For a slightly abbreviated Monday schedule with few aces on the mound, our SP rankings are surprisingly strong. Favorable matchups for a few relatively mediocre pitchers give us several affordable MLB DFS sleepers, especially on DraftKings.
The highlight of our rankings is the return of Mike Clevinger (@ Rangers). An upper back strain has kept Clevinger on the shelf since early April. Clevinger absolutely dominated in his first two outings, throwing 12 scoreless innings with 22 Ks. His rehab stint didn't go quite as well, as he gave up four runs in 7.1 innings (nine Ks), but clearly the Indians feel he's ready. He might be on a strict pitch count, which obviously limits his value -- especially on FanDuel where quality starts matter -- but he's still worth considering.
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Based on matchups, Kenta Maeda (vs. Giants), Lance Lynn (vs. Indians), Felix Pena (@ Blue Jays), Miles Mikolas (vs. Marlins), and Mike Fiers (vs. Orioles) all look like solid options at various price points. Fiers, Mikolas, and Pena are particularly good SP2 options on DK.
As far as fades, Luis Castillo (vs. Astros) has a tough matchup on paper, but given Houston's injuries and Castillo's talent, we're not overly worried about him. Jose Berrios (vs. Red Sox) is also in a tough spot, but his home ERA is a full run better than his road mark, making him a decent option, too. Yonny Chirinos (@ Yankees) and Masahiro Tanaka (vs. Rays) are probably in the worst spots among high-priced SPs.
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MORE MONDAY MLB: DFS picks
Today's Daily Fantasy Baseball Pitcher Rankings: Monday, June 17
(O) = Opener | (PLR) = Primary Long Reliever
| Rank | Pitcher | Team | Opponent | Opp. wRC+ vs. LHP (rank) | Opp. wRC+ vs. RHP (rank) | FD | DK |
| 1 | Mike Soroka | Braves | vs. Mets | N/A | 95 (14th) | $10,200 | $10,500 |
| 2 | Luis Castillo | Reds | vs. Astros | N/A | 115 (3rd) | $10,000 | $10,000 |
| 3 | Jose Berrios | Twins | vs. Red Sox | N/A | 112 (T-6th) | $9,600 | $10,300 |
| 4 | Mike Clevinger | Indians | @ Rangers | N/A | 103 (11th) | $9,800 | $8,700 |
| 5 | Kenta Maeda | Dodgers | vs. Giants | N/A | 79 (27th) | $8,600 | $9,000 |
| 6 | Zack Wheeler | Mets | @ Braves | N/A | 105 (T-9th) | $9,200 | $9,200 |
| 7 | Lance Lynn | Rangers | vs. Indians | N/A | 86 (T-23rd) | $9,300 | $9,500 |
| 8 | Yonny Chirinos | Rays | @ Yankees | N/A | 114 (T-4th) | N/A | $8,800 |
| 9 | Masahiro Tanaka | Yankees | vs. Rays | N/A | 114 (T-4th) | $9,000 | $8,000 |
| 10 | Felix Pena | Angels | @ Blue Jays | N/A | 78 (28th) | $6,600 | $6,700 |
| 11 | Miles Mikolas | Cardinals | vs. Marlins | N/A | 77 (29th) | $7,000 | $6,400 |
| 12 | Jake Arrieta | Phillies | @ Nationals | N/A | 88 (T-21st) | $7,900 | $7,300 |
| 13 | Patrick Corbin | Nationals | vs. Phillies | 100 (12th) | N/A | $9,400 | $8,200 |
| 14 | Joey Lucchesi | Padres | vs. Brewers | 106 (T-8th) | N/A | $8,100 | $8,600 |
| 15 | Mike Fiers | A's | vs. Orioles | N/A | 84 (25th) | $7,600 | $7,700 |
| 16 | Tommy Milone (PLR) | Mariners | vs. Royals | 72 (T-27th) | N/A | $6,400 | $6,900 |
| 17 | Danny Duffy | Royals | @ Mariners | 111 (7th) | N/A | $7,300 | $7,500 |
| 18 | Elieser Hernandez | Marlins | @ Cardinals | N/A | 94 (15th) | $6,100 | $5,900 |
| 19 | Rick Porcello | Red Sox | @ Twins | N/A | 121 (1st) | $7,200 | $7,000 |
| 20 | Wade Miley | Astros | @ Reds | 87 (23rd) | N/A | $8,400 | $8,400 |
| 21 | Jhoulys Chacin | Brewers | @ Padres | N/A | 88 (T-21st) | $6,300 | $6,900 |
| 22 | Andrew Cashner | Orioles | @ A's | N/A | 93 (16th) | $6,500 | $6,200 |
| 23 | Edwin Jackson | Blue Jays | vs. Angels | N/A | 112 (T-6th) | $5,600 | $4,200 |
| 24 | Tyler Beede | Giants | @ Dodgers | N/A | 116 (2nd) | $5,700 | $5,400 |
| 25 | Gerson Bautista (O) | Mariners | vs. Royals | N/A | 91 (17th) | N/A | $4,000 |
wRC+ is defined by Fangraphs as "[measuring] how a player’s wRC compares with league average after controlling for park effects. League average for position players is 100, and every point above 100 is a percentage point above league average. For example, a 125 wRC+ means a player created 25% more runs than a league average hitter would have in the same number of plate appearances. Similarly, every point below 100 is a percentage point below league average, so a 80 wRC+ means a player created 20% fewer runs than league average." For more on the stat, click here.