Monday features a seven-game MLB main slate, and the action on DraftKings gets underway 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.
PITCHER
Stud
Sandy Alcantara, Miami Marlins at Washington Nationals ($9,600) — In three of his last four starts, Alcantara has registered double-digit strikeouts (14, 12 and 11). Over that span, he has a 1.77 xFIP and an 18.3% swinging strike rate. The Nationals are an average offense, but they lead the league with a 48.8% ground ball rate since Aug. 1. Alcantara generates strike outs but he is also a ground ball pitcher (53%), and could go deep into this game via early at-bat ground outs and double plays.
Other Option: Adam Wainwright ($9,000)
Value
Paolo Espino, Washington Nationals vs. Miami Marlins ($6,100) — It may not be wise to spend down at pitcher. When Espino is the only option worth discussing, then the value options are scarce. The whole appeal to Espino is the matchup against the Marlins — 84 wRC+, .288 wOBA and a .137 IS0 against right-handed pitching. Since becoming a starting pitcher, Espino has consistently lasted five innings per outing. While his 5.37 ERA should automatically disqualify him, he has faced tough teams and he is averaging six strikeouts per start over his last four starts.
Other Option: A.J. Alexy ($6,700)
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CATCHER
Stud
Editor’s Note: Dodgers C Will Smith is not in tonight’s lineup vs. the Diamondbacks.
Will Smith, Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Arizona Diamondbacks ($4,400) — Zac Gallen ($8,100) is a good pitcher, but he allows a lot of power to right-handed batters — .249 ISO, 46% hard contact rate and a 49% fly ball rate. Will Smith has a .408 wOBA, .278 ISO and 160 wRC+ against right-handed pitching.
Other Option: Mike Zunino ($4,500)
Value
Tom Murphy, Seattle Mariners vs. Boston Red Sox ($3,300) — On Friday, Murphy hit two home runs. That won’t likely happen again, but it does demonstrate that Murphy has power. Against left-handed pitching, Murphy has a .234 ISO and a 42.5% hard contact rate. Eduardo Rodríguez ($8,800) is listed as the probable pitcher and while he has been good this season, he has also been plagued with mistakes and bad breaks.
Other Option: Yadier Molina ($3,600)
FIRST BASE
Stud
Paul Goldschmidt, St. Louis Cardinals at New York Mets ($4,500) — This has been a relatively quiet season for Goldy, but he has come around thanks in most part due to his splits against left-handed pitching — .405 wOBA, .236 ISO, 158 wRC+ and a 48% hard contact rate. Rich Hill ($7,100) has a 4.59 xFIP against right-handed batters and the Cardinals have a lineup full of them.
Other Option: Yuli Gurriel ($5,700)
Value
Ji-Man Choi, Tampa Bay Rays at Toronto Blue Jays ($3,500) — Playing Choi feels like chasing a home run with a cheap catcher, albeit the probability is a lot higher. Choi has a .367 wOBA, .216 ISO, 138 wRC+ and 51% hard contact rate against right-handed pitching. Also, Choi has much more power when he gets out of the Trop (.235 ISO vs RHP away). Alek Manoah ($8,500) is a good prospect, but all live young arms struggle with the opposite side of the plate. Lefties have a .344 wOBA, .195 ISO and 1.8 HR/9 against Manoah, and the Rays have quite a few left-handed batters.
Other Option: Brandon Belt ($3,800)
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SECOND BASE
Stud
Marcus Semien, Toronto Blue Jays vs. Tampa Bay Rays ($5,600) — As usual, the Rays will roll out their bullpen in this game, so breaking down matchups isn’t very helpful. With Semien, his stats stand on their own and there is no need to break down matchups. He has homered seven times since September 1 and he has hit in all 11 games this month. Over that span, he has a .533 wOBA and a .545 ISO. You could say this is SEMIEN-TEMBER.
Other Option: Brandon Lowe ($5,000)
Value
Jazz Chisholm, Miami Marlins at Washington Nationals ($4,300) — Paolo Espino gives up his fair share of hits and runs because he does not miss bats (17% K rate vs. LHB) and allows a little too much hard contact to left-handed batters (37%). This month, Chisholm has a .354 wOBA and .276 ISO against right-handed pitching. On top of that, he has stolen 20 bases this season.
Other Option: Aledmys Díaz ($3,500)
THIRD BASE
Stud
Editor’s Note: Giants 3B Kris Bryant is not in tonight’s lineup vs. the Padres.
Kris Bryant, San Francisco Giants vs. San Diego Padres ($5,100) — Yu Darvish ($9,300) can strike out 10 batters, but he can also surrender multiple home runs (.211 ISO, 1.6 HR/9 and a 46% fly ball rate to right-handed batters). Bryant has a .347 wOBA, .208 ISO and 118 wRC+ against right-handed pitching.
Other Option: Nolan Arenado ($4,800)
Value
Alex Bregman, Houston Astros at Texas Rangers ($4,200) — A.J. Alexy ($6,700) has been phenomenal and incredibly lucky in his first two major league starts. He is the first pitcher since 1893 — yes, 1893 — to pitch five shutout innings and allow fewer than one hit in each of his first two starts. That’s impressive, but here is where it gets worrisome for Rangers fans — Alexy is allowing a 19% walk rate and 80% fly ball rate to right-handed batters. The hits and the runs are coming and after two soft matchups, the Astros are about to welcome Alexy to the big leagues.
Other Option: Joey Wendle ($4,400)
SHORTSTOP
Stud
Xander Bogaerts, Boston Red Sox at Seattle Mariners ($4,800) — Logan Gilbert ($6,700) is allowing a .334 wOBA, .242 ISO, 1.8 HR/9 and 50% fly ball rate to right-handed batters. The last number is particularly important for LAZER Bogaerts, a batter with a reluctance to put the ball in the air. Hard throwing Gilbert can pile up the strikeouts, but his archetype also allows balls to pile up on the wrong side of the fence.
Other Option: Carlos Correa ($4,900)
Value
Corey Seager, Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Arizona Diamondbacks ($4,300) — Zac Gallen’s reverse splits — better against left-handed batters — will present problems for Seager. Since returning from the IL, Seager has struggled and it’s questionable, if he’ll return to last season’s near MVP form. While the Gallen matchup does not bode well, the matchup against the worst bullpen in baseball does (4.95 xFIP).
Other Option: Gavin Lux ($2,500)
OUTFIELD
Stud
Fernando Tatis Jr., San Diego Padres at San Francisco Giants ($5,900) — Reliever Dominic Leone ($4,000) will fill in for the depleted Giants rotation, and then turn the ball over to the most worked bullpen in baseball — 167 innings since Aug. 1. Tatis will likely face right-handed pitchers out of the bullpen and that’s been his best matchup — .429 wOBA, .365 ISO, 173 wRC+ and a 51% hard contact rate.
Other Option: Mookie Betts ($5,500), Kyle Tucker ($5,000)
Value
Jake Meyers, Houston Astros at Texas Rangers ($3,200) — The rookie will experience ups and downs like most young hitters, but like most young prospects, he provides cheap upside in DFS. Regression is coming for A.J. Alexy, and Monday night’s matchup looks like the perfect time for the fly ball pitcher to implode.
Other Option: Lourdes Gurriel Jr. ($3,600),
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