This article is part of our FantasyDraft MLB series.
PITCHERS:
Sean Manaea, OAK vs. TOR ($15,200):- Manaea has scored 32.75 and 33.35 fantasy points, respectively, in his last two starts while shutting down the potent lineups of the Yankees and Indians. Therefore, a matchup in his spacious home stadium against the Blue Jays shouldn't rattle him in the least, particularly considering he's posted a solid 3.27 ERA, .188 BAA and .265 wOBA in 22 innings there. Additionally, Manaea sports a .165 BAA and .233 wOBA over his last four starts and the Blue Jays check in with a .300 wOBA and 22.9 percent strikeout rate versus southpaws.
Junior Guerra, MIL vs. SF ($15,200):- Guerra has been solid in his own right recently, scoring 17.15 and 21.30 fantasy points, respectively, in his first pair of outings since coming off the disabled list. He's given up only one earned run in the 11.2 innings encompassing those starts and draws a matchup against a Giants team sporting a majors-low .282 wOBA versus right-handed pitching. San Francisco has also hit the fewest homers (44) in the majors while also posting the worst slugging percentage (.352) and OPS (.645.
INFIELD
Carlos Correa, HOU at KC ($10,800):- Correa already has a pair of homers over his first 15 plate appearances in June and boasts a .404 wOBA, .247 ISO and 41.0 percent hard contact rate against righties on the season, with the latter figure rising to 43.2 percent when facing that handedness outside of Minute Maid Park. After a solid April, Royals starter Ian Kennedy is coming off a month of May in which he surrendered a .422 wOBA, 11.30 ERA, six homers and 43.8 percent hard contact in 14.1 innings across four starts. He's also been touched up by right-handed hitters for a .328 wOBA and 45.0 percent hard contact rate at Kaufmann Stadium, and could be due for even more regression considering that he's been the beneficiary of an unsustainable .194 BABIP when facing that handedness at home.
Ryon Healy, OAK vs. TOR ($7,600):- Healy has pounded southpaws for a .457 wOBA (including .587 at home), 33.3 percent line drive rate and matching 33.3 percent hard contact rate, and already boasts a .515 wOBA and pair homers over his first 16 plate appearances of June. Blue Jays starter J.A. Happ has given up four of his six homers on the season to righty bats over a 75-batter sample while also surrendering a 31.4 percent hard contact rate. Toronto relievers have notably been touched up for 19 homers (tied for second-most overall) by right-handed hitters as well.
Aledmys Diaz, STL at CIN ($6,000):- For those that can afford to spend a bit more for a cost-effective infielder, both J.T. Realmuto ($7,200) and Kike Hernandez ($6,600) are good candidates for this spot as well. However, Diaz checks in notably cheaper than both and draws a matchup against the Reds' Asher Wojciechowski, who's given up a massive .504 wOBA, 50.0 percent hard contact rate and three homers to right-handed hitters over a modest 19-batter sample, despite just a .182 BABIP. It could be argued that Diaz has endured a bit of a sophomore slump compared to his impressive rookie season, but he's still posting a .342 wOBA and 25.8 percent line drive rate versus right-handed pitching on the road and will be in the favorable hitting conditions of Great American Ballpark.
OUTFIELD
Matt Kemp, ATL vs. PHI ($10,400):- The Phillies-Braves tilt has some high-scoring potential Monday, and Kemp could be one of the beneficiaries. The veteran slugger owns a .400 wOBA and eight homers versus right-handed pitching, along with a 31.7 percent line drive rate and 39.0 percent hard contact rate against that handedness at SunTrust Park. Phillies starter Nick Pivetta has been pummeled by right-handed hitters for a .499 wOBA, 28.6 percent line drive rate and 42.9 percent hard contact rate, while the Phillies bullpen has given up 19 homers and a .326 wOBA to right-handed bats as well.
Whit Merrifield, KC vs. HOU ($8,400):- Merrifield is now riding a 19-game hitting streak and boasts a .460 wOBA, 193 wRC+ and eight extra-base hits (four doubles, a triple and three homers) over that span. He's also sporting a .370 wOBA at home and has smacked five of his six homers on the season against right-handed pitching while posting a 24.4 percent line drive rate and 33.0 percent hard contact rate versus that handedness. Astros starter Mike Fiers has been giving up the long ball at an alarming rate this season, especially to right-handed hitters, who've already touched him up for 12 homers, a .490 wOBA and 39.7 percent hard contact (including 43.8 percent on the road). Additionally, while the Houston bullpen has generally been solid against righty bats overall, they've notably given up 11 homers to righty bats in their own right, seven of which have come in the last month.
Odubel Herrera, PHI at ATL ($5,700):- Herrera suddenly morphed into the 2016 version of himself in the weekend series versus the Giants, going 5-for-8 with four doubles, a homer and six RBI. He remains priced very reasonably and could be in line for an extension of his recent success against Braves starter Bartolo Colon, who's given up a .404 wOBA to the 40 lefty bats he's faced at SunTrust Park, along with a 25.0 percent line drive rate and 40.6 percent hard contact rate. Colon is also coming off a month of May in which he surrendered an 8.54 ERA and .419 wOBA in 26.1 innings across six starts.
UTILITY:
Bryce Harper, WAS at LAD ($10,800):- Dodgers starter Hyun-Jin Ryu has been a reverse-splits pitcher, giving up a .416 wOBA to the 60 lefty bats he's faced, along with a 37.5 percent hard contact rate to that handedness at home. That dovetails nicely with Harper's profile, considering he owns a .523 wOBA in 22 plate appearances versus southpaws on the road, and a .386 wOBA, 24.1 percent line drive rate and 30.0 percent hard contact rate against that handedness overall.
Eric Thames, MIL vs. SF ($9,200):- Giants starter Jeff Samardzija hasn't necessarily been as bad as his 1-7 record indicates, but left-handed hitters have undeniably been an Achilles' heel. The veteran right-hander has surrendered a .379 wOBA and eight homers to lefty bats, along with a robust 29.6 percent line drive rate and 31.3 percent hard contact rate. Thames checks in boasting a .427 wOBA, .320 ISO and 43.3 percent hard contact rate against righties, and the San Francisco bullpen has given up a 5.86 ERA, .396 wOBA, 23.1 percent line drive rate and 37.3 percent hard contact rate to left-handed hitters on the road.
