This article is part of our FantasyDraft MLB series.
PITCHERS:
Jason Vargas, KC at CWS ($15,600):-Vargas has been outstanding through his first three starts, as evidenced by the 0.44 ERA, 0.77 WHIP and two 30-plus fantasy point performances he's generated over that span. The veteran southpaw draws a matchup against a White Sox offense that's proven to be a boon for the fantasy prospects of the majority of opposing pitchers thus far in 2017, as they sport a second-worst .268 team wOBA and 24.6 percent strikeout rate. The one under-the-radar caveat here is that they've actually been fairly successful against left-handers in the early going (.329), but Vargas' combination of upside and price makes him hard to pass up Monday.
Amir Garrett, CIN at MIL ($13,200):- An NL pitcher who's been running almost as hot as Vargas is Garrett, who has scored between 21.40 and 30.95 fantasy points in his first three starts, two of which have come on the road. The Brewers are no easy out by any means, but the rookie's track record thus far and very reasonable price make him a worthwhile tournament option. Admittedly, you've got to have a bit of risk tolerance for this high risk/high reward matchup here, as Milwaukee has an excellent .383 wOBA against left-handed pitching but has also struck out a league-high 30.2 percent clip against southpaws over 172 plate appearances.
INFIELD
Joey Votto, CIN at MIL ($10,000):-Votto exploded for a five-RBI day Saturday that netted 32.00 fantasy points, providing a glimpse at the upside he brings on any given day despite some overall struggles thus far this season. He draws a matchup potentially ripe for more spectacular production Monday, as Brewers starter Matt Garza, who's making his first start of the season, gave up a .354 wOBA, 1.31 HR/9, 5.23 xFIP and 37.4 percent hard contact rate to left-handed hitters last season. Votto has a .334 wOBA and 39.6 percent hard contact rate against right-handed pitching this season, along with a .353 average, two homers and seven RBI over 34 career at-bats against Garza. Additionally, when Garza exits, Votto will take aim at a Brewers bullpen that's already surrendered 24 extra-base hits – including five homers – and blown six saves this season.
Joey Gallo, TEX vs. MIN ($7,800):- For those looking to save a couple hundred dollars, Logan Morrison ($7,600) owns a modestly-sized but very impressive career sample against Orioles starter Ubaldo Jimenez and has also hit right-handers very well thus far this season. However, Gallo is highly appealing in his own right, considering his explosive bat and matchup. He launched another monster homer Sunday, his fifth in the last five games, and draws a matchup against a right-hander in Phil Hughes who's historically served up plenty of dingers. Gallo owns a .384 wOBA , .349 ISO and 50 percent hard contact rate over his first 52 plate appearances against right-handed pitching this season, and those first two numbers rise to .408 and .391 when facing righties in hitter-friendly Globe Life Park. Hughes is already surrendering a .407 wOBA and 60.9 percent hard contact rate to the first 29 lefty bats he's seen this season, and yielded a .412 wOBA over a larger 89-batter sample last season.
Yasmani Grandal, LAD at SF ($6,400):- Grandal has started to come on at the plate with hits in five of his last six, including a two-run shot Sunday. The switch-hitting backstop also owns a .310 average, .440 wOBA and 42.1 percent hard contact rate in his first 36 plate appearances versus righties this season, following a 2016 campaign when he smacked 23 homers and posted a .351 wOBA and 39.7 percent hard contact versus that handedness. Giants starter Matt Cain has already surrendered a .412 wOBA and 6.79 xFIP to the first 31 lefty bats he's faced in 2017, and a .386 wOBA to them last season.
OUTFIELD
Mike Trout, LAA vs. TOR ($10,400):-Trout's early-season tear includes a current seven-game hitting streak, along with four consecutive games with double-digit fantasy points. He's already tallied five homers and 14 RBI and stands a solid chance at more of the same Monday against Francisco Liriano, who he owns a .385 average against over 13 career at-bats and who has surrendered a .345 wOBA and 35.7 percent hard contact rate to the first 45 right-handed hitters he's faced in 2017. Trout has logged only 13 plate appearances against southpaws this season and posted a .385 average and .422 wOBA in that sample, but those numbers are borne out by the .326 average, .416 wOBA and 46.2 percent hard contact rate he touched lefties up for in 2016. Additionally, Trout will face a vulnerable Toronto relief corps upon Liriano's exit from the game, as the Jays bullpen has already given up seven homers and 19 extra-base hits overall this season.
David Peralta, ARI vs. SD ($7,600):- For those who have few hundred to spend at this level, Nomar Mazara ($8,000) is also a viable play against Phil Hughes for many of the same reasons cited in Gallo's entry. However, Peralta checks in $400 cheaper and with an appealing matchup in his own right, considering that Padres starter Jhoulys Chacin has yielded a .373 wOBA and 35.1 percent hard contact rate to the first 47 lefty batters he's faced, and a 12.96 ERA in the 8.1 innings he's pitched away from the pitcher-friendly confines of Petco Park. Peralta is up to his usual tricks against righties, already mashing them for a .322 average, .364 wOBA and 37.8 percent contact rate over 64 plate appearances this season, with those respective numbers rising to .375, .471 and 56.5 percent in 35 Chase Field plate appearances versus that handedness.
Kevin Pillar, TOR at LAA ($6,300):- Pillar has quietly put together an 11-game hitting streak, a stretch that includes a quartet of multi-hit efforts and three homers, including in back-to-back games. He draws a matchup that could facilitate more success Monday, considering Angels starter Jesse Chavez is already yielding a .403 wOBA and three homers to the first 44 right-handed hitters he's faced this season, along with a 41.9 percent hard contact rate. Meanwhile, Pillar is already boasting a .327 average, .360 wOBA and 34.1 percent hard contact rate in his first 55 plate appearances against righty arms.
UTILITY:
Eugenio Suarez, CIN at MIL ($7,600):-Brewers starter Matt Garza has historically been better against righty bats, but he still allowed a 32.1 percent hard contact rate to that handedness last season. Meanwhile, Suarez has taken his game to the next level thus far this season and has posted a .360 average, four homers, .485 wOBA, .360 ISO and 40.5 percent hard contact rate in his first 57 plate appearances against right-handed pitching.
Justin Turner, LAD at SF ($6,600):-Giants starter Matt Cain has been more effective overall against right-handed hitters in the early going, but all three of the homers he's surrendered have come from that handedness, leading to a 40 percent hard contact rate given up overall in a 41-batter sample. That follows a 2016 campaign where Cain yielded a .353 wOBA to right-handed bats, making him an appealing target for a lethal righty masher like Turner. The Dodgers' third baseman already has a .371 average and .414 wOBA in 39 plate appearances against right-handed arms in 2017, along with a .300 average, .362 wOBA and 44 homers over his eight-plus major league seasons.
