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MLB DFS: Monday stacks, bargains and more lineup advice

Mike Barner
·5-min read

Baseball comes storming out of the gates this week with 14 games on the MLB schedule Monday. We'll see the beginning of a few exciting series, including the Braves hosting the Mets. Two other NL teams with playoff aspirations will also face off when the Brewers take on the Dodgers. Over in the American League, the scuffling Yankees will return home to face the Rays, and they'll do so with their ace Gerrit Cole on the mound. The highlight of the evening is the potential pitcher's duel between Shohei Ohtani and Luis Castillo when the Angels host the Mariners. Let's discuss some pitcher sand hitters to consider for your Yahoo.

Pitchers

Castillo ($52) has been stellar since being acquired from the Reds. He faced the Yankees twice after the trade, allowing three runs and recording 15 strikeouts over 14.2 innings. His WHIP is down to 1.04 for the season, which is on pace to be the best mark of his career. This has the potential to be a great matchup for him against the Angels, who have scored the sixth-fewest runs in baseball.

The White Sox are rolling with a compromised lineup that is without Tim Anderson (hand). They are struggling at the plate, averaging 3.4 runs over their last seven games. Looking to capitalize on their struggles will be Jose Urquidy ($44). It's also worth noting that the White Sox only have a .684 OPS versus right-handed pitchers, compared to a .760 OPS versus lefties.

Joe Ryan ($38) faced two tough lineups recently in the Padres and Dodgers. He didn't fair well against either of them, allowing a total of 16 runs (15 earned) over 9.2 innings. This is a favorable spot for him to bounce back in a matchup versus the Royals, who have scored the seventh-fewest runs in baseball.

Top Targets

The Yankees' lineup is really struggling to score runs right now. One of their few hot hitters has been Aaron Judge ($29), who is not only chasing history with his 46 home runs, but who is also batting .300 with a 1.076 OPS. He'll return home to face the Rays, who will go with Jalen Beeks as their opener. Their bulk reliever looks to be lefty Ryan Yarbrough, who has not pitched since August 9.

Aaron Judge has been one of the Yankees' few hot hitters during a slow stretch. He's a great building block in Monday MLB DFS lineups. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
Aaron Judge has been one of the Yankees' few hot hitters during a slow stretch. He's a great building block in Monday MLB DFS lineups. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) (Jim McIsaac via Getty Images)

Although his batting average has been a disappointment, Corey Seager ($20) has slugged 26 home runs on his way to a 128 wRC+. His power bat could be a problem for James Kaprielian ($36), who has allowed 1.5 HR/9 for his career.

Bargain Bats

The Nationals have high hopes that Josiah Gray ($35) will be an important part of their starting rotation for years to come. The problem is, he's allowed 2.4 HR/9 over the last two seasons. It's contributed to his combined 5.07 ERA and 5.76 FIP. His inability to keep hitters inside the ballpark could make this a great matchup for Patrick Wisdom ($12), who has hit 49 home runs since the start of last season. Another player on the Cubs to consider is Ian Happ ($12), who is 12-for-35 (.343) with a home run and five doubles across his last nine games.

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Stacks to Consider

Orioles vs. Yusei Kikuchi ($30), Blue Jays: Adley Rutschman ($21), Anthony Santander ($21), Ramon Urias ($17)

Kikuchi faced these same Orioles in his last start, allowing five runs over five innings. Baltimore took him deep three times, and he's now allowed 18 home runs over just 79 innings this season. He could give up another crooked number in this rematch, with Santander possibly being right in the heart of the scoring. Not only is he one of the Orioles' best hitters, but he has a 155 wRC+ versus left-handed pitchers this season.

Blue Jays vs. Kyle Bradish ($27), Orioles: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. ($25), Teoscar Hernandez ($23), Lourdes Gurriel Jr. ($15)

Bradish wasn't terrible against the Blue Jays in his last start, but he wasn't great, either, allowing three runs over 5.1 innings. He's allowed at least one home run in three of his last four starts, and 13 across 61.2 innings, overall. This has the potential to be one of the highest scoring games of the evening, with the Blue Jays also be worthy of stacking consideration.

Giants vs. Madison Bumgarner ($30), Diamondbacks: Evan Longoria ($11), Thairo Estrada ($11), Austin Slater ($11)

Bumgarner returns to San Francisco a shell of the pitcher that he was during his glory days with the franchise. After never finishing a season with an ERA above 3.90 as a member of the Giants, he had an ERA of at least 4.67 in both of the last two seasons. This year, he has a 4.13 ERA and a 4.51 FIP. The Giants have a .749 OPS versus left-handed pitchers this season, so this has the makings of a difficult matchup for Bumgarner. One hitter who stands out for a Giants stack is Longoria, who has a career .363 wOBA versus lefties.