There’s no shortage of action Monday with 10 games making up the main evening slate in DFS. There is a good mixture of top-tier pitchers and lineups in positions to thrive, so there could be a few approaches to consider.
Read MoreMLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 7/4/2019
If you’re looking to kick back with some DFS fun after your barbeque Thursday, there isn’t much action to speak of with only four games making up the evening slate. There are still a handful of strong starters set to take the mound, so scoring might not be all that easy to come by.
Read MoreMLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 4/17/2019
If you like excellent starting pitching, you might want to avert your eyes for Wednesday’s set of evening games. With several bad starting pitchers set to take the mound, we could be in line for an offensive explosion.
Read MoreMLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 7/2/18
*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
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Monday brings a light slate in the majors with only 10 games, nine of which make up the main evening slate in DFS. There may be fewer options to choose from than normal, but there are still some great matchups you can take advantage of. Sign up for our Newsletter and try our Playerlab tool, where you can filter the stats that matter the most and help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.
STARTING PITCHERS
Corey Kluber vs. Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
FanDuel = $11,200
DraftKings = $12,500
Kluber’s last start was a disaster as he allowed six runs in only 1.2 innings to the Cardinals. It marked the second time in his last three games that Kluber has allowed at least four earned runs after having allowed three runs or fewer in each of his first 14 outings. Even with his recent brief rough patch, Kluber still has outstanding numbers with a 2.54 ERA, 3.29 FIP, and a 0.86 WHIP. The Royals have scored the fewest runs (288) in baseball, so look for Kluber to get back on track in a major way.
Nathan Eovaldi vs. Miami Marlins
Stadium – Marlins Park
FanDuel = $6,300
DraftKings = $8,700
Eovaldi has been inconsistent since returning from Tommy John surgery, but his 4.08 ERA, 4.87 FIP and 0.82 WHIP in six starts is certainly respectable since he hadn’t pitched since 2016. The Rays rotation has been hit hard by injuries, leaving Eovaldi as one of the few healthy traditional starters they have left. He doesn’t have significant strikeout potential with a 6.6 K/9 for his career, but this is a great matchup against a Marlins team that has scored the third-fewest runs (311) in baseball.
CATCHER/FIRST BASE
Wilson Ramos vs. Wei-Yin Chen, Miami Marlins
Stadium – Marlins Park
FanDuel = $3,000
DraftKings = $3,900
Chen pitched well in his last start, but he’ll likely be a popular pitcher to stack against Monday with his 6.17 ERA and 1.62 WHIP this season. He doesn’t strike out many hitters with a 6.6 K/9 and has allowed 1.6 HR/9, which is especially damaging considering his WHIP. Ramos is having one of the best seasons of his career and has a .380 wOBA against left-handed pitchers this year, making him a key part of any Rays stack you might consider.
Yonder Alonso vs. Jakob Junis, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
FanDuel = $2,800
DraftKings = $3,800
Junis has allowed at least five runs in three of his last four starts, giving up at least three home runs in all three of those contests as well. He has a 2.1 HR/9 this year and allowed 1.4 HR/9 in 2017, so this isn’t just an isolated bad stretch. Alonso has hit nine of his 12 homers off of righties and has a .355 wOBA against them this season, leaving him as a viable option at a reasonable price on both sites.
Others to consider: Edwin Encarnacion (first base) and Greg Bird (first base)
SECOND BASE
Scooter Gennett vs. James Shields, Chicago White Sox
Stadium – Great American Ball Park
FanDuel = $3,700
DraftKings = $5,000
Shields’ time with the White Sox had largely been a disaster, but he’s shown significant improvement this year with a 4.29 ERA, 4.44 FIP, and a 1.24 WHIP. That being said, he’s still not a dominating pitcher by any stretch of the imagination and will have no easy task against Gennett on Monday. Gennett has a lofty .332 average to go along with 13 homers and a .371 wOBA against right-handers.
