This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
A scarcity of quality mid-range pitching options Monday may leave players preferring a stars-and-scrubs approach, which should allow for an offense that is consistently strong throughout.
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Pitcher
Stephen Strasburg, WAS at SD ($13,600) - Strasburg will enter the contest sporting a 28.6 percent strikeout rate and a hard contact rate under 25 percent in his seven starts this season. The Padres hold the highest strikeout rate in the league against right-handed pitching (28 percent) and have notched a bottom-11 RAA against the changeup, a pitching Strasburg has thrown 20.4 percent of the time.
GPP Fade: Jeff Samardzija, SF at PHI ($8,400) - Samardzija hasn't performed well following a late start to the season. The right-hander currently owns a 5.27 ERA with 12:10 K/BB ratio over 13.2 innings. His average fastball velocity has sat at just 91.7 MPH over that span, which is nearly three miles per hour slower than his career average. There is nothing to suggest that The Shark won't be able to shake off the rust at some point but he will need to show positive signs before he can be trusted at this price.
Cheap GPP Consideration: Jarlin Garcia, MIA at CHC ($5,900) - It seems as though the entire fantasy baseball universe has been waiting for the other shoe to drop on Garcia but the left-hander keeps chugging along, having logged a 1.09 ERA over six games (four starts) in 2018. While his peripherals suggest he won't keep that sparkling ERA for long, his price is too good to pass up for a matchup against the Cubs, who have tallied a .297 wOBA against southpaws this season. They have also logged a bottom-5 RAA against the slider, a pitch Garcia has thrown 20 percent of the time.
Catcher
James McCann, DET at TEX ($3,300) - It's tempting to dismiss McCann's .389 ISO against lefties this season as small sample noise but the 27-year-old has a good track record when it comes to his opposite hand, having notched a .258 ISO and .385 wOBA over 345 career at-bats. Opposing starter Matt Moore has allowed a .529 slugging percentage while striking out just 14 right-handed batters over 24.2 innings in 2018.
First Base
Brandon Belt, SF at PHI ($4,100) - It appears Belt may be delivering on his prospect hype long after most have forgotten about him, as he has posted a .377 ISO against right-handed pitching over 61 at-bats. Phillies hurler Zach Eflin has faced just four lefty hitters this season but was pounded by his opposite hand to the tune of a .578 slugging percentage over 36.2 innings in 2017.
Second Base
Matt Carpenter, STL vs. MIN ($3,600) - Carpenter has had a rough start to 2018 but has still tallied a .195 ISO to go along with a 44.4 percent hard contact rate over 77 at-bats against righty pitching. Fernando Romero threw the ball reasonably well for the Twins in his first Major League start last week but the control problems he experienced in the Minors remained an issue, as he walked three batters in just 5.2 innings. Carpenter has walked at a 16.7 percent clip against his opposite hand this year, which could give him an edge against a young hurler with a glaring deficiency.
Third Base
Eduardo Escobar, MIN at STL ($4,500) - Escobar has been unconscious against right-handed pitchers to begin the 2018 season, notching a .321 ISO and a .415 wOBA over 81 at-bats. Opposing starter John Gant has had some success in the Minor Leagues but a combination of too many walks, not enough strikeouts and a few too many homers allowed has led to the 25-year-old posting a 4.61 ERA in 70.1 innings in the Majors.
Shortstop
Marcus Semien, OAK vs. HOU ($3,900) - Semien has performed well against left-handed pitching this year, with a 46 percent hard contact rate contributing to a .372 wOBA over 48 at-bats. Meanwhile, Dallas Keuchel has allowed a .456 slugging percentage while striking out just 25 right-handed batters in 35.2 innings.
Outfield
Adam Duvall, CIN vs. NYM ($4,000) - Duvall tallied a .293 ISO against left-handed pitching in 2017 and is off to a similarly fast start this season, notching a .318 ISO over 22 at-bats. Debutant P.J. Conlon has done well in the Minor Leagues as a control artist but is off to a rough start in his first year at Triple-A Las Vegas, where he has posted a 6.75 ERA over 24 innings (five starts).
Brandon Nimmo, NYM at CIN ($3,400) - Nimmo has been productive whenever he has been on the field this season, as evidenced by his .211 ISO and .428 wOBA in 38 at-bats against right-handed pitching. Opposing starter Homer Bailey has allowed a .522 slugging percentage while striking out just eight left-handed batters over 18 innings. It should be noted that Nimmo hasn't been formally moved into the starting lineup but he has manned the leadoff spot in the past two games against righties over the struggling Michael Conforto. Alternatively, he could be a candidate to start in place of Yoenis Cespedes, who was removed from Sunday's contest due to a right quadriceps injury.
Albert Almora jr., CHC vs. MIA ($3,400) - Almora boasts a career .380 wOBA against lefties and is keeping up his career marks in 2018, having logged a .408 wOBA over 29 at-bats. DFS players who are not convinced by Garcia's hot start could be vindicated in this matchup, as the rookie hurler has kept a 15:9 K/BB ratio against righties over 26 innings while allowing a 39 percent hard contact rate over that span.
