3 MLB FanDuel Studs to Target on 4/15/19

Trevor Bauer, P, Cleveland Indians

Price: $11,200

Even on a slate that offers us four pitching options priced north of $9,000, Trevor Bauer is worth paying all the way up for on Monday.

Bauer got cracked for four earned runs in his last start, but that still brings him up to only five earned runs allowed in three starts on the year, striking out seven, eight and nine guys in his three starts. His 30.4% strikeout rate lines up with his elite 30.8% clip from 2018, and his 14.1% swinging-strike rate is up from last year's mark of 13.3%. His skill-interactive ERA (SIERA) is worse over this small sample, but a 3.74 SIERA is still an excellent number.

The only real question mark around Bauer tonight comes from his matchup against the Seattle Mariners, who have shown big power this season. Their power has come with an above-average strikeout rate (24.4%), though, leaving Bauer with both plenty of upside and the potential for a high-strikeout total to salvage a solid fantasy outing, even if he does get taken yard a couple of times.

Oddsmakers don't expect this matchup to hurt Bauer too much as the Mariners boast an underwhelming 3.67 implied total. Our models have Bauer as the top-projected pitcher on the slate.