This article is part of our DraftKings MLB series.
It's usually challenging to find three pitchers we love on Monday slates, but there are great pitchers in nearly every matchup out there. That's something we rarely see, but having a nine-game main slate on a Monday is a godsend for DFS. All of these slates should be full for the final two weeks, so let's get started with some of the hottest pitchers in baseball.
Pitching
Seth Lugo, KC vs. DET ($8,700)
Lugo is having a breakout season in Kansas City, collecting a 2.94 ERA and 1.09 WHIP. That looks even better with how he's been rolling recently, registering a 0.86 ERA, 0.81 WHIP and 9.9 K/9 rate over his last three starts. What's even more incredible is that he did that against the Astros, Yankees and Guardians. The Motor City Kitties are far from those offenses, with Detroit ranked 25th in wOBA and 28th in on-base percentage (OBP). That was on full display in their two matchups this season, with Lugo amassing a 0.60 ERA and 0.67 WHIP, scoring 23 and 34.8 DraftKings points in those gems.
Sean Manaea, NYM vs. WAS ($8,500)
It's hard to believe, but Manaea is one of the best pitchers in baseball right now. The lefty has allowed four runs or fewer in 10 straight starts, sporting a 2.73 ERA, 0.86 WHIP and 10.6 K/9 rate in that span. We love that since he gets to pitch in the most pitcher-friendly park in baseball, with Manaea maintaining a 1.05 WHIP and 10.4 K/9 rate at Citi Field this season. The matchup with Washington is the icing on the cake, with the Nats ranked 22nd in wOBA and 23rd in runs scored.
Reid Detmers, LAA vs. CWS ($7,700)
Detmers broke out in the opening month of the season, posting a 1.19 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 11.9 K/9 rate through his first four starts. A nightmarish eight-start stretch sent him to the minors, but Detmers has been unbelievable since being called up. The lefty has a 3.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 13.5 K/9 rate in two starts since then. Those were against two of the best offenses in baseball. The White Sox are the worst. Chicago sits last in runs scored, OBP, OPS, wOBA and xwOBA. They are over 110 runs behind the Miami Marlins in 29th place.
Paul Skenes ($9,800) and Shota Imanaga ($9,300) are expensive but both guys should cruise against two of the worst offenses in baseball.
Top Targets
Oneil Cruz, PIT (vs. Andre Pallante) $5,100
Cruz has quietly turned his season around in the second half, compiling a .306 batting average (AVG), .367 OBP, .511 slugging rate (SLG) and .878 OPS across his last 60 games. What's also been superb is his speed, swiping 13 bags over his last 37 outings. That power-speed combo is beautiful since he faces a righty, providing a .281 AVG, .476 SLG and .822 OPS with the platoon advantage in his favor this season. Pallante is far from a fearful pitcher, posting a 4.39 ERA and 1.46 WHIP since the start of last season. It's no easy task to stack Pittsburgh, but Rowdy Tellez ($2,900) has the platoon advantage against Pallante and has a .286 AVG, .496 SLG, and .829 OPS since June 2.
*Stay on top of injury news as Cruz left Sunday's game early with a left ankle injury and is considered day-to-day.
Cody Bellinger, CHC (vs. Joey Estes) $5,100
Don't look now, but Bellinger is starting to get hot. The former Dodger enters this matchup amid a five-game hitting streak, totaling a .500 OBP and 1.350 OPS in that span. He also has a .340 OBP and .810 OPS dating back to July 1, which is awesome since he has a .342 OBP and .809 OPS against righties since the start of last season. Estes is not a pitcher we're worried about, posting a 4.58 career ERA. Stacking Chicago could be profitable, with Ian Happ ($4,500) and Michael Busch ($4,200) getting the platoon advantage against Estes.
Bargain Bats
Joc Pederson, ARI (vs. Antonio Senzatela) $4,900
We know Pederson isn't necessarily cheap, but he's a bargain in this circumstance. Any hitter in Coors Field needs to see a massive bump, especially against a Rockies team ranked last in ERA and WHIP. Pederson has been hitting third for Arizona whenever they face a righty, totaling a .396 OBP and .938 OPS against them this season. There's no better spot than the three-hole for the highest-projected offense on this slate. We also don't mind that Pederson has a .453 OBP and 1.069 OPS across his last 37 fixtures.
Jesse Winker, NYM (vs. Jake Irvin) $3,500
Winker has been our pivot all season, and it's hard to understand why he remains so affordable. This slugger always bats in the heat of New York's lineup when they match up with a righty because Winker has a .372 OBP and .813 OPS with the platoon advantage in his favor. That's no surprise when seeing his .368 career OBP and .808 OPS, making him an easy option against Irvin. The Nationals' righty has a 6.41 ERA and 1.48 WHIP across his last 12 starts. If you want to stack the Mets, Francisco Lindor ($5,600) and Mark Vientos ($4,700) are phenomenal pairings with Winker.
Stacks to Consider
Arizona Diamondbacks at Colorado Rockies (Antonio Senzatela): Ketel Marte ($6,600), Corbin Carroll ($6,000), Christian Walker ($5,900) and Joc Pederson ($4,900)
The highest-scoring team in baseball facing the worst pitching staff in Coors Field sounds unfair. That's why Arizona is projected to score over six runs, and it wouldn't be surprising to see them reach double-digits multiple times in this series. A matchup with Senzatela won't sway us away, with the veteran tallying a 4.87 career ERA and 1.44 WHIP. Not to mention, he has a 5.72 ERA and 1.54 WHIP in 17 career starts against Arizona.
Marte must be the first piece of our Arizona stack, averaging 9.5 DraftKings points per game as one of the National League MVP frontrunners. Carroll has turned his season around in the second half, collecting a .929 OPS across his last 59 outings. Walker's BvP numbers might be some of the best we've ever seen, sporting a .536 OBP, .889 SLG and 1.425 OPS in 28 at-bats against Senzatela.
Philadelphia Phillies at Milwaukee Brewers (Aaron Civale): Kyle Schwarber ($6,200), Trea Turner ($5,800), Bryce Harper ($5,500)
Civale has been a solid pitcher throughout his career, but something seems off with him this season. The righty has a 4.92 ERA and 1.39 WHIP since the opening weeks of the year. That's scary against a daunting Philadelphia lineup, with the Phils ranked fifth in OBP and runs scored. That's why they're projected to score nearly five runs.
The first player in our Phillies stack has to be their leadoff hitter. This is no ordinary leadoff hitter, with Schwarber producing a .477 OBP, 1.054 SLG and 1.531 OPS across his last 11 outings. Turner has also been a terrifying matchup, tallying a .345 OBP and .818 OPS across his last 20 outings. Harper has struggled in the second half but homered twice on Saturday and is still flirting with a .400 OBP and 1.000 OPS against righties throughout his career.
