MLB daily notes: Fantasy rankings for Monday

— -- Clayton Kershaw is miles ahead of the other pitching options for Monday. But who are the other pitchers you can trust, and which bats should you target? We rank every matchup so you can make the right calls.

Pitching

Elite

Clayton Kershaw has started nine games spanning 70 innings and has issued four walks. That's silly. The Los Angeles Dodgers' lefty has fanned double-digit hitters in six straight outings. It's just past mid-May and there's already nothing left to say. Okay, maybe it's worth mentioning that the Cincinnati Reds are surprisingly effective versus left-handers, toting a .333 weighted on base average (wOBA) and 19 percent strikeout rate into Dodger Stadium. Did I mention Kershaw's 88:4 strikeout-to-walk ratio?

So far, so good for Johnny Cueto's return to the Senior Circuit. The San Francisco Giants' right-hander is back to his pitch-efficient ways, going deep into games, allowing his teammates to scratch out a few runs before handing the ball to the bullpen for just one or two frames. This is the perfect recipe for DFS cash play. However, with the non-daunting San Diego Padres heading north to AT&T Park, Cueto is in play for tournament action as the Friars carry a league-low .276 wOBA versus righties which includes a 25 percent strikeout rate in that scenario.

Solid

Rich Hill has tossed at least six frames in six of his nine outings, though he's lasted longer only once. The reason is Hill's pitch total piles up fast is evidenced by a 10.7 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9. This tempers his fantasy potential, especially on DFS sites that base their pricing in part on his 2.54 ERA and 1.13 WHIP. In other words, Hill may not provide a great bang for the buck. Next up for Hill is a road affair in Safeco Field as the Oakland Athletics visit their American League West neighbor, the Seattle Mariners. The hosts boast a wOBA a little above average against southpaws, checking in with a .328 wOBA and a below-average 20 percent strikeout pace. Hill is fine for seasonal play but really doesn't provide the value, or potential upside for DFS deployment.

The peripherals for Drew Pomeranz are similar to Hill's, sharing the inability to go deep into games despite sporting a sparkling 1.96 ERA and 1.07 WHIP. The Padres' lefty has a tough matchup, squaring off with Cueto. Also like Hill, Pomeranz is a go in seasonal but isn't lined up well for DFS action.

Let's turn our attention to a few solid DFS option on the abbreviated Monday slate. Behind the scorching stick of Miguel Cabrera, the Detroit Tigers have awakened from their early season slumber, but they do still fan at an accelerated pace. This puts Vince Velasquez and his 11.0 K/9 in play for tournament action. Aiding the Philadelphia Phillies 23-year old righty is the fact that his hitting teammates will face  Mike Pelfrey, so run support shouldn't be an issue.

Gio Gonzalez many not carry an elevated strikeout rate, as he's whiffing a moderate 7.5 hitters per nine frames, but with the New York Mets visiting Nationals Park, the Washington Nationals' southpaw has a chance to tack on a few extra punch outs. The guests are near the top in the game with respect to whiffing versus lefties, rendering Gonzalez a fine GPP candidate.

Wei-Yin Chen has pitched a little better than his 4.22 ERA indicates. He's recorded a quality start in six of his eight outings with career-best strikeout and walk rates. He's been victimized by a high batting average on balls in play (BABIP). The Tampa Bay Rays play their Sunshine State brethren in the opener of an interleague set in Marlins Park. The American League Floridians hit southpaws well, though their lineup is not only devoid of the designated hitter but also the injured  Logan Forsythe and Kevin Kiermaier. As a club, the Rays whiff at a 23 percent clip against southpaws, putting Chen in the mix for all DFS formats.

Streamers

If this were late in the week and your ratios were in jeopardy, Brandon Finnegan would be risky, but since it's the start of the head-to-head scoring week, let's give the Cincinnati Reds' southpaw the green light. He'll take the hill to challenge a Dodgers club that's below average versus lefties, plus Finnegan gets a nice park upgrade over the Great American Ballpark.

This pick comes with the note that Erik Johnson will be working the nightcap of an old-fashioned doubleheader, thus he may be facing a couple of the Cleveland Indians' reserves. The Chicago White Sox right-hander has been summoned from Triple-A Charlotte for a spot start. He wasn't exactly dominating in the minors with just 25 strikeouts in 35 1/3 frames, but in the spirit of being aggressive early, Johnson is worth a spot start in your lineup too.

Mike Clevinger will work the first game of the aforementioned twin bill, leading the Tribe into U.S. Cellular Field for a twilight affair. This will be the rookie's second career start, allowing four earned runs to the Cincinnati Reds in his debut. However, he fanned five with just one free pass over 5 1/3 innings, so he wasn't overmatched. He has the unfamiliarity edge and is thus another candidate for those looking to be aggressive early.

Inconsistent control remains Matt Moore's bugaboo, but with a date in Marlins Park against the Fish, the Rays' southpaw is worth a start if only for his strikeout potential. The hosts whiff an elevated 26 percent of the time, while Moore punches out a batter an inning.

If the Chicago Cubs were swinging the bat better as a team, recommending Adam Wainwright would be riskier. However, with a date in pitcher-friendly Busch Stadium, the St. Louis Cardinals' veteran right-hander is in play.

Avoid

Other than Mike Pelfrey and Derek Holland, who both fall in the automatic avoidance range with a projected game score 45 or below, no one else is a categorical no-go. The closest is Los Angeles Angels right-hander Nick Tropeano for his date with the Texas Rangers in Arlington.

Hitting

A team that makes excellent contact facing a pitcher with a puny 4.7 K/9 seems like a good place to start when discussing hitting matchups. The Los Angeles Angels and their stingy 16 percent strikeout rate against lefties will visit hitter-friendly Globe Life Park to take on the Rangers. Right-handed hitters Yunel Escobar, Albert Pujols, C.J. Cron and of course Mike Trout (if healthy) are the chief choices, but don't sleep on Kole Calhoun because he lacks the platoon edge. Holland isn't likely to last very long, which means Calhoun is likely to enjoy that bump against the bullpen.

When a National League club visits an American League park, they often use a lesser stick at designated hitter. The Philadelphia Phillies, on the other hand, recently called up Tommy Joseph, so expect Ryan Howard to occupy the designated hitter spot with Joseph at first. Both are solid options facing Detroit Tigers righty Mike Pelfrey. Other possibilities include on-base machine Odubel Herrera and slugging third baseman  Maikel Franco.

The return of Mike Moustakas makes the Kansas City Royals more dangerous versus right-handers, which will come in handy as the club visits Target Field with Ricky Nolasco on the hill for the Minnesota Twins. Eric Hosmer joins Moustakas as a solid play.

Most likely to hit a home run: Let's cast the line for Mike Trout facing Derek Holland in Globe Life Park, again, assuming he's healthy and can play.

Most likely to steal a base: Since he'll likely play both games, we'll be specific. Francisco Lindor will take advantage of Mat Latos' inability to control the running game and swipe a bag in the first game of the doubleheader.