This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
We begin a new week of baseball with a nice eight-game slate. There aren't many traditional aces available, so most rosters are likely to be built around paying up for security at the position. However, there are several intriguing mid to low-priced arms that will give plenty of flexibility for those that are willing to take on some risk. There aren't many standout hitting environments, though we have some elite lineups with the likes of Atlanta and Texas in action.
Pitchers
Luis Castillo ($10,300) is the highest-priced pitcher on the slate, but there's a case to make for him. Castillo is a strong tournament option after to topping 25 DK points in three of his last five outings. A matchup against the White Sox also helps his cause as they have maintained just a .283 wOBA across the last 30 days.
There's not much in terms of mid-tier pitching Monday, so we can jump into the bargain portion of the pool. Touki Toussaint ($7,500) is worth highlighting thanks to his strikeout upside. Conveniently, he draws a matchup against the Mariners, who have consistently been one of the most strikeout-prone teams across the league. Toussaint is a tournament-only option, as he has significant control problems to go along with his strikeout upside.
Allan Winans ($7,500) is unproven at the big-league level, but he's held his own across two starts. Notably, he's picked up 14 strikeouts across 11.1 innings, and pitching for Atlanta means he always has a strong chance for a win. That's particularly true against the Mets.
Paul Blackburn ($7,000) seems to have unlocked some strikeout upside, tallying 30 punchouts across his last 30 innings and five starts. Kansas City doesn't strike out much and has also been a hot lineup of late. Both of those factors introduce some risk, but Blackburn has a chance to deliver at his price point.
Drew Rom ($4,000) is worth noting as a punt option. He was dealt to St. Louis in the Jack Flaherty deal and is set for his big-league debut after putting up impressive numbers at Triple-A. Rostering someone in their big-league debut is an obvious risk, but facing the Pirates is a soft landing.
Top Bats
He's priced accordingly, but Fernando Tatis ($6,300) has been exceptionally productive across his last 10 games. On Monday, he'll draw a matchup against former teammate Ryan Weathers, who has allowed an abysmal 2.1 HR/9 this season.
Marcus Semien ($5,700) is locked in as the Rangers' leadoff hitter, and that will be a good place to be as the Rangers take on Slade Cecconi. Despite solid surface stats, he's allowed a 12.9 percent barrel rate and 58.1 percent hard-hit rate in 10 big-league innings. While it's a small sample, hitters haven't been fooled by him.
Value Hitters
Luken Baker ($2,300) gets inconsistent at-bats in St. Louis, but the absence of both Nolan Gorman (back) and Lars Nootbaar (abdomen) has helped him seemingly earn a small-side platoon role. Bailey Falter will be the primary pitcher for the Pirates, and he's lacked swing-and-miss stuff (16.2 percent) and has been homer prone (1.7 HR/9) this season.
The Pirates aren't typically where we look for hitting options, but Ji Hwan Bae ($2,700) has the potential to provide some value. He's returned from the injured list to hit leadoff for the team and has gone for 3-for-11 with a pair of doubles and three walks in his three games since retaking the field.
Stacks to Consider
San Diego Padres vs. Miami Marlins (Ryan Weathers): Ha-Seong Kim ($4,700), Fernando Tatis ($6,300), Manny Machado ($5,300)
Weathers has fared poorly in his big-league sample since his debut in 2021, maintaining just an 8.5 K-BB% while serving up 1.9 HR/9. For those into narratives, it's a revenge game for Weathers but the Padres are also familiar with him as he was in the organization as recently as a month ago. The Rangers are another elite lineup to consider in place of the Padres.
Boston Red Sox vs. Houston Astros (Cristian Javier:): Alex Verdugo ($4,200), Rafael Devers ($5,700), Justin Turner (4,600)
For those looking to pay up at pitcher, the Red Sox have a more palatable price point than the Padres. Stacking against Javier would have been nothing more than a dart throw early in the season, but he's legitimately struggled since the All-Star break. In six starts, he's walked multiple batters and allowed at least one home run in all but one appearance. A matchup at Houston is one reason to shy away from the Red Sox, but they're a relative value as compared to the Rangers or Padres and intriguing as a result.
