Sunday Lineup Card: Pick Up Zimmermann

Projected Starters – A look at Sunday's matchups:

Braves (Mike Minor – L) at Marlins (Alex Sanabia – R), 12:10
Blue Jays (Brett Cecil - L) at Yankees (Phil Hughes – R), 1:05
Nationals (Jason Marquis – R) at Pirates (Charlie Morton – R), 1:35
Brewers (Randy Wolf – L) at Phillies (Kyle Kendrick – R), 1:35
Rays (Wade Davis – R) at Orioles (Chris Tillman – R), 1:35
White Sox (Mark Buehrle – L) at Red Sox (Josh Beckett – R), 1:35
Tigers (Armando Galarraga – R) at Royals (Kyle Davies – R), 2:10
Rangers (C.J. Wilson – L) at Twins (Nick Blackburn – R), 2:10
Reds (Homer Bailey – R) at Cardinals (Chris Carpenter – R), 2:15
Mets (Jonathon Niese – L) at Cubs (Ryan Dempster – R), 2:20
Rockies (Jorge De La Rosa – L) at Padres (Clayton Richard – L), 4:05
Angels (Ervin Santana – R) at Athletics (Vin Mazzaro – R), 4:05
Astros (J.A. Happ – L) at Diamondbacks (Rodrigo Lopez – R), 4:10
Indians (Jeanmar Gomez – R) at Mariners (Felix Hernandez – R), 4:10
Giants (Jonathan Sanchez – L) at Dodgers (Hiroki Kuroda – R), 8:00

Day game after night game: WAS, PIT, MIL, PHI, ATL, FLA, TB, BAL, DET, KC, HOU, ARI, CLE, SEA

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)

Evan Meek, RP, PIT – (Hand) Expected to return to the bullpen on Saturday or Sunday.
Johan Santana, SP, NYM – (Chest) Will be reevaluated after playing a scheduled session of catch on Saturday.
Jose Reyes, SS, NYM – (Oblique) Was not determined unready to play after taking swings during batting practice Saturday. He'll attempt to go again on Sunday.
Justin Upton, OF, ARI – (Shoulder) Missed Saturday's game, because his shoulder is still tender.
Derek Lowe, SP, ATL – (Elbow) Hopes to make his next start on Wednesday.
Justin Masterson, SP, CLE – (Personal) His next start has been pushed back to Tuesday.
Cliff Lee, SP, TEX – Expected to start on Tuesday, but that will depend on how well his Saturday bullpen session goes.
Nick Swisher, OF, NYY – (Knee) Scratched from Saturday's lineup. He's on the cusp of returning.
Danny Valencia, 3B, MIN – (Hamstring) Held out of Saturday's lineup, and may miss a couple more games.
Mike Lowell, 1B, BOS – (Ribs) Has a non-displaced rib fracture but is not expected to miss any time.
Miguel Cabrera, 1B, DET – (Biceps) Is back in the lineup for Saturday's game.
Elvis Andrus, SS, TEX – (Hamstring) Left Saturday's game with a tight hamstring.

Players on the DL

Felipe Paulino, SP, HOU – (Shoulder) Is not likely to return this season.
Carlos Silva, SP, CHC – (Illness) Scheduled to return and start on Tuesday.
Chris Young, SP, SD – (Shoulder) Will throw another rehab start Sunday and remains at least a week away from returning.
Donnie Murphy, SS, FLA – (Wrist) Placed on the 60-Day DL.
Kevin Slowey, SP, MIN – (Triceps) Will return and start on Tuesday against the Royals.
Jason Kendall, C, KC – (Shoulder) Surgery revealed his injury was worse than expected. He'll need eight-to-12 months to fully recover.
Luke Hochevar, SP, KC – (Elbow) Expected to return and pitch against the Twins no Tuesday.
Brian Bannister, SP, KC – (Shoulder) Expected to pitch against the Twins on Tuesday, but he'll be limited to about three innings of work.
Alex Rodriguez, 3B, NYY – (Calf) Appears ready to return for Sunday's game.
Andy Pettitte, SP, NYY – (Groin) Remains on track to return in mid-September.

