This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.
There are only eight games scheduled to be played Monday across baseball, five of which will make up the main evening slate on Yahoo. Let's dig into some of the options and highlight some pitchers and hitters to consider.
Pitchers
The starting pitching options for the five games aren't exactly great. There are no standout aces to build a lineup around. With that in mind, Blake Snell ($38) is a viable option for his matchup against the Cubs. His WHIP checks in at 1.50, and he continues to have command issues with his 13.7 percent walk rate. However, he has a 29.0 percent strikeout rate for his career and the Cubs are tied for the sixth-most strikeouts in baseball.
The Athletics' lineup continues to struggle. They have scored the fewest runs and have the worst OPS in baseball. Normally, Johan Oviedo ($34) isn't an appealing option in DFS. He has been mediocre with a 4.50 ERA and a 4.13 FIP, while his strikeout rate checks in at just 19.8 percent. However, a small slate and a great matchup against the Athletics makes him appealing.
JP Sears ($33) has a 4.37 FIP through 11 starts, but his 5.16 FIP is concerning. Part of the problem for him is that he has allowed 2.0 HR/9. On the bright side, he has used a 4.5 percent walk rate to generate a 1.07 WHIP. The Pirates have hit the sixth-fewest home runs in baseball, so Sears' inability to keep hitters inside the park might not be a huge issue.
Top Targets
Martin Perez ($28) was roughed up in his last start, allowing six runs over 4.2 innings to the Tigers. His WHIP is a bloated 1.54, and he has allowed 10 home runs over 61 innings. This could be an opportune matchup to roll with the duo of Paul Goldschmidt ($21) and Nolan Arenado ($18). For their careers, they have a .433 wOBA and a .407 wOBA against left-handed pitchers, respectively.
Bargain Bats
Daulton Varsho ($13) is starting to show signs of life, entering Monday on an eight-game hitting streak that has included two home runs. During that span, his strikeout rate is just 9.4 percent. More success could be coming in a matchup against Brandon Bielak ($28), who has a 5.16 FIP that indicates he has not pitched nearly as well as his 3.19 ERA would lead one to believe.
The struggling Padres received a boost to their lineup with Manny Machado ($11) making his return from the IL on Friday. He is off to a slow start, hitting just five home runs on his way to a .628 OPS. However, he is still a talented hitter, and his struggles have resulted in him having a cheap salary. That leaves him with the potential to provide value against Kyle Hendricks ($31), who has a 1.82 WHIP over his first two starts.
Stacks to Consider
Rangers vs. Adam Wainwright ($25), Cardinals: Corey Seager ($22), Josh Jung ($19), Adolis Garcia ($18)
The Rangers have scored the most runs in baseball on their way to the top of the AL West standings. Wainwright has already struggled, posting a 6.15 ERA and a 4.46 FIP. His WHIP is 1.71 and he only has a 12.9 percent strikeout rate, so this could be a long evening for him. One of the Rangers' hottest hitters has been Seager, who is 22-for-60 (.367) with five home runs and six doubles over his last 14 games.
Astros vs. Alek Manoah ($27), Blue Jays: Yordan Alvarez ($23), Kyle Tucker ($15), Alex Bregman ($17)
Manoah has been one of the bigger disappointments in baseball. After recording a 2.24 ERA and a 3.35 FIP last year, he has a 5.46 ERA and a 6.27 FIP this year. Two areas of concern stand out. First, he has allowed 1.6 HR/9. Second, he has a 15.0 percent walk rate. His problems in those departments are particularly troublesome for him when he faces Alvarez, who has a .295 ISO to go along with his 13.5 percent walk rate.
