FantasyDraft MLB: Monday Values

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Updated on April 10, 2017 11:09AM EST

Monday night's five-game slate features some quality pitchers and a potentially explosive Coors Field matchup. FantasyDraft's unique roster construction offers the flexibility to work in many of the appealing options available, so let's dive in and explore how you might best allocate your budget…

PITCHERS:

Jon Lester - CHC vs. LAD ($22,000): Lester generated a 0.60 ERA and .140 BAA against the Dodgers over two starts in 2016, and he also looked solid in his first start of the season against the Cardinals on Opening Day. The Dodgers' issues against southpaws last season were notable, as they posted the lowest wOBA (.275) and batting average (.213) against lefties. Nothing's changed in the early going of 2017, as they once again sport the lowest figures (.274, .212) in those respective categories.

Jacob deGrom - NYM at PHI ($18,000): deGrom racked up 23.70 fantasy points in an excellent first start of the season against the Braves, and he stymied the Phillies last season to the tune of a 2-0 record, 0.60 ERA and .122 BAA across 15 innings over two starts. The Phillies were also the second-worst hitting team against right-handed pitchers last season, tallying a .298 wOBA and 23.1 percent strikeout rate against that handedness.

INFIELDERS

Kris Bryant - CHC vs. LAD ($10,000): Dodgers starter Alex Wood has surrendered 34 of the career 39 homers he's given up to right-handed hitters, and Bryant busted out of an early-season slump over the weekend by scoring between 12.00 and 21.00 fantasy points in three games against the Brewers. He also generated 14 homers, a .314 average, .438 wOBA, .327 ISO and 40.5 percent hard contact rate against left-handed pitching in 2016 and already has a pair of doubles and three RBI against lefties in the early going in 2017.

Joey Votto - CIN at PIT ($9,000): Pirates starter Tyler Glasnow surrendered a .308 average, .364 wOBA and absurd 8.64 BB/9 against left-handed bats over a modest 47-batter sample in his rookie season last year, while Votto posted 24 homers, a .330 average, .429 wOBA, .254 ISO and 41.9 percent hard contact rate against right-handed pitching in 2016. The notoriously disciplined Votto also walked 17.8 percent of the time against righties, a trend that could certainly come into play factoring in Glasnow's previously stated control issues against lefty hitters.

Aledmys Diaz - STL at WAS ($7,600):Ryan Zimmerman ($6,900) and Howie Kendrick ($6,400) also present as nice value Monday, but Diaz has picked up right where he left off last season, a year in which he posted a .317 average, 14 homers, a .393 wOBA and 33.1 percent hard contact rate against right-handed pitching, with the latter two figures rising to .412 and 35.4 when facing righties on the road. While Tanner Roark presents a challenge, Diaz is underpriced based on upside and the start to his season.

OUTFIELDERS

Bryce Harper - WAS vs. STL ($9,900): Harper has hit .389 with over 20 plate appearances against Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright, who gave up a .361 wOBA and 33.1 percent hard contact rate to lefty hitters in 2016. Harper hit 17 of his 24 homers last season against right-handed pitching and posted a .352 wOBA and 35 percent hard contact rate versus that handedness as well.

Billy Hamilton - CIN at PIT ($7,500): Pirates starter Tyler Glasnow's trouble with left-handed hitters were detailed earlier and the switch-hitting Hamilton is a much better hitter from that side of the plate. The speedster always carries the potential for a stolen base or two as well, enhancing his overall fantasy value. Like teammate Joey Votto, Hamilton also sported a solid walk rate (19.9) against righties last season, which could play well against Glasnow's control issues against lefty bats.

Albert Almora, Jr. - CHC vs. LAD ($6,300): Almora is bargain-priced for a matchup against lefty Alex Wood, considering he posted a .344 wOBA against southpaws in 2016. The 22-year-old outfielder enjoyed an excellent spring with a .310 average, four homers and 16 RBI over 23 games and has gotten the new season off to a solid start, hitting safely in four of his first seven at-bats.

UTILITY:

Yangervis Solarte - SD at COL ($9,200): The switch-hitting Solarte hit 12 of his 15 homers last season against right-handed pitching while also posting a .350 wOBA and 33.2 percent hard contact rate against that handedness. He's already hitting .429 against righties in the early going in 2017, and Rockies starter Tyler Chatwood surrendered a .374 wOBA at Coors Field last season and a 37.1 percent hard contact rate against righty bats at home as well.

Daniel Murphy - WAS vs. STL ($8,800): Murphy has hit .471 (8-for-17) with two doubles, a triple and two RBI in his career against Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright, and he posted a .354 average, .419 wOBA, .261 ISO and 41.1 percent hard contact rate against right-handed pitching last season. Meanwhile, Wainwright's issues against left-handed hitters last season were detailed in Harper's entry earlier.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Juan Carlos Blanco plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: DraftKings: jcblanco22, FanDuel: jc_blanco22, DraftPot: jc_blanco22, FantasyDraft: jc_blanco22, OwnThePlay: jcblanco22.