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

Placed on the DL (15-Day unless otherwise noted)
Ricky Nolasco, SP, Marlins (60-Day DL)
Donnie Murphy, SS, Marlins (60-Day DL)
Jason Kendall, C, Royals (60-Day DL)

Called Up
Adalberto Mendez, SP, Marlins
Mike Rivera, C, Marlins

Closer Watch – A closer look at intriguing ninth-inning situations (check out Dave Regan's Closer Grid with the link to the left).

Arizona – Juan Gutierrez earned his third save in four days on Friday. He now has seven saves for the season, and he should be owned in all but the shallowest of leagues.

Philadelphia – Ryan Madson earned his fifth save of the season on Friday. Brad Lidge was unavailable after pitching each of the last three days.

Key Matchups – Spotlight on hitters and pitchers with favorable matchups against their opponent on a particular day (generally, individual matchups with fewer than 10 at-bats are not included). *Check Status

Hot

Ronny Cedeno v. Jason Marquis – 5-for-10 (.500), 0 HR, 1 RBI, 2:1 BB:K (.583 OBP)
Raul Ibanez v. Randy Wolf – 5-for-14 (.357), 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1:3 BB:K (.400 OBP)
Shane Victorino v. Randy Wolf – 5-for-12 (.417), 1 HR, 4 RBI, 1:1 BB:K (.462 OBP)
Skip Schumaker v. Homer Bailey – 4-for-12 (.333), 0 HR, 0 RBI, 4:1 BB:K (.500 OBP)
Carlos Beltran v. Ryan Dempster – 5-for-7 (.714), 1 HR, 2 RBI, 2:0 BB:K (.800 OBP)
Scott Hairston v. Jorge De La Rosa – 5-for-13 (.385), 2 HR, 7 RBI, 4:4 BB:K (.529 OBP)
Clint Barmes v. Clayton Richard – 6-for-15 (.400), 0 HR, 3 RBI, 1:4 BB:K (.438 OBP)
Willie Bloomquist v. Armando Galarraga – 4-for-9 (.444), 1 HR, 2 RBI, 0:1 BB:K (.500 OBP)
Jason Kubel v. C.J. Wilson – 3-for-9 (.333), 0 HR, 0 RBI, 2:4 BB:K (.455 OBP)
Cliff Pennington v. Ervin Santana – 4-for-9 (.444), 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0:3 BB:K (.444 OBP)
Daric Barton v. Ervin Santana – 6-for-17 (.353), 0 HR, 2 RBI, 4:3 BB:K (.476 OBP)
Shin-Soo Choo v. Felix Hernandez – 4-for-14 (.286), 1 HR, 2 RBI, 5:8 BB:K (.474 OBP)

Chris Carpenter v. Cincinnati Reds – Carpenter has mowed down the Reds this season. In four starts against them, he has a 4-0 record with a 1.61 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, and .168 BAA.

Jorge De La Rosa at San Diego Padres – De La Rosa has given up three or less runs in each of his last eight starts. He's only 2-2 over that time, but he's recorded a 50:22 K:BB ratio in those starts, further progressing the argument for fantasy relevance. If you're looking for a quality spot starter for Sunday, De La Rosa is probably the best arm available in free-agent pools.

Hiroki Kuroda v. San Francisco Giants – Kuroda carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning against the Phillies in his last start, and he's limited the Giants' current roster to a slash line of .145/.198/.263 through 81 batters faced. Kuroda's improved strikeout rate this season has made him a useful pitcher in standard-sized leagues.

