This article is part of our FanDuel MLB series.
Maybe you don't have to go to work Monday, but you should get busy Sunday putting together a top-notch DFS lineup. There are eight games on the early-afternoon slate, which starts at 1:35 p.m. EDT. Searching for some recommendations? Look no further!
Pitching
Alex Cobb, SF at MIL ($9,300): Since leaving Baltimore, Cobb has been elite at suppressing home runs. He's also produced a 2.17 ERA through 10 starts, and the Brewers are fighting to try and avoid being in the bottom-five in runs scored. And they're also missing Willy Adames after that scary incident with a foul ball. (Best wishes, Willy!)
Drew Smyly, CHC vs. CIN ($8,700): Smyly's first start of the season was against the Reds, and it went poorly. But he's been stellar over his last nine starts with a 2.13 ERA. The Reds are just below average in offense, but they have a few lefty bats they'd prefer to have in their lineup and effectively need to sit against a southpaw like Smyly.
Top Targets
Christopher Morel ($4,400) is inevitably going to slow down and we'll see his .794 slugging percentage considerably drop. But even last year, he managed a .470 mark against right-handed pitchers. I'll admit, I heard talk of Graham Ashcraft tweaking his repertoire and saw his first few starts and bought in. Unfortunately, he's crashed to a 12.98 ERA across his last four starts while righties have hit a career .322 against.
While RBI are about opportunity as much as skill, considering that the Rangers are at the top of the league in runs scored and considering Adolis Garcia ($4,200) has already tallied 49 RBI, I think the slugger in the heart of the Rangers' lineup can keep producing. Having power helps, and he's crushed 14 homers to date. Kyle Bradish should also help with his career 4.76 ERA while allowing 1.28 home runs per nine innings in his career.
Bargain Bats
You want a reliable bat? Look no further than Paul Goldschmidt ($3,900). He's slashed .290/.398/.505 this year and boasts a career .917 OPS. Hunter Gaddis, on the other hand, lists a career 8.18 ERA and is expected to be sent back down to Triple-A once the Guardians get a couple pitchers back in the lineup.
Amed Rosario ($2,800) seems like he should be a platoon player at this point, but that's not just because he can't hit righties. Since 2021, he's produced an .817 OPS versus lefties. Jordan Montgomery is a southpaw with a 4.55 ERA in his first full season with the Cardinals. And over the last couple campaigns, he's allowed right handers to bat .253 against.
Stacks to Consider
Twins vs. Blue Jays (Jose Berrios): Byron Buxton ($3,600), Joey Gallo ($3,000), Alex Kirilloff ($2,900)
Berrios will face his former team Sunday, but he's struggled since joining Toronto with a 5.23 ERA last year, including a 6.36 on the road. This season, his ERA is down to 4.22, but he's struggled to a 5.60 in away games. Since this game is in Minnesota, I'm stacking the Twins. And as lefties have hit .279 against Berrios since 2021, two of them are southpaws.
Buxton is a righty, but he's also an elite power hitter having slugged .546 across the last five seasons. His numbers may be down in 2023, but it's all against lefties with an .871 OPS versus right-handed pitchers. After a lost season, Gallo's swing-from-his-heels power is back slugging .542 with 11 home runs, so it's easy to forgive his .203 average. Fortunately for the southpaw, he's taken to his new home park with a .975 OPS. Kirilloff is trying to finally make it work at the MLB level after obliterating Triple-A. He's at least preferred his home park in the majors with a career .771 OPS.
Giants at Brewers (Colin Rea): J.D. Davis ($3,000), Mike Yastrzemski ($3,000), LaMonte Wade ($2,900)
There's a reason why Rea is getting his first opportunity to start at the MLB level since 2016. Even this year, he's only in the rotation because of injury and has posted a 5.23 FIP through eight appearances. The 32-year-old may be back in the minors soon enough, but for now I'm stacking three Giants against him.
Davis has slashed .280/.353/.497 with nine homers. Though a righty, he's recorded an .830 OPS against right-handers since 2021 with a .956 on the road this season. Even with some struggles in 2022, Yastrzemski still produced 17 homers and five stolen bases. He still doesn't walk, but the southpaw has an .803 OPS versus righties and a .461 road slugging percentage the last couple years. Wade's power dipped last season, but he's currently at seven homers to go with a .416 OBP. And since 2021, the southpaw has registered an .831 OPS versus righties.
