DraftKings MLB: Monday Picks

DraftKings MLB: Monday Picks

This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.

Pitcher

Carlos Carrasco, CLE vs. OAK ($9,300): Carrasco has notched a 3.0 RAA with his curveball in 2017, while the A's have tallied the second lowest RAA in the league against the pitch. Oakland has struck out against righties at a 24 percent clip, which should allow Carrasco to use his 12 percent swinging strike rate to mow down some hitters.

Kyle Hendricks, CHC at SD ($9,600): The Padres hold the dubious distinction of being the least successful team against the fastball this season, while also registering the third lowest wOBA against right-handed pitching. Hendricks has logged a 7.6 RAA with his heater, which has contributed to a 3.25 ERA over nine starts.

Catcher

Alex Avila, DET at KC (3,400):Jason Hammel's significantly below average fastball has been made worse by the fact that his swinging strike rate has dipped below nine percent for the first time since 2013. Avila needs to be considered an option against every mediocre righty at this price, as he currently holds a .333 ISO over 84 at-bats against his opposite hand.

First Base

Ryan Zimmerman, WAS at SF ($4,400): After appearing to turn a corner in 2016, Matt Moore is having one of the least productive years of his career, pitching to a 5.28 ERA and allowing 10 homers over 58 innings. Zimmerman has tallied an 8.6 RAA against the fastball, and has hammered lefties to the tune of a .412 ISO over 34 at-bats.

Second Base

Neil Walker, NYM vs. MIL ($3,800):Matt Garza has been hit hard by lefties this season, but his peripherals tell us there may be even worse times ahead, as he has struck out just 10 percent of the southpaws he has faced. Walker has shown solid results against righties, logging a 34 percent hard contact rate and a .184 ISO over 141 at-bats.

Third Base

Jedd Gyorko, STL vs. LAD ($3,600):Rich Hill has shown no signs of cutting back on his curveball usage despite the fact the pitch has logged a -4.6 RAA this season. Gyorko has seen positive results against the pitch while also tallying a .216 ISO against left-handed pitchers over 37 at-bats.

Shortstop

Jean Segura, SEA at COL ($4,500): Segura isn't hitting for much power this season, but has shown himself to be a handful for righty pitchers due to his .375 wOBA over 133 at-bats. Tyler Chatwood has had real trouble managing the rocky mountain air in 27.2 innings at Coors Field, as he has been tagged for a 6.18 ERA over that span.

Outfield

Matt Kemp, ATL at LAA ($4,000): Opposing starter Ricky Nolasco has been blasted by same-handed hitters this season, as evidenced by his .605 slugging percentage and 42 percent hard contact rate surrendered over 29 innings. Kemp should be able to take advantage of Nolasco's below-average fastball, as he has tallied an 11.8 RAA against the pitch.

Charlie Blackmon, COL vs. SEA ($5,700):Sam Gaviglio has logged just a 13 percent strikeout rate over his first three major league games (two starts) after fanning 16 hitters in 32.2 innings at Triple-A Tacoma earlier this season. Blackmon has shown tremendous power against righties, notching a .312 ISO over 138 at-bats. It may not be possible to roster multiple high-profile Rockies and field a competitive team, but it may be worth taking a look at some secondary players against a rookie pitcher who has logged a 5.5 percent swinging strike rate.

Keon Broxton, MIL at NYM ($3,900):Robert Gsellman's fastball has been one of the worst in baseball this season according to RAA, registering a -11.7 mark over 44.2 innings. Broxton has notched a 3.3 RAA against the pitch while tallying a .186 ISO against right-handed pitchers.

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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