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11 games are on tap for Monday, with all action coming in the evening. Some top pitchers are on the board, meaning that finding value at other positions will be key. Some big-name rookies make for some intriguing targets Monday.
In this article, I will be providing you with my daily fantasy baseball lineup picks for DraftKings on 5/1/17. The DFS lineup picks will range from some of the elite players to mid-priced options and value plays on DraftKings.
You can read our FanDuel and Yahoo DFS lineup picks as well. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to reach out to me on Twitter @barryleonardjr.
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DFS Lineup Stacks to Target on DraftKings
Chicago Cubs vs. Vince Velasquez (RHP)
Vince Velasquez enters Monday with a 6.33 ERA and hasn't allowed less than three runs in each of his four starts this year. Lefties have hit .273 with four home runs against Velasquez this year, making Anthony Rizzo, Jason Heyward, and Kyle Schwarber are all worth a stack.
Detroit Tigers vs. Trevor Bauer (RHP)
Trevor Bauer has been hit hard this season, particularly recently. In his last start he allowed four runs on six hits, including two long balls, in six innings of work against the Astros. Bauer is 2-2 on the year with an ERA of 6.26. The Tigers make for a strong stacking option on Monday, as current Detroit hitters have a combined lifetime average of .320 against Bauer. Look to guys like Miguel Cabrera, Nicholas Castellano, and Alex Avila.
DFS Starting Pitchers to Consider on DraftKings
Luis Severino - NYY vs. TOR , $8,000
Luis Severino is currently sporting a record of 2-1 with a 3.00 ERA. He enters Monday fresh off an outing on April 26 in which he pitched seven shutout innings while picking up the win over the Red Sox. Monday brings a very favorable home matchup with the Toronto Blue Jays, a team ranked near the bottom of the league in team batting average. With double-digit strikeouts in two of his last three starts, Severino is one to target Monday.
Clayton Kershaw LAD vs. SF, $13,900
As per usual, Kershaw is the most expensive pitcher on the board. However, it's not wise to fade him Monday thanks to a favorable matchup with San Francisco, a team that's slid near the bottom of the league in team batting. Kershaw faced the Giants in his last outing and allowed just one earned run and struck out seven in seven innings of work. Kershaw remains an elite fantasy pitcher due to his high number of strikeouts and ability to keep teams from scoring. Just be sure to confirm his availability before deploying him, as he is dealing with a minor calf injury.
DFS Infielders to Consider on DraftKings
Catcher (C)
Alex Avila - DET vs. CLE, $2,800
Catcher Alex Avila is off to a blazing start this season, hitting .405 with four home runs and is coming off a three-hit performance Sunday. He has been a very solid, though often overlooked, fantasy producer for daily lineups. Look for his solid production to continue Monday when he faces Trevor Bauer. Aside from hitting .414 this year against righties, Avila is 7-for-18 with two home runs when going against Bauer.
First Base (1B)
Cody Bellinger - LAD vs. SF, $2,900
The rookie crushed the first two homers of his career Saturday and showed the power that has made him one of the top prospects in baseball. The lefty is hitting over .400 against right-handed pitchers, so Monday's matchup with Johnny Cueto could be a productive one. With a price tag under $3,000, Bellinger makes for a great sleeper target.
Second Base (2B)
Scooter Gennett - CIN vs. PIT, $3,600
Cincinnati's Scooter Gennett has been a solid source of fantasy production so far this year, averaging near six points per game on DraftKings. Yet, he typically doesn't garner a high ownership percentage. Gennett enters Monday hitting over .300 in the past week and .280 for the year. He's 8-for-17 lifetime against opposing starter Gerrit Cole and makes for a good sleeper pick Monday.
Shortstop (SS)
Didi Gregorius - NYY vs. TOR , $3,400
Didi Gregorius has enjoyed a successful return from the disabled list, hitting .467 through his first three games of 2017. With three hits Sunday, he's picked up at least two hits in each of the three games he's played in so far. Gregorius comes with an excellent price tag that will save you valuable cap space. He'll enjoy a favorable matchup Monday, as he is 6-for-21 lifetime with three home runs when facing Marco Estrada.
Third Base (3B)
Nicholas Castellanos - DET vs. CLE, $3,600
Nicholas Castellanos is an under-the-radar player for daily fantasy lineups, averaging eight points a game. He's struggled lately, hitting less than .200 over the last week, but faces a good matchup with Trevor Bauer. Over his career he's 6-for-22 with a homeroom in his career against Bauer.
DFS Outfielders to Consider on DraftKings
Mark Trumbo - BAL at BOS, $4,300
Mark Trumbo is a sleeper pick today based on his history against opposing starter Rick Porcello. Trumbo is 8-for-26 (.308) with three home runs in his career against the righty. Trumbo is having a down season so far, hitting just over .200 with two home runs. He hasn't been as highly owned in daily tournaments as he usually is, so that adds to his value Monday.
Aaron Judge- NYY vs. TOR, $3,900
Rookie Aaron Judge continues to be an excellent daily fantasy target. He enters Monday with five hits, including three home runs in his last three games and is batting .375 over the last week. He already has 10 long balls on the year and is hitting .307. Judge continues to hit for power and average while driving in runs. Continue to use him in daily lineups until he cools down.
Jason Heyward - CHC vs PHI, $3,600
Heyward is continuing to enjoy a bit of a resurgence in his game this year and has been a very productive player from a daily fantasy standpoint. He hits in the middle of a very good Chicago lineup and can provide fantasy points with hits and RBI. He enters Monday with a four-game hit streak. Heyward is hitting over .300 with all three of his hime runs against right-handed pitchers, so take him Monday in a favorable matchup.
DFS Hitters to Avoid on DraftKings
Brandon Belt - SF at LAD, $3,300
Brandon Belt is having another solid season, but he's a player to avoid in fantasy lineups Monday. Belt has struggled mightily against Clayton Kershaw throughout his career. Belt has a lifetime average of .059 (3-for51) with 27 strikeouts.
Curtis Granderson - NYM at ATL, $
Curtis Granderson continues to struggle this year, hitting .128, including .050 in the past week. The veteran outfielder runs into another tough matchup Monday against Julio Teheran. Granderson is 7-for-32 in his career against the righty.
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