This article is part of our Transaction Analysis series.
Here's a look at the transactions this week that had the most important fantasy impact.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Blue Jays
Jon Rauch, RHP - placed on the 15-day DL (knee)
Impact: The 6-foot-10, 290, Rauch managed to save 11 games for the Jays this year despite posting his highest ERA since his rookie season in 2002. He is most likely done for the season after he tore some cartilage in his right knee, an injury that could require surgery. Frank Francisco should continue to get the majority of save opportunities for the Jays for the rest of the season, though he's another pitcher who has looked shaky in the closer's role.
Indians
Travis Hafner, DH - activated from the 15-day DL
Impact: Hafner has been put on the DL on two separate occasions this year, the most recent being the result of a strained right foot that kept him out for a few weeks. Now that he's back, his playing time could be limited after the Indians acquired Jim Thome in late August. Hafner has performed adequately this season and returns to a .281 average, 11 home runs and 49 RBI over 82 games. Thome is hitting .242 with 13 home runs and 43 RBI in 84 games with the Twins and Indians.
Shin-Soo Choo, RF - out for the season
Impact: Choo will miss the rest of the season after aggravating a left oblique strain Thursday in his first game since coming off the disabled list. The
Here's a look at the transactions this week that had the most important fantasy impact.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Blue Jays
Jon Rauch, RHP - placed on the 15-day DL (knee)
Impact: The 6-foot-10, 290, Rauch managed to save 11 games for the Jays this year despite posting his highest ERA since his rookie season in 2002. He is most likely done for the season after he tore some cartilage in his right knee, an injury that could require surgery. Frank Francisco should continue to get the majority of save opportunities for the Jays for the rest of the season, though he's another pitcher who has looked shaky in the closer's role.
Indians
Travis Hafner, DH - activated from the 15-day DL
Impact: Hafner has been put on the DL on two separate occasions this year, the most recent being the result of a strained right foot that kept him out for a few weeks. Now that he's back, his playing time could be limited after the Indians acquired Jim Thome in late August. Hafner has performed adequately this season and returns to a .281 average, 11 home runs and 49 RBI over 82 games. Thome is hitting .242 with 13 home runs and 43 RBI in 84 games with the Twins and Indians.
Shin-Soo Choo, RF - out for the season
Impact: Choo will miss the rest of the season after aggravating a left oblique strain Thursday in his first game since coming off the disabled list. The strained oblique muscle had sidelined him for a few weeks, and he was only able to make it through two innings Thursday before his season ended. Choo hit just .259 with eight home runs and 36 RBI in 85 games. He also missed a month and a half earlier this season with a fractured left thumb. The Indians already have a packed outfield that also consists of Grady Sizemore, Kosuke Fukudome, Ezequiel Carrera, Shelley Duncan and Trevor Crowe. Losing Choo opens some playing time for the others.
Rangers
Nelson Cruz, RF - activated from the 15-day DL
Impact: Cruz has put together another good season despite missing time with two trips to the DL. In 113 games, he has set a career high with 84 RBI and is tied for the team lead in homers with 28. He'll be eased back into the starting lineup, but his return couldn't come at a better time as the Rangers try to hold off the Angels for the AL West title. David Murphy has been swinging a hot bat, so he could shift over to center field to accommodate Cruz, cutting into the playing time of Craig Gentry and Endy Chavez.
White Sox
Carlos Quentin, RF - activated from the 15-day DL
Impact: Quentin has yet to appear in more than 131 games in a season in his six-year career due to nagging injuries. He possesses good power, as evidenced by the 107 home runs that he's hit in 477 games since 2008. However, those injuries affect his fantasy value as they keep his counting stats down, while his mediocre batting averages are of no help. He could be a consistent 30-HR, 100-RBI threat if he could just stay healthy for a full season. He's still not 100 percent after coming back from a shoulder injury and with both Dayan Viciedo and Alejandro De Aza currently hitting over .300, Quentin's playing time could be limited.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Giants
Barry Zito, LHP - activated from the 15-day DL
Impact: With San Francisco's top four starters healthy, and with the Giants wanting to get a look at rookie Eric Surkamp, Zito will likely be used in a long relief role over the rest of the season. The 33-year-old lefty has had a rough year, posting a 3-4 record and 5.62 ERA over nine starts in a season that has been decimated by injury. Zito had started at least 32 games for 10 straight seasons before he sprained his right foot this season, and then sprained his ankle while rehabbing in Triple-A. While it's possible that he may make a spot start before the end of the season, he's not worth taking a chance on at this point.
Marlins
Mike Cameron, OF - released
Impact: The Marlins picked up the 38-year-old Cameron from the Red Sox in early July to be their regular center fielder, and his numbers were pretty much what you would expect from him at this point in his career. After a rough start with the Red Sox, Cameron batted .238 with six home runs in 45 games for Florida and finished with an overall .203 average, nine homers and just one stolen base. Bryan Petersen will now get regular at-bats as the team's center fielder, and fantasy owners should expect some steals, a decent batting average and little else from the 25-year-old outfielder.
Rockies
Ryan Spilborghs, OF - placed on the 60-day DL (foot)
Impact: Spilborghs missed almost a full month due to plantar fasciitis in his right foot, and then re-aggravated the injury in just his fifth game back from the DL on Sept. 5. He finishes the season with some rather lackluster numbers - a .210 average, three home runs, 22 runs, 22 RBI and two stolen bases. He saw action at all three outfield positions this year and will bring a career .272 batting average into next season.