Cold

Curtis Granderson v. Brett Cecil – 1-for-9 (.111), 0 HR, 0 RBI, 1:1 BB:K (.200 OBP)
Aaron Hill v. Phil Hughes – 2-for-15 (.133), 0 HR, 0 RBI, 3:1 BB:K (.278 OBP)
Adam Lind v. Phil Hughes – 3-for-16 (.188), 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1:9 BB:K (.235 OBP)
Andy LaRoche v. Jason Marquis – 2-for-16 (.125), 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0:2 BB:K (.125 OBP)
Jayson Werth v. Randy Wolf – 1-for-12 (.083), 1 HR, 3 RBI, 3:3 BB:K (.267 OBP)
Orlando Cabrera * v. Chris Carpenter – 4-for-25 (.160), 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0:3 BB:K (.160 OBP)
David Eckstein v. Jorge De La Rosa – 3-for-21 (.143), 0 HR, 0 RBI, 3:1 BB:K (.250 OBP)
Chase Headley v. Jorge De La Rosa – 5-for-22 (.227), 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0:7 BB:K (.227 OBP)
Nick Hundley v. Jorge De La Rosa – 2-for-10 (.200), 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0:5 BB:K (.200 OBP)
Dexter Fowler v. Clayton Richard – 2-for-15 (.133), 0 HR, 0 RBI, 3:5 BB:K (.278 OBP)
Ryan Spilborghs v. Clayton Richard – 0-for-9 (.000), 0 HR, 1 RBI, 1:1 BB:K (.100 OBP)
Carlos Lee v. Rodrigo Lopez – 2-for-16 (.125), 0 HR, 2 RBI, 3:4 BB:K (.250 OBP)
Andre Ethier v. Jonathan Sanchez – 4-for-21 (.190), 1 HR, 1 RBI, 0:6 BB:K (.227 OBP)
James Loney v. Jonathan Sanchez – 4-for-18 (.222), 1 HR, 3 RBI, 0:4 BB:K (.250 OBP)
Aaron Rowand v. Hiroki Kuroda – 1-for-11 (.091), 0 HR, 0 RBI, 1:3 BB:K (.167 OBP)
Freddy Sanchez v. Hiroki Kuroda – 2-for-12 (.167), 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0:2 BB:K (.167 OBP)
Nick Markakis v. Wade Davis – 0-for-10 (.000), 0 HR, 0 RBI, 1:1 BB:K (.091 OBP)
Luke Scott v. Wade Davis – 2-for-10 (.200), 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0:2 BB:K (.200 OBP)
Adrian Beltre v. Mark Buehrle – 4-for-21 (.190), 1 HR, 3 RBI, 0:6 BB:K (.190 OBP)
J.D. Drew v. Mark Buehrle – 1-for-10 (.100), 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0:2 BB:K (.182 OBP)
Mike Lowell v. Mark Buehrle – 3-for-12 (.250), 0 HR, 2 RBI, 0:3 BB:K (.250 OBP)
Mike Aviles v. Armando Galarraga – 1-for-13 (.077), 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0:0 BB:K (.077 OBP)
Mitch Maier v. Armando Galarraga – 1-for-9 (.111), 0 HR, 0 RBI, 2:2 BB:K (.273 OBP)
Billy Butler v. Armando Galarraga – 3-for-12 (.250), 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0:3 BB:K (.250 OBP)
Joe Mauer v. C.J. Wilson – 1-for-17 (.059), 0 HR, 2 RBI, 1:5 BB:K (.111 OBP)
Michael Cuddyer v. C.J. Wilson – 1-for-13 (.077), 0 HR, 0 RBI, 1:6 BB:K (.143 OBP)
Mark Ellis v. Ervin Santana – 8-for-42 (.190), 0 HR, 0 RBI, 2:3 BB:K (.227 OBP)
Jack Cust v. Ervin Santana – 2-for-19 (.105), 0 HR, 0 RBI, 9:10 BB:K (.393 OBP)
Kurt Suzuki v. Ervin Santana – 3-for-26 (.115), 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0:6 BB:K (.148 OBP)
Hideki Matsui v. Vin Mazzaro – 0-for-7 (.000), 0 HR, 1 RBI, 3:2 BB:K (.273 OBP)
Asdrubal Cabrera v. Felix Hernandez – 1-for-8 (.125), 0 HR, 2 RBI, 1:2 BB:K (.200 OBP)

Homer Bailey at St. Louis Cardinals – Bailey typically fairs better away from home, but that's the only positive tale in his history against the Cardinals