This article is part of our FantasyAces MLB series.
FantasyAces recommendations for Monday.
SP Wily Peralta ($5,500) - Peralta has a favorable matchup against a Reds team that is batting .219 this season with a .281 OBP. He was rocked in his last start, but Peralta is one of the better cheap options Monday at home.
SP Hisashi Iwakuma ($6,250) - Iwakuma was not sharp in his first two starts this year. But those starts came against the Dodgers and Angels. Monday's start is against the Astros, who are batting a league-low .202 with an AL-low 34 runs scored. Expect Iwakuma to bounce back at home in spacious Safeco Field.
C Stephen Vogt ($4,700) - After playing five positions last year, Vogt has played only catcher this year. Perhaps focusing on just one position has helped him get off to a hot start. He is rolling through 11 games with 14 hits in 38 at-bats and should be refreshed after a day off Sunday.
2B/SS Jason Kipnis ($4,700) - Kipnis offers a bit of value Monday relative to the top players at his position. Chicago's John Danks faced the Indians just last Wednesday and failed to make it out of the fifth inning. Kipnis Walked, stole a base and scored a run in that one. Likely batting second, Kipnis should be part of the offensive production Monday.
2B/SS Starlin Castro ($4,850) - Castro has only 29 at-bats against Monday's starter A.J. Burnett, but he has 13 hits against him, including three extra-base hits. Castro is off to a nice start this season, batting .311 in 45 at-bats and has a solid grip on a spot in the middle of a good-looking offense.
1B/3B Anthony Rizzo ($5,300) - The money we saved at the aforementioned positions we'll spend at corner infield. Rizzo is showing good patience this season with eight walks in 49 at-bats. And he has two homers and three walks against A.J. Burnett in a small sample size.
1B/3B Miguel Cabrera ($5,600) - Cabrera is off to a torrid start, looking like he has found his Triple crown form with a .426/.491/.660 batting line -- a 1.151 OPS. He's faced the Yankees' CC Sabathia only 36 times, but he's dominated him with 10 hits, four extra-base hits (two homers), five walks and 12 RBI.
OF Corey Dickerson ($5,600) - Dickerson started the season hot, but a road trip to pitcher-friendly Dodger Stadium and AT&T Park cooled him a bit. The Rockies are back home Monday against San Diego's Odrisamer Despaigne, who is starting for the injured Ian Kennedy and has a 5.31 career ERA at Coors Field. Expect Dickerson to return to form in a game with a 9.5 Vegas total.
OF Ryan Raburn ($3,750) - The right-handed Raburn offers a good value facing lefty John Danks, against whom he has 15 hits, nine for extra bases, in 44 at-bats. Raburn is one of the cheapest outfielders on the board, and it won't take much for him to pay off.
OF Matt Kemp ($5,150) - Kemp has 18 hits in 53 at-bats this season (.340) and has swiped two bases already. He should keep it going Monday at hitter-friendly Coors Field against a pitcher, Jorge De La Rosa, who is making his season debut after coming off the disabled list. In 39 at-bats against De La Rosa, Kemp has 15 hits, including eight extra-base hits, with three homers and two walks.
Util Jedd Gyorko ($4,000) - Like Kemp, Gyorko should get a boost from a favorable matchup at Coors against Jorge De La Rosa.
