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Monday, June 26th’s MLB slate for DraftKings isn’t as loaded as many fans have become accustomed to, as there are only six games on the slate. Fortunately, that’s not always a bad thing, as it allows players to really lock in and find the best options across the board. Today’s slate features Boston Red Sox pitcher Chris Sale, who’s nearly impossible to fade in most cases.
So, let’s break down the best picks and daily fantasy plays for the Monday DraftKings slate, which of course, begins with Sale.
Chris Sale, P, Boston Red Sox, $12,900
vs. Minnesota Twins
Yes, a price tag of $12,900 is tough to swallow, but leaving him out of your lineup could be giving up a huge number of points and put you behind the 8-ball with the rest of your lineup. While Sale’s price is high, it’s justifiable for someone who has 10 strikeouts while going eight innings in each of his previous two outings. To go along with that, he faces a Twins team that ranks just 21st in runs scored this season.
Potential pivots: Jeff Samardzija ($8,400 vs. Rockies), Rich Hill ($8,600 vs. Angels)
Gary Sanchez, C, New York Yankees, $5,000
vs. Chicago White Sox
Sanchez should absolutely light up the White Sox, and the Yankees are going to be one of the hottest stacks on Monday. Sanchez has multi-homer upside on any given night and it’s no different on Monday against the White Sox and David Holmberg. There’s a reason why his price tag is so monstrous tonight, and while there are some solid pivots, if you have the money to spend on hitters, then look at the Yankees’ rising star.
Potential pivots: Willson Contreras ($3,600 vs. Nationals), Kevan Smith ($2,500 vs. Yankees)
Cody Bellinger, 1B/OF, Los Angeles Dodgers, $5,500
vs. Los Angeles Angels
Bellinger is probably the hottest hitter in all of baseball currently. He has a .400 wOBA and a .391 ISO against right-handed pitching, although it’s a small sample size. With that said, Bellinger isn’t a guy who you need to think twice about. Instead, lock him into the lineup if you have the space. If not, look below for a potential pivot that won’t break the bank.
Potential pivots: Matt Holliday ($4,300 vs. White Sox), Mitch Moreland ($3,400 vs. Twins)
Chase Utley, 1B/2B, Los Angeles Dodgers, $3,300
vs. Los Angeles Angels
I like getting a pairing of Utley and Bellinger for the Dodgers tonight against Ricky Nolasco. Utley certainly has games where he’ll drop 0’s on your fantasy team, but with this great matchup and his potential to score double-digit fantasy, it’s hard to overlook him at this price. Over his last two games, Nolasco has allowed 17 hits and 10 earned runs. He’s also walked seven batters as well, which bodes well for the entire Dodgers roster, including the inexpensive Utley.
Potential pivots: Daniel Murphy ($5,200 vs. Cubs), Starlin Castro ($3,800 vs. White Sox)
Chase Headley, 3B, New York Yankees, $3,200
vs. Chicago White Sox
Time to lock in and save some money here. The Yankees stack is one that I personally will focus on, as previously mentioned. It’s hard to ignore Chase Headley’s price tag, and he’s fresh off a game in which he scored 11 fantasy points against the Texas Rangers. Before that, he had a tough run in his final three games vs. the Oakland Athletics, but in the three prior to that, he tallied 48 fantasy in just a three-game stretch. Headley has the potential to take advantage of a good matchup, and he has one tonight.
Potential pivots: Kris Bryant ($4,700 vs. Nationals), Anthony Rendon ($4,700 vs. Cubs)
Trea Turner, SS, Washington Nationals, $5,300
vs. Chicago Cubs
I’m not expecting to save money at shortstop tonight because Turner against the Cubs and Eddie Butler is an incredibly appealing matchup. In the three-game series prior to this one, Turner tallied 44 fantasy points on DraftKings, which includes a zero in the final game of the series. This is a player who can do a little bit of everything, making him one of those great all-around fantasy plays in a prime matchup. Don’t shy away from the Nationals as a great stack tonight if you can afford it, and Turner should be a centerpiece of that.
Potential pivots: Corey Seager ($5,200 vs. Angels), Tim Anderson ($3,000 vs. Yankees, if you need value)
Aaron Judge, OF, New York Yankees, $5,600
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vs. Chicago White Sox
Judge is my hands-down, clear-cut lock of the night. I’ll do my best to get him into as many lineups as possible in this great matchup. He’s been on absolute fire, topping 14 fantasy points in four of his last six games, which is almost unheard of in fantasy baseball. Buyer beware, though, because Judge is going to have a high ownership on Monday. Even still, he’s batting .332 with 59 RBIs and 26 home runs in a game that has an over/under of 10 runs.
Andrew Benintendi, OF, Boston Red Sox, $4,100
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vs. Minnesota Twins
A Red Sox stack Monday could also prove to be very profitable, and Benintendi’s price tag is pretty solid for an outfielder. He has a .333 wOBA and a .184 ISO against right-handed pitching this season and should produce nicely in a spot where the Red Sox are projected to score 4.9 runs by Odds Shark and are also pretty monster favorites as well. If you need to free up more cap space, though, we have a few nice inexpensive pivots here as well.
Potential pivots: Brian Goodwin ($3,800 vs. Cubs), Yasiel Puig ($3,700 vs. Angels)