This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
Last Monday was Memorial Day, so we got a big day of MLB action. This Monday is the counterbalance to that. There are only three games on the slate. Yes, three. You rarely see the MLB schedule that sparse. However, I still have some DFS recommendations for you, though obviously the pickings are much slimmer than usual. The first game starts at 5:10 p.m. ET. Let's get to it.
PITCHING
Nick Pivetta, BOS vs. MIA ($9,300): It's a bad day for pitching, let me start by saying that. However, Pivetta has the best matchup of the day. The Marlins have decidedly the worst offense of these six teams, and they are on the road as well. Pivetta has picked up his pitching this year with a 3.23 FIP through 11 starts. Plus, thanks to offensive support, he has a 6-1 record.
Ryan Weathers, SD vs. CHC ($8,100): Weathers is a rookie who has pitched out of the bullpen a bit, but he's also made seven starts. So far he's been looking good, as he has a 2.06 ERA. Granted, he also has a 4.30 FIP, but he's getting to pitch at Petco Park here. His home ERA is 1.93. The Cubs have been fine offensively, but if you want to bet on a rookie who has shown promise in a pitcher-friendly ballpark, especially since he has a potent offense supporting him, Weathers is a fine option.
TOP TARGET
Jared Walsh, LAA vs. KC ($3,700): Walsh has become a top target this year, though he showed the promise before 2021 as well. The lefty had a .970 OPS in 2020 with a 1.109 OPS versus righties. He's been almost as good this year, with less power but more times getting on base. Walsh has also hit 13 homers. Monday will see the Angels slugger facing the right-handed pitcher Ervin Santana. The 38-year-old has mostly pitched out of the bullpen this year, but over the two previous seasons, he had an 8.53 ERA over eight starts.
VALUE BAT
Jake Cronenworth, SD vs. CHC ($3,000): Hey, remember Cronenworth? As a 26-year-old rookie last year he slashed .285/.354/.477. Perhaps it could have been a fluke, but this year his slash line is .276/.344/.408 with five home runs and three stolen bases. While Adbert Alzolay's ERA has basically lowered with every consecutive start, he still has a 3.62 ERA and 3.91 FIP. Cronenworth is also a lefty, and he hits righties like Alzolay better than his fellow southpaws unsurprisingly.
STACK TO CONSIDER
Royals vs. Dylan Bundy: Whit Merrifield ($3,600), Carlos Santana ($3,300), Andrew Benintendi ($3,300)
What's going wrong with Bundy this year? I don't know, but I do know through 10 starts that he has a 0-6 record with a 6.49 ERA. At home that ERA jumps up to 7.94 as well. A big issue has been the fact that he's allowed 2.10 home runs per nine innings this season. Well, in his career he's given up 1.61 homers per nine innings, so this isn't a total fluke. Rare is the day you might consider a stack of the Royals, but Monday is such a day.
Merrifield's batting average isn't where it usually is, as his career he's batted .292. His whole thing is getting a hit and then stealing a base, and I expect more of the former to come for the second baseman, leading to more of the latter as well. In a world where stolen bases are increasingly rare, Merrifield has 17 of them. Walking and power are Santana's game, and that's been true this year as well. He has a .380 OBP and he's hit 10 homers. Benintendi still can't hit lefties, but he's otherwise enjoying a revitalizing season after leaving Boston for Kansas City. He has an .897 OPS versus righties and has hit six home runs with seven stolen bases.
