This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
As far as Mondays go in MLB, this is a good one for DFS purposes. At least, in terms of making sure you have plenty of options. There are nine games on the slate starting at 6:40 p.m. ET or later. Of course, my goal here is to help you pare down those options, and these are my MLB DFS lineup recommendations.
Pitching
Chris Sale, ATL at MIL ($10,500): There may be 18 teams in action, but the pitching options struck me as lackluster. Sale, the NL's reigning Cy Young winner, has pitched like such after a slow start. Over his last seven outings Sale has an 1.39 ERA and 11.9 K/9 rate. While the Brewers are comfortably above average in terms of runs scored, Sale is a lefty, and that will help him against the likes of Christian Yelich and Brice Turang.
Merrill Kelly, ARI vs. SEA ($9,600): It's been a roller coaster for Kelly as of late. He had two starts wherein he totaled 14 innings with 19 strikeouts and one earned run allowed. That was followed by two starts that saw him given up eight runs over 11 innings. He rebounded from that in his last start with seven innings of shutout ball with a single hit and a single walk allowed. Hopefully, once again, we will be seeing the good Kelly as he sets to face the middling Mariners offense.
Eury Perez, MIA at PIT ($7,500): Perez grabbed attention when he posted a 3.15 ERA and 10.64 K/9 rate in 19 starts in 2023. It was his age-20 season, and he looked like a pitching prospect that was going to pay off. Then, his elbow went on him and Monday will be his first MLB starts since that season. He pitched quite well down in the minors as he warmed himself up for this day, including a 2.13 ERA in three Triple-A starts. The Pirates are, of course, one of the five properly "bad" offenses in MLB, sitting 29th in runs scored. It's a gamble, and Perez probably won't go longer than five innings if he even gets to that point, but he may be worth a shot for you.
Top Targets
This could be a day where Fernando Tatis ($3,700) regains the form that has led to him having 13 home runs and 12 stolen bases already this season. Interestingly, over the last two campaigns he's been much better against his fellow righties, with an OPS well over .850 on that front. Notably, he also has a .920 OPS at home in 2025. Dustin May has allowed a home run in six-straight starts, and he has a 5.40 ERA on the road.
Last year, Jose Ramirez ($3,600) fell a single home run short of a 40/40 campaign. This year he has 12 homers and 18 stolen bases, but his .333 batting average also has him in the running for a batting title. Over the last three seasons the switch hitter has a .926 OPS against lefties as well. The 38-year-old lefty Wade Miley started the season in the minors, which kind of says it all. In his last full MLB season, 2023, he had a 4.69 FIP.
Bargain Bats
When you are eligible at second base, doubles power works, and Brendan Donovan ($2,800) has 19 doubles through 62 games. He has a .907 OPS against righties, but that's bolstered by a remarkable .423 OBP. Jose Berrios has put together a couple good starts in a row, but he has a 3.67 ERA on the season, right in line with his production level the last couple of years. That's paired with a 4.40 FIP as well.
It took until his age-26 season for Liam Hicks ($2,500) to debut in MLB, but he's here now with the Marlins, and he has slashed .282/.350/.473 and hit four homers and seven doubles in four games. As to be expected from a southpaw, he's been better versus right-handed pitchers, against whom he has posted an .885 OPS. Mike Burrows also has limited MLB experience, but his has gotten worse. The righty has a 6.01 FIP and 2.12 HR/9 rate.
Stacks to Consider
Diamondbacks vs. Mariners (Emerson Hancock): Corbin Carroll ($4,100), Eugenio Suarez ($3,200), Josh Naylor ($3,200)
Hancock has a 4.90 ERA in his career and he's not getting any better. This year his ERA is up to 5.19, and he's only struck out 6.79 batters per nine innings. Though Hancock has been better on the road this year, in his career he has a 5.09 ERA away from Seattle. That bodes well for the Diamondbacks on Monday.
Carroll will likely have double-digit triples again, and with 18 home runs already he's likely to beat his personal best of 25. In his career he's slugged .520 against righties and .526 at home. Suarez has hit 18 home runs already and he loves his home park. The righty has an 1.025 OPS in Arizona. Also, while he's a righty, this year Hancock has let righties hit .316 against him. Naylor has posted an .870 OPS versus right-handed pitchers. On top of that, he has an .878 OPS in his new home park.
Red Sox vs. Rays (Shane Baz): Rafael Devers ($3,800), Jarren Duran ($3,300), Abraham Toro ($2,400)
Yeah, it seems Baz isn't going to take a leap this year. In fact, he's moving in the wrong direction. Over his last seven starts he has a 7.00 ERA and 2.5 HR/9 rate. Since Baz is right-handed, I have two lefties in this stack, plus a switch hitter.
Devers has hit 14 homers and 18 doubles, helping him tally 57 RBI. He also loves Fenway, where he's slugged .603 this season. This year Duran has an .807 OPS versus righties and also an .880 OPS at home. He's also staying in strong form, as he's managed an .859 OPS over the last three weeks. Now playing first base for the Red Sox, Toro has hit .341 and slugged .573. The switch hitter has an .896 OPS versus righties as well.
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