Is it really almost July?
Hard to believe this is the last full week of June, but here we are, plugging away at MLB DFS trying to find our way to the mountain top.
Tonight we have 10 games on the main slate (there is a 2-game early slate if you dare). I imagine the Cleveland Indians will be one of the top stacks of the night considering the slate. I think tonight is one of those nights you can really pick a solid stack at lowered ownership because there’s not a true clear-cut option.
I would’ve thought the Indians would’ve been chalky outside of Coors on Sunday, but they were mysteriously unowned.
Perhaps that changes tonight, and I honestly expect it to be so, as the Indians take on the Cardinals and one starting pitcher named John Gant who has a 63% hard contact rate against lefties this season (small sample size of course).
I imagine some will flock to Texas because that’s the best hitting environment of the slate, but the Rangers aren’t very good against lefties and no one really ever plays the Padres.
As for my favorite stack? I’m batting lead off with that one, so let’s step up to the plate, shall we?
LOS ANGELES DODGERS
1. Cody Bellinger
2. Max Muncy
3. Joc Pederson
4. Yasmani Grandal
Analysis: When I did some of my research earlier in the day Sunday, Jon Lester was the probable pitcher, but now all of that has changed and it will be Duane Underwood, Jr. who has a spotty 4.26 ERA in Triple-A this season. Considering the damage the Dodgers put on the Mets, I will be hopeful the momentum carries into returning home to face a rookie pitcher making his first start on the road against the No. 4 team in wOBA against RH pitching this season. Justin Turner, Chris Taylor (if healthy), Matt Kemp and Yasiel Puig could be additions to this stack, but these are the four guys I want to start with. If I make a bunch of teams, then I could stack them every which way to Sunday. But let’s look at the four above – Bellinger owns a .346 wOBA, .235 ISO and 37% hard contact rate against righties, while Muncy leads the team from the two-hole with a .408 wOBA, .339 ISO, and 47% hard rate, Pederson is second with a .407 wOBA, .307 ISO and 43% hard hit rate and Grandal has a .349 wOBA, .234 ISO and 39% hard hit rate.
GAME STACK – SAN DIEGO PADRES @ TEXAS RANGERS
San Diego
1. Christian Villanueva
2. Hunter Renfroe
3. Manny Margot
Texas
1. Jurickson Profar
2. Adrian Beltre
3. Elvis Andrus
4. Robinson Chirinos
Analysis: Of course I was going to be eyeing this game! I just hate I can’t stack it up with all of these guys on DraftKings. You will have to get creative on this one, but there are plenty of options here to fill your lineups. Let’s start with with the Padres 3-man – Villanueva is redonk against left-handed pitching. They are taking on Cole Hamels in Arlington tonight. Against southpaws, Villanueva has an outstanding .509 wOBA, .515 ISO and 46% hard contact rate in 72 plate appearances this year. Renfroe is another lefty masher with a .358 wOBA, .233 ISO and 58% hard contact rate. Manny Margot is on fire right now, too. He has hits in five straight, but in 4 of those 5 he has 2 hits with 5 extra base hits. As for the Rangers, they got back Elvis not too long ago, and he hasn’t found his stroke just yet but has a 53% hard contact rate against lefties in limited action. Profar, also SS eligible-only, has come along nicely this year with a .363 wOBA and a .284 ISO. Beltre owns a .344 wOBA and 42% hard contact rate and Chirinos is a nice punt option at catcher, sporting a .324 wOBA, .231 ISO and 50% hard contact rate. I forgot to mention the Rangers are taking on lefty Joey Lucchesi, who’s allowed a .350 wOBA, 43% hard contact rate and allowing 2.31 HR/9 this season.
PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
1. Odubel Herrera
2. Rhys Hoskins
Analysis: While I would love to pull the trigger on some Yankees, I like the surging Phillies tonight against rookie Jonathan Loaisiga, who has limited stats to relay to you. I just like the two Phillies bats and their current form. Herrera has 7 multi-hit games in his last 10 outings, owns a .371 wOBA and .206 ISO. As for Hoskins, he owns a .358 wOBA against righties to go along with a .231 ISO and 34% hard contact rate. He’s also been very hot with 4 HRs in his last 9 games. I could see adding a Nick Williams or Carlos Santana into this stack, but I love Freddie Freeman at 1B today, so it’s going to be hard for me to get off of that play.
MIAMI MARLINS
1. J.T. Realmuto
2. Justin Bour
3. Derek Dietrich
Analysis: I hope the success I had using the Marlins in Coors this weekend isn’t me leaving my blinders on but rather capitalizing on current hot streaks and bad pitching. Miami returns home to take on Arizona tonight, and they get a beat up jalopy in Shelby Miller, who makes his return from an extended arm injury. In 2016 through 2017, Miller was so bad against lefties, allowing a .393 wOBA, 37% hard contact rate, a 1.36 HR/9 rate and a 1.93 WHIP. All three of the Marlins’ bats are firing on all cylinders of late – Realmuto has 13 hits in his past 10 games, including 3 multi-hit efforts, Bour has reached base in 9 of his last 10 games and Dietrich has been a monster, recording 16 hits in his last 10, including 10 in his last 4 games.
