Monday features a seven-game MLB main slate, and the action on DraftKings gets underway at 7:05 p.m. ET. Let’s go position-by-position and break down everything you’ll need to know to set your lineups.
PITCHER
Stud
Tylor Megill, New York Mets at Miami Marlins ($9,600) — Miami was the 26th offense in baseball before they traded Staring Marte and Adam Duvall, and lost Garrett Cooper to the IL. This is a weak lineup in an extreme pitcher’s park. The biggest flaw in Megill’s game has been left-handed batters (5.11 xFIP), but the only decent lefty in the Marlins’ lineup is Jazz Chisholm. After two stints on the IL, Chisholm has not been able to replicate his early season success. Megill has a 27.1% K rate and a 2.04 ERA. His xFIP is slightly higher at 3.89 because his 11% HR/FB rate is a tick above the league average, but it’s acceptable for a hard thrower that surrenders a lot of fly balls (41%). In the cavernous LoanDepot Park facing a weak lineup, it’s highly doubtful that any of the contact against the rookie leaves the yard, especially from the right-handed batters (.209 wOBA and a .053 ISO).
Other Option: Anthony DeSclafani ($9,300)
Value
Ranger Suárez, Philadelphia Phillies at Washington Nationals ($4,600) — The reliver struggled in his first two seasons at the big league level, but everything has clicked this season. In 40 1⁄3 innings of relief work, Suárez has a 3.36 xFIP, 26.6% K rate and a 63.5% ground ball rate. There could be some regression coming his way because a .188 BABIP is extremely low for a ground ball pitcher and his 85.8% LOB% is also pretty high. Regardless of good or bad fortune, Suárez has done what has been asked of him and he’s earned a spot in the rotation. The Washington Nationals are the perfect team for easing into the rotation. Other than Juan Soto ($6,100), this is a Triple-A lineup. Ryan Zimmerman ($4,100) is having a good season against left-handed pitching (.388 wOBA) and Josh Bell ($4,500) has a .374 wOBA and .320 ISO versus lefties, but they were hitting with protection from Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner, Starlin Castro, Josh Harrison and Yan Gomes. They’re not going to get pitches to hit anymore.
Other Option: Chris Flexen ($7,100)
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CATCHER
Stud
Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants at Arizona Diamondbacks ($4,800) — Monday’s slate is small and the pitching is decent, so that means a lot of the batting options will be concentrated among a few teams. The Giants are one of the best offense against right-handed pitching (110 wRC+, .333 wOBA and a .202 ISO) and they’re facing Taylor Widener ($8,000) — 5.31 xFIP in 36 2⁄3 innings. The Giants lineup will receive a lot of attention on Monday night.
Other Option: J.T. Realmuto ($5,300)
Value
Pedro Severino, Baltimore Orioles at New York Yankees ($3,800) — Another popular spot on Monday will be the Orioles vs. Yankees matchup. Andrew Heaney ($8,600) will make his debut for the Yankees, and so begins his journey through the hitter’s parks in the AL East. Heaney has a 41.4% fly ball rate, 34% hard contact rate and 1.5 HR/9. Severino has always had power against left-handed pitching and this season he has a .362 wOBA, .178 ISO and a 132 wRC+ against left-handed pitchers.
Other Option: Max Stassi ($3,900)
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FIRST BASE
Stud
Trey Mancini, Baltimore Orioles at New York Yankees ($5,200) — Andrew Heaney has home run problems and Trey Mancini has home run solutions. Against left-handed pitching, the Home Run Derby runner-up has a .399 wOBA, .294 ISO and a 156 wRC+. Statcast ranks Yankee Stadium as the seventh-best park for right-handed home run hitters.
Other Option: Anthony Rizzo ($4,700)
Value
LaMonte Wade Jr., San Francisco Giants at Arizona Diamondbacks ($3,500) — In Taylor Widener’s last season in Triple-A, he pitched 100 innings and had an 8.10 ERA. For some reason, the Diamondbacks called him up in 2020 and he posted a 4.50 ERA in 12 relief appearances. He has regressed as starter this season, allowing a .366 wOBA, .253 ISO, 46% hard contact rate, 2.0 HR/9 and a 48% fly ball rate to left-handed batters. Wade is cheap and he’s hitting right-handed pitching — .424 wOBA, .362 ISO, 169 wRC+ and a 39% hard contact rate. NOTE: Wade was removed in ninth inning of Sunday’s game with lower back tightness. With the Giants’ offensive depth, he may not be rushed back into the starting lineup. Follow @DKLive for lineup updates on Monday.
