6:58 AM PT
Note: This file has been updated with any overnight pitching changes or weather-related game postponements, along with the addition of the latest MLB game odds as of the indicated time of publication.
• MLB Depth Charts for every team
• Player news wire with fantasy spin
- ESPN Fantasy
Note: This file has been updated with any overnight pitching changes or weather-related game postponements, along with the addition of the latest MLB game odds as of the indicated time of publication.
What you need to know for Monday's MLB Games
By Todd ZolaFantasy Baseball Essentials
• Closer Chart: Latest bullpen intel• MLB Depth Charts for every team
• Player news wire with fantasy spin
- With Monday representing the fourth or fifth game of the season for all 30 teams, most will be deploying a below-average starter, rendering their matchups more relevant when searching for a streaming option. Two candidates square off in the day's first tilt, an afternoon affair in Kansas City with Carlos Hernandez (15% rostered in ESPN leagues) taking the hill for the home team, while Aaron Civale (77%) gets the nod for the visiting Cleveland Guardians. Hernandez is not only more widely available, but he also enjoys home field advantage while facing one of the weakest lineups in the league (even though you wouldn't know it after Sunday's pounding of Kris Bubic and the Royals bullpen).
- The best pitching matchup of the slate resides in the Bronx with the New York Yankees' Jameson Taillon opening a key early season series against Alek Manoah and the visiting Toronto Blue Jays. The weather doesn't portend to be too bad for an early April evening, settling in the low 50s. Both lineups are potent but runs still should be scant. Both serve as contrarian stacks with Toronto in a better spot, facing a weaker pitcher, but that renders the Yankees the better GPP tournament option.
- One of the better pitching streaming and DFS plays the past several seasons is deploying a lefty starter for home tilts against the visiting Colorado Rockies. With Trevor Story now with the Boston Red Sox, the Rockies will likely continue to be woeful facing southpaws on the road. This elevates Taylor Hearn (1.5%) to one of the best under the radar mound options of the slate.
- The Miami Marlins lineup lacks a string of established run producers, but they're dangerous from top to bottom. On Monday night, the Fish open an interleague series in Anaheim where Michael Lorenzen make his first start with the Los Angeles Angels. Lorenzen threw only nine spring stanzas, so look for a short stint, followed by a susceptible Halos mid-relief corps. This renders the Marlins as a sneaky DFS stack and a team to target for streaming batters in fantasy leagues with daily lineups.
- At least early on, it appears Keston Hiura(2.7%) will serve as the righthanded portion of a first base platoon with lefty swinging Rowdy Tellez. This will likely temper the rostership of both. With the Milwaukee Brewers visiting Camden Yards, Hiura lines up to be in the lineup against southpaw Bruce Zimmermann. Even with the left field renovation, Hiura is in a good spot against a lefty allowing 14 homers in 61 1/3 innings last season.
