Friday Lineup Card: Chapman Earns First Save

This article is part of our The Lineup Card series.

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Projected Starters - A look at Friday's matchups (all times Eastern):

Cubs (Rodrigo Lopez - R) at Pirates (James McDonald - R), 7:05
Blue Jays (Jo-Jo Reyes - L) at Indians (Mitch Talbot - R), 7:05
Braves (Brandon Beachy - R) at Phillies (Roy Halladay - R), 7:05
Rays (Jeremy Hellickson - R) at Yankees (Freddy Garcia - R), 7:05
Rockies (Jason Hammel - R) at Nationals (John Lannan - L), 7:05
Orioles (Zach Britton - L) at Red Sox (Josh Beckett - R), 7:10
Astros (Jordan Lyles - R) at Marlins (Javier Vazquez - R), 7:10
Athletics (Gio Gonzalez - L) at Rangers (C.J. Wilson - L), 8:05
Reds (Mike Leake - R) at Brewers (Zack Greinke - R), 8:10
Tigers (Rick Porcello - R) at Royals (Kyle Davies - R), 8:10
Twins (Nick Blackburn - R) at White Sox (Gavin Floyd - R), 8:10
Diamondbacks (Ian Kennedy - R) at Cardinals (Kyle Lohse - R), 8:15
Mariners (Blake Beavan - R) at Angels (Ervin Santana - R), 10:05
Padres (Mat Latos - R) at Dodgers (Chad Billingsley - R), 10:10
Mets (R.A. Dickey - R) at Giants (Ryan Vogelsong - R), 10:15

Day Game After a Night Game: None

Injuries - A brief look at players that have been missing time with minor ailments and their expected returns.

Day-to-Day (includes players expected to make their return from the DL)

Johnny Damon, OF, TB (hand) - Feeling better; expected back Saturday
Erick Aybar, SS, LAA (quad) - Expected back Thursday
Alex Rodriguez, 3B, NYY (knee) - May be held out of the All-Star Game
Mariano Rivera, RP, NYY (triceps) - Should be available Thursday
J.P. Arencibia, C, TOR (wrist) - Left Wednesday's game after being hit by a pitch
Carlos Gonzalez, OF, COL (wrist) - Will be in Friday's lineup
Charlie Blackmon, OF, COL (foot) - Fractured foot, so DL trip coming up
Josh Harrison, 3B, PIT (head) - Sat Wednesday for second straight game
Troy Tulowitzki, SS, COL (quad) - Out Thursday, but could return over weekend
Jeff Baker, 2B, CHC (back) - Sat Wednesday
Jeff Karstens, SP, PIT (knee) -Hurting, but no indication he'll miss time
Chris Young, OF, AZ (thumb) - Still bothered, but playing through it
Shane Victorino, OF, PHI (thumb) - May avoid DL, but out possibly until the break
Placido Polanco, 3B, PHI (back) - Pain has intensified, but intends to play Friday
Ryan Braun, OF, MIL (calf) - MRI revealed just inflammation; likely back Friday
Aaron Miles, 2B, LAD (elbow) - X-rays negative; sat Wednesday, but likely good to go
R.A. Dickey, SP, NYM (glute) - Has discomfort, but likely will start Friday
Ivan Rodriguez, C, WAS (oblique) - Available to pinch-hit Thursday, but we've seen how these oblique issues can linger
Scott Baker, SP, MIN (elbow) - Has mild flexor strain and will miss a start