Gleyber Torres vs. Anibal Sanchez, Atlanta Braves
Stadium – Yankee Stadium
FanDuel = $3,600
DraftKings = $4,200
There aren’t a lot of great cheap options at second base Monday, so if you don’t want to add Gennett to your entry, Torres is another option to consider. He went deep again Sunday night and incredibly has 15 home runs already after never hitting more than 11 in a season in the minors. Sanchez has a sparkling 2.68 ERA this year, but he’s been a bit lucky considering his 4.05 FIP and .238 BABIP allowed.
Others to consider: Jason Kipnis and Yoan Moncada
THIRD BASE
Max Muncy vs. Nick Kingham, Pittsburgh Pirates
Stadium – Dodger Stadium
FanDuel = $3,900
DraftKings = $4,600
Muncy has played at various positions for the Dodgers as they try to keep his hot bat in the lineup. He was declared the everyday second baseman over the weekend, locking him into a significant role that he has earned by hitting .273 with 17 home runs and a .416 OBP. With his .419 wOBA against righties, don’t hesitate to play him against Kingham.
Matt Duffy vs. Wei-Yin Chen, Miami Marlins
Stadium – Marlins Park
FanDuel = $2,800
DraftKings = $4,000
Duffy doesn’t get much hype, mainly because he has just four home runs this year. He’s played very well for the Rays, though, batting a career-high .321. He was particularly hot in June by hitting .340 with a .394 OBP. Currently on a 10-game hitting streak, he is a great cheaper option if you want to save money at third base, especially on FanDuel.
Others to consider: Jose Ramirez and Miguel Andujar
SHORTSTOP
Francisco Lindor vs. Jakob Junis, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
FanDuel = $4,500
DraftKings = $5,400
With Junis’ recent struggles, he’s another great stacking target. Lindor has been not only one of the best hitters on his team, but he’s been one of the best hitters in all of baseball with a .296 average to go along with 21 home runs and 10 steals. He has scored exactly 99 runs in both of the last two seasons but is on pace to blow past that mark with 70 runs already this year. Although he has better numbers against lefties, his .376 wOBA against righties still makes him a great option Monday.
Willy Adames vs. Wei-Yin Chen, Miami Marlins
Stadium – Marlins Park
FanDuel = $2,700
DraftKings = $3,700
With Chen on the mound, it might be a good idea to target a couple of cheap hitters on the Rays who can help you fill out the rest of your lineup with high-priced studs. Adames is cheap on both sites and while he hasn’t taken off yet in his first taste of action in the majors, Chen has allowed a .398 wOBA to righties.
Others to consider: Trevor Story and Didi Gregorius
OUTFIELD
Aaron Judge vs. Anibal Sanchez, Atlanta Braves
Stadium – Yankee Stadium
FanDuel = $5,000
DraftKings = $5,300
Simply put, Judge loves hitting at Yankee Stadium. He hit .312 with 33 home runs there in last year and is batting .357 with 15 home runs there so far this season. Don’t worry that he doesn’t have the platoon advantage against Sanchez as Judge’s wOBA against righties (.422) is actually much higher than it is against lefties (.367) for his career.
Nick Markakis vs. Jonathan Loaisiga, New York Yankees
Stadium – Yankee Stadium
FanDuel = $3,800
DraftKings = $4,500
Injuries have forced the Yankees to insert Loaisiga into their starting rotation even though he had never pitched above Double-A. He had an 11.5 K/9 there before being called up and has carried that success over with an 11.6 K/9 through three starts. Two of his three starts came against the Rays and Phillies, so this will be a tougher test against the Braves. Markakis has a .361 wOBA against righties this year, leaving him as a viable option to consider for your lineup.
Lonnie Chisenhall vs. Jakob Junis, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Kauffman Stadium
FanDuel = $2,500
DraftKings = $3,400
Whenever a righty is on the mound, Chisenhall is a cheap option to target for your outfield. He’s only played 29 games this season due to injury, but he’s hit well with a .321 average and a .394 OBP. He still only has one home run, but he has a .368 wOBA against righties.
