Baseball is back! Check back here throughout the day for updated blurbs as teams confirm their lineup. We’ll keep you updated on some of the day’s highest-impact trends by utilizing our Models and Vegas dashboard. Projected and confirmed lineups for every game can be found on our MLB Daily Lineups page.
Red Sox (-120) at Orioles (+111) — 7:05 PM EST
Red Sox in: Mookie Betts (abdominal)
Mookie Betts has officially been activated from the disabled list and will return to the leadoff spot for Monday’s game against the Orioles. He had missed the previous 13 games due to a strained left abdominal, and JD Martinez, Brock Holt, and Blake Swihart split time in right field during his absence. Andrew Benintendi will slide back down to the two-hole after leading off while Xander Bogaerts will move to fifth in the lineup after hitting second. Even after missing time, Betts still leads the American League in runs scored and has historically fared well at Camden Yards by hitting 11 career home runs in the park — the most out of any stadium besides Fenway. Despite hitting ninth in the lineup, Jackie Bradley also warrants tournament consideration with a team-high average batted-ball distance of 237 feet over the last 15 days, and he costs just $2,700 on FanDuel.
Orioles out: Manny Machado (illness)
Orioles in: Jace Peterson
Manny Machado is out of the lineup against the Red Sox on Monday, and he’ll be replaced in the infield by Jace Peterson. Danny Valencia will return to the lineup after missing one game due to an illness, and he’ll bat cleanup while Jonathan Schoop moves up to the three-hole. Although the Orioles are presently implied to score 4.1 runs, they possess the second-highest Team Value Rating on DraftKings and FanDuel. Alas, none of the hitters in the lineup offer more than four Pro Trends, and all but one has a recent hard-hit rate north of 34%. Red Sox knuckleballer Steven Wright hasn’t allowed a run in five straight appearances — four as a reliever — and his recent Statcast data is unparalleled this evening.
Blue Jays (-104) at Rays (-104) — 7:10 PM EST
Rays out: Daniel Robertson (tight left hamstring)
Rays in: Willy Adames
Daniel Robertson has been placed on the 10-day disabled list after suffering a tight left hamstring in Sunday’s loss. The team has recalled Willy Adames from the minors, and he’ll immediately step into the starting lineup to replace Robertson at shortstop. Matt Duffy will slide up to the leadoff spot for the first time against a right-handed pitcher this season, rookie Jake Bauers will hit second, and usual two-hole hitter CJ Cron has moved to the cleanup spot. The Rays are currently implied to score 4.0 runs but suffer from the second-worst Park Factor for right-handed hitters. Bauers, who is a lefty, is minimum price on FanDuel ($2,000) and could benefit from facing a home-run prone pitcher in Sam Gaviglio. However, Gaviglio has limited hitters to a 25% hard-hit percentage while inducing a 61% groundball percentage over the last 15 days.
Indians (-240) at White Sox (+219) — 8:10 PM EST
Indians out: Jason Kipnis (stiff neck), Edwin Encarnacion (right ankle)
Indians in: Melky Cabrera, Erik Gonzalez
Jason Kipnis and Edwin Encarnacion remain sidelined for an Indians team presently implied to score a slate-high 5.6 runs. They’ll be replaced in the lineup by Melky Cabrera and Erik Gonzalez, and Greg Allen will bat leadoff for the second straight game. The Indians are the only team implied to score more than 4.9 runs, and they lead all teams in Team Value Rating on DraftKings and FanDuel. Jose Ramirez leads the Indians with 11 DraftKings Pro Trends, and his recent Statcast data is unimpeachable: 256-foot batted ball distance, 96 MPH exit velocity, 51% fly ball rate, and 51% hard-hit rate. Hitters with comparable numbers have historically averaged a FantasyLabs’ +1.54 DraftKings Plus/Minus. White Sox righty Lucas Giolito faced the Indians less than two weeks ago, and he surrendered five runs and nine hits in six innings. The Indians will likely be the most popular team to stack in cash games, and Ramirez may be among the highest owned hitters on the slate.
