Monday’s six-game MLB slate looks like it’s set up for plenty of offensive fireworks. Four of the six games on the slate have a run total of at least nine, with the highest run total at Coors Field where the over/under is set at 10. There’s a very interesting mix of starting pitchers on the board, which sets up a few games as ideal targets to build some juicy MLB stacks Monday night.
Let’s quickly review what we mean by MLB stacks. Stacking is an MLB DFS strategy that aims to create a positive correlation in your lineup by including multiple players from the same MLB team. Trying to get players from around the same spots in the batting order and finding the right starting pitching matchup to attack are critical elements to consider as you build your MLB stacks. In examining the six games on Monday night’s slate, here are my top three MLB stacks that can serve as the backbone of your roster builds this Monday.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $200K Knuckleball [$50K to 1st] (Night)
1. Atlanta Braves
Austin Riley ($5,900)
Matt Olson ($5,500)
Marcell Ozuna ($5,400)
Michael Harris II ($4,800)
Alex Verdugo ($4,000)
The Braves are an expensive stack to build around since they’re playing at the elevation of Coors Field and in a smashable matchup against Ryan Feltner ($6,000). Feltner had a good start in Kansas City his last time out, but on the season, he has a 4.73 FIP and 1.32 WHIP with an unsustainable 77.5% strand rate. All that indicates he has been very fortunate not to give up more runs than the 12 he has allowed in 25 2/3 innings. On the season, lefties have hit him especially well with a .390 wOBA. In his career, he has a 5.75 ERA and 4.54 FIP at Coors Field.
The Braves’ lineup has started to come around after its slow start, helping the team go 7-2 in the last nine games. Riley has the third-highest barrels per plate appearance percentage in the MLB and has 12+ fantasy points in four of his last 12 games. Verdugo has been a huge addition at the top of the order, going 12-for-36 (.333) with 8.8 fantasy points per game and allowing Harris to slide lower in the order where he has been more effective. Harris is 13-for-36 (.361) with 10.1 fantasy points per game over his last nine contests.
2. New York Yankees
Aaron Judge ($6,300)
Ben Rice ($4,900)
Jasson Dominguez ($4,200)
Austin Wells ($3,800)
Trent Grisham ($3,500)
The Yankees are in Baltimore to face the Orioles, and they’ll open the series against Tomuyuki Sugano ($6,500). Sugano has given up multiple homers in each of his last two starts and has a 3.54 ERA with a 5.84 FIP that indicates some regression could also be in store for him if he keeps allowing so much traffic on the bases. He has allowed an 11.2% barrel rate and 38.8% hard-hit rate but has escaped trouble with an unsustainable 89.4% strand rate.
The Yankees lineup should be very lefty-heavy at Oriole Park at Camden Yards with Grisham, Rice, Bellinger and Wells all in premium positions. Grisham has moved to the leadoff spot in front of Judge, which makes him an outstanding value at the top of the stack. Judge hit his eighth homer of the year on Sunday and is hitting .406 with an average of 13.0 fantasy points per game. Dominguez is starting to come around a little as well, with at least six fantasy points in four of his last five contests.
3. Cincinnati Reds
Elly De la Cruz ($6,000)
Austin Hays ($4,300)
Noelvi Marte ($3,800)
Gavin Lux ($3,700)
Spencer Steer ($3,400)
The Reds come home to Great American Ballpark after scoring 22 runs across a three-game sweep of the Rockies at Coors Field. They’ll try to keep their hitting shoes on with some Coors carryover, and they get a good matchup against Andre Pallante ($7,500) on Monday. Pallante gave up seven hits and four earned runs in each of his last two starts and has a 4.05 ERA and 5.41 FIP in his five starts this season. While he has been good at home, he struggled in his three road starts, posting s a 6.14 ERA, 6.60 FIP and four home runs allowed just 14 2/3 innings.
De La Cruz is the centerpiece of the Reds’ offense and a great place to start the Reds stack Monday. He had two hits in each of the three wins in Colorado and has double-digit fantasy points in five straight games. Hays usually hits right behind Elly and is 19-for-49 (.388) in his 12 games this season with five home runs and an average of 13.9 fantasy points per game. Marte, Lux and Steer are all affordable options that can help you with some value plays to round out your lineup while still keeping your MLB stacks strong.
If you’re looking for more value plays, check out my top three bargain options from earlier today.
