DraftKings MLB: Monday Picks

DraftKings MLB: Monday Picks

This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.

Pitcher

Luis Severino, NYY vs. TOR ($8,000): Let's attack the Blue Jays with a slider-heavy pitcher for the second consecutive day, as they now hold a -11.0 RAA against the pitch. Severino appears to have taken a real step forward in 2017, as his swinging strike rate has jumped to 12 percent, contributing to a 33 percent strikeout rate over his first four starts.

Jason Vargas, KC vs. CWS ($7,400): Watching Vargas dominate in 2017 has been fascinating, as he came into the season sporting a 4.12 ERA and a 16 percent strikeout rate for his career. The veteran has managed a 14.5 percent swinging strike rate over his first four starts, while keeping a 47 percent ground ball rate. This has translated to a 1.40 ERA. Vargas will look to keep the run going against the White Sox, who hold just a .286 wOBA on the road.

Catcher

Salvador Perez, KC vs. CWS ($3,400):Dylan Covey should be a name that DFS players immediately recognize as a stack target for as long as he stays in the rotation. The 25-year-old has been obliterated by righties, having allowed a slugging percentage of nearly .700 and a hard contact rate of 33 percent over three starts. I expect Perez to do some damage here, as he will take a 56 percent fly-ball rate against Covey's ground-ball tendencies.

First Base

Anthony Rizzo, CHC vs. PHI ($5,200): A dip in Vince Velasquez's strikeout rate combined with a substantial increase in walks has taken the teeth out of his game. He currently holds a .636 slugging percentage against lefties over 11.2 innings. Rizzo has notched a .236 ISO against righties this season to go along with a 34 percent hand contact rate.

Second Base

Cesar Hernandez, PHI at CHC ($3,500): There have been many theories that attempt to explain Hernandez's sudden influx of power, and while he certainly won't keep a 23.5 percent HR/FB rate all season, it's hard to ignore his .320 ISO against lefties over his first 25 at-bats. Hernandez hasn't shown much against the slider yet this year, but notched the fifth highest RAA (9.0) against the pitch in 2016. This could present a problem for Brett Anderson, who throws the pitch 20 percent of the time.

Third Base

Jedd Gyorko, STL vs. MIL ($3,800): The matchup against Zach Davies is great for Gyorko, who has notched a .348 ISO against righties in 46 at-bats. Davies has allowed a 43 percent hard contact rate against same-handed hitters, while surrendering walks at an 11 percent clip.

Shortstop

Francisco Lindor, CLE at DET ($4,300): The Indians have a parade of batters who can swing from the right side of the plate. This could overwhelm Daniel Norris, who maintains a 45 percent hard contact rate against his opposite hand. Lindor's power has been a revelation early this season. He holds a .211 ISO and a 41 percent hard contact rate against lefties.

Outfield

George Springer, HOU vs. TEX ($4,600):Andrew Cashner has danced through an awful lot of raindrops through his first four starts, allowing him to secure a 2.93 ERA despite an 8:13 K:BB and a 35 percent hard contact rate. Springer could be one of many Astros to pile up the points, as he has notched a .230 ISO against right-handed pitching.

Giancarlo Stanton, MIA vs. TB ($4,500):Jake Odorizzi has always had a problem with same-handed hitters, and 2017 has been no exception, as he has permitted a 42 percent hard contact rate and two homers over nine innings. Stanton performed better against lefties in April, but still managed a .192 ISO against righties over 73 at-bats.

Jay Bruce, NYM at ATL ($3,300): I like to remind everyone how scary Julio Teheran's peripherals are against lefties once every five days. The otherwise talented righty owns a 10:15 K:BB against left-handed hitters over 15 innings, contributing to an incredible 7.41 xFIP. We need to take advantage of Bruce's current price whenever we can, as he has notched a .355 ISO against righties this year.

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. Christopher Olson plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: DraftKings: Sommerset, FanDuel: Christop, Yahoo: Martins.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Christopher Olson
Christopher Olson writes DFS articles and blogs for a variety of sports including MLB, NFL and MMA. Follow him on Twitter @RealChrisOlson
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