Players on the DL

Wade Davis, SP, TB (forearm) - Placed on DL after struggling Wednesday
Jose Reyes, SS, NYM (hamstring) - Placed on DL and will miss three weeks
Tyson Ross, SP, OAK (oblique) - Making at least one more rehab start
Alex White, SP, CLE (finger) - Hopes to throw off mound soon
Shin-Soo Choo, OF, CLE (thumb) - Hopes to return by second week of August
Clay Buchholz, SP, BOS (back) - Should be able to rehab injury without surgery
Jon Lester, SP, BOS (shoulder) - No timetable, but won't be throwing for a bit
Rod Barajas, C, LAD (ankle) - Starting rehab trip Thursday and eyeing July 15 return
Pedro Alvarez, 3B, PIT (quad) - Hitting .300 on rehab trip; expected back right after All-Star break
Joe Blanton, SP, PHI (elbow) - Threw another bullpen Wednesday, but still no timetable
Roy Oswalt, SP, PHI (back) - Visiting specialist to determine course of treatment
Brad Lidge, RP, PHI (shoulder) - Making second rehab appearance Thursday and hoping for more velocity
David Wright, 3B, NYM (back) - Won't play in rehab games during break; ideally, back in roughly two weeks
Johan Santana, SP, NYM (shoulder) - Bullpen session postponed by rain
Jason Kendall, C, KC (shoulder) - Had a setback and will need surgery; career may be done

Transactions - Players that have been demoted, called up, traded, released, you name it. We'll cover it here.

Called Up
Kyle Seager, 3B, SEA
Nick Evans, OF, NYM
Zach McAllister, SP, CLE
Zach Cozart, SS, CIN
Carlos Fisher, SP, CIN
P.J. Walters, RP, STL

Sent Down
Jose Yepez, C, SEA (DFA)
J.R. Towles, C, HOU
Collin Balester, RP, WAS
Cord Phelps, 2B, CLE
Paul Janish, SS, CIN
Edinson Volquez, SP, CIN
Bryan Augenstein, RP, STL (DFA)
Mark Hamilton, 1B, STL
Brandon Dickson, RP, STL
Guillermo Moscoso, SP, OAK
Graham Godfrey, SP, OAK

Placed on DL
Jose Reyes, SS, NYM
Wade Davis, SP, TB

Activated from DL
Humberto Quintero, C, HOU
Gerald Laird, C, STL
Grant Balfour, RP, OAK
Josh Willingham, OF, OAK

Closer Watch - A closer look at intriguing ninth-inning situations (check out our Closer Grid with the link to the left).

Kansas City - The once-displaced Joakim Soria nailed down his eighth save in a row Wednesday on the South Side of Chicago. He's really come around, eh?

Cincinnati - Aroldis Chapman got his first career save Wednesday, pitching a scoreless bottom of the thirteenth in St. Louis. Francisco Cordero blew it in the ninth, but his job is still quite secure.

Key Matchups

Zach Cozart, SS, CIN - Cozart up, Paul Janish down. That's the kind of move you can really get behind as a fantasy player. Cozart is an older prospect at 25 and repeating Triple-A after last season's somewhat disappointing campaign (17 homers and 30 steals are great, but just a .255 average and a 107:40 K:BB), but he's had a very solid year four Louisville thus far, posting a .310/.357/.467 line with seven homers and nine steals. Cozart doesn't have a load of upside, but he has the power-speed combo, he's jumping into one of the best lineups in baseball, and he's probably going to play every day. Jose Reyes owners scrambling for a quick fix could find one here.

Other recent recommendations:Nolan Reimold, David Hernandez, Bartolo Colon, Phil Hughes, Charlie Furbush

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C - Carlos Santana, CLE ($5,447)
1B - Michael Morse, WAS ($6,060)
2B - Dustin Ackley, SEA ($6,875)
3B - Adrian Beltre, TEX ($8,888)
SS - Hanley Ramirez, FLA ($7,667)
OF - Josh Hamilton, TEX ($7,694)
OF - Carlos Quentin, CHW ($5,902)
OF - Eric Thames, TOR ($6,648)
UT - Evan Longoria, TB ($7,765)
UT - Mark Trumbo, LAA ($5,463)
SP - Mat Latos, SD ($10,500)
SP - Zack Greinke, MIL ($11,284)
RP - Joel Hanrahan, PIT ($2,824)
P - Jordan Lyles, HOU ($6,549)

Total: $99,566

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