The MLB is offering up a full slate of baseball on Monday, including a 12-game main slate at 7:05 p.m. ET.
Let’s go position-by-position and break down everything you’ll need to know to set your lineups.
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PITCHER
Stud
Gerrit Cole, New York Yankees vs. Toronto Blue Jays ($10,700) - In the season opener, Cole fanned eight Blue Jays’ batters. He was just warming up because he sat down 13 Orioles in seven innings in his second start. His spin rate and velocity are through the roof. He’s getting first-pitch strikes and whiffs. Toronto is middle of the road when it comes to striking out, but even the most disciplined team would struggle against Cole right now.
Other Options – Tyler Glasnow ($10,400)
Value
Freddy Peralta, Milwaukee Brewers vs. Chicago Cubs ($7,700) - It’s early in the season, but the Cubs still stink. They’re the second-weakest offense with a wRC+ of 70, and they’ve struck out the second-most (29.1%) of all MLB teams. One of the reasons for the Cubs’ poor stats is Peralta. He tossed five scoreless frames vs. the Cubs April 6. He only allowed one hit and struck out eight batters. In 36 innings last season, Peralta posted a 40% K rate. Among the starters on the slate, Peralta is one of four that Steamer projects to average an 11 K/9 this season.
Other Options – Wade Miley ($7,100)
CATCHER
Stud
EDITOR’S NOTE: Today’s Mets-Phillies game has been postponed.
J.T. Realmuto, Philadelphia Phillies vs. New York Mets ($5,100) - David Peterson had some good stuff in his first start, but he also had some bad stuff. He generated some whiffs, but when the Phillies made contact, they hit the ball hard (two doubles and two HRs in four innings). Realmuto has a .473 wOBA and a 199 wRC+ vs. LHP (2020-21). The top of the Philadelphia lineup hits lefties very well and makes for a strong stack.
Other Options – Salvador Perez ($5,200)
Value
Tucker Barnhart, Cincinnati Reds vs. San Francisco Giants ($3,500) - He got the day off yesterday, so he should be rested. San Francisco isn’t an ideal park to target for DFS players looking for cheap home runs. But, among the cheap catchers, Barnhart is the most likely to hit with runners in scoring position or get knocked in by a teammate. Cincinnati’s 153 wRC+ is the best in baseball, and they’re facing Aaron Sanchez, a pitcher coming back from a major injury. Before the injury, Sanchez had a 5.15 xFIP in 2019.
Other Options – Pedro Severino ($3,900)
FIRST BASE
Stud
Rhys Hoskins, Philadelphia Phillies vs. New York Mets ($4,600) - Everybody loves home runs, and Hosksins has a couple. But where’s the love for doubles? Hoskins has the second-most doubles in the league this season. He’ll face a lefty starter for the second straight game. Sunday night, he went yard, as I predicted in the showdown article — it wasn’t a tough prediction. Hoskins always crushes left-handed pitching, absolutely mashing them since the beginning of 2020 (.520 wOBA, .431 iso, 230 wRC+, 40% hard contact vs LHP).
Other Options – Jose Abreu ($5,600)
Value
Matt Olson, Oakland Athletics vs. Arizona Diamondbacks ($4,400) - Oakland’s offense is finally waking up. The A’s scored six runs on Friday and seven runs on Saturday. Olson, along with several other A’s, is particularly adept at hitting left-handed pitching. Tonight, they will draw a washed up lefty in Madison Bumgarner. Last season was ugly, and Bumgarner has picked up right where he left off (11 runs allowed in his first two starts). Olson has a .246 ISO against LHP during since last season.
Other Options – Wilmer Flores ($3,700)
SECOND BASE
Stud
DJ LeMahieu, New York Yankees vs. Toronto Blue Jays ($5,500) - He doesn’t hit for power, but he hits consistently and in front of guys that do hit for power. LeMahieu has a .394 wOBA and has scored five runs this season. He had a .429 wOBA last season and scored 41 runs in 50 games. Robbie Ray will make his first start coming off of the IL, and it’s hard to tell if it will be the good Robbie Ray or the terrible Robbie Ray. Even the good Ray struggles with right-handed bats. Also, LeMahieu has owned lefties since the beginning of last season (.401 wOBA, 158 wRC+, 50% hard contact and a microscopic seven percent K rate).
