This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
Given the holiday, the majority of teams are taking the field Monday. However, games are scheduled throughout the day, which still leaves us with a six-game main slate. There aren't any true aces on the mound, but there are sever mid-level pitchers worth considering. That should leave plenty of the budget remaining for high-end hitting options in the most common bui
Pitchers
I'll bypass the top tier of pitching in favor of Andrew Heaney ($9,600), who has worked at least five innings in consecutive outings. He should be a relatively safe bet for around 20 DK points against a San Francisco lineup that has been slightly above-average against left-handed pitching. this season
Brady Singer ($8,600) is also a strong option. Cleveland doesn't strike out, so this isn't a high upside play. On the other hand, the Guardians have only a .284 wOBA across the last 30 days – sixth-lowest in the league. That makes Singer a nice cash game option.
Lance Lynn ($7,900) appears to be back in form across his last eight starts, averaging 22.3 DK points in that span. He's gotten fairly easy matchups in that span, including three against the Royals, two against the Guardians, one against the Athletics, one against the Tigers and one against the Orioles. He'll draw Seattle on Monday, another mediocre offense.
Jose Suarez ($7,000) isn't quite in punt price range, but it's worth noting his recent uptick in form. He's reached double-digit DK points in six consecutive starts, reaching at least 19 points on four occasions. On Monday, he'll draw a matchup against the hapless Tigers offense.
It's difficult to recommend Hunter Brown ($5,200) and Ryne Nelson ($5,000) are both relatively highly regarded prospects and are in true punt territory.
Top Hitters
Mike Trout ($5,500) hasn't gotten much attention in his return from the injured list, but Monday will be a day to pay attention. He faces lefty Tyler Alexander, who has allowed 1.5 HR/9 across 68 innings this season. Meanwhile, Trout has maintained a .427 wOBA with the handedness advantage this season.
Nathaniel Lowe ($5,200) has been on fire across his last 10 games, averaging 13.6 DK points per game. The Rangers will take on Hunter Brown in his big-league debut, so it should be a decent spot for him to take advantage.
Manny Machado ($5,900) is in a similar position to Lowe, as he's slugged .714 across his last 10 games. He draws Ryne Nelson – a highly-regarded prospect – in his big-league debut.
Value Hitters
Yasmani Grandal ($2,900) has had a disappointing season, but he still hits lefties very well (.418 wOBA). Marco Gonzales has both the lowest K% and K-BB% among the starters to take the mound Monday night.
One of David Hensley ($2,500) or Yainer Diaz ($2,300) is likely to be in the lineup Monday with lefty Martin Perez on the mound. The context of the Astros' lineup keeps everyone in play, and both stand out as cheap ways to get exposure.
David Fletcher ($3,100) is another – and cheaper – way to get exposure to the Los Angeles lineup. He's regularly occupied the leadoff position, which isn't a bad place to be with both Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout immediately behind him.
Stacks to Consider
Angels vs. Tigers (Tyler Alexander): David Fletcher ($3,100), Shohei Ohtani ($6,400), Mike Trout ($5,500)
Considering that two of the team's top three hitters in the order appeared in recommendations earlier in the article, it shouldn't be a surprise to see the Angels as a top stacking option. The rest of the lineup is a mess, but a trio that includes Trout and Ohtani will always have a chance. As was mentioned, Alexander has only a 12.8 percent strikeout rate while also serving up 1.5 HR/9. Fletcher is also a nice way to make the stack more manageable from a budget perspective.
Padres vs. Diamondbacks (Ryne Nelson): Jurickson Profar ($4,000), Juan Soto ($5,600), Manny Machado ($5,900)
This slate will require some risk, and this stack is one way to get there. Nelson is among Arizona's top prospects and has the chance to be a strong pitcher in the league for several seasons. However, the combination of the short slate and the unknown makes it a worthy spot to target. Profar isn't as cheap as Fletcher, but he likewise balances out some of the cost of the other pieces of the stack.
White Sox at Seattle (Marco Gonzales): Elvis Andrus ($2,800), Andrew Vaughn ($3,800), Eloy Jimenez ($4,200)
Gonzalez has pitched well of late, but his low strikeout rate and 5.07 SIERA are impossible to ignore. Unlike the other stacks mentioned, the White Sox have a very cheap lineup across the board. The one thing to look out for will be Luis Robert's potential return, which would supplant Andrus from the leadoff spot. This stack would open up access to the aces on the slate, which may be a contrarian build.