Others to consider: Joc Pederson and Jesse Winker
MLB Daily Fantasy Baseball Recommendations for 6/22/18
*Mike Barner — @rotomikebarner*
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Friday brings the return of a full slate of baseball, but the evening is light on starting pitching overall. It could free you up with more money to operate with than usual for your hitters. Sign up for our Newsletter and try our Playerlab tool, where you can filter the stats that matter the most and help build a winning entry on FanDuel and DraftKings.
STARTING PITCHERS
Sean Newcomb vs. Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – SunTrust Park
FanDuel = $8,900
DraftKings = $10,500
Newcomb was hit hard two starts ago, but he rebounded quickly to record seven strikeouts over six scoreless innings in his last start against the Padres. That marked the fifth time this season that he hasn’t allowed a run in a start, leading to a 2.70 ERA and a 3.23 FIP overall. After finishing with a 1.57 WHIP last year, Newcomb has been much better at limiting baserunners with a 1.18 WHIP. He’s an excellent source for strikeouts as well with a 9.1 K/9. This is a great matchup to take advantage of considering the Orioles have scored the fewest runs (260) in baseball and won’t have the use of the DH playing in Atlanta.
Chris Stratton vs. San Diego Padres
Stadium – AT&T Park
FanDuel = $7,200
DraftKings = $7,300
With a general lack of high-end starters taking the mound Friday, it’s a good night to take a chance on cheap pitchers. Stratton has allowed more than three earned runs in a start only three times this season, but his 1.35 WHIP is concerning. He’s not a big strikeout pitcher with a 7.1 K/9 for his career and is someone you only want to consider using in the right matchup. That will be the case when he faces the Padres, who are in the bottom-third of the league in runs scored while also posting the lowest OPS (.658) against right-handed pitching. Stratton already faced them once this season and threw seven shutout innings.
CATCHER/FIRST BASE
Ian Desmond vs. Wei-Yin Chen, Miami Marlins
Stadium – Coors Field
FanDuel = $4,100
DraftKings = $4,900
The Rockies should be a popular stack with Chen taking the mound. Not only is this game in hitter-friendly Coors Field, but Chen is really struggling with a 5.91 ERA, 5.78 FIP, and a 1.62 WHIP. He’s had problems keeping hitters in the ballpark as well with a 1.8 HR/9. Desmond’s overall numbers are poor this season, but he’s 13-for-38 (.342) with four home runs in his last 11 games. Most of his struggles this year have come against right-handed pitchers as he has a .423 wOBA against lefties.
Buster Posey vs. Clayton Richard, San Diego Padres
Stadium – AT&T Park
FanDuel = $3,100
DraftKings = $3,800
Posey continues to be a steady contributor for the Giants, hitting .290 with five home runs. He might not hit for a ton of power, but he puts a lot of balls in play with just an 11.5% strikeout rate. Not only does Posey have a .392 wOBA against lefties, but he is 12-for-32 (.375) with two home runs in his career against Richard. Richard is not a strikeout pitcher and he has only struck out Posey one time in his career.
Others to consider: Paul Goldschmidt (first base) and Evan Gattis (catcher)
SECOND BASE
Jose Altuve vs. Danny Duffy, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Minute Maid Park
FanDuel = $4,300
DraftKings = $5,400
There are few hitters in the league hotter than Altuve right now, who is 42-for-97 (.433) with five home runs and seven steals in his last 25 games. That has brought his season average up to .347, which would make the third time in the last five seasons that Altuve has hit at least .340. He has great numbers versus a lot of pitchers over the course of his career, including Duffy, who he is 8-for-16 (.500) against.
Daniel Descalso vs. Ivan Nova, Pittsburgh Pirates
Stadium – PNC Park
FanDuel = $3,000
DraftKings = $3,800
Nova had a couple of great seasons with the Yankees, but he’s generally been an average pitcher over the course of his career. This season has been no different with him posting a 4.42 ERA, 4.15 FIP and a 1.32 WHIP across 13 starts. He doesn’t get a lot of strikeouts and his .369 wOBA against left-handed hitters this year would mark the fourth-straight season where he has allowed a wOBA of at least .361 to lefties. Descalso has a .384 wOBA against righties and could be problematic for Nova.
