It’s a small Labor Day main slate. There are only six games on the night slate since there are games scattered throughout the day. The MLB DFS main slate begins at 6:40 pm ET on DraftKings and FanDuel. As a result, the following suggestions are reduced to fit the size of the slate.
Monday's Starting Pitcher Strategy
A high-strikeout lefty is the best pitcher choice between all game types tonight. However, a veteran righty who's rounded into form this month is an excellent selection, too. Finally, a rookie making his debut is a GPP option.
It’s a small Labor Day main slate. There are only six games on the night slate since there are games scattered throughout the day. The MLB DFS main slate begins at 6:40 pm ET on DraftKings and FanDuel. As a result, the following suggestions are reduced to fit the size of the slate.
Monday's Starting Pitcher Strategy
A high-strikeout lefty is the best pitcher choice between all game types tonight. However, a veteran righty who's rounded into form this month is an excellent selection, too. Finally, a rookie making his debut is a GPP option.
Cash Game Recommendations:
Blake Snell (SD) vs. ARI
Snell has been cooking with gasoline. According to FanGraphs, in his previous 11 turns, he's had a 2.81 ERA, 2.79 xFIP, 2.83 SIERA, 1.25 WHIP, 35.1 K% and 28.8 CSW%. Moreover, Snell has allowed no more than two earned runs in seven of his previous eight starts.
The Diamondbacks haven't been pushovers lately, but they're still a favorable matchup. Arizona is 24th in wRC+ (90) against southpaws this season. So, Snell is a great pick in all game types.
Lance Lynn (CWS) at SEA
Lynn has been cruising. In his last six starts spanning 36.2 innings, he's had a 2.45 ERA, 2.76 xFIP, 2.62 SIERA, 0.85 WHIP, 2.1 BB%, 29.6 K% and 28.2 CSW%. It wasn't smooth sailing for Lynn to get to this point, but his track record of success makes it easier to buy into his heater.
Unfortunately, the Mariners aren't a cupcake. Yet, the betting info is sweet. According to Betting Pros, the White Sox have even odds to win, and the game's total is just 7.5 runs. Finally, Lynn is an attractive choice in all game types because of his cap-friendly salary.
GPP Recommendations:
Hunter Brown (HOU) vs. TEX
Brown is making his big-league debut tonight. FanGraphs ranked the 24-year-old righty as Houston's top prospect. Brown has responded with a stellar season, spinning a 2.55 ERA, 3.63 xFIP, 1.08 WHIP and 31.5 K% in 106.0 innings.
The fly in the ointment is his 10.6 BB%. Additionally, Brown's pitch counts by start have varied, creating some risk the Astros could yank him early. Still, according to MiLB.com, Brown threw 92 pitches on August 23. So, that's within Brown's range of outcomes. Therefore, Brown's high strikeout ability is worth investing in at his cap-friendly salary in GPPs.
Top Lineup Stacks
The White Sox have eviscerated lefties this year. They're tied for third in wRC+ (122) against lefties in 2022. Meanwhile, Marco Gonzales has been in a funk. In his last 11 starts totaling 65.0 innings, he's had a 4.85 ERA and 4.99 xFIP. Further, he is playing with fire with an extreme pitch-to-contact approach, striking out batters at a pathetic 11.6% clip during his run of futility. The game's low total is a reason for pause. And Seattle's bullpen is above average. Regardless, Chicago's excellence against southpaws is a reason to stack them in all game types.
- Home (PETCO Park)
- Value: Low
- Risk: Low
- Game Type: Both
- Game Total/Moneyline: Unlisted
Brown isn't the only pitcher making his big-league debut tonight. Rookie righty Ryne Nelson is starting for the Diamondbacks, getting the ball in The Show for the first time. He's not as highly regarded as a prospect as Brown, and he's found the sledding tough in Triple-A. Nelson has a 5.43 ERA, 5.56 xFIP, 1.39 WHIP and 1.65 HR/9 in 26 starts spanning 136.0 innings. Nelson's struggles aren't a harbinger for hitting the ground running in the majors. Additionally, Arizona's bullpen is hot garbage. Diamondbacks' relievers have the sixth-highest ERA (4.48) in 2022. Thus, the Friars have a high ceiling, making them an appealing stack.
- Jose Abreu has raked against lefties. Since 2019, he's had a .385 OBP, .257 ISO and 158 wRC+ against southpaws.
- Luis Robert has destroyed lefties since reaching the majors in 2020. He's had a .414 OBP, .253 ISO and 181 wRC+.
- Mike Trout is a lefty-killer. Since 2019, he's had a .423 OBP, .236 ISO and 152 wRC+ against southpaws.
- Andrew Vaughn has excelled with the platoon advantage in the bigs. He's had a .386 OBP, .203 ISO and 148 wRC+.
- Yasmani Grandal is a nightmare for lefties. Since 2019, he's had a .433 OBP, .243 ISO and 156 wRC+.
- Javier Baez is a sweet power source with the platoon advantage. Baez has had a .248 ISO against lefties since 2019.
Monday's Hitter Strategy
The White Sox are a great source of hitters tonight. They have top-shelf options and bargains. However, the Friars are also an excellent team to pillage for hitters tonight.
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Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.