There are just seven games on deck for Monday, but it’s actually looking like a decent slate to attack, despite the limited player pool. Let’s take a look at a lineup for DraftKings.
Check out today’s MLB Moonshot contest at DraftKings 
Pitcher
Sean Manaea (OAK): $7,800 vs. TOR
Starting pitching is tricky today, as Carlos Martinez feels a bit too expensive and gets a tricky matchup in Cincinnati, while Jeff Samardzija faces a boom or bust lineup in Milwaukee. On FanDuel, Manaea feels a tad underpriced here, as he carries plenty of strikeout upside into a home tilt against the Blue Jays. Toronto fared much better in the month of May after a putrid start to the season, as they ranked second behind a white-hot Houston team in terms of wRC+.
The awakening of their bats, as well as the return of Josh Donaldson, absolutely introduces some risk, but I think it’s worth embracing in tournaments. The Blue Jays ranked 12th in wRC+ against lefties in May, and while adding Josh Donaldson to the mix certainly won’t hurt that rank, I’m still willing to chase some strikeouts here with Manaea.
His swinging strike rate is up this season, so I don’t think there will be a massive drop-off in his strikeout rate over the long haul. A 3.68 xFIP suggests that this success can continue, and I don’t mind rolling the dice on him in hopes that he can continue his recent success (55 FDP in consecutive starts).
Hyun-Jin Ryu (LAD): $6,600 vs. WAS
With Ryu set to make another start in place of the injured Alex Wood, he seems like an acceptable option on the cheaper side of things tonight. The Nationals cooled off considerably in the month of May against lefties, as they ranked 27th in wRC+, after ranking first in that category during the month of April.
Ryu hasn’t been anything to write home about over his last three starts, but he did turn in six innings of one-run baseball in his last start. That’s right about what you’re looking for from him, and I don’t mind rolling the dice in the hopes that he can do just that.
Other Notables
- Carlos Martinez (STL): $12,500 @ CIN (GPP)
- Jeff Samardzija (SF): $8,900 @ MIL
- J.A. Happ (TOR): $7,300 @ OAK (GPP)
Catcher
Salvador Perez (KC): $2,900 vs. HOU
Perez had the day off yesterday, so he should be back in the lineup tonight to face Mike Fiers. Perez is a bit cold right now, which has resulted in a depressed salary. Fiers has been an absolute gas can this season, as he’s dished out 18 home runs (!!) already in just 52.2 IP. The temperature at first pitch looks to be around 88 degrees, which should further fuel an already explosive matchup.
Perez hits same-handed pitching well, and Fiers just so happens to have been worse against right-handed hitters the past couple of seasons. There should be plenty of offense to be had here tonight, with Perez sticking out as a very good option behind the plate.
Other Notables
- Evan Gattis (HOU): $4,100 @ KC/Brian McCann (HOU): $3,600 @ KC
- Tyler Flowers (ATL): $3,700 vs. PHI (GPP)
First Base
Matt Adams (ATL): $3,700 vs. PHI
While Adams isn’t as ludicrously priced here as he seems to be on FanDuel, he still feels like a bargain at this price. The Braves are right up there with the Astros in terms of implied run totals tonight, so you’ll want to be sure to have exposure to this offense. Adams is coming off of a big weekend in Cincinnati, and he’ll look to keep it rolling against Nick Pivetta tonight at home.
Other Notables
- Eric Thames (MIL): $4,700 vs. SF (GPP)
- Joey Votto (CIN): $4,600 vs. STL
- Eric Hosmer (KC): $3,900 vs. HOU
Second Base
Jose Altuve (HOU): $5,800 @ KC
Altuve and the Astros roll into Kansas City on a torrid pace offensively, and with prime weather conditions expected, there’s no reason think they slow up now. Ian Kennedy has an xFIP over five, is walking 4.53 batters per nine innings, and is being tattooed by hitters from both sides of the plate. His hard minus soft contact rate of 25.4% to same-handed hitters is going to get him into trouble against this offense, and Altuve should be right in the thick of the scoring.
Other Notables
- Chris Taylor (LAD): $4,500 vs. WAS (GPP)
- Whit Merrifield (KC): $4,300 vs. HOU (GPP)
- Dee Gordon (MIA): $4,100 @ CHC (GPP)
- Eric Sogard (MIL): $3,100 vs. SF
Third Base
Marwin Gonzalez (HOU): $4,800 @ KC
Gonzalez is the Astros’ super-utility man, so here’s to hoping he’s in the lineup tonight. It’s obviously a prudent move to get as much exposure to this offense as you can, and Gonzalez fits the bill. Ian Kennedy continues to experience reduced velocity, which has directly translated to some bad outings. There’s no reason to believe he gets the ship righted tonight, and I love Gonzalez and the Astros as a result.
