Monday’s nine-game FanDuel slate starts with the Houston Astros’ Justin Verlander. The right-hander has put up some very strong numbers to start the season. He has a 2.61 ERA with a 3.32 SIERA. His 30.5% K% is second best on the slate. And while Minnesota has put up some decent offensive numbers this season, Verlander is a top DFS play. In 187 career at-bats, he has held the current Twins’ roster to a .171/.201/.339 slash line with a whopping 54 strikeouts. Las Vegas has the big right-hander pegged as a -165 favorite, so move forward with confidence.
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Patrick Corbin, SP: $9,700 – The Nationals’ pitcher is having a stellar start to his 2019 campaign. Through 32.2 innings pitched this season, Corbin has a very impressive 2.48 ERA. He also has a slate best 3.16 SIERA and a 30.7% K%, also tops among today’s starters. Those great numbers should continue today as he faces a Cardinals’ lineup that struggles with southpaws. On the season, St. Louis owns a league-low .197 batting average versus lefties.
Freddie Freeman, C/1B: $4,400 – This may be a bit contrarian but this is a sneaky good spot for the slugging first baseman. Freeman has 1.155 OPS and a 199 wRC+ versus lefties in 2019. While the Padres’ Margevicius has struggled against lefties despite being a southpaw himself. This season the San Diego starter is allowing a 45.8% hard contact rate as well as .374 wOBA to left hitters.
Jose Abreu, C/1B: $4,000 – Abreu has scored double-digit FanDuel points in three straight games and has a great chance at continuing his streak tonight. The Chicago first baseman has a .240 ISO vers left-handed pitching this season. But even better than that is that he faces a fastball pitcher tonight. The Orioles’ Means has thrown his fastball on 53.5% of his pitches in 2019. This plays right into the strength of Abreu. The first baseman owns a .429 batting average and .714 slugging percentage against left-handed fastballs in 2019.
Yasmani Grandal, C/1B: $3,400 – The Brewers’ catcher is in play tonight with a .364 ISO and .521 wOBA against southpaws this season.
Brandon Lowe, 2B: $3,700 – Lowe has a .299 ISO and a .397 wOBA versus right-handed pitching this season.
Robinson Cano, 2B: $3,400 – Make sure he is in the lineup after having X-rays on Sunday. But if Cano is playing, he is a nice addition to your DFS player pool. You want to attack Cincinnati’s Tanner Roark with left-handed bats. The pitcher is allowing 2.57 HR/9 and a 45.5% hard contact rate to lefties. Cano has a .219 ISO and a 129 wRC+ versus righties this season so he seems like a solid candidate to get to Roark on Monday.
Anthony Rendon, 3B: $4,000 – Another guy you will want to make sure is playing, but Rendon is in a great spot. Not only does the third baseman crush righties with a .345 ISO, but he feasts off of fastballs. The Cardinals’ Michael Wacha has thrown fastballs on 48.6% of his pitches this season. So Rendon should add to his .385 ISO versus fastball this season.
Alex Bregman, 3B: $4,200 – Bregman is definitely a guy that you will want to give strong consideration to. He faces the Twins’ Jake Odorizzi. The Minnesota starter has historically been a flyball pitcher, and this year is no different. Odorizzi has a 47.3% flyball rate. This plays to Bregman’s strengths. In 2019 he has a .364/.447/.636 slash line against flyball pitchers.
Hunter Dozier, 3B: $4,400 – The Rays’ will use an opener on Monday, but it appears that Yonny Chirinos will still pitch. And if he does, look for Dozier to go off. The Tampa pitcher is allowing 2.57 HR/9 to righties, but more importantly is throwing his sinker 60% of the time. Dozier has hit three dingers off of sinkers already this season. With a .441 ISO against right-handed pitchers in 2019, it is easy to see the path in which Dozier goes yard again on Monday.
Trevor Story, SS: $4,500 – Story has scored at least 15 FanDuel points in six of his last seven games.
Carlos Correa, SS: $3,900 – The Twins’ Jake Odorizzi is allowing a 46.9% hard contact rate to righties this season. With Correa owning a .276 ISO against righties, it could be a big day for the shortstop.
Cody Bellinger, OF: $5,300 – Both Bellinger and teammate Joc Pederson are great plays in this game but Bellinger gets the nod. Over his last 25 plate appearances, Bellinger is putting up video game-like numbers. He has a .474 average, 1.053 SLG and a 1.613 OPS. This heater should keep right on going Monday. The outfielder has a .493 ISO against righties in 2019, while the Giants’ Jeff Samardzija is giving up a 54.8% hard contact rate to lefties this year.
Christian Yelich, OF: $5,200 – Both him and teammate Lorenzo Cain find themselves in good spots on Monday. Yelich has a .385 ISO and a .372 wOBA versus lefties in 2019.
Khris Davis, OF: $4,000 – Even though Rodriguez has owned Davis in the past, this seems like too good of a spot for the Oakland outfielder. Not only has Davis raked against lefties season to the tune of a .500 ISO, but the Boston starter is also relying on the fastball a lot this season. Rodriguez has thrown the pitch on 50% of his throws in 2019. Davis currently has a .520 ISO on said pitch.
David Dahl, OF: $4,000 – You can play any of the Rockies’ outfielders in this one, but Dahl appears to have the most upside. Not only does Dahl have a .271 ISO and .432 wOBA against right-handed pitching, but he also faces the right type of righty. The Brewers’ Davies has a 7.06 xFIP versus lefties with just a 9.8% K%. Davies also is throwing his sinker 64% of the time. Dahl has crushed the sinker this season to produce a .688 SLG against the pitch.
George Springer, OF: $4,300 – As mentioned above, Jake Odorizzi is a flyball pitcher. Much like Bregman, Springer has done well against flyball pitchers this season. The outfielder has a 1.133 OPS and five home runs against these types of pitchers in 2019.
I’m Only Happy When It Rains
All looks pretty quiet on the weather front for Monday’s MLB games. But keep an eye on the roof in Milwaukee. It is supposed to be in the low 40’s at first pitch, so it is likely that the Brewers will have the roof closed. And if it is shut, expect the ball to fly around a bit. The Brew Crew has slugged 34 home runs at home with the roof closed this year, as opposed to just 19 in open roof stadiums.
And the closed roof has had the opposite effect on the pitching staff. The Brewers’ hurlers have allowed 29 dingers in the closed confines this season and just 19 in open roof playing venues.
Doing Lines In Vegas
Any time you can pick on the Shark you have to do it. So feel comfortable grabbing the Los Angeles Dodgers’ money line at -145 against the Giants’ Jeff Samardzija.
