This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
Though the MLB regular season is almost over, the league still needs a breather. Monday has a light schedule. There are seven games on the DFS slate, and to do that the contests have to start at 6:40 p.m. EDT. You will need to get your lineup in a little earlier, and here are my DFS recommendations.
Pitching
Clayton Kershaw, LAD vs. ARI ($9,700): There have been occasions where Kershaw has been limited to less than five innings, eliminating him from a possible win. That being said, the lefty has gone at least five innings in seven of his nine starts since the start of July, and he has an 1.99 ERA in that time, as well. The Diamondbacks have a lot of lefties in their usual lineup, making Kershaw a tough matchup for them.
Kyle Wright, ATL vs. WAS ($8,800): Wright recently had a bafflingly-bad start against the Athletics, but he still has a 3.18 ERA on the season. Also, he's allowed two runs or fewer in five of his last six outings. The Nationals are 25th in runs scored, and I don't expect another rough day against a bad offense for Wright.
Tyler Wells, BAL vs. DET ($6,100): Wells move to the starting rotation has been mediocre, as he has a 3.93 ERA. However, on the road his ERA is 3.81. Mostly, though, this is about the matchup. The Tigers are last in runs scored and team OPS.
Top Targets
Since 2020, Freddie Freeman ($5,600) has an 1.007 OPS versus righties. He's been solid at home in his first season as a Dodger, but on the road he has a .974 OPS. Merrill Kelly has had a strong season, and has largely been avoiding home runs. However, he's slipped a bit recently. Over his last five starts he has a 3.90 ERA and has allowed 1.9 home runs per nine innings.
Southpaw Ryan McMahon ($4,800) and his Colorado crew are back at Coors Field. This year, he has a .783 OPS versus righties, and an .834 OPS at home. Jakob Junis, meanwhile, has allowed 1.54 home runs per nine innings, and over the last three seasons lefties have hit .304 against him.
Bargain Bats
Ian Happ ($4,200) has a .273 average with 17 home runs and eight stolen bases. While he's a switch hitter, since 2020 he has an .816 OPS versus righties. Edward Cabrera has a 2.70 ERA, but that's belied by a 4.58 FIP. Plus, he has a 4.05 ERA at home.
Over the last three weeks, David Peralta (3,100) has a .783 OPS. You can chalk that up mostly to matchups with right-handed pitchers, as Peralta struggles with lefties but has an .800 OPS versus righties. Luis Garcia has a 4.04 ERA this season, and he's allowed left handers to hit .261 against him.
Stacks to Consider
Braves vs. Nationals (Cory Abbott): William Contreras ($4,900), Michael Harris ($4,800), Matt Olson ($4,700)
Abbott has some eye-watering numbers. In his career, which includes time in the bullpen and in the starting rotation, he has a 6.84 FIP. His big problem is that he's allowed 2.58 home runs per nine innings. Since Abbott is a righty, I have two lefties in this stack.
Contreras is a designated hitter you can slot in as your catcher in your lineup. A catcher that can hit .278 with 19 home runs is certainly exciting, and while he's been better versus lefties, Contreras has an .899 OPS at home. Harris has 18 home runs and 16 stolen bases in a mere 99 games. He's still hot as well, with an 1.086 OPS over the last three weeks. Olson has gone cold, but he still has 28 home runs and 91 stolen bases. The lefty also has an .815 OPS versus righties since 2020.
Giants at Rockies (Chad Kuhl): Joc Pederson ($5,600), Thairo Estrada ($4,300), Luis Gonzalez ($2,300)
Kuhl had a career 4.44 ERA before joining the Rockies, so expectations were low, needless to say. Indeed, Kuhl's ERA this year is 5.33, highest of his career. The 1.68 home runs per nine innings that Kuhl has allowed is a career high for him as well. Coors Field is not the place for a pitcher like Kuhl.
Pederson has an 1.054 OPS over the last three weeks, typically deployed only versus righties. This year he has an .881 OPS against right-handed pitchers. Estrada has racked up 13 homers and 19 stolen bases. He may be a righty, but Kuhl has let his fellow right handers hit .298 against him. With a righty on the mound, and LaMonte Wade banged up, I expect Gonzalez in the lineup. The southpaw has a .743 OPS versus righties and a .734 OPS on the road.
Orioles vs. Tigers (Tyler Alexander): Anthony Santander ($4,900), Gunnar Henderson ($3,400), Austin Hays ($3,100)
Alexander has a career 4.47 ERA, but this season his ERA is up to 5.35. Not only that, but the lefty has a 7.30 ERA on the road. If that wasn't enough, over his last nine starts he's posted a 6.34 ERA with 10 home runs allowed in 44.0 innings.
Santander has racked up 27 home runs this season, and the switch hitter has been happy to see a lefty on the mound. He has an .898 OPS versus southpaws. Henderson was many people's top prospect when he was called up, and thus far he's slashed .328/.388/.557. So far, he hasn't had any issues with his fellow lefties either, and this year left handers have hit .277 against Alexander. Hays is the one true righty in my stack, and since 2020 he has an .814 OPS against lefties and a .780 OPS at home.
