This article is part of our FantasyAces MLB series.
Here are my recommendations for games on Monday, August 3:
P – Matt Garza ($5750) – Garza has put together a string of five straight quality starts, during which he has allowed only 22 hits in 31.2 IP as well as a 2.56 ERA. He faces a Marlins team that has the second-worst road record in the majors.
P – Andrew Heaney ($5850) – Heaney has been a revelation with his recent nine-start sample for the Angels. He has pitched to a 2.53 ERA and 1.04 WHIP over 57 IP. His K/BB ratio is 40/9 in that interval. The Angels host the White Sox on Monday, a team that is among the lowest-scoring clubs in all of baseball.
C - Francisco Cervelli ($4650) – Cervelli is one of the league's most underrated catchers when it comes to offensive production over the last two seasons. He's batting over .300 with a .370 OBP during that stretch. More recently, he has seven hits in his last 21 at-bats with a .400 OBP in his last six games. He faces an inconsistent Jeremy Hellickson on the mound for Arizona on Monday.
2B/SS – Robinson Cano ($5100) – This perennial All-Star is finally playing up to that standard after a dreadful start to his 2015 season. He is 38-for-110 (.345) with a .405 OBP in the past month, over 100 points higher than he was prior to this hot streak. He gets to hit in the favorable confines of Globe Life Park in Arlington on Monday. Cole Hamels, on the mound for the Rangers, has been very ordinary in his last two shaky starts.
2B/SS – Asdrubal Cabrera ($4750) – Cabrera has been on fire during the past month, hitting a torrid .449 (31 for 69) highlighted by 10 extra-base hits and seven RBI and acting as a key cog to fan the Rays playoff hopes. He has four multi-hit games in his last seven starts.
1B/3B – Pedro Alvarez ($4600) – Alvarez is wielding a hot stick as he looks forward to Monday's matchup, a home date against a struggling Jeremy Hellickson and the D-backs. Alvarez has 11 hits in his last 23 at-bats, including four HR and five extra-base hits. Get him in the lineup while he is lighting things up well above his season-long marks.
1B/3B – Nelson Cruz ($6000) – Cruz has proven with Seattle that he is not reliant on playing in a hitter-friendly park, after playing for Texas and Baltimore prior to this season. He is back in Texas as a visitor on Monday night, fresh off a 20-for-53 stretch in the past two weeks which included nine homers.
OF – Adam Jones ($5050) – Jones heads into Monday's start with five homers and 10 RBI in his last seven starts. He is a quality hitter who is prone to a bit of streakiness and I suggest riding this wave while he looks like one of the best power hitters in baseball again.
OF – Gerardo Parra ($4850) – Parra is enjoying his time as an Oriole, quickly acclimatized to his new surroundings. He has not missed a beat and has continued to build a career-best campaign. His 12 hits in the last 32 at-bats include an unexpected power surge with three home runs and have pushed his BA up to .323 along with a .365 OBP.
OF – Gregory Polanco ($4900) – Polanco is on a 10-game hitting streak entering Monday's game. This hot stretch includes seven multi-hit efforts. We have a few Pirates batters in mind for Monday against Hellickson (see Cervelli above).
Util – Brandon Belt ($5100) – Belt is another power-hitting batter who is producing across the board right now, with 10 hits in his last 26 at-bats including a pair of home runs. He has already tied his career-high of 17 round trippers this season.
Other favorable batting/pitching options, based on career splits against their Monday opponents include: C Caleb Joseph ($4250), 2B/SS Brock Holt ($4400), 1B/3B Chris Davis ($5400) and OF Gregor Blanco ($4500)
