This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
Hey, you have time to get your MLB DFS lineups in before Monday Night Football. The main slate of contests starts at 6:40 p.m. ET. There are six games included. Here are my lineup recommendations.
Pitching
Framber Valdez, HOU at DET ($11,000): Valdez basically never gets blown up. He hasn't allowed more than three runs in a start since April 19. That's helped him post a 2.64 ERA. Of course, the Tigers don't blow up many pitchers at all. They are last in MLB in runs scored and 29th in team OPS.
Chris Bassitt, NYM vs. CHC ($10,000): In his first season with the Mets, Bassitt has a 3.24 ERA. Moving from Oakland to New York hasn't hurt him either, as he's posted a 2.77 ERA at home. The Cubs, meanwhile, rank 23rd in runs scored.
Tyler Anderson, LAD at ARI ($9,500): Playing for the team with baseball's best offense has helped Anderson manage a 14-3 record, but he also has a 2.73 ERA, so he's no slouch. This matchup is good for LA's starter as well. Anderson is a southpaw, and the Diamondbacks have a lot of lefties in their best lineup. Arizona also has several key bats with better numbers on the road than at home.
Top Targets
Leading off for the Dodgers' aforementioned best offense in baseball is Mookie Betts ($3,900). He's scored 109 runs, and also has 33 home runs and 12 stolen bases. Plus, he has an 1.022 OPS over the last three weeks. Ryne Nelson's first MLB start was impressive, but it was one start. Betts is a proven commodity, and Nelson is a guy who had a 5.43 ERA in Triple-A.
Though the Tigers are starting a lefty, I'd still put Yordan Alvarez ($3,700) in my lineup. He has a .926 OPS against lefties, after all. Also, the Cuban has an 1.035 OPS on the road. Eduardo Rodriguez has a 4.62 FIP this year, and over the last two seasons, southpaws have hit .274 against him.
Bargain Bats
Once the Reds introduced Jake Fraley ($2,700) into the lineup he really took off. Specifically, he has a .902 OPS versus right-handed pitchers and an 1.028 OPS at home. He's at home facing righty Bryse Wilson on Monday. Since 2020, lefties have hit .307 against Wilson.
I'm betting on the power upside of Brandon Lowe ($2,400). It's been an injury-riddled year, but he had 39 home runs last season, and in his career Lowe has slugged .497. Jose Berrios has allowed 1.72 home runs per nine innings. Additionally, lefties have hit .300 against him in 2020.
Stacks to Consider
Blue Jays vs. Rays (Ryan Yarbrough): Vladimir Guerrero ($3,800), Teoscar Hernandez ($3,400), Santiago Espinal ($2,500)
Since 2020, Yarbrough has a 5.01 ERA on the road. His issues with righties is the big reason why. In that time frame, right-handed batters have hit .281 against the southpaw. This year, though, that number is up to .314, which is good for these three righty batters.
Guerrero has slashed .277/.344/.482 with 27 home runs. He also has a .990 OPS at home since 2020. This is an ideal situation for Hernandez, fresh off the paternity list. This season he's posted a .981 OPS versus lefties and an .856 OPS at home. In his career Espinal has always been down to face a southpaw at home. He has an .815 OPS versus lefties and a .781 OPS at home.
Mets vs. Cubs (Javier Assad): Francisco Lindor ($3,800), Brandon Nimmo ($3,300), Jeff McNeil ($2,600)
Assad does have a 2.93 ERA, but in 15.1 innings. Plus, he's coming off his first off game, wherein he allowed four runs and two homers in 5.1 innings to the Reds. His FIP is 4.61, and while it's only been a handful of bats, lefties have hit .316 against him. Two of these guys are southpaws, and one is a switch hitter.
Lindor, the switch hitter, has 22 home runs and 15 stolen bases. He's also been better against righties, against whom he has an .807 OPS. Leadoff hitter Nimmo has a .357 OBP, 14 home runs, and just stole his first base of the season Sunday. He has an .885 OPS in away games this season as well. McNeil has posted a .322 average with a .371 OBP. The 30-year-old has rung up an .844 OPS versus right-handers and an .886 OPS on the road as well.
Pirates at Reds (Mike Minor): Bryan Reynolds ($2,500), Rodolfo Castro ($2,400), Ke'Bryan Hayes ($2,200)
The Pirates don't have the most exciting lineup, but this is a matchup to target. Over the last three seasons, Minor has a 5.34 ERA. This year, he also has a 5.75 FIP and has allowed 2.00 home runs per nine innings. If that wasn't enough, the lefty has let right-handed hitters average .313 against him.
Reynolds' numbers are down from last season, but he still has 21 home runs and six stolen bases. However, this year on the road he has slashed .269/.350/.502. So far in his limited career, Castro is a switch hitter with a clear preference. He has a .812 OPS versus lefties and also an .805 OPS on the road for good measure. Hayes doesn't have much power, but he has 15 stolen bases. Oh, and he does have power when he gets to face a lefty. When Hayes gets to face a southpaw, he has an .831 OPS since 2020.
