We start a new work week but also the second half of June. It's some proper summer(ish) baseball time! There are seven games on the slate for Monday, the first pitch at 6:40 p.m. ET. Here are my Monday MLB DFS recommendations. Good luck!
Pitching
Mick Abel, PHI at MIA ($8,500): Abel, a top pitching prospect, had a 2.21 ERA in Triple-A, and he now has a 2.35 ERA in three MLB starts. His last start was poor, but it was against the Cubs, one of baseball's best offenses. The Marlins are not that. They are down in the bottom 10 in runs scored, and seem pretty ensconced there now.
Jake Irvin, WAS vs. COL ($8,000): Irvin isn't having a particularly good season but he does have a 3.46 ERA at home. That suffices at this salary and in this matchup. The Rockies just surprisingly scored 10 runs against Atlanta, getting them out of last in runs scored. They're still one of three teams not to get to 240 runs scored yet, however, and they still have a sub-.300 OBP.
Top Targets
I'm not worried that Freddie Freeman ($3,900) has been a bit cold recently. On the season he has an OPS over 1.000 against righties and at home. Meanwhile, Dylan Cease has enjoyed pitching at Petco Park but not so much on the road. He has a 5.65 ERA in away games.
When you recall that Jazz Chisholm ($3,500) has only played in 39 games, it's impressive he already has nine home runs and 10 stolen bases. Last year he had 24 homers, but also four triples and 40 swiped bags. Jose Soriano doesn't allow many home runs, but he has a 3.86 ERA and an 1.64 K/BB rate. Lefties have hit .270 against Soriano as well.
Bargain Bats
Remarkably, J.P. Crawford ($2,800) has a .413 slugging percentage and a .411 OBP. The lefty also has an 1.009 OPS over the last three weeks. Lucas Giolito has been struggling in his return from missing all of 2024. Through eight starts he has a 5.45 ERA.
Owing to injuries and a lefty starting for the opponent, Alex Call ($2,600) likely will be playing for the Nationals. He's not remarkable, but since joining the Nationals he has a .799 OPS against lefties and a .741 OPS at home. The opposing pitcher is southpaw Carson Palmquist. He's made five MLB starts and he has a 7.77 ERA and has allowed righties to hit .313 against him.
Stack to Consider
Rays vs. Orioles (Zach Eflin): Junior Caminero ($3,200), Brandon Lowe ($3,100), Jonathan Aranda ($3,000)
Former Ray Eflin returns to, well, not his old home, given that the Rays aren't at Tropicana Field this season. It's been a tough campaign for him with Baltimore. In addition to having a 4.08 ERA he has a 4.67 FIP, 6.11 K/9 rate and 1.70 HR/9 rate. Lefties have hit 80 percent of the homers he's allowed, so I have two lefties in this stack.
Caminero is a righty, but he's slugged .500 and has 17 home runs. He also has an .822 OPS versus his fellow righties, and since 2023, right-handed hitters have averaged .267 against Eflin. Lowe has 13 home runs in 66 games, impressive for a second baseman. Since 2023 he's slugged .479 against righties, including .510 this season. Aranda is more inclined to smash liners, but it works for him. He has a .319 average and 13 doubles, and he has a .984 OPS at home for good measure.
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