Yahoo DFS Baseball: Monday Picks

Yahoo DFS Baseball: Monday Picks

This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Baseball series.

There are a couple aces on Monday's slate, but neither has an enticing matchup. I still had to go with one of them because there aren't many other pitching options. That means you'll have to get lucky with pitching or stretch for hitting and hope for power from cheaper bats.

PITCHER

Gerrit Cole, HOU at SEA ($53): There aren't many places to go and Cole has a good floor to guarantee around 20 fantasy points. He's hit 25 fantasy points in five of his last seven outings and went 6.2 innings the last time he was in Seattle. Cole will have a hard time getting to 30 fantasy points in this matchup, but 20 points is good enough on this slate. The Mariners are subpar against righties in the last month with a .309 wOBA.

Zack Wheeler, NYM vs. SF ($43): No matter who you have in the other pitching spot, Wheeler is close to must own as he provides consistency and doesn't cost an extreme amount. Wheeler only had 15 fantasy points last start, but he hit 30 in his prior three opportunities. It helps that the Giants have been bad against righty arms over the last month with a 23.9 K%, .124 ISO and .269 wOBA.

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CATCHER

Devin Mesoraco, NYM vs. SF ($7): Mesoraco's .363 wOBA against southpaws is in line with his career .348 wOBA and that'll do for the price, especially with it being his turn behind the plate. Derek Holland is having a decent season, yet still has a .345 wOBA allowed to righty bats after that number was at .408 last season.

FIRST BASE

Chris Davis, BAL at TOR ($13): Davis has some ugly numbers this year, but cheap bats are needed if Cole is in the squad. Davis at least has power with 11 homers against righties to go with last year's .250 ISO. Marco Estrada has struggled more often than not, allowing at least four runs in three of his last four starts, highlighting his 5.24 xFIP against lefties.

SECOND BASE

Scooter Gennett, CIN at MIL ($13): Gennett's returned to form in the past week, though his price is still on the low side. He's sporting a stout 31 extra-base hits (14 HR) and .377 wOBA against righty arms. Chase Anderson is in a bit of a funk having allowed four runs in each of his last two starts, which is in line with his 4.88 xFIP against lefty bats.

THIRD BASE

Travis Shaw, MIL vs. CIN ($20): If you're looking for good home-run odds, Shaw is the place to turn. He's crushed righties for 23 homers and a .285 ISO this season, which will work against Homer Bailey and his 6.33 ERA. Bailey's 2.09 HR/9 and .372 wOBA allowed to lefties helps too and while the Brewers are struggling as a team, they can be used in this game.

SHORTSTOP

Willy Adames, TB vs. KC ($14): After a down July, Adames is back in form with a .368 BABIP and three of his six homers in August. Jorge Lopez, a reliever for Milwaukee, received his first start of the season with the Royals last week and it wasn't great. He gave up eight hits and six runs in 4.2 innings against Toronto.

OUTFIELD

Gregory Polanco, PIT vs. ATL ($18): Polanco's average doesn't look great, but his .258 ISO and .355 wOBA against righties is worth backing in fantasy. Kevin Gausman is pitching better with the Braves, yet it's hard to ignore a 4.46 xFIP and .334 wOBA allowed to lefty hitters.

Eddie Rosario, MIN vs. CWS ($16): Rosario has been one of Minnesota's lone bright spots this year smacking 17 homers and a .371 wOBA against righty arms. He's also 4-for-12 against Lucas Giolito (2 2B, HR) over the last couple years. Giolito lacks consistency and has a brutal .374 wOBA allowed and 6.52 xFIP against lefties.

Tony Kemp, HOU at SEA ($13): Here's another lefty to use against a struggling righty hurler. Kemp sat on Sunday against a southpaw and should return against a righty due to a .363 wOBA and five homers in 128 at-bats. Felix Hernandez doesn't have a win since June and has a 1.83 HR/9 and .360 wOBA allowed to lefties.

The author(s) of this article may play in daily fantasy contests including – but not limited to – games that they have provided recommendations or advice on in this article. In the course of playing in these games using their personal accounts, it's possible that they will use players in their lineups or other strategies that differ from the recommendations they have provided above. The recommendations in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of RotoWire. Adam Zdroik plays in daily fantasy contests using the following accounts: FanDuel: zdroik, DraftKings: rotozdroik, Yahoo: StreakMaster.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Adam Zdroik
Adam, a multiple-time finalist for FSWA's Soccer Writer of the Year, is RotoWire's soccer editor. He runs RotoWire's Bracketology and partakes in various NFL content. He previously worked at ESPN and Sporting Kansas City, and he is a former Streak for the Cash winner and Michigan State graduate.
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