This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
Monday's seven-game main slate is stuffed with competent pitching, which could make finding offense a bit difficult. On the plus side, this allows us to potentially spend-down in our stacks and load up with the best pitching matchups the slate has to offer.
Pitching
Kenta Maeda, MIN at CLE ($9,400): It's difficult to imagine with so many talented bats in one lineup, but the Indians have struggled mightily against right-handed pitching this year, logging a bottom-10 wOBA. Maeda has been fantastic overall in 2020, but I want to make special note of the fact that he holds the most effective slider in the game according to RAA (6.0). The Indians hold a bottom-5 RAA against the pitch.
Jesus Luzardo, OAK at TEX: ($7,400): One could be forgiven for thinking that it's dangerous to pick a pitcher against the Rangers in Arlington, but in a surprising twist, Texas ranks last in the league in wOBA at home this season. Luzardo's 3.67 ERA may not look like much, but his 47 percent groundball rate should serve him well in this matchup, as the Rangers hit the ball on the ground at a 45 percent clip.
Casey Mize, DET vs. CHC ($6,200): There's no such thing as a "chalk" player at this price, but Mize should have a few more eyes on him after he struck out seven batters over 4.1 frames in his major league debut against the White Sox last week. The Cubs will never be an easy out against a right-handed pitcher, but Mize is worth a look in GPP lineups at this price based on raw stuff alone.
Top Hitters
Nick Castellanos, CIN at MIL ($5,200): Castellanos has been a more productive hitter against righty pitchers in 2020, but still carries pop against left-handed hurlers, as we can see from the .269 ISO and 55 percent hard contact rate he has logged in 26 at-bats. Brett Anderson has thrown the ball well overall this year, but the 5.40 ERA he has tallied in 6.2 innings at Miller Mark shows us that he remains vulnerable at home.
Yuli Gurriel, HOU vs. LAA ($5,100): Gurriel has been phenomenal against lefty arms in 2020, as evidenced by the .444 ISO and .534 wOBA he has logged in 27 at-bats. Meanwhile, Patrick Sandoval has struck out just seven percent of the right-handed hitters he has faced while allowing a .509 slugging percentage in 13 innings.
Best Values
Jonathan Schoop, DET vs. CHC ($4,000): Schoop sat out of Sunday's contest with what was later identified as a hamstring injury but is expected to be ready for Monday's series opener against the Cubs. The 28-year-old has logged a .218 ISO and 35 percent hard contact rate against same-handed pitching, while Alec Mills currently owns a 4.47 xFIP against righty hitters.
Kole Calhoun, ARI vs. COL ($3,900): There hasn't been much to celebrate offensively in Arizona, but Calhoun is a notable exception due to the massive .333 ISO and .391 wOBA he has logged in 75 at-bats against right-handed pitching. Ryan Castellani has been able to keep the damage inflicted by left-handed bats to a minimum, but a 4.47 xFIP and a 71 percent(!) hard contact rate in six innings make it unlikely that he will continue to thrive.
Todd Frazier, TEX vs. OAK ($3,700): It may be a bit unusual to highlight a bat against one of our pitchers, but DFS players will need to find offense wherever they can on this type of slate. Frazier has struggled lately after a hot start but still owns a .200 ISO and .432 wOBA against left-handed pitching in 30 at-bats. Luzardo is still a pitcher worthy of a roster spot on Monday's slate but has allowed three homers and a 55 percent hard contact rate against righty hitters in 20.1 frames.
Stacks to Consider
Astros against Patrick Sandoval: Yuli Gurriel, ($5,100) Carlos Correa, ($4,700) Martin Maldonado, ($4,200)
Correa has logged a nice .370 wOBA to go along with a 59 percent hard contact rate in 29 at-bats against right-handed pitching this season, but the hidden gem in this stack is Maldonado, who has kept a .333 ISO and .488 wOBA against lefty arms in 24 at-bats.
D-Backs against Ryan Castellani: Starling Marte, ($4,600) Kole Calhoun ($3,900) Christian Walker ($3,800)
Castellani's peripherals may tell us that more success is coming for left-handed hitters, but we don't need predictive stats to roster right-handed bats due to the .594 slugging percentage he has allowed to same-handed opposition in 8.1 frames. Marte currently has the highest RAA on the team against the fastball (3.5), which should give him a marked advantage against Castellani's heater, which comes in at -1.8 RAA.
