This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
One of my favorite parts about Monday slates is that many teams travel. That typically leaves us with fewer teams, and I always prefer that when making lineups. It's always much easier to evaluate individual games and matchups when we have fewer games. That's exactly what we have here, with 10 games making up this Monday card. With that said, let's get started with the arms.
Pitching
Sonny Gray, STL vs. HOU ($8,500)
It feels bizarre to recommend any pitcher against the Astros, but this isn't the same elite offense we've become accustomed to. Houston is 27th in runs scored and last in OPS. That's hard to believe, but we have to use a hit pitcher like Gray against them. The St. Louis slinger has at least 17 DraftKings points in all three starts, providing a 0.88 WHIP and 10.7 K/9 rate. He's also got a 2.89 ERA and 1.09 WHIP at home over the last three seasons, dropping 37 DK points in his last home start against Houston.
Clay Holmes, NYM at MIN ($7,500)
There's some skepticism about Holmes' conversion to the rotation based on a narrative that he was a lousy reliever for the Yankees, but that simply wasn't the case. The righty had a 2.85 ERA and 1.17 WHIP in his three years with the Yanks, and that was enough for the Mets to take a shot on him as one of their starters. He's had mixed results in his newfound role, but he's still averaging 16 DraftKings points per game. The 12.3 K/9 rate plays a huge factor in that, and those strikeouts should keep flowing against Minnesota. The Twins rank 27th in OBP, 28th in OPS and 29th in xwOBA.
Top Targets
Fernando Tatis, SD ($6,000) vs. Jameson Taillon
Tatis has always been one of the best per-game producers in fantasy, but injuries have kept him from being a true stud. The good news is that Tatis is fully healthy to start the season, scoring at least 13 DraftKings points in eight of 14 games. That's the superstar San Diego fans have been waiting to see, with Tatis totaling a .433 OBP and 1.048 OPS to match those fantastic fantasy averages. We can't fade that type of form against a guy like Taillon, tallying a 6.06 ERA through three starts this year.
Bobby Witt, KC ($5,900) vs. Carlos Carrasco
Witt is one of the favorites for AL MVP, and using him in a place like Yankee Stadium against a pitcher like Carrasco is the perfect recipe. We'll dive into those Carrasco numbers later on, but Witt has been one of the best players in DFS since his call-up. The shortstop had a .332 AVG, .389 OBP and .977 OPS in a breakout 2024 campaign, recording 32 homers and 31 steals. He's got a .400 OBP and .873 OPS through the opening weeks of this season and has scored at least 10 DK points in six of his last eight outings.
Bargain Bats
Michael Conforto, LAD ($4,400) vs. Antonio Senzatela
Stacking the Dodgers against a team like the Rockies can be expensive, but Conforto is one of the few affordable options. The lefty masher should be in the heart of LA's lineup against a righty, with Conforto compiling a .359 OBP and .839 OPS against righties throughout his career. We love that when evaluating Conforto's hot start, posting a .368 OBP and .917 OPS against right-handers this year. Squaring off with Senzatela is sensational, too, and we'll dive into that in the stacks section!
Gleyber Torres, DET ($4,200) vs. Tyler Alexander
It's been a rough go for Torres over recent years, but he always steps up with the platoon advantage in his favor. The second baseman has a .363 OBP and .856 OPS against lefties over the last three years. That's hard to believe when looking at his averages, but we're willing to trust it since it's 300 plate appearances. That, paired with Torres's recent form, makes him one of the best punt plays of the day, totaling a .538 OBP and 1.265 OPS in his first three games with the Tigers.
Stacks to Consider
Dodgers vs. Rockies (Senzatela): Shohei Ohtani ($6,500), Mookie Betts ($6,200), Max Muncy ($4,100) and Conforto ($4,400)
As someone who lives in Colorado, it's sad to see the Rockies play the Dodgers so often (or anyone, honestly). It feels like the Rockies have never won a game in Dodger Stadium, and it's easy to understand why when looking at this pitching staff. Colorado has been near the bottom in ERA and WHIP for the last 20 years, sending out Senzatela's 5.14 ERA and 2.14 WHIP. He also had a FIP above 7.00 in each of the last two years, surrendering six runs to LA in their most recent matchup.
Using Ohtani against Senzatela feels like a cheat code, with Shohei leading all players in fantasy points since the start of last season. As for Mookie, the perennial All-Star has a .500 OBP and 1.350 OPS in 20 at-bats against Senzatela. Muncy gets the platoon advantage against the Rockies righty, registering an OPS near .900 against them since joining the Dodgers.
Royals at Yankees (Carrasco): Witt ($5,900), Salvador Perez ($4,400), Vinnie Pasquantino ($4,500)
Cookie Carrasco was one of my favorite pitchers a decade ago, but that was then. Father Time has crumbled Carrasco's career like everyone else's, with the righty collecting a 6.27 ERA and 1.54 WHIP over the last three years. That's horrifying in a hitter's haven like Yankee Stadium, making the Royals one of the sneakiest stacks on this slate.
We had to kickstart our stack with the MVP candidate, but surrounding him with Perez and Pasquantino is the optimal strategy. Perez has been one of the best catchers over the last decade, posting a .474 SLG and .783 OPS over the last four seasons. As for Vinnie P, he has a .790 OPS against righties since his call-up.
