Monday’s nine-game MLB slate has a lot of intrigue. The slate offers a nice mix of both high-end expensive pitching options along with some good mid-range and value arms that have some upside. On the hitting side, there are numerous teams matching up in good hitting environments which should help level out ownership percentages.
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Let’s mow down the competition 3 Up and 3 Down…
3 Up
Ace
Corey Kluber (FD-$11,200 / DK-$12,500)
I’m going to pivot away from Max Scherzer on Monday night due to his matchup with the Red Sox who I even considered for my Contrarian stack recommendation. Instead, if I’m paying up at pitcher it will be with Kluber. Sure, he had a rough outing against the Cardinals in his previous start but I expect him to bounce back nicely on the road at Kansas City. The Royals have been woeful against right-handed pitching over the last 30 days with the worst wOBA (.247) and wRC+ (51) while also striking out 23.6% of the time. Meanwhile, Kluber has limited Royals hitters to a .278 wOBA and 30.1% strikeout rate in 239 career plate appearances. Kluber for Cash game on two-pitcher sites and possibly one-pitcher sites if you want to focus on pitching rather than bats.
Value
Carlos Martinez (FD-$7,400 / DK-$8,100)
If there is a cheap pitching option that I’m willing to consider in Cash games it will be Carlos Martinez. After a few shaky outings when he came off the DL, Martinez seemed to straighten things out in his last outing when he stuck out eight while allowing just two runs over six innings against the Indians high-powered offense. Martinez will travel to Arizona a road dog on Monday but he has fared well against Diamondbacks hitter over his career allowing just a .278 wOBA while producing a 23.8% strikeout rate in 80 career plate appearances.
Darkhorse
Luis Castillo (FD-$7,100 / DK-$5,700)
I’m still a believer in Luis Castillo’s talent so I’m willing to roll the dice on the young righty in a plus matchup against the White Sox. The White Sox have the highest strikeout rate (27.6%) against righties over the last 30 days while also ranking in the bottom six in wOBA (.282) and wRC+ (78) during that span. Castillo’s xFIP (4.01) is significantly lower than his ERA (5.85) so he could see some positive regression come his way as soon as Monday night. He’s worth a GPP flier with his strikeout upside.
3 Down
Top Stacks
Yankees vs. Anibal Sanchez
I’m not getting too cute with my top two stacks on Monday including using the Yankees who just pounded out 11 runs including six homers against the Red Sox on Sunday night. Next up for the Bombers is Anibal Sanchez who is outpitching his ability so far this season and is due for a correction game. The Yankees can make that happen in a hurry, especially playing at home.
Aaron Judge (FD-$5,000 / DK-$5,300) – Judge had three hits including a homer last night and has a massive .541 wOBA and .422 ISO at home against righties.
Didi Gregorius (FD-$3,800 / DK-$4,300) – Gregorius also excels at home against righties with a .404 wOBA and .324 ISO this season.
Gleyber Torres (FD-$3,600 / DK-$4,200) – Torres joined in the hit parade last night with his 15th homer of the season. He has a solid .359 wOBA and .257 ISO at home against righties this year.
Aaron Hicks (FD-$3,700 / DK-$4,300) – I considered pivoting off Hicks who is coming off a huge three-homer night but instead I’ll try to ride the hot bat and hope that he is just locked in.
Reds vs. James Shields
I feel like I chase stacks against James Shields more often than I should and they haven’t always worked out too well. However, I’m going back to the well again on Monday with a Reds stack at home against Shields. He has been worse on the road (5.97 ERA / .320 wOBA) than at home (3.58 ERA / .287 wOBA) and lefties have a .409 wOBA against him on the road this season, so give stacking against Shields another whirl.
Eugenio Suarez (FD-$3,900 / DK-$5,100) – Suarez is riding a five-game hitting streak and has a .380 wOBA and .263 ISO at home against righties this season.
Scott Schebler (FD-$3,600 / DK-$4,300) – Schebler has a .338 wOBA and .213 ISO against righties this year and has homered off Shields once in two career at-bats.
Joey Votto (FD-$4,300 / DK-$4,800) – Votto has a .417 wOBA against righties this season and is 4-for-6 off Shields in his career.
Scooter Gennett (FD-$3,700 / DK-$5,000) – Gennett is coming off a three-hit game and has a .393 wOBA and .235 ISO at home against righties this season.
Contrarian Stack
Rays vs. Wei-Yin Chen
I’m digging deep for my Contrarian stack on Monday by using a Rays team that seldom enters my stacking consideration. However, with a matchup against Chen who has been crushed by right-handed hitters this season with a .396 wOBA and 1.71 HR/9 rate they could be a cheap sneaky stack of right-handed bats to consider.
Wilson Ramos (FD-$3,000 / DK-$3,900) – Ramos has a .380 wOBA and .213 ISO against lefties this season.
CJ Cron (FD-$2,700 / DK-$3,600) – Cron has posted a .352 wOBA and .218 ISO against lefties this year.
Daniel Robertson (FD-$2,400 / DK-$3,000) – Robertson is a cheap middle infield option who has put up a .451 wOBA and .286 ISO on the road against southpaws this season.
Matt Duffy (FD-$2,800 / DK-$4,000) – Duffy is in the middle of a 10-game hitting streak.
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