This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
After a busy Sunday that included Miguel Cabrera hitting his 500th career home run, things quiet down a bit with only seven games on the schedule Monday. With that being said, there are still a few series that stand out. The Blue Jays will host the White Sox in a matchup between two teams with playoff aspirations. The A's will also host the Mariners in a showdown between AL West foes. The highlight of the night, though, features two of the hottest teams in baseball squaring off when the Braves take on the Yankees. Let's dive into the main DraftKings slate and highlight some players to consider for your lineups.
Pitchers
Even after a disastrous start to the season, Kyle Hendricks ($8,100) is only two wins away from tying his career high in the category, which is 16. He still has the occasional off night, but he's allowed two or fewer runs in 10 of his last 13 starts. He also logged at least six innings in all 10 of those games. Expect him to be a popular option in a matchup against the Rockies in Chicago since the Rockies only have a .608 OPS on the road.
Marco Gonzales ($8,100) doesn't pitch as deep into games consistently as Hendricks does, but he's still allowed two or fewer runs in each of his last six starts. With that being said, he did face the Rangers and their struggling lineup three times during that stretch. One of those outings, though, came against the A's, who he will also take on Monday. In that outing, he allowed two runs and had four strikeouts over 5.2 innings. With their rematch coming at the A's pitcher-friendly home park, Gonzales could have similar success.
Antonio Senzatela ($6,000) hasn't pitched as poorly as his 2-9 record indicates. His ERA isn't great at 4.58, but his FIP is significantly better at 3.72. He's also allowed just 0.7 HR/9 to go along with just a 4.9 percent walk rate. His general lack of strikeouts does limit his upside, but at this cheap salary, he's worth considering against the dismantled Cubs' lineup.
Top Targets
There are only six games for this slate and there are several good starting pitching options, which makes the hitters a little tricky. The Braves don't exactly have an easy matchup against Jordan Montgomery ($10,000), who is having an excellent season for the Yankees with a 3.54 FIP and a 1.20 WHIP. However, with the lefty on the mound, Ozzie Albies ($5,900) has to be considered a top option. For his career, he has a 146 wRC+ versus left-handed pitchers.
Staying with the Braves, it's difficult to resist Austin Riley ($5,200) with how well he's been hitting. Over his last 28 games, he is 41-for-114 (.360) with 12 home runs and six doubles. He's shown a more selective eye at the plate this season, generating a 9.4 percent walk rate.
Bargain Bats
A bout with COVID-19 put a damper on an otherwise impactful debut with the Yankees for Anthony Rizzo ($3,500). He's hit three home runs across 12 games with his new team and he even has more walks (five) than strikeouts (four). With his power upside, he could provide value in a matchup with Huascar Ynoa ($8,300).
With injuries hitting their starting rotation, the A's will turn to Paul Blackburn ($5,300) to make his second start of the season, this time against the Mariners. He had underwhelming numbers at Triple-A, posting a 4.34 FIP and a 1.59 WHIP across 88.2 innings. While the Mariners don't exactly have a deadly lineup, this matchup could make Abraham Toro ($3,500) someone to consider. Since being acquired from the Astros, he has a .853 OPS and just a 9.8 percent strikeout rate over 24 games.
Stacks to Consider
Astros vs. Daniel Lynch ($6,500), Royals: Jose Altuve ($5,500), Carlos Correa ($4,600), Jake Meyers ($2,400)
Lynch faced the Astros in his last start and pitched well, allowing just one run over seven innings. Even with that strong outing, though, he has a 4.23 FIP and a 1.50 WHIP across his eight starts this season. Considering the limited options for the night, the Astros might still be a team to stack. Meyers appears to have taken over the starting center field job and has performed well, hitting 15-for-41 (.366) with three home runs and three doubles over his last 11 games.
Diamondbacks vs. Wil Crowe ($7,200), Pirates: Ketel Marte ($4,600), Josh Rojas ($4,700), David Peralta ($2,900)
This season has certainly been a struggle for Crowe, who has a 5.71 FIP and a 1.57 WHIP. He's had plenty of difficulties keeping hitters inside the ball park, allowing 1.9 HR/9. Although their lineup doesn't exactly strike fear into the hearts of the opposition, this matchup still favors a Diamondbacks stack for DFS. The key to any Diamondbacks stack could be Rojas, who has been one of their best hitters with his .360 wOBA.