Others to consider: DJ LeMahieu and Ketel Marte
THIRD BASE
Nolan Arenado vs. Wei-Yin Chen, Miami Marlins
Stadium – Coors Field
FanDuel = $5,100
DraftKings = $5,900
Arenado should be the centerpiece of any Rockies stack against Chen. He’s extremely hot right now, hitting 12-for-29 (.414) with four home runs in his last seven games. His numbers are much better in Coors Field and he has a lofty 235 wRC+ against lefties, so look for him to excel in this game.
Matt Duffy vs. C.C. Sabathia, New York Yankees
Stadium – Tropicana Field
FanDuel = $2,700
DraftKings = $3,900
Duffy is quietly having a very good season for the Rays. He only has four home runs, but he is batting a career-high .317. He’s been aided by a .377 BABIP, but he also made major improvements that have resulted in a 33.7% hard-hit rate. Sabathia has a 2.74 ERA at home this year, but he’s struggled on the road with a 4.13 ERA. Duffy is a cheap option with upside in tournament play if you don’t want to spend big bucks for Arenado.
Others to consider: Alex Bregman and Miguel Andujar
SHORTSTOP
Trevor Story vs. Wei-Yin Chen, Miami Marlins
Stadium – Coors Field
FanDuel = $4,400
DraftKings = $5,700
Story’s home and road splits this year are rather staggering. He’s batting only .224 with a .612 OPS on the road, but he is hitting .322 with a 1.191 OPS in Coors Field. Throw in the fact that he has a .436 wOBA against lefties and he could do a lot of damage against Chen.
Marwin Gonzalez vs. Danny Duffy, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Minute Maid Park
FanDuel = $2,500
DraftKings = $3,600
Gonzalez hit .303 for the Astros last year, but he entered the month of June batting only .217. He’s doing his best to dig out of that hole, though, batting .429 since the calendar flipped to June. He’s still not hitting for much power, but he’s a viable cheap option in tournament play considering how poorly Duffy has pitched. Of note, Gonzalez is only shortstop eligible on FanDuel as he is listed at both first base and outfield on DraftKings.
Others to consider: Carlos Correa and Xander Bogaerts
OUTFIELD
George Springer vs. Danny Duffy, Kansas City Royals
Stadium – Minute Maid Park
FanDuel = $4,100
DraftKings = $5,000
The Astros will likely be a popular stack as well. Springer is one of the premier options if you choose to go that route, batting .279 with 15 home runs this season. He’s been one of the best hitters in baseball against left-handed pitchers in recent years, recording a wOBA of at least .400 against them in each of the last four seasons if you include his .419 mark in 2018.
Nick Markakis vs. Alex Cobb, Baltimore Orioles
Stadium – SunTrust Park
FanDuel = $3,300
DraftKings = $4,300
The Orioles signing of Cobb has been a disaster so far as he has a 7.14 ERA and a 1.71 WHIP in his first 12 starts. He’s not striking many hitters out and has allowed 1.9 HR/9, which is really troubling when you consider how many runners have reached base against him. Markakis has cooled off some after his torrid start, but he’s had a lot of success against right-handers with a .363 wOBA.
Kole Calhoun vs. Marco Estrada, Toronto Blue Jays
Stadium – Angel Stadium
FanDuel = $2,300
DraftKings = $2,600
Calhoun has been one of the worst hitters in baseball this season with a .158 batting average. He recently spent some time on the DL with a strained oblique and the time off might have been just what he needed to clear his head. In three games since being activated, Calhoun is 4-for-10 with two home runs. Estrada has struggled on the road this year and doesn’t have overpowering stuff, setting up Calhoun as a cheap option who might be worth taking a chance on in tournament play.
Others to consider: Juan Soto and Nomar Mazara