Other Notables
- Travis Shaw (MIL): $4,700 vs. SF (GPP)
- Kris Bryant (CHC): $4,500 vs. MIA (GPP)
- Josh Donaldson (TOR): $4,400 @ OAK (GPP)
- Mike Moustakas (KC): $4,100 vs. HOU
- Logan Forsythe (LAD): $3,500 vs. WAS (GPP)
Shortstop
Carlos Correa (HOU): $5,500 @ KC
Wash, rinse, repeat. Correa has averaged 15.7 DKP over his last 10 games, in which he’s posted an absurd .455 AVG along with a slugging percentage of .841. Ride this streak while you can, and despite having to pay a pretty penny, he’s worth it all tonight.
Other Notables
- Zack Cozart (CIN): $4,200 vs. STL (GPP)
- Corey Seager (LAD): $4,000 vs. WAS (GPP)
Outfielders
George Springer (HOU): $5,700 @ KC
Load ‘em up! Springer is yet another Astro that is rolling right now, and with the overall expected scoring environment in Kansas City, I don’t see it slowing up tonight. He’s hit seven home runs over the last 10 games while hitting .435 overall. I hate to sound like a broken record, but it’s very tough to fade Houston right now.
Now, with that being said I will close out my Houston hitters with this disclosure: I do think there’s some merit to considering a fade in tournaments, but it’s risky to do so. However, on a short slate, the entire world will be on these hitters (I listed four already). From a game theory perspective, considering a full on fade, or at least stacking some assets that aren’t as popular (is that possible right now?) or are non-sequential in the batting order might make sense.
Ender Inciarte (ATL): $4,000 vs. PHI
The weather could play a role in this game tonight, so be sure to monitor it leading up to the start of this contest. Inciarte will bat leadoff for an Atlanta team that carries an implied run total over five, which should mean plenty of run-scoring chances against Nick Pivetta.
Pivetta doesn’t appear fully ready for the big leagues just yet, as walks and power have been an issue to this point. Inciarte is a cheap way to get exposure to this Atlanta offense tonight.
Nick Markakis (ATL): $3,100 vs. PHI
Typically, you wouldn’t want to target Markakis in tournaments due to his lack of power, but at this price, he actually fits the bill if you’re employing a stack. As I’ve noted a few times, I don’t have much confidence in Nick Pivetta. Apparently, Vegas doesn’t either. While the weather could impact this game, it wouldn’t necessarily hurt the hitters much if the contest ultimately gets played out, as the Philadelphia bullpen possesses this third-highest xFIP in baseball.
Other Notables
- Bryce Harper (WAS): $5,500 @ LAD (GPP)
- Matt Kemp (ATL): $5,300 vs. PHI (GPP)
- Giancarlo Stanton (MIA): $5,100 @ CHC (GPP)
- Carlos Beltran (HOU): $4,600 @ KC (GPP)/Josh Reddick (HOU): $4,400 @ KC (GPP)
- Yasiel Puig (LAD): $3,900 vs. WAS (GPP)
- Ben Zobrist (CHC): $3,700 vs. MIA
- Scooter Gennett (CIN): $3,500 vs. STL (if he plays for Scott Schebler)
- Khris Davis (OAK): $3,300 vs. TOR
My Lineup
- SP – Sean Manaea (OAK): $7,800 vs. TOR
- SP – Hyun-Jin Ryu (LAD): $6,600 vs. WAS
- C – Salvador Perez (KC): $2,900 vs. HOU
- 1B – Matt Adams (ATL): $3,700 vs. PHI
- 2B – Jose Altuve (HOU): $5,800 @ KC
- 3B – Marwin Gonzalez (HOU): $4,800 @ KC
- SS – Carlos Correa (HOU): $5,500 @ KC
- OF – George Springer (HOU): $5,700 @ KC
- OF – Ender Inciarte (ATL): $4,000 vs. PHI
- OF – Nick Markakis (ATL): $3,100 vs. PHI
Create Optimal DraftKings lineups using our DFS Lineup Optimizer tool
Adam Sutton is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from Adam, follow him @DraftStars_Adam. You can find more of Adam’s work at DraftStars.net.
