Monday marks the fifth day of the 2025 MLB regular season, which means we’re getting a full slate of back-of-the-rotation starting pitching this evening.
Can we find a could arms to trust in DraftKings’ eight-game featured contests? Let’s dig in and find out.
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $300K Bat Flip [$100K to 1st]
PITCHER
Stud
Jackson Jobe, Detroit Tigers at Seattle Mariners, $8,800 – The easy answer at pitcher tonight is Tyler Glasnow ($10,000), but let’s pivot off the All-Star and focus on a rookie who might also make the Midsummer Classic sometime soon. There is no doubt that Jobe has the raw stuff to be an ace. It made him the third-overall pick in 2021 and propelled him to a 2.36 ERA across three minor league levels last season. Could there be some speed bumps along the way? Of course, but I doubt that this Mariners lineups is going to be one of them. Small sample size caveat notwithstanding, Seattle wrapped up its opening four-game series with the A’s posting a 30.4% strikeout rate and a 74 wRC+. Add in the pitcher’s haven that is T-Moblie Park, and there’s a lot to like here.
Value
Ben Brown, Chicago Cubs at Athletics, $7,500 – Brown had an inauspicious start to 2025, allowing a couple earned runs and picking up the loss in relief in Game 1 of the Tokyo Series. However, even in that negative performance, there was a silver lining, as Brown struck out five of the 15 batters he faced that day. That’s the key to Brown’s value. Brown’s always been a strikeout pitcher throughout his time in the minors and that carried over to the majors in 2024. To wit, across 55.1 innings, the young right-hander managed a 28.8% strikeout rate with the Cubs. On a slate with so many question marks at pitcher, I like taking a chance on the upside of Brown — even if taking the mound in the Athletics’ new Triple-A park is less appealing than the Coliseum would have been.
INFIELD
Stud
Junior Caminero, Tampa Bay Rays vs. Pittsburgh Pirates, $5,200 – Hard to complain about Caminero’s start to 2025, as the 21-year-old phenom has collected five hits in his first 10 at-bats. I’d anticipate the good times to keep rolling on Monday, as the Rays square-off with Carmen Mlodzinski ($6,300). Technically, Mlodzinski started four games for Pittsburgh in 2024, yet that was as an opener. In his MLB tenure, the RHP hasn’t ever pitched more than 2.1 innings in a single contest. Mlodzinski has really started a game since he was in Double-A back in 2022. I can’t say that I’m overly optimistic.
Stud
Willson Contreras, St. Louis Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Angels, $4,300 – Despite the Cardinals offense looking pretty good all opening weekend, Contreras has yet to pick up his first hit of 2025. I expect that’ll change this evening. The left-handed Tyler Anderson ($7,800) is set to take the mound for the Angels and Contreras has always enjoyed matching up with southpaws. To wit, for his career, the former backstop owns a .237 ISO and an .873 OPS within the split. Look for Contreras to break out of his mini-slump in a big way.
Value
Andres Gimenez, Toronto Blue Jays vs. Washington Nationals, $3,800 – I simply do not have high hopes for Mike Soroka ($7,600) as a starter. The veteran RHP found some success last season out of the bullpen, but in the 15 games he’s started since the beginning of 2023, Soroka owns a 6.41 ERA and he’s allowing opponents to slash .264/.356/.528 with a .377 wOBA. That’s good news for all Blue Jays bats, but allow me to zero in on Gimenez. The second baseman is known more for his glove, but Toronto batted him clean-up all weekend long, and to his credit, Gimenez responded to the tune of two home runs and a .429 expected wOBA. At a price tag below $4,000, that’s enough of a sample to have me excited.
OUTFIELD
Stud
Kyle Tucker, Chicago Cubs at Athletics, $6,000 – I already mentioned the Athletics’ new stadium: Sutter Health Park. Projections have it playing pretty league average, but remember, according to Statcast’s Park Factors, the Coliseum had been the second-hardest place to hit a home run since 2022. That’s probably why Joey Estes ($6,600) had such significant home/road splits in 2024. Estes possessed a 3.26 ERA in Oakland, but 6.90 ERA outside of those comfy confines. Overall, Estes also surrendered 1.62 home runs per nine. You can probably see where I’m going with this. Look for the Cubs — specifically Tucker — to put up some crooked numbers on Monday.
Stud
Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels at St. Louis Cardinals, $5,500 – Trout’s season did not get off to the best start. Not only did the future Hall of Fame outfielder go just 1-for-10 (.100) in a three-game series with the lowly White Sox, but Trout was also hit in the hand by a pitch in literally his first at-bat of 2025. Still, I believe better days are ahead for the veteran. Probably as early as today. Los Angeles will face Miles Mikolas ($7,300), who was putrid in 2024, pitching to a 5.35 ERA across 32 starts. Mikolas especially struggled with RHBs, surrendering 1.63 home runs per nine within the split.
Value
Alan Roden, Toronto Blue Jays vs. Washington Nationals, $2,000 – Let’s not beat around the bush. The most appealing aspect of Roden’s profile on Monday is his minimum salary and his matchup with the aforementioned Soroka. Still, that’s not to say there isn’t anything else to like about the rookie outfielder. Roden is Toronto’s No. 5 prospect according to MLB Pipeline. He made the big club after posting an eye-popping .541 OBP in Spring Training and he’s since started three games and picked up his first two MLB hits. As another cheap left-handed bat to toss into a Jays stack, Roden is certainly viable.
