This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
Monday, being a holiday, has an unusual baseball slate. The main docket of contests on FanDuel consists of seven games, the ones that start in the 2 p.m. ET and 4 p.m. ET hour. So, we have a first pitch at 2:10 p.m. ET, and before it's even 8 p.m. ET on the East Coast, you'll know how your DFS teams turned out. Here are my lineup recommendations.
Pitching
Merrill Kelly, ARI vs. COL ($10,300): Kelly's last start went poorly, but he was facing the Dodgers on the road. This is a pitcher who has posted a 3.35 ERA over the last two seasons, with a 2.96 ERA at home in 2023. Even though the Rockies play their home games at Coors Field, they are below average in terms of runs scored, and they also have the worst record in the NL West by a wide margin.
Cole Ragans, KC vs. CWS ($9,000): It's been a bleak season in Kansas City, but a couple bright spots have emerged. One is Ragans, who came over in a deal with the Rangers during the season. In seven starts with Kansas City, he has an 1.73 ERA. The White Sox are 25th in runs scored, and last in team OPS, so Ragans' silvering-lining run with the Royals could continue.
Top Targets
Meet the other bright spot for the Royals. Bobby Witt ($4,200) has hit .275 with 28 homers and 38 stolen bases, bolstered by an .890 OPS at home. Jesse Scholtens, meanwhile, has a 4.75 FIP and his fellow righties have hit .306 against him.
He's not the biggest name in the lineup, but Chas McCormick ($3,500) has an 1.083 OPS against lefties this year. That isn't necessarily a fluke, either, as he had a .972 OPS in those matchups last season. Andrew Heaney is a lefty, and he has a 4.76 FIP and has allowed 1.55 homers per nine innings.
Bargain Bats
Over the last three weeks, Josh Lowe ($3,400) has posted a robust 1.015 OPS. While he tends to sit against his fellow lefties, in his career he's posted an .827 OPS versus right-handed pitcher. Brayan Bello has a 3.57 ERA but a 4.46 FIP. A key part of that is the fact he's allowed southpaws to hit .291 against him.
There is DFS value in the fact Ezequiel Duran ($2,700) can slot in at shortstop, third base or outfield. Also, in his .879 OPS at home. While J.P. France is better on the road, righties have hit .285 against him, and two starts ago he allowed 10 runs in 2.1 innings. Yes, it's only one start, but his 4.38 FIP on the season isn't built on one start.
Stacks to Consider
Diamondbacks vs. Rockies (Peter Lambert): Corbin Carroll ($4,000), Ketel Marte ($3,400), Alek Thomas ($2,200)
Sure, Lambert has a 3.60 road ERA, compared to a 6.44 ERA at Coors, but that isn't exactly good. The righty has a career 5.55 FIP, has allowed 1.84 homers per nine innings in his career, and struck out a mere 6.51 batters per nine in MLB as well. This season, lefties have hit .290 against Lambert, so I have three guys who can hit left-handed.
After a strong game Sunday, Carroll's slash line is up to .282/.362/.523 with 24 homers and 41 stolen bases. Even if he's already locked up Rookie of the Year, he's not slowing down, as he has a .985 OPS over the last three weeks. Marte is a switch hitter who prefers to face a lefty, but his .821 OPS against righties in 2023 more than suffices. Plus, he has an .867 OPS. Thomas is essentially only rosterable in this scenario, but in the right situation he has real potential bang for your buck. His OPS against righties is .788, and his OPS at home is .781.
Blue Jays at Athletics (Ken Waldichuk): George Springer ($3,400), Vladimir Guerrero, ($3,300), Whit Merrifield ($2,900)
Waldichuk has a 4.44 ERA at home, which is better than his 7.11 road ERA, but not good. Plus, his 5.05 walks per nine rate is not as ballpark dependent as other elements of pitching. Righties have hit .284 against the southpaw, and with all the space in Oakland's ballpark, I made sure to get two guys with speed and doubles potential from the Jays.
Springer does a bit of everything. He has 21 doubles, but also 17 homers and 19 stolen bases. Springer also has an .841 OPS over the last three weeks. Guerrero isn't a speed guy necessarily, but even in a down year hitting he's batted .266 with 21 homers. Also, it's mostly been a down year at home. On the road he has an .837 OPS. Merrifield has hit .290 with 25 homers and 25 stolen bases. He's right for this matchup as well, given his .806 OPS against lefties and .784 OPS on the road.
