This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
Monday brings a fairly quiet schedule, leaving just six games to make up the main evening slate on DraftKings. There are still several excellent starting pitchers set to take the mound, though, which could make for a low-scoring night. Let's dive into the matchups and highlight some players to consider.
Pitchers
Blake Snell ($8,900) is coming off of his best start of the season, allowing one run and recording 11 strikeouts across six innings at home against the Rockies. It marked the first time that he pitched at least six innings in a game this season and his first double-digit strikeout performance. Monday brings another favorable matchup against the Brewers, who have the firth-worst OPS in baseball and have struck out the seventh-most times.
Another pitcher with a great matchup is Frankie Montas ($6,200). He's scheduled to take the mound against the Mariners, who are hitting an abysmal .200 as a team. After a shaky start to the season, Montas has settled down to allow 11 runs over 28.1 innings in his last five starts. What's even more impressive about that stretch is three of those outings came against dangerous lineups in the Blue Jays, Twins and Astros.
The Mets don't have many healthy starting pitchers left, which means they'll continue to start David Peterson ($7,000) despite his 4.97 ERA. His FIP is a little more encouraging at 4.12 and he does have a 28.9 percent strikeout rate, which makes him somewhat intriguing. Add in a matchup against a Rockies team that has miniscule .573 OPS on the road and Peterson could be worth a look in tournament play.
Top Targets
Cedric Mullins ($4,100) has been a bright spot for the Orioles, posting a .181 ISO and a .361 wOBA. He's dropped his strikeout rate to 19.3 percent, which is a significant improvement over his 24.2 percent mark from last season. He could prove to be a tough out for Matt Shoemaker ($5,800), who has struggled to the tune of a 6.08 ERA and a 6.50 FIP.
Staying with the Orioles, Trey Mancini ($5,500) should also be someone to strongly consider. He's shown no signs of rust after missing all of 2020, posting a .240 ISO and a .373 wOBA. He also has just a 20.9 percent strikeout rate, which is almost right on par with his 22.7 percent career mark.
Bargain Bats
If you decide to roll with Mullins and/or Mancini, then trying an Orioles stack might not be a bad idea. An option at a reduced salary is Ryan Mountcastle ($3,500), who the team had high hopes for after his .377 wOBA last season. He's off to a rough start with a .262 wOBA, but he's started to at least show signs of turning things around, hitting for 7-for-23 (.304) with a home run and two doubles over his last six games.
In his first season in the majors, Yusei Kikuchi ($8,300) allowed 2.0 HR/9. He was able to improve that number to 0.6 during the shortened 2020 season, but he's once again having problems. Through his first eight starts, he's allowed 1.6 HR/9. If you want to take a chance on a player facing him to potentially hit one out at a cheap salary, Chad Pinder ($3,200) and Stephen Piscotty ($2,800) are viable options.
Stacks to Consider
White Sox vs. Kwang Hyun Kim ($7,300), Cardinals: Jose Abreu ($5,100), Tim Anderson ($5,900), Nick Madrigal ($3,000)
With so many quality starting pitchers set to take the mound, finding appealing stacks isn't easy. One to at least consider is the White Sox, although Kim has been excellent with a 2.73 ERA and a 2.62 FIP. However, the White Sox have a .843 OPS against left-handed pitchers, which is the highest mark in baseball. Abreu particularly hits well against southpaws, posting a 149 wRC+ against them for his career.
Tigers vs. Sam Hentges ($5,300), Indians: Robbie Grossman ($4,700), Miguel Cabrera ($3,400), Jeimer Candelario ($3,600)
This may be one of the few times all season to consider stacking the Tigers, who have among the worst lineups in baseball. With that said, Hentges has pitched poorly, posting a 6.46 ERA and a 7.19 FIP. Prior to this season, he had never even pitched about Double-A, so it might still take him some time to right the ship. Grossman has turned himself into an important part of the Tigers' lineup in his first season with the team, entering this matchup with a .359 wOBA.
