This article is part of our PrizePicks MLB series.
Baseball starts off the week with 12 games on the schedule Monday. That leaves us with plenty of options to sift through on PrizePicks. Here are four that stand out amongst the crowd.
Manny Machado, SD vs. WAS: More Than 7.5 Hitter Fantasy Score
Starting this game for the Nationals will be Patrick Corbin, who is having another disastrous campaign. His ERA checks in at 5.60, and while his FIP is better, it's still bad at 4.95. His paltry 15.2 percent strikeout rate doesn't leave him with much of a margin for error. Even his 10.6 percent barrel rate allowed is the second-highest mark of his career.
With how poorly Corbin has performed, this is a great opportunity for Machado to have a big night at the plate. Machado has already started to heat up, going 11-for-28 (.393) with a home run and double over his last seven games. During that span, he struck out a total of just three times. Expect him to be a difficult out for Corbin.
Luis Arraez, SD vs. WAS: More Than 6.5 Hitter Fantasy Score
Staying with the Padres facing Corbin, let's also roll with Arraez to surpass his hitter fantasy score. He won't have the platoon advantage in this matchup, but since Corbin doesn't miss a ton of bats, that's not a huge concern. For his career, Arraez is batting .278 with just a 10.8 percent strikeout rate against lefties. While he hasn't been able to match his .354 batting average from last season, Arraez is still batting .315 this year.
Brent Rooker, OAK at LAA: More Than 1.5 Hits + Runs + RBI
Rooker broke onto the scene last season with a .242 ISO and a .348 wOBA. He has remained productive this year with a .239 ISO and a .357 wOBA. He strikes out a ton, but when he makes contact, he does a lot of damage. He currently has a 16.1 percent barrel rate and a 51.7 percent hard-hit rate.
Griffin Canning will start this game for the Angels, making Rooker and appealing target with his power. Canning has given up 1.6 HR/9, which is right in line with his career mark. With his inability to keep hitters inside the ballpark, he has produced a 5.02 ERA and a 5.33 FIP this year. The Athletics don't have a great offense, but Rooker can still exploit this matchup.
Bryan De La Cruz, MIA at KC: Less Than 1.5 Hits + Runs + RBI
The good news for De La Cruz is that he has already hit 14 home runs. However, he only has a .317 wOBA. He has produced just two multi-hit performances over his last 14 games. During that span, he has a meager 1.7 percent walk rate.
Things won't get any easier for De La Cruz with Cole Ragans making this start for the Royals. He has followed up his 3.47 ERA and 3.19 FIP from last year with a 3.13 ERA and a 2.63 FIP this year. His strikeout rate checks in at 28.9 percent, which has helped him record a 1.15 WHIP. In what could be a low scoring game for the Marlins, less than is the way to go here with De La Cruz.
