This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
Most Mondays tend to be light with a split schedule, but that's not the case here. We have 10 games in total, and all of them are happening at night! That's what we love from a DFS standpoint because it gives us plenty of options while not overwhelming us. We also have one of the best pitchers in baseball facing the worst offense, so let's start things there!
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Pitching
Cole Ragans, KC vs. CWS ($10,300)
We would use Ragans against anyone, but being able to use him against Chicago is sensational. Let's start there because the White Sox rank last in runs scored, OBP, OPS, wOBA and xwOBA since the start of last year. That should bode well with how Ragans has looked over the last three years, registering a 3.36 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 32 percent K rate. In his last home start against the White Sox, Ragans threw six one-hit innings en route to 30.3 DraftKings points. That's why he enters this matchup as a -240 favorite!
I don't trust any other pitchers on this slate, but I'd lean toward Shane Smith ($7,000) against a KC team with the worst wOBA in baseball.
Top Targets
Kyle Tucker, CHC ($6,300) vs. Landen Roupp
Tucker is one of the most underrated superstars in the league because he's had trouble staying healthy the last two years. When he's out there, he's a top-five player in MLB. Over the last three seasons, Tucker has 61 homers and 49 steals across 269 games while posting a .383 OBP and .927 OPS. His OPS is flirting with 1.000 when he faces righties, and he faces a struggling one here. That's Roupp, registering a 5.10 ERA and 1.63 WHIP. Pete Crow-Armstrong ($4,500), Matt Busch ($5,100), Ian Happ ($4,300) and Seiya Suzuki ($5,600) are all worthy stacking options alongside Tucker.
Yordan Alvarez, HOU ($5,300) vs. Tobias Myers
Alvarez is off to a dreadful start this season, but this consistency monster will get going. He's never finished below an .877 OPS in any of his six years at this level, generating a .387 career OBP and .959 OPS. That's amazing since he has the platoon advantage against Myers, and we'll dive into his numbers in the stacks section. Someone with that type of consistency should never be just $5,300, and it's clear Yordan is being undervalued after a poor opening month.
Bargain Bats
Pavin Smith, ARI ($4,400) vs. Griffin Canning
Many people might not realize this, but Smith is the everyday three-hole hitter when Arizona faces right-handers. We're talking about the highest-scoring team from last season, and getting their three-hole hitter at $4,400 is ridiculous. Smith has earned that spot with his sensational splits, sporting a .446 OBP and 1.046 OPS in nearly 100 at-bats against righties this year. Canning is one he can exploit too, compiling a 3.94 xERA and 1.39 WHIP. Corbin Carroll ($6,100) and Josh Naylor ($4,900) are a great duo to stack alongside Smith.
TJ Friedl, CIN ($4,100) vs. AJ Smith-Shawver
Cincy has quietly developed into one of the best offenses in baseball, ranked top-five in runs scored. Friedl is the straw that stirs the drink, hitting atop this sneaky lineup. The outfielder has a hit in 13 of his last 16 outings, providing a .300 AVG and five steals in that span. The power has yet to come around, but we're talking about a guy who had a .467 SLG just two years ago. Facing Smith-Shawver isn't scary either, sitting with a 6.55 xERA and 1.68 WHIP. If you want to stack Cincy, Elly De La Cruz ($6,000), Matt McLain ($4,400) and Noelvi Marte ($4,300) are the best pairings with Friedl.
Stacks to Consider
Cardinals vs. Pirates (Carmen Mlodzinski): Lars Nootbaar ($4,700), Willson Contreras ($3,400), Brendan Donovan ($4,500) and Alec Burleson ($2,800)
I'm not even sure how to pronounce that pitcher's name but I might have to learn if he continues to pitch this poorly. The Pirates pitcher has made six starts this season, totaling a 6.58 ERA and 1.81 WHIP. That's horrifying with how the Cards are playing right now, scoring 30 runs over the last five days.
Nootbaar has been moved up to the leadoff spot recently, registering a .404 OBP and .868 OPS against righties this year. Contreras got off to a nightmarish start, but he has a .911 OPS across his last 22 outings. Donovan is the platoon player in St. Louis, amassing a .386 OBP and .869 OPS in a breakout season. Burleson is the cheap option of the bunch, projected to bat fifth after homering on Sunday.
We also don't mind Masyn Winn ($3,200) as the leadoff hitter and the power potential of Nolan Gorman ($3,400) against a righty.
Astros at Brewers (Myers): Alvarez ($5,300), Jose Altuve ($5,100), Christian Walker ($3,800) and Jeremy Pena ($4,100)
We foreshadowed this stack earlier in the Alvarez write-up, so let's discuss Myers. This righty has really struggled in his return from an injury, posting a 5.14 ERA and 1.86 WHIP. He also hasn't gotten deep into games, and facing an extended bullpen could be beneficial with the way many of these Milwaukee relievers have been struggling.
We have to kickstart our stack with Yordan, but Altuve is right there with him. The All-Star second baseman has a .362 career OBP and .828 OPS, while on his way to another 20-20 season. Walker is the power hitter of the bunch, boasting a .481 SLG and .813 OPS over the last three seasons. Pena has been moved to the leadoff spot for the 'Stros, providing a .351 OBP and .776 OPS.
