This last weekend was my best of 2026 in terms of fantasy and betting, so I can't wait to build off that. It always takes some time to figure out the baseball season, but taking little bits and learning what you can is the key to success. Just paying attention every single day can put you way ahead of the field, and it's the easiest way to be successful in DFS. With that in mind, let's take a look at our favorite pitchers for this Monday slate!
Try our DraftKings MLB Lineup Optimizer to discover more expert recommendations, customize the player pool, set exposure percentage and mass-enter DFS lineups.
Pitching
Garrett Crochet, BOS at MIN ($10,300)
Not much has gone right for Boston this season, but Crochet continues to be one of the best pitchers in baseball. This guy has been an ace since signing with the Sox last season, sporting a 2.63 ERA and 1.03 WHIP while striking out 277 batters across 222.2 innings. That's made Crochet a top 5 pitcher in DFS during that span, scoring at least 15 DraftKings points in 31 of 35 since then. That floor and consistency make him an easy option against anyone, but we love that the Twins rank 23rd in K rate. We also don't mind that he's a -170 favorite!
Grant Holmes, ATL vs. MIA ($8,000)
Holmes was amazing at times last year, and he may be parlaying that into a breakout campaign. The right-hander has allowed three runs or fewer in all three starts this season en route to a 2.55 ERA and 1.08 WHIP. What's also impressive about Holmes is his splits in Atlanta, as he's amassed a 3.09 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 10.5 K/9 rate there since 2024. Miami is a league-average matchup, but Holmes threw 5.2 scoreless innings in their most recent meeting while scoring 21 DraftKings points. He's also a -140 favorite in this game.
Top Targets
Oneil Cruz, PIT ($5,700) vs. Cade Cavalli
Cruz has always displayed the hard-hit metrics and speed to be one of the best players in baseball, and we're finally seeing some of that come to fruition. He has five homers and six steals this year while posting a 1.044 OPS. That has him leading all regulars with 12.7 DraftKings points per game, and he's always been much better against righties throughout his career. That's bad news for Cavalli, who's compiled a 4.54 ERA and 1.50 WHIP throughout his career. If you want to stack the Pirates, Ryan O'Hearn ($4,900), Bryan Reynolds ($4,200) and Konnor Griffin ($3,100) are all good options.
Wilyer Abreu, BOS ($4,900) vs. Bailey Ober
Abreu was one of the best players during the World Baseball Classic, and that run has him looking like a full-on breakout this season. The outfielder has a .364 AVG and 1.033 OPS through the opening weeks. That's no surprise when seeing his splits, sporting a .382 AVG and 1.181 OPS against right-handers. That's why he's in the heart of this talented lineup, and we'll discuss this matchup with Ober below.
Bargain Bats
Rhys Hoskins, CLE ($3,100) vs. Matthew Liberatore
Hoskins has been a forgotten player, but he's supplied plenty of power when he's been healthy. The most impactful variable for Hoskins was his superb splits, as he's amassed a .380 OBP and .878 OPS against southpaws throughout his career. That's over 1,000 plate appearances of dominance, and it had Hoskins hitting fifth Sunday while homering in that game. A lefty like Liberatore doesn't worry us either, given his 4.58 career ERA and 1.38 WHIP. Angel Martinez ($3,300) has a .588 AVG and 1.471 OPS across his last four fixtures if you're looking for a pairing with Hoskins.
Joc Pederson, TEX ($2,800) vs. Luis Severino
It's funny to have two veterans like this in this section, but DraftKings is clearly overlooking their splits. Pederson has made a career of rocking right-handers, registering a .343 OBP and .822 OPS against them. That's why he's been hitting fifth and starting in eight of the last nine games. That alone makes him an amazing value at this salary, especially since he has a .905 OPS across his last six outings. This matchup couldn't be much better either, and we'll discuss that below as well.
Stacks to Consider
Texas Rangers at Athletics (Severino): Corey Seager ($4,800), Brandon Nimmo ($4,700), Jake Burger ($4,200), Pederson ($2,800)
We foreshadowed this stack in the previous section, so let's talk about why we like the Rangers against Severino. While this A's righty is a decent pitcher, he simply can't perform in Sacramento's minor-league bandbox. That ballpark was the highest-scoring stadium in the AL last season, with Severino posting a 6.01 ERA and 1.53 WHIP there last year.
Seager is always the safest piece of a Rangers stack when healthy. The All-Star shortstop has a .391 OBP and .932 OPS against right-handers over the last three years. Nimmo is one of the hottest players in baseball, averaging 15 DK points per game across his last four outings. He also has a 1.615 OPS in 10 at-bats against Severino. Burger is the cleanup hitter for Texas, tallying a 1.234 OPS in 12 at-bats against the veteran.
Boston Red Sox at Minnesota Twins (Ober): Roman Anthony ($5,000), Abreu ($4,900), Jarren Duran ($4,700), Trevor Story ($3,700)
Ober was a fantasy darling a couple years ago, but his drop in velocity has him looking like a pitcher during a Home Run Derby. The Twins righty has allowed 80 homers since 2023, producing a 5.12 ERA and 1.29 WHIP since the start of last year.
Anthony was projected to be the Red Sox's best player this season, and it's just a matter of time before he is. He had a .409 OBP and .907 OPS between Double-A and Triple-A while showcasing similar numbers in the final months of last season. Duran is a 20-30 threat who has an .874 OPS against righties since 2024. Story has found something recently, scoring 9.3 DK points per game across his last six outings.
