Editor's note: With fantasy football content ramping up, we will only publish three fantasy baseball DFS posts a week: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (which will include some weekend picks, too).
Thank you for understanding and I hope you continue to enjoy our content.
Now, back to your regularly scheduled programming...
For those who are unfamiliar with my thought process, I aim to add as many home run hitters as possible to my daily fantasy baseball lineups. One way of doing that is to look at a player's isolated power numbers (ISO). The ISO statistic removes singles and provides a larger weight for each extra-base hit.
I also use the weighted on-base average (wOBA) metric. This stat takes every positive outcome into consideration.
Last year, the league average was a .150 ISO and a .313 wOBA. So, when you see me list a player's ISO or wOBA, you know why I do it.
5 Things to Watch:
1. Here are the three highest over/unders for Monday, provided by OddsShark...
2. Jeff Samardzija and the Giants have the strongest odds of the night (-225). The Shark has struck out at least six batters in three of his past four starts and is 3-0 in four starts against the Padres this season.
3. Mat Latos will make his first start with the Nats tonight. In seven innings against the Mets this season, Latos has allowed six runs.
4. Might have some storms roll through Atlanta, but should be clear to play across the board tonight.
5. For the BvP readers: Joey Votto is 11=29 (.379) with three extra-base hits against Wily Peralta...Evan Gattis is 7-14 (.500) against Martin Perez...Also, Jose Altuve is 10-24(.417) with six extra-base hits against Perez.
Must-Start of the day: Kevin Kiermaier, TB
The Rays' outfielder is 11-23 (.478) with three home runs in the past week. Kiermaier also owns a .221 ISO against lefties this season.
Deal of the day: Chris Young, BOS
He leads the Red Sox with a .316 ISO against lefties and is batting .417 with two home runs in the past week.
Avoid of the day: Jose Bautista, TOR
He is 2-22 (.091) with six strikeouts against Jake Odorizzi.
Stack of the day: Boston Red Sox
With odds heavily in their favor (-200) and an over/under that high (9.5) the total run projected for Boston is great for DFS play. Attack Wade Miley with a handful of lefty-killers: Hanley Ramirez, Mookie Betts, and especially Chris Young.
Starting pitchers:
David Price, BOS - He's struck out at least seven batters in four consecutive starts. Price has registered 23 Ks against Baltimore in 19 innings this season.
Jeff Samardzija, SF - (See "5 Things")
Jose De Leon, LAD - In his first start, De Leon punched out nine batters in six innings of work. He'll look to expand on that total tonight in New York. Solid value for an SP2.
Catchers:
Evan Gattis, HOU - (See "5 Things")
Yasmani Grandal, LAD - He leads the Dodgers with a .278 ISO against righties this year.
First basemen:
Hanley Ramirez, BOS - He has a .310 ISO against southpaws this season.
Joey Votto, CIN - (See "5 Things")
Edwin Encarnacion, TOR - He has a .283 ISO against righties this year and has belted three home runs in the past week.
Second basemen:
Daniel Murphy, WAS - He has a .261 ISO against righties this year.
Dustin Pedroia, BOS - He has a .370 wOBA against lefties this season.
Jose Altuve, HOU - (See "5 Things")
Third basemen:
Nolan Arenado, COL - He has a .296 ISO against righties.
Justin Turner, LAD - He has a .264 ISO against righties this season.
Shortstops:
Trea Turner, WAS - He has a .249 ISO against righties and has three home runs in the past week.
Asdrubal Cabrera, NYM - He has a .201 ISO against righties in 2016.
Troy Tulowitzki, TOR - He has a .213 ISO against righties this year and is batting .421 in the past week.
Outfielders:
Mookie Betts, BOS - He has a .263 ISO against lefties this year.
Carlos Gonzalez, COL - He has a .209 ISO against righties in 2016.
Charlie Blackmon, COL - He has a .267 ISO against right-handed pitchers this year.
David Dahl, COL - He has a .224 ISO against righties this season.
Kevin Kiermaier, TB - "Must-start of the day."
Yoenis Cespedes, NYM - He has a .269 ISO against righties this season.
