This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
There are 12 MLB games Monday, which includes a doubleheader between Kansas City and Cleveland. That will leave those teams out of the picture. Since the next-earliest game starts at 6:40 p.m. ET, I figure it's safe to look at the full slate for DFS purposes. You get three extra games from which to choose players, and do you really need those extra 25 minutes before the 7:05 p.m. ET starts? Here are my recommendations.
PITCHING
Sean Manaea, OAK vs. SEA ($9,600): Manaea has a 3.95 ERA but a 3.73 FIP. Oakland's ballpark also tends to help pitchers. Seattle is in the bottom 10 in runs scored, but it's surprising that number has even been as good as it has on that front. The Mariners have a .223 batting average as a team, lowest in the majors.
Ranger Suarez, PHI vs. BAL ($9,000): I've been on board with Suarez for a little while now, and he hasn't steered me wrong yet. On the season he has a 1.50 ERA, though a lot of that was admittedly when he was in the bullpen. However, in his last five starts he has a 1.55 ERA. The Orioles rank 26th in runs scored and have absolutely nothing to play for, and sometimes it does feel like the team is just playing out the stretch.
Vladimir Gutierrez, CIN vs. PIT ($7,900): Now we get to the part where I recommend the pitcher facing the Pirates. Gutierrez has been a serviceable member of Cincinnati's rotation as a rookie. He has a 4.25 ERA, though over his last 10 starts he has a 3.52 ERA. This is about the matchup, however. The Pirates rank last in runs scored for the second season in a row, and they've fallen almost 30 runs behind the Rangers, who rank 29th.
TOP TARGETS
Aaron Judge, NYY vs. TEX ($4,100): Judge has hit 35 home runs, which is impressive, but what is good for fantasy players (and Yankees fans) is the fact he is also hitting .284. While his career slugging percentage is .552, he doesn't sell out for his power. Kohei Arihara is getting another start for the Rangers, and it isn't likely to go well. He has a 6.74 FIP and has given up 2.43 home runs per nine innings.
Freddie Freeman, ATL at ARI ($4,000): Freeman has hit 30 home runs once again, and, with a .297 batting average, he could end up hitting .300 once more as well. Unsurprisingly, the lefty also crushes righties. Freeman has an 1.019 OPS versus righties since 2019. Luke Weaver has a 4.42 ERA on the season for the Diamondbacks. While he has a 1.95 ERA at home, I think that might be a sample-size issue. Last year he had a 6.43 ERA at home, and in 2019 it was 3.77.
VALUE BATS
Josh Bell, WAS at MIA ($3,700): Bell's first season for the Nationals has gone reasonably well. He's hit .259, slugged .489, and hit 27 home runs in 131 games. Bell will be facing Jesus Luzardo on Monday, and while he was once a touted prospect, he has a 6.80 ERA this season and has allowed 2.09 home runs per nine innings.
Jazz Chisholm, MIA vs. WAS ($3,300): Fantasy players have been happy with Chisholm because of his counting stats, such as his 15 home runs and his 21 stolen bases. In this particular matchup I like the fact he's a lefty. Erick Fedde, in addition to his 5.16 ERA, has allowed lefties to hit .285 against him since 2019.
STACKS TO CONSIDER
White Sox vs. Matt Manning: Luis Robert ($4,000), Jose Abreu ($3,900), Yoan Moncada ($3,500)
As a Tigers fan, I have found this season to be a pleasant surprise. This does not extend to Manning's pitching. For all his status as a vaunted prospect, his rookie season has seen him post a 5.75 ERA, and his 4.61 FIP isn't exactly great either. Even though he's a righty, right-handed hitters have posted a .317 average against him as well.
Robert would be running away with the batting title race if he had played enough games to qualify, as he's hit .350 while notching eight homers and five stolen bases in limited action. Abreu has been better against lefties, but I am still happy to take a career .290 hitter in this matchup. Especially when he also has 29 home runs and 113 RBI. The switch-hitting Moncada could attack Manning from a couple directions, and he's posted an .848 OPS versus righties since 2019.
Astros vs. Jaime Barria: Jose Altuve ($4,200), Carlos Correa ($3,500), Kyle Tucker ($3,700)
Sure, Barria has been better at home in a small-sample size, but he's still a guy with a 5.06 FIP in 2021 and a career 4.97 FIP. I don't have much faith in him, and the Angels seem to agree, since he's only made nine starts this year. Plus, the Astros tend to hit against basically everybody.
Altuve has been on fire down the stretch, as he's posted a .932 OPS over the last three weeks. He's two home runs away from hitting 30 for the second time in his career as well. Correa has put up a steady .280/.367/.487 slash line with 24 homers, 85 RBI and 97 runs scored. I had to get one lefty in here and that's Tucker. He's hit 26 home runs, stolen 13 bases and has a .946 OPS versus righties.