Other Option: Brad Miller ($3,700)
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SECOND BASE
Stud
Kolten Wong, Milwaukee Brewers vs. Pittsburgh Pirates ($4,400) — The Giants, Orioles, Yankees, and Brewers seem to be where the offense will be coming from on Monday night. The Brewers are playing in a hitter friendly park and are facing a hitter friendly pitcher. In 17 1⁄3 innings versus left-handed batters, Bryce Wilson has a 6.01 xFIP. His walk rate (7.8%) is almost north of his K rate (11.7%), and he’s allowed 2.6 HR/9. Wong has struggled to stay healthy this season, but he has a .356 wOBA. .169 ISO and a 122 wRC+ in 274 plate appearances.
Other Option: Brandon Lowe ($5,700)
Value
Ty France, Tampa Bay Rays vs. Seattle Mariners ($4,200) — Michael Wacha ($8,400) is a reverse splits pitcher (.351 wOBA, .267 ISO, 49% hard contact rate and 2.5 HR/9 against right-handed batters). France has a .344 wOBA and a 123 wRC+ against right-handed pitching. In July, France recorded a hit in 21 of 24 games (30 hits, 15 runs, 13 RBIs, .345 wOBA and a 124 wRC+).
Other Option: Jazz Chisholm ($3,200)
THIRD BASE
Stud
Eduardo Escobar, Milwaukee Brewers vs. Pittsburgh Pirates ($5,400) — It didn’t take along for Escobar to fit in, homering in his first game with the NL Central leading Brewers. Milwaukee’s hitter’s park will be a great boost for the flyball hitter (49% fly ball rate and an average launch angle of 20.6-degrees). Bryce Wilson ($6,000) is allowing a .395 wOBA, .246 ISO and a 44.1% fly ball rate to left-handed batters. Escobar isn’t cheap, but he’s a fly ball hitter facing a fly ball pitcher in a home run friendly park,
Other Option: Kris Bryant ($5,000)
Value
Joe Panik, Miami Marlins vs. New York Mets ($2,300) — The third base value options are gross, so if DFS players are going to entertain saving at third, then they might as well consider punting the position. Joe Panik is still a Major League Baseball player — if the Marlins still qualify — and with the recent changes in Miami, he’s a starting Major League Baseball player. Panik’s numbers are terrible, but he’s a lefty and Tylor Megill’s 53.7% fly ball rate to lefties has resulted in a .342 wOBA and 1.9 HR/9.
Other Option: Tyler Wade ($2,900)
SHORTSTOP
Stud
Brandon Crawford, San Francisco Giants at Arizona Diamondbacks ($4,700) — The Giants are the play, don’t try to fight it. Taylor Widener is one of the worst pitchers on the slate, and the Giants are the best offense on the slate. Arizona is not the best hitter’s park, but neither is San Francisco and that hasn’t held the Giants back this season. Crawford has been the second-best shortstop vs. right-handed pitching this season — .407 wOBA .272 ISO and a 158 wRC+.
Other Option: Willy Adames ($5,100)
Value
Thairo Estrada, San Francisco Giants at Arizona Diamondbacks ($3,200) — Spoiler Alert: Estrada isn’t the last Giant in this article. All of the Giants mentioned are hitting and they’re facing bad pitching. Estrada has not cooled off since getting called up, so with the return of Crawford and the arrival of Kris Bryant, it’s going to be musical chairs finding a spot for Estrada. The Giants cannot sit a player with a .431 wOBA, .227 ISO and a 174 wRC+ against right-handed pitching. He can play any position except for catcher, which is useful to the Giants and DFS players.
Other Option: Jonathan Villar ($4,200)
OUTFIELD
Stud
Joey Gallo, New York Yankees vs. Baltimore Orioles ($5,400) — In the two full seasons when Joey Gallo called a hitter’s park his home (2017-2018), Gallo hit over 40 home runs each year. Yankee Stadium will give Gallo a boost, although he doesn’t really need it (.338 home ISO). Statcast ranks Yankees Stadium as the easiest park for left-handed batters to hit home runs while Texas ranks 14th. Jorge López ($5,100) has allowed a .369 wOBA, .216 ISO and 1.6 HR/9 to left-handed batters, and he’s allowed four earned runs or more in six of his last nine starts.
Other Option: Cedric Mullins ($4,900), Mitch Haniger ($5,200)
Value
Steven Duggar, San Francisco Giants at Arizona Diamondbacks ($3,400) — This is the last San Francisco batter featured in this article because there aren’t anymore positions. If a new position were to be invented, then it would likely be another Giant facing Widener and the second-worst bullpen in baseball (4.83 xFIP). Duggar has a .363 wOBA, .200 ISO and a 130 wRC+ against right-handed pitching and he’s cheap. He bats toward to the bottom of the order, but the Giants are the away team, so he should get five at-bats.
Other Option: Austin Hays ($2,600)
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