This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
Monday's DFS action starts at 3:10 PM EST with both an all-day and an early-only slate, although the latter consisting of only two games – Oakland at Detroit and the Angels at Kansas City. As usual, the main slate starts at 7:05 PM EST with 10 games. There's only one stud on the mound (Justin Verlander, $11,700) and without a game in Coors Field to spend up for, he's worth considering in cash games against the hapless Blue Jays in both cash and GPPs.
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PITCHER
Blake Snell, TB vs WAS ($9,100): It seems like this pick comes with some risk, since the Nationals have a couple of hitters who handle lefties well (Anthony Rendon, Bryce Harper). However, as a team they have a .302 wOBA (20th in the league) against southpaws and their 22.4 percent strikeout rate is the 13th highest mark in the league. Snell has been fantastic at home this season (0.96 ERA in 37.1 innings pitched), allowing opposing batters a lowly .251 wOBA against him. His 21.7 percent strikeout rate at home is actually down four percent from a season ago, suggesting he should regress positively to the mean for the rest of the season. He provides a nice $2,600 in savings to use on bats by pivoting off Verlander tonight.
GPP Fade: Gio Gonzalez, WAS at TB ($8,500): A quick look at this matchup against the Rays might put Gio under consideration except for a few different factors. The Rays are 13th in the league in wOBA against left-handed pitchers (.314) and there's an argument their lineup has improved with Kevin Kiermaier (.321 wOBA last two seasons) back and Jake Bauers (.379 wOBA this season vs lefties) now a regular. Gonzalez has also struggled a lot lately, giving up four home runs over his last three starts (7.43 ERA) without a win or quality start.
Cheap GPP Consideration: Seth Lugo, NYM vs PIT ($5,900): Using Lugo allows almost any combination of premium bats for tonight's games. The right-hander has a 2.85 ERA on the season, although that number has risen dramatically after he allowed eight runs over eight innings in his last two starts (at ARI and at COL). The good news is he struck out 12 in those two starts and is striking out over a batter per inning this season (59 in 53.2 innings). The Pirates are a good matchup as they have a .310 wOBA against right-handed pitching, putting them in the bottom half of the league.
CATCHER/FIRST BASE
Chris Davis, BAL vs SEA ($2,300): The question of whether to use Davis tonight depends on whether you need a low-floor punt play, and if you believe the veteran slugger could be turning the corner. He's coming off a series in Atlanta where he went 2-for-12 but had a double, a home run, two walks and five RBI (44.7 fantasy points in three games). Felix Hernandez put together a nice performance last time out against the Yankees, but he has given up a .338 and .363 wOBA to left-handed hitters this season and last.
SECOND BASE
Jurickson Profar, TEX vs SD ($3,600): Here's the first of two Rangers to consider tonight in a game at Globe Life Park that's expected to see a high game temperature of 97 degrees with 54 percent humidity. The Rangers have the highest expected run total of the night as -165 favorites in a game with an over/under of 9.5 runs. Profar has a .363 wOBA against lefties this season, with Joey Lucchesi on the mound for the Padres, and he has gone 5-for-5 in the stolen base department. It wasn't long ago that Profar was considered one of the best prospects in the game, and he appears to be starting to tap into that potential.
THIRD BASE
Adrian Beltre, TEX vs SD ($3,300): Beltre has gotten off to a slow start this season mainly due to a hamstring injury, but he's healthy now and routinely hitting cleanup for the Rangers. Over the last four seasons at home he's had a wOBA of at least .448 in every season facing left-handed pitching. That will be the case tonight as he faces off against Lucchesi, who has allowed a .350 wOBA to right-handed hitters this season.
SHORTSTOP
Daniel Robertson, TB vs WAS ($2,300): Robertson is likely priced this low because he's only played two games since coming off the DL on Friday. He's been excellent against left-handed pitching this season, cutting down his strikeouts (30.8 percent last season to 15.1 percent this season) while recording a .386 wOBA at the plate. Gonzalez's recent slump has already been noted, and Robertson should hit in the middle of the lineup.
OUTFIELD
Hunter Renfroe, SD at TEX ($2,500): As already noted, it'll be good hitting weather in Texas tonight, and the Padres will be facing lefty Cole Hamels. Over the last three seasons Hamels has had a 4.63 ERA at home, giving up a .350 wOBA to opposing right-handed hitters. Renfroe typically hits third in the batting order against lefties and has a career .418 wOBA against them (191 plate appearances).
Joc Pederson, LAD vs CHC ($3,100): Pederson has taken over the leadoff role for the Dodgers, and while his price has gone up he's still a strong candidate for an outfield spot. Before homering Sunday his OPS was at 1.355 over his last 14 games, and now he gets a rookie at home making his first big league start in Duane Underwood, who has a 4.27 ERA at Triple-A this season.
UTILITY
Kyle Seager, SEA at BAL ($2,900): Seager is a good contrarian utility play tonight, especially in GPPs since either a first baseman or outfielder would usually occupy this spot. He has always been good against right-handed pitchers, with a career .354 wOBA on the road against that handedness. This will be Andrew Cashner's second start since coming off the DL, and he's allowed a .358 wOBA this season to left-handed hitters.
