3 Daily Fantasy Baseball Players to Avoid on 4/25/18

Michael Wacha, SP, St. Louis Cardinals

FanDuel Price: $6,600

Back in 2013, Michael Wacha looked to be on the trajectory of a rising young star as he broke out down the stretch and in the playoffs for the St. Louis Cardinals. However, he's struggled mightily in recent years, and in 2018 the right-hander appears to have yet another issue.

One of the main strengths for Wacha has been his excellent control; in his career, he has walked fewer than three batters per nine innings. However, this year his 11.8% walk rate marks the first time he has issued free passes at a double-digit clip, while he has hit the strike zone at the lowest rate in his career.

This wouldn't be as big of an issue if batters were swinging and missing on those pitches outside of the zone, but that is not the case thus far. Wacha has forced the lowest chase rate in his career, and it has led directly to a drop-off in both his swinging-strike rate and strikeout rate. Wacha's 40.9% hard-hit rate against is also a career-high.

A young struggling pitcher could return to form against a weaker opponent, but that is not the case for here against the New York Mets. The Mets rank top-10 in wRC+, wOBA, and walk to strikeout rate against right-handed pitching. Until he reverts back to early-career form (if he ever does), Wacha can be avoided against stiff competition.