Weather Report
Fantasy players will need to keep a close eye on Arizona-New York as there is a good chance of rain throughout that game, and there’s also a possibility of rain in Giants-Padres; although that one looks like it should be able to be played.
Injury Report
Wilmer Flores, Giants 1B, knee: Flores left Sunday’s loss to the Dodgers with right knee discomfort. The veteran infielder went 2 for 2 before exiting, and is considered day-to-day. There’s a strong chance he’ll be out of the lineup for Monday’s game against San Diego.
Michael Brantley, Astros DH, shoulder: Brantley has not been able to play since September 17 because of soreness in his shoulder, and there’s no guarantee he’ll be back in the lineup for Monday’s massive game against the Mariners in Seattle.
Ketel Marte, Diamondbacks 2B, illness: Marte was scratched late from Sunday’s game due to being under the weather. If Marte can’t go Monday, Jordan Lawlar will likely be the starting shortstop with Geraldo Perdomo at second base.
Top Priced Starting Pitchers for Main Slate (DraftKings)
- Blake Snell @ SF: $9,600
- Luis Castillo vs. HOU: $9,300
- Justin Verlander @ SEA: $8,500
- Logan Webb vs. SD: $7,900
- Jon Gray @ LAA: $6,400
- Patrick Sandoval vs. TEX: $6,000
For a slate that only features three games, there’s some awfully good starting pitching options. It starts with Snell, the presumed National League Cy Young favorite who is coming off seven no-hit innings against Colorado with 10 strikeouts. He’s allowed just one hit over his last two starts, and only two total runs in the month of September over 25 innings (0.72 ERA) with a 34/12 K/BB ratio.
Simply put, Snell is pitching as well -- if not better -- than anyone in baseball, and it’s hard to argue against using him against a mediocre San Francisco lineup.
The Verlander-Castillo matchup is a fascinating one, as it pits two pitchers that have been among the best in the sport over the last few years, but also features two teams that have played less-than-spectacular baseball over the last few weeks.
In fact, the Astros were swept by the lowly Royals over the weekend, while Seattle saw its struggles against Texas continue with their own three-game demise.
It also features two pitchers that have seen opposite levels of success as of late, as Verlander has a 5.19 ERA in his four starts in September, while Castillo has registered a solid -- if unspectacular -- 3.38 mark. The latter also hasn’t picked up a loss since July 14, and he makes a little more sense as a DFS option than Verlander at this point.
Gray vs. Sandoval offers the “cheap” entry points for Monday’s action, and it’s not hard to understand why. Gray hasn’t gone more than four innings in a start since he threw five middling frames against the Twins, and his ERA in the month of September -- small-sampled though it may be -- is an unhealthy 8.56.
Sandoval is actually coming off a solid outing against the Rays on Tuesday where he spun five innings of two-run baseball, but he had allowed a combined 15 runs in his two starts before that. He’s the kind hurler who is more likely to give you a chance for a win, but the fact he plays for one of the worst teams in baseball over the last month-plus makes it not worth the risk.
Sneaky option
There are no sneaky options. It’s very hard to sneak up on anyone when there’s only three games in the main slate.
Stack Attack
- Angels vs. Rangers (Gray)
- C Logan O’Hoppe: $3,700
- 1B Logan Schanuel: 3,400
- OF Jo Adell: $3,500
The only real question for me if you’re going to do a stack is whether to use it against the Angels or Rangers. The other starting pitching options are just too good for me to feel confident basing my DFS lineup on.
I’ll go with the Angels and the cheapness of these three against a pitcher in Gray who just hasn’t been very good for a while now, and it allows me to add some star plates like Juan Soto, Marcus Semien and two quality pitchers in Castillo and Webb. Certainly, some risk but the risk comes with plenty of reward.
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