FanDuel Daily Fantasy Baseball Helper: Monday 6/21/21

We're looking at a smaller six-game main slate to begin the week, and while there's some solid pitching talent available to us, there isn't necessarily an obvious top option. On the hitting side, the Houston Astros have the highest implied total by a sizable margin.

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Let's check out the top options on tonight's main slate.

Pitchers

Yu Darvish ($10,000): This isn't a great matchup for Darvish against the Dodgers, but he's the most talented hurler on the board, and LA is still missing a good chunk of starpower, which improves things a bit. Although Darvish hasn't quite matched his 2020 marks, he's rocking a 3.46 SIERA, 29.3% strikeout rate, and 6.3% walk rate, and both a pitcher-friendly Petco Park and mild temperatures should also help -- the Dodgers are showing an unimposing 3.34 implied total. It's worth noting that Darvish did have a lower spin rate in his most recent start, adding some concern here, though it may have been the result of the unique conditions at Coors Field. It isn't a perfect situation, but at the end of the day, I'm giving Darvish the benefit of the doubt on a slate lacking elite alternatives.

Frankie Montas ($9,500): Julio Urias deserves consideration opposite Darvish, as the Padres have actually been a below-average offense versus lefties this season. But San Diego still isn't a high upside matchup for punchouts, so Urias doesn't have an easy path towards a high score. On the other hand, Montas faces the Rangers, whose active roster comes in with a 25.6% strikeout rate and 88 wRC+ against right-handed pitching. Montas' season numbers don't necessarily leap off the page, but a 3.86 SIERA, 24.2% strikeout rate, and 5.7% walk rate should be good enough to get the job done in this appealing marchup.

Tyler Mahle ($8,800): The Twins are displaying a 4.39 implied total against Mahle and just got Byron Buxton back, so this is more of a boom-or-bust spot, but his 29.6% strikeout rate is tops on the slate, which will surely get our attention at this salary. Mahle's 3.47 SIERA is a near match to his ERA, and he doesn't issue many walks (7.6%). He's also fresh off one of his best starts of the season (61 FanDuel points versus Milwaukee) and has now scored 45 or more points in three of his last four.

Others to Consider: Julio Urias ($9,000)

Stacks

Houston Astros: As noted from the start, the Astros check in with the highest implied total on the board (5.47), and they've got a number of factors working in their favor. There are some minor rain concerns here, but if this game plays without a hitch, both high temperatures and favorable winds should be a boost to bats. And on top of that, they'll enjoy the confines of Camden Yards, which is a great park for home runs.

Best of all, this is a fantastic matchup against Baltimore starter Keegan Akin. The lefty is struggling versus right-handed batters, recording a 5.27 xFIP, 17.4% strikeout rate, and 9.3% walk rate in the split, and he's also allowing a 44.4% fly-ball rate, making him susceptible to the long ball.

Jose Altuve ($4,400) and Carlos Correa ($3,900) are really getting up there in salary, but they're both enjoying productive 2021 campaigns. Yuli Gurriel ($3,300) offers us a mid-range option who will bat in the heart of the order, while Chas McCormick ($2,400) is a top value if he's batting second. Abraham Toro ($2,000) could also crack the lineup at minimum salary.

Lefty Yordan Alvarez ($3,700) doesn't have an advantageous matchup, but the plus hitting environment keeps his powerful bat in play, and Michael Brantley ($3,200) can also be included at his modest number.

Cincinnati Reds: J.A. Happ has really struggled lately, and after a dozen starts, he's looking at a lackluster 5.11 SIERA with a 16.5% strikeout rate for the year. He's also allowing a 49.2% fly-ball rate, which has contributed to giving up 1.64 dingers per nine innings.

Against the southpaw, the righty sticks are naturally where we want to look first, with Nick Castellanos ($4,200) and Eugenio Suarez ($3,200) as top power choices, and Jonathan India ($2,800) giving us a value leadoff man. Tyler Stephenson ($2,500) should be in the lineup against the lefty, and he could bat as high as fourth, granting us another salary-saving option.

Additionally, Happ has been ineffective against left-handed bats, too, so Jesse Winker ($4,300) and Joey Votto ($3,000) also deserve to be in the mix.

Milwaukee Brewers: The Brewers have the second-best implied total tonight (4.84), but they aren't the easiest offense to put your faith in, so I put them firmly behind both the Astros and Reds tonight.

Right-hander Merrill Kelly's ERA estimators are all better than his 5.40 ERA, but ultimately, he's a guy who doesn't get a ton of strikeouts (21.4%) or grounders (42.4%), which has led to him allowing 1.38 home runs per nine innings. This is hardly a new issue for Kelly, either, who's given up 1.41 home runs per nine innings dating back to his 2019 debut.

Christian Yelich ($3,700), who's up to an encouraging .371 xwOBA, is the only hitter with a salary above $3,000, so this is also one of the better value stacks of the night. Kolten Wong ($2,800) and Dan Vogelbach ($2,900) will have the platoon advantage as the projected one and two hitters, while Avisail Garcia ($2,600), Omar Narvaez ($2,500), and Willy Adames ($2,500) offer up cheap pop in the middle third.

Others to Consider: Arizona Diamondbacks, Baltimore Orioles