This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
Monday's DFS action starts with an "early only" and an "all day" slate at 1:07 p.m. EDT. The "main slate" of games starts at 7:05 p.m. EDT. And while it features only five games, two take place in extreme ballparks with the Rangers and Padres both at home.
Pitching
The cash games options for pitching tonight look very close between the Rays' Charlie Morton ($10,200) and the Rangers' Mike Minor ($10,800). Minor is at home, where he's recorded a 2.03 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. However, the Angels strike out the least against left-handed pitching at 16.6 percent and their .311 wOBA is only league-average. On the other hand, Morton gets the Orioles and their league-average 22.6 percent strike out rate against right-handed pitching but also the sixth-lowest team wOBA in baseball at .302 wOBA. Both pitchers represent viable options for cash and tournaments, but there's a slight lean to Morton based on the matchup.
Looking at GPP options, San Diego's Logan Allen ($9,300) comes in as a good choice. First, his price will keep most owners away due to the lack of name recognition so there'll be a low ownership. While Allen's not considered a top prospect, he has struck out over a batter per inning in every season in the minors. He hasn't looked overmatched in his first two starts, scoring 46 and 37 fantasy points against the Brewers and Orioles - both on the road. To his advantage Allen will be pitching in Petco Park and face the Giants, who enter as one of the MLB's worst hitting teams. San Francisco owns a league-worst .239 wOBA on the road against lefties, and their 26.6 percent strikeout rate is the sixth-highest in that split.
Key Values/Chalk
The Padres' Franmil Reyes ($3,000, 24 home runs) has gone a little under the radar playing alongside teammates Manny Machado, Eric Hosmer and Fernando Tatis Jr.. He actually has registered reverse splits, with his best split this season at home against right-handed pitching. That's the matchup he'll get against Jeff Samardzija who has struggled with a 5.18 road ERA.
It's tough to read the tea leaves on a nightly basis for shortstop, although the Pirates' Kevin Newman ($3,400) looks like a decent option. He brought a 19-game hit streak into Sunday's game and carries a .871 OPS on the season. Newman also possesses speed in his skill set and can score extra fantasy points by stealing bases.
The player to build cash lineups around has to be the Padres' Manny Machado ($4,200). Using him with either Morton or Minor still leaves an average of just under $3,000 per player to fill out the rest of a lineup. He's enjoyed the hot hand coming into this game, with six home runs over his last eight games and has scored double-digit fantasy points in 13 of his last 15 games. In those 13 games, he racked up 21.7 or more fantasy points nine times. Machado also owns a favorable history against Samardzija, going 5-for-11 with two home runs for a 1.591 OPS.
The Brewers' Keston Hiura ($2,700) remains at a reasonable price despite averaging double-digits during his time with the team. He'll find himself in a hitter's park in Cincinnati, after achieving a 1.088 OPS at Triple-A. Hiura also went 7-for-9 in the stolen base department at San Antonio, adding speed potential to his profile.
The Reds' Joey Votto ($3,300) appears to have turned the corner by posting a 1.004 OPS over the last three weeks. He enters a solid home matchup against righty Adrian Houser, and Votto has notched a .406 wOBA over his career for that split (i.e. at home vs. right-handed pitching). This game lists an over/under of 10 runs, with the Reds being a slight favorite (-108) suggesting they'll score five to six runs.
Stacks
Tampa vs. Baltimore (Jimmy Yacabonis)
Austin Meadows (OF - $4,000), Brandon Lowe (2B - $3,600), Yandy Diaz (3B - $3,600), Tommy Pham (OF - $3,700)
If the money doesn't work out, pivoting one of the outfielders to Kevin Kiermaier (OF - $2,800) makes sense. Yacabonis shouldn't work more than a few innings in this one, meaning the Rays will have the opportunity to tee off him and their second-tier bullpen pitching.
Cincinnati vs. Milwaukee (Adrian Houser)
Votto, Jesse Winker ($OF - $2,700), Yasiel Puig (OF - $3,400), Nick Senzel (OF - $3,500)
Houser has struggled and likely won't pitch too deep into this game. Hopefully a couple of starts off this weekend gets Winker going at the plate again. Puig comes in with four home runs and four stolen bases over his last 10 games.
