This article is part of our FantasyAces MLB series.
Here are my Fantasy Aces recommendations for the 10-game slate on Monday, September 21:
P – David Price ($8250) – I believe that you go with the better, hotter pitcher in a big matchup. Price has been on fire since joining the Jays and is 7-1 in nine excellent starts for Toronto, allowing three runs or less in each outing. He faces off against Adam Warren, who has been working out of the pen and been touched up for runs in five of his last seven outings, covering 10.2 IP, while allowing 16 hits.
P – Jered Weaver ($6000) – The veteran looks like he has figured things out by looking much sharper than he has for much of this season, with three straight effective starts, during which he has allowed six runs in 16.7 IP. He has a mastery over a reeling Astros lineup that has only produced a .212 BA in 212 at-bats against him.
C – Matt Wieters ($4000) – He has a very favorable 10-for-17 record against Gio Gonzalez, which includes only two strikeouts. I know it's not a big sample size, but a lot of crooked numbers are included, indicating a high level of comfort for the veteran catcher.
1B/3B – Anthony Rizzo ($5400) – On this game day, Rizzo is that most sought-after pick for me. He's a power hitter who has a very good sample size against his opposing pitcher on Monday, Wily Peralta (12-for-26 with five HR and 11 RBI), and he is wielding a hot bat (nine hits with seven RBI in his last 25 at-bats).
1B/3B – Matt Carpenter ($4850) – The Cards outfielder look like he is revving up for the playoffs with his recent hot streak that includes three HR and four doubles as part of a 10-for-31 streak. He's also at home where St Louis is dominant and facing John Lamb, who has an unsightly 5.35 ERA on the year.
2B/SS – Dustin Pedroia ($4750) – The Red Sox little engine is on an eight-game hit streak since returning from the DL. He faces Chris Archer, who has looked very hittable, as opposed to his early season dominant form, in recent outings. Archer's ERA has climbed steadily into the 3.60 range, as has his H/9 and WHIP over his last 10 starts.
2B/SS – Yunel Escobar ($4850) – Escobar enters play tonight on an 11-for-29 tear in his last seven games and has an 8-for-21 sample size against Ubaldo Jimenez, with only one strikeout. That latter aspect is a key, when we remind you that Jimenez is one of the top strikeout guys in the AL. He has not fooled Escobar.
OF – Tommy Pham ($3750) – Speaking of that favorable matchup for the Cards against Lamb on Monday, I think I will lean on Pham, who comes in at a good low price despite the fact that he is also on a nice run of late, which includes 10 hits over 23 at-bats (with four homers and 10 RBI) in his last seven starts.
OF – Colby Rasmus ($2800) – The Astros outfielder is fast approaching career highs for homers and extra-base hits, with a big push that has seen him go yard three times along with a total of five extra-base hits as part of a 12-for-40 sample. That's a .300 clip for a guy who is batting below .240 on the year, making him another hot stick on Monday.
OF – Andre Ethier ($2200) – This looks like a very good value play, when I consider what this veteran hitter has done against Jhoulys Chacin in a 31 at-bat sample. Ethier has 13 hits and 11 walks against only two strikeouts - another matchup where the batter apparently has a good look at the pitcher's delivery.
Util – Brian McCann ($3800) – He gets what looks like a tough matchup against David Price, but he has benefited from the righty vs. lefty battle here, with a 10-for-26 sample and only three strikeouts against the noted strikeout artist of the Jays.
Other favorable batting/pitching options, based on career splits against their Monday opponents include: C Yasmani Grandal ($2200); 1B/3B Evan Longoria ($3000); 2B/SS Jhonny Peralta ($2200); 2B/SS Neil Walker ($3400); OF Steven Souza ($2500) and OF Steve Pearce ($2600)
