This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
There are only three games in the majors Monday, which creates an odd DFS slate. DraftKings has two different slates, one beginning at 5:10 PM EDT that includes all three games and one beginning at 9:38 PM EDT that consists of just two games. Let's take a look at the three-game slate and discuss some players to consider.
Pitchers
Being that there are only six starters set to take the mound, this gets a little tricky. One that stands out amongst the crowd is Nick Pivetta ($8,000), who is having an excellent season for the Red Sox. Not only does his ERA check in at 3.77, but his FIP is even better at 3.24. Add in his 27.4 percent strikeout rate and he's a very appealing option for his matchup against the Marlins, who have the fourth-worst OPS in baseball.
With few other appealing pitching options, it might be worth taking a chance on Jackson Kowar ($6,000), who has the lowest salary of the bunch. He'll be making his debut for the Royals after dominating at Triple-A with a 0.85 ERA and a 0.90 WHIP across 31 2/3 innings. What's also encouraging is that he racked up 41 strikeouts. The Angels lineup is no pushover, but they are weakened right now with Mike Trout (calf) out.
Top Targets
For a slate with so few options, deploying Fernando Tatis Jr. ($5,600) could be a wise move despite him not having the easiest of matchups against Adbert Alzolay ($8,800). Tatis has shown no ill effects from a shoulder injury earlier this season, recording a .390 ISO and a .430 wOBA.
Bargain Bats
If you decide not to deploy Kowar as one of your starting pitchers, then Jared Walsh ($3,700) could be someone to consider. He has at least one hit in seven of his last eight games, hitting two home runs during that stretch. It's continued an excellent start that has seen him post a 154 wRC+.
Stacks to Consider
Royals vs. Dylan Bundy ($7,100), Angels: Whit Merrifield ($5,200), Carlos Santana ($4,100), Andrew Benintendi ($3,600)
It's been a rough season for Bundy, who has a 6.49 ERA and a 5.11 FIP. He had problems limiting home runs during his tenure with the Orioles, but he thrived in that area last season, allowing 0.7 HR/9. He's regressed back to his days with Baltimore, though, allowing 2.1 HR/9 this season. Benintendi could provide value at his salary for a Royals stack. He's dropped his strikeout rate to 18.9 percent and he's shown a combination of power and speed with six home runs and seven stolen bases.
Cubs vs. Ryan Weathers ($6,700), Padres: Kris Bryant ($5,100), Willson Contreras ($4,100), Ian Happ ($4,200)
The Padres haven't been able to get much depth out of Weathers. He's thrown at least five innings in an appearance only two times this season and only seven of his 12 outings have been starts. His 4.31 ERA indicates he hasn't pitched nearly as well as his 2.06 ERA would lead you to believe. Also, he has just a 19.1 percent strikeout rate, so he's anything but an overpowering force. He faced these same Cubs in his last start, allowing four runs and two home runs across five innings. Bryant could be the key to any Cubs stack given his career .424 wOBA against left-handed pitchers.
