable, and the Atlanta Braves lineup sports a few right-handed batters in a position to benefit. Ha-Seong Kim, Marcell Ozuna and Nacho Alvarez Jr. lead the list.
Betting tips
Best/worst pitcher/hitter matchups and betting projections are generated by THE BAT X, a system created by Derek Carty using advanced methods like those used in MLB front offices, accounting for a variety of factors including player talent, ballparks, bullpens, weather, umpires, defense, catcher pitch-framing, and lots more. Betting projections for every player, team, and game can be found at EV Analytics.
Note: Expected Value is a measure of how good a bet is, factoring the probability that it will win versus the odds the book is providing. If you were to wager $1.00 100 times on a bet with an Expected Value of $25, you would win some and you would lose some, but in the end you would expect to come away with $25 in profit on your $100 investment.
Because odds typically do not get set until the previous day's games are completed, betting tips will be added in the morning.