This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
There isn't always a packed slate on Mondays, but there will be plenty of options this week with 11 games to choose from on Yahoo. We have an interesting mix of top-tier pitchers and lineups in positions to be successful, so let's dive into the matchups and highlight which players stand out.
Pitching Overview
The Indians are making a charge to catch the Indians in the AL Central and part of the reason for their recent surge has been the success of Mike Clevinger ($51). Injuries have put a damper on his season, but he's healthy now and has allowed two runs while recording 27 strikeouts over 17 innings in his last three starts. While it should be noted that two of those games came against bad lineups in the Tigers and Royals, he won't exactly be facing a juggernaut for this matchup against the Blue Jays. He provides excellent upside here.
As far as favorable matchups go, it doesn't get much better than Robbie Ray ($44) against the Orioles. They have scored the fourth-fewest runs (418) in baseball and won't have the benefit of the DH with this game being played in Arizona. They've been somewhat respectable with a 94 wRC+ at home, but they have just a 77 wRC+ on the road. Add in Ray's 30.7 percent strikeout rate and he might be an even better option than Clevinger when you also factor in his cheaper price tag.
If you want to load up on hitters for this slate, taking a chance on Alec Mills ($26) against the Giants might not be a crazy idea. He's certainly cheap and the Giants are still without the services of Evan Longoria (foot). Oracle Park isn't a great place to hit, which is part of the reason why the Giants have the second-lowest home wRC+ (73) in baseball. Mills recorded a quality start in his first outing this year against the Reds and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him provide similar results in this contest.
Key Values/Chalk
Staying with the Cubs, their lineup could also be in line for a productive evening against Shaun Anderson, who has a 4.87 ERA and a 4.38 FIP across 12 starts. He doesn't miss many bats with his 14.4 percent strikeout rate and left-handed hitters have a .347 wOBA against him, making Anthony Rizzo ($19) a great option. Even though he doesn't have the platoon advantage, Javier Baez ($19) should also be popular considering he is 22-for-67 (.328) with four home runs and five doubles over his last 15 games.
The Rockies are not normally a lineup to pursue on the road, but this could be a rare exception. Erick Fedde will start for the Nationals, and although his 3.50 ERA looks nice, he's been a bit lucky based on his 5.23 FIP and .259 BABIP allowed. He also has a stunningly-low 12.4 percent strikeout rate. Lefties have a robust .369 wOBA against him, leaving Charlie Blackmon ($17), David Dahl ($15) and Daniel Murphy ($14) as viable targets.
The Marlins looked as inept as it gets earlier this season, but their lineup has been more productive of late. A couple of their hitters could be in play against Ivan Nova, who has once again struggled with his 5.45 FIP and 1.57 WHIP. Garrett Cooper ($19) is someone who stands out with him hitting 21-for-68 (.309) with four home runs and four doubles over his last 18 games. During that same stretch, Starlin Castro ($15) has also performed well by hitting 24-for-74 (.324) with three home runs, four doubles and two triples.
Stacks
Diamondbacks vs. Aaron Brooks (Orioles)
Ketel Marte (OF - $24), Eduardo Escobar (2B - $20), Christian Walker (1B - $21)
Brooks has started twice since joining the Orioles, but didn't pitch more than 2.2 innings in either outing. He was pitching out of the bullpen for the A's earlier this season, so it might take some time for him to build up his pitch count. He did throw 56 pitches in his last outing, so he might be able to go deeper here if he can pitch effectively. The odds of that happening might not be great, though, since he has a 5.59 FIP and has allowed 1.9 HR/9 overall. Expect the Diamondbacks to be one of the more popular stacks for the evening.
Nationals vs. Peter Lambert (Rockies)
Juan Soto (OF - $23), Anthony Rendon (3B - $20), Matt Adams (1B - $9)
Even though Lambert won't have to pitch this game at Coors Field, this is still a rough matchup. He's struggled with a .404 wOBA against left-handed hitters, making Soto the key player to build a Nationals stack around. That also brings Adams into play, who has gone deep twice in his last 18 plate appearances. Even though Rendon doesn't have the platoon advantage, he's also a great option with his 152 wRC+.
Yankees vs. Martin Perez (Twins)
DJ LeMahieu (3B - $23), Aaron Judge (OF - $22), Gleyber Torres (2B - $17)
The good news with Perez is that he doesn't allow many home runs. The bad news is that he hasn't been as effective lately, posting a 5.65 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP over his last eight starts. The Yankees have one of the most dangerous lineups in baseball, especially for left-handed pitchers considering all of their potent right-handed hitters. LeMahieu has been excellent with his .375 wOBA this season while Judge has a .453 wOBA versus southpaws.
