We’ve got a seven-game slate for Monday’s MLB action.
Let’s find some studs and values for your MLB DFS lineups on DraftKings. This article was written before lineups were announced.
Make your DraftKings MLB DFS picks here: MLB $200K Knuckleball [$50K to 1st]
PITCHER
Stud
Chase Burns, Cincinnati Reds vs. Cleveland Guardians ($11,300) — I’m not crazy about the pitching selections up top, so the midrange is where I will likely be shopping. That said, if I did have to pay up, I guess I’d go with Burns. So much conviction. I’m not crazy about the price and I think some of the mid-tier pitching could come close to matching his production. I do like Max Fried but I’m worried about the pitch count coming back from injury and the matchup isn’t the greatest. So, back to Burns. He averages 97.8 mph on the fastball and is posting a 3.34 FIP and 19.6% K-BB% through 107.2 innings. He’s put up over 20 FPTS 12 times this season with a high of 31.7 FPTS.
Value
Tatsuya Imai, Houston Astros at Los Angeles Angels ($6,800) — Imai is either going to get lit up or strike out everyone. There is no middle. He’s put up over 20 FPTS five times this season with two over 30 FPTS. On the flip side, he has four outings with negative FPTS. The strikeout rate is a healthy 27.5%, but the walk rate is 14%. He’s also allowed nine home runs in only 58 innings. I’m obviously banking on a positive outcome for Imai and it helps that the Angels strikeout at the highest rate in MLB.
INFIELD
Stud
Paul Goldschmidt, New York Yankees at Chicago White Sox ($3,700) — Goldschmidt is mashing left-handed pitching this season, posting a 197 wRC+ and .324 ISO. The slash is .333/.415/.657 with nine home runs. He will face lefty Noah Schultz, who is allowing an average exit velocity of 89.1 mph, a launch angle of 17.5 degrees and a barrel rate of 10.7%. Against righties, the FIP is 5.32 with a 7.9% K-BB%. Eight of the nine home runs allowed have come off the bat of a righty.
Value
Blaze Jordan, St. Louis Cardinals vs. Chicago Cubs ($2,800) — The season-long numbers aren’t inspiring with a .245/.257/.363 slash in 109 plate appearances. The ISO is only .118 but at least the strikeout rate is 13.8%. The barrel rate is only 6.6% but the average exit velocity is 89.2 mph. Against left-handed pitching, the ISO is .176. Over the last 11 games, Jordan has not produced fantasy goodies only twice while putting up a high of 22 FPTS. David Peterson has a 4.52 FIP and 2.1% K-BB% against righties.
OUTFIELD
Stud
JJ Bleday, Cincinnati Reds vs. Slade Cecconi ($3,900) — Bleday has 17 home runs, 39 runs, 44 RBI and six stolen bases in 317 plate appearances. The walk rate is 13.6%, strikeout rate is 20.5% and the ISO is .238. The launch angle is 21 degrees while the bat speed has increased from 71.7 mph in the last two seasons to 73.9 mph this season. Against right-handed pitching, the wRC+ is 125 with a .244 ISO. 12 of the 17 home runs hit have come off a righty. Slade Cecconi doesn’t have discernible splits, as he’s been similarly average to both righties and lefties. Lefties are slashing .281/.345/.434 with eight home runs.
Value
Luis Robert Jr., New York Mets vs. Atlanta Braves ($3,600) — Since returning to action from injury, Robert has played six games. He failed to produce fantasy goodies in two of those contests while finishing with 14 FPTS in two games. In his career, Robert has been better against left-handed pitching, posting a 140 wRC+ and .216 ISO. Martin Perez has pitched with guile, rarely getting blown up, but the FIP is 4.46 with a 5.3% K-BB%. Six of the 10 home runs allowed have come off the bat of a righty.