Other Options – Jose Altuve ($5,300)
Value
EDITOR’S NOTE: White Sox SP Carlos Rodon (upset stomach) has been scratched tonight vs. the Indians. Dallas Keuchel will start.
Cesar Hernandez, Cleveland Indians vs. Chicago White Sox ($4,300) - Based on Carlos Rodon’s one start, this matchup isn’t great. Based on Rodon’s full body of work, it’s a fine matchup. Hernandez has been a better hitter against right-handed pitching over his career, but the platoon advantage is not the appeal with this pick. The advanced metrics hint at a possible breakout for Hernandez. His wOBA is a below average (.294), but his xwOBA is .460. His Hard Hit% is 40%, but his BABIP is a cool .211.
Other Options – Jonathan India ($3,600)
THIRD BASE
Stud
Jose Ramirez, Cleveland Indians vs. Chicago White Sox ($5,700) - Even if Rodon has returned to previous form, Ramirez was able to hit the good version of the Chicago lefty (.375 wOBA in 39 plate appearances). In the small sample size season of 2020 to present, Ramirez has a .510 wOBA, .432 iso, 230 w RC+ against LHP.
Other Options – Nolan Arenado ($5,300)
Value
Evan Longoria, San Francisco Giants vs. Cincinnati Reds ($4,300) - Wade Miley looked good in his first start, but it’s still Wade Miley. If there was ever a park built for the Cincinnati lefty, it’s San Francisco. Although this park might not surrender home runs, it does allow doubles — at Longoria’s price, doubles work. Last season vs. LHP, Longoria had a .361 wOBA and a .212 ISO. This season, he already has three home runs against left-handed pitching. It’s a small sample size, but his launch angle and exit velocity are the best of his career.
Other Options – Eduardo Escobar ($3,700)
SHORTSTOP
Stud
Trea Turner, Washington Nationals vs. St. Louis Cardinals ($5,400) - Shortstop is not a great position on this slate. That doesn’t mean that Turner is a bad play, but it won’t be surprising to see many DFS players punt this position for the first time this season. If anyone spends up, it will be on Turner. His xwOBA is .429 and his iso is .368 this season. Turner will face reliever turned emergency starter John Gant, who did not surrender an earned run in four innings in his last start and was able to strand 87.5% of runners. It’s hard to imagine he gets that lucky again.
Other Options – Eugenio Suarez ($4,900)
Value
Danny Mendick, Chicago White Sox vs. Cleveland Indians ($3,100) - There’s always value to be found in the shortstop position, but it’s hard to beat Mendick. Since getting called up, he’s reached based multiple times in each of his three starts (four hits and four walks). Mendick has not hit for power during his time in the majors, but he had some pop in the minors (17 home runs in 2019).
OUTFIELD
Stud
Juan Soto, Washington Nationals vs. St. Louis Cardinals ($5,400) - Gant is a relief pitcher temporarily filling a rotation spot. He won’t last long. When he exits, the third-worst bullpen in the league this season takes over (5.18 xFIP). Gant’s early exit will likely have a lot to do with Soto’s ability to his right-handed pitching. Since the beginning of the 2020 season, Soto’s numbers against right-handed pitching are ludicrous: .472 wOBA, .291 ISO, 197 wRC+ and 46% hard-hit percentage.
Other Options – Bryce Harper ($4,900)
Value
Mark Canha, Oakland Athletics vs. Arizona Diamondbacks ($3,900) - There’s value to be had with right-handed Oakland bats. DFS players have to target Madison Bumgarner while he still has a job. From the start of 2020 to the present, Canha has a .415 wOBA, .208 ISO and 172 wRC+ in 62 plate appearances against left-handed pitching.
Other Options – Andrew McCutchen ($3,500)
Set your DraftKings fantasy baseball lineups here: MLB $200K Mini Home Run Record* [$50K to 1st, Record Breaker]
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