This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
Monday's holiday brings a heavy dose of day games across baseball. There are two big series that will get underway in the AL East with the Yankees hosting the Blue Jays and the Red Sox taking on the Rays. Boston is in a tough spot to try and gain ground in the standings, though, with an outbreak of COVID-19 having taken its toll on the team. Among the games with later start times is a matchup between the Astros and Mariners, two AL West squads that are vying for a playoff spot. Let's focus on the seven-game day slate on DraftKings and highlight some players to target.
Pitchers
The Brewers are well on their way to the playoffs and their starting rotation has been one of the keys to their success. One of their best starters has been Brandon Woodruff ($9,600), who has a 2.35 ERA that is supported by a 2.85 FIP. He's allowed just 0.8 HR/9 and he's missing a lot of bats, leaving him with a 30.0 percent strikeout rate. The only concern with him down the stretch is that the Brewers might try to limit his innings to keep him fresh for the playoffs. Still, for this limited slate, he's among the top pitching options for his matchup with the Phillies.
Tarik Skubal ($7,800) was hit hard in his last outing, allowing six runs across five innings against the A's. Prior to that blowup, he had allowed two runs or fewer in four straight starts. His rookie campaign has had its ups and downs, but he has shown an ability to provide value with his 26.4 percent strikeout rate. A matchup against a Pirates team that has the worst OPS in baseball could line him up to bounce back from his last poor start.
If you want to go with a pitcher with a really cheap salary in tournament play, Bryse Wilson ($5,600) could be an option. He's shown some improvement lately, recording a 1.16 WHIP over his last five starts. He had some tough matchups during that stretch, too, against the White Sox, Reds and Brewers (twice). Now he'll have the benefit of facing a Tigers team who ranks inside the bottom-10 in baseball in OPS and won't have the DH available to them with the game being played in Pittsburgh.
Top Targets
Juan Soto ($6,200) is looking to close out the season on a high note in what has been an otherwise disappointing campaign for the Nationals. Over his last 27 games, he has six home runs and a 1.145 OPS. During that stretch, he has just a 13.2 percent strikeout rate to go along with a whopping 30.7 percent walk rate. He'll try to stay hot against Trevor Williams ($6,900), who has an uninspiring 1.42 WHIP.
Nick Castellanos ($5,300) has been the driving force behind the Reds push for a playoff spot. He's had a spectacular season, posting a .255 ISO and a .399 wOBA. Tasked with trying to slow him down will be Justin Steele ($6,000), who has a 5.26 FIP that would indicate he hasn't pitched nearly as well as his 3.48 ERA would lead you to believe.
Bargain Bats
It's been a disastrous season for Patrick Corbin ($6,300), who has a 6.26 ERA and a 5.66 FIP. His strikeout rate has dropped to 18.5 percent and he's given up 2.1 HR/9. His start against the Mets could make Kevin Pillar ($2,800) someone to consider. He's had a power surge at the plate, hitting four home runs and two doubles over his last seven games.
Despite an outbreak of COVID-19 on the team, the Red Sox are still hanging onto a Wild Card spot in the American League. Providing a boost to their lineup lately has been Bobby Dalbec ($3,500), who is 23-for-65 (.354) with seven home runs and five doubles over his last 22 games. He should be in the lineup against left-hander Ryan Yarbrough ($7,400), who has been underwhelming with a 4.50 ERA and a 4.32 FIP.
Stacks to Consider
Blue Jays vs. Jameson Taillon ($8,300), Yankees: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. ($5,600), Marcus Semien ($5,100), Teoscar Hernandez ($4,300)
In Taillon's only other start against the Blue Jays this season, he allowed five runs across 3.2 innings. This is a bad matchup for him given that he's allowed 22 home runs over 131.2 innings. The Blue Jays' lineup is loaded with power hitters, the headliner of which is Guerrero. He's had a breakout season in just about every department, including his .280 ISO and .422 wOBA.
Orioles vs. Kris Bubic ($6,500), Royals: Cedric Mullins ($5,100), Trey Mancini ($4,100), Austin Hays ($3,300)
After a recent demotion to the bullpen, injuries will force Bubic back into the Royals' starting rotation. That creates an opportunity to try an Orioles stack given Bubic's 5.67 FIP and 1.53 WHIP. Not only is Mancini one of the more dangerous hitters in the Orioles' lineup, but he has a .383 wOBA against left-handed pitchers.
Royals vs. Zac Lowther ($5,300), Orioles: Salvador Perez ($6,000), Whit Merrifield ($5,300), Adalberto Mondesi ($4,800)
Prior to this season, Lowther had never pitched above Double-A. His first chance at Triple-A didn't exactly go well given his 4.78 FIP across eight starts. That didn't stop the Orioles from calling him up, though, given the dreadful state of their starting rotation. The Royals could be able to take advantage of this matchup, especially now that Mondesi is healthy. The key to their lineup, though, has been Perez, who has obliterated his previous career high with 41 home runs already.
