This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
Major League Baseball starts off the week with 11 games on the schedule Monday, nine of which will make up the main slate on DraftKings. Let's dive into the matchups and highlight some pitchers and hitters who could thrive.
Pitchers
Few pitchers in the league have been as reliable as Freddy Peralta ($10,500), who has allowed two or fewer runs in 13 of his 15 appearances. That's resulted in him recording a 2.11 ERA and a 2.79 FIP. He's thrived on his ability to miss bats, recording a 36.4 percent strikeout rate. A matchup against a Cubs team that has struck out the fourth-most times in baseball could leave Peralta with another productive performance in that category.
Staying in that same game, Kyle Hendricks ($9,100) is also an appealing option. He certainly doesn't have the strikeout upside that Peralta does given his career 20.7 percent mark in that category. However, he's bounced back from a slow start to allow three or fewer runs in each of his last eight starts. During that span, he has a 2.25 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP. The Brewers have the sixth-worst OPS in baseball, so Hendricks has a favorable opportunity to continue his recent run of success.
If you're looking to take a chance on a pitcher with a cheap salary in tournament play, then Matt Manning ($5,900) might be someone to consider. Across his two starts with the Tigers, he's only allowed four runs over 10.2 innings. The downside is that he only recorded four strikeouts during that stretch. Still, a matchup against an Indians team that ranks inside the bottom-10 in OPS is appealing.
Top Targets
The Diamondbacks continue to try and patch together their starting rotation and will now turn to Jake Faria ($5,500) to start against the Cardinals. He hasn't pitched more than two innings in any of his three appearances, so this has the makings of a bullpen game. With three home runs and three doubles across his last eight games, this could be an ideal night to roll with Nolan Arenado ($5,400).
The Yankees are coming off of a sweep at the hands of a Red Sox in a series that brought little to be excited about. If there was a positive, it's that DJ LeMahieu ($5,500) continued to break out from his previous slump, totaling seven hits across the three games. Over his last 20 games, he is now 28-for-88 (.318) with four home runs and four doubles. It wouldn't be a surprise to see him continue his hot hitting against Dylan Bundy ($8,200), who has a 5.26 FIP and a 1.39 WHIP.
Bargain Bats
Rumors have been circulating that Eduardo Escobar ($4,000) is on the trading block and that a deal might be imminent. It makes sense given that he has played well and that the Diamondbacks need to deal away some of their veterans to help with their rebuild. While he didn't start Sunday against the Padres, he did eventually enter the game and have two plate appearances. If he's in the lineup for this matchup against Wade LeBlanc ($5,300), he has the potential to provide value.
Going back to the Cardinals facing Faria and the Diamondbacks' bullpen, Dylan Carlson ($3,500) is also someone to consider. He has at least one hit in nine of the last 13 games, going 13-for-45 (.289) with a home run and two doubles during that stretch. It's encouraging that he's reduced his strikeout rate to 23.9 percent this season, which is more than five percentage points lower than his mark from 2020.
Stacks to Consider
Royals vs. Garrett Richards ($6,900), Red Sox: Whit Merrifield ($5,600), Salvador Perez ($5,000), Carlos Santana ($4,600)
Richards has been vocal about how the league cracking down on pitchers using foreign substances has hindered his ability to grip the ball. He had no control in his last start against the Rays, issuing four walks across 1.2 innings. He would go on to allow five runs and has now allowed 15 runs (12 earned) over his last three starts. That could mean plenty of runs are coming from the Royals, with this trio potentially being at the heart of them. Santana has a .366 OBP to go along with a paltry 14.3 percent strikeout rate, so he could be a tough out for Richards, in particular.
Astros vs. Tom Eshelman ($5,100), Orioles: Jose Altuve ($5,800), Michael Brantley ($4,300), Kyle Tucker ($4,400)
Eshelman also faced the Astros last week, which did not go well for him given that he allowed six runs across four innings. He wasn't pitching well at Triple-A this season, either, given his 6.41 ERA and 5.92 FIP across his six appearances. An Astros stack figures to be a popular option for this slate with Brantley likely be a key option in one. He's one of the hottest hitters in baseball, hitting 31-for-68 (.456) with a home run and eight doubles over his last 17 games.
Angels vs. Michael King ($6,500), Yankees: Shohei Ohtani ($5,000), Jared Walsh ($4,400), Jose Iglesias ($3,200)
King only allowed two runs in his last start against the Royals, but he was lucky that it wasn't worse, He walked three batters across his 4.2 innings and allowed seven total base runners. He has a 1.52 WHIP across his five starts and he doesn't have overpowering stuff, recording just a 19.9 percent strikeout rate for his career. That could lead to disastrous results against Ohtani, who has been one of the most dangerous hitters in baseball with a .391 ISO and a .426 wOBA.
