We’ve got a massive 10-game slate for Monday’s main slate. Humana humana.
Let’s find some studs and values for your MLB DFS lineups on DraftKings. This article was written prior to lineups being announced.
Make your DraftKings MLB DFS picks here: MLB $225K Knuckleball [$50K to 1st]
PITCHER
Stud
Edward Cabrera, Chicago Cubs vs. Los Angeles Angels, $8,500 — The Angels offense has been good to start the season with the second-highest wRC+ and ISO. That said, it’s only been four games. Last season, the Angels were 26th in wRC+ and ninth in ISO. They were tops in strikeout rate at 27.1% and are at 26.4% through four games this season. Sure, it’s a new season and Mike Trout is healthy and looks vintage, but it’s still the Angels, so I’m going to side with history until the sample size warrants a change. Cabrera has always been able to miss bats with the 97 mph fastball and 25%+ strikeout rate. Last season, he finally got the walk rate under control, posting the first sub-10% mark. In his home debut for the Cubs, I see a plethora of strikeouts to get the Wrigley faithful giddy.
Value
Cody Ponce, Toronto Blue Jays vs. Colorado Rockies, $7,600 — Ponce was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the second round of the MLB draft way back in 2015. Throughout his minor league career, he was meh, posting a strikeout rate in the 7 to 8 percent range. He only racked up 55.1 MLB innings, posting a 7.81 K/9, 2.77 BB/9, 2.11 HR/9 and 5.47 FIP. Then he went to Korea last season and absolutely obliterated batters. In 180.2 innings, he posted a 12.55 K/9, 2.04 BB/9, 0.50 HR/9 and 2.15 FIP. Ponce increased the velocity to the mid-to-high 90s and developed excellent secondary pitches. The Blue Jays signed him for three years and $30 million. The Rockies have historically been a poor offense on the road and the 27.9% strikeout rate to start the season is already eighth-highest.
INFIELD
Stud
Jose Ramirez, Cleveland Guardians at Los Angeles Dodgers, $5,600 — Roki Sasaki was brutal last season, posting a 6.94 K/9, 5.45 BB/9, 1.49 HR/9 and 5.8 FIP in 36.1 innings. He did perform well in the playoffs for the Dodgers, but the advanced stats weren’t great as the K/9 was only 5.06 while the BB/9 was 4.22. Sasaki wasn’t great during Spring Training so I’m not going to believe in him until he proves it. Ramirez has started this season off slowly, going 2-for-14, but he’s too good of a hitter to be held down forever. In his career, Ramirez has a 130 wRC+ against right-handed pitching with a .274/.354/.501 slash and a .227 ISO.
Value
Andres Gimenez, Toronto Blue Jays vs. Colorado Rockies, $2,900 — Gimenez has six hits in nine at-bats to start the season. He has a little pop in the bat, but he’s all about the speed, having stolen 30 bases in each of the prior two seasons. Gimenez bats at the bottom of the lineup, so that stinks, but the Blue Jays are a potent offense and will likely turn the lineup over plenty, and there’s a good chance that happens often against Tomoyuki Sugano, who was awful for the Baltimore Orioles last season. Sugano had a paltry 15.7% strikeout rate, a 5.36 FIP and allowed 33 home runs in 157 innings.
OUTFIELD
Stud
Daulton Varsho, Toronto Blue Jays vs. Colorado Rockies, $4,300 — Yup, we’re picking on Sugano. Gimenez is the speed guy. Varsho is the power guy. Varsho has a career .229 ISO against right-handed pitching. Last season, that number was a robust .359. The bat speed was 75.6 mph, which placed him in the top 25.
Value
Garrett Mitchell, Milwaukee Brewers vs. Tampa Bay Rays, $2,800 — Mitchell is a platoon bat that has a career 120 wRC+ and .193 ISO against right-handed pitching. Monday’s starter for the Rays is Nick Martinez, a righty who has been dealing with a hamstring issue and has a career 1.28 HR/9 and 4.65 FIP against left-handed batters. Mitchell will more than likely bat fifth in the lineup.
