Check out all of our starting pitcher rankings and other lineup selection tools here to help you make smart fantasy baseball lineup decisions. MLB betting tips for each day's slate of games will also be added in the morning. MLB game odds are provided by ESPN BET
, and all fantasy advice is geared toward ESPN 10-team leagues with standard scoring.
Note: All information is accurate as of the time of publication. For updates, including what you might have missed from last night, as well as any breaking news that might impact today's MLB slate, be sure to check out the latest fantasy baseball news.
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Pitchers to stream on Monday
Cincinnati Reds LHP Nick Lodolo returns from paternity leave for a home start against the Miami Marlins. He would have faced the Orioles on the road over the weekend. The Marlins lineup is less formidable while offering a higher strikeout upside for the southpaw.
San Francisco Giants LHP Robbie Ray takes the hill in Oracle Park to face the Milwaukee Brewers. Ray is inconsistent, but he has double-digit strikeout potential every time he starts. Small sample warnings apply, but the Brewers have struggled facing lefties so far and will encounter a huge park downgrade.
Boston Red Sox RHP Walker Buehler will experience his first Patriots Day game as he'll toe the rubber at 11:05 AM ET in the finale of a four-game set with the Chicago White Sox. Buehler has recovered from a slow start with a pair of solid outings, allowing only three runs in 11 1/3 frames.
Pitchers to avoid on Monday
Detroit Tigers RHP Jack Flaherty has started four games but has yet to complete six innings as a high 10.3% walk rate has driven up his pitch count. On Monday, he faces a very patient San Diego Padres lineup with a low strikeout rate. There is no need to take the risk so early in the fantasy week.
Hitters to stream on Monday
Padres RHP Randy Vasquez has issued 14 walks while punching out just eight in 20 2/3 innings. Spencer Torkelson, Kerry Carpenter and Zack McKinstry top Monday's list of streaming hitters on a docket with only eight games, no doubt yielding roster holes.
While he's not fully clicking yet, Red Sox 1B Triston Casas is showing signs of snapping out of his early season malaise, exhibiting more patience while not fanning as much. He's in play with the platoon edge on White Sox RHP Jonathan Cannon who yielded three homers in his first 18 innings this season.
Betting tips
Best/worst pitcher/hitter matchups and betting projections are generated by THE BAT X, a system created by Derek Carty using advanced methods like those used in MLB front offices, accounting for a variety of factors including player talent, ballparks, bullpens, weather, umpires, defense, catcher pitch-framing, and lots more. Betting projections for every player, team, and game can be found at EV Analytics.
Note: Expected Value is a measure of how good a bet is, factoring the probability that it will win versus the odds the book is providing. If you were to wager $1.00 100 times on a bet with an Expected Value of $25, you would win some and you would lose some, but in the end you would expect to come away with $25 in profit on your $100 investment.
Because odds typically do not get set until the previous day's games are completed, betting tips will be added in the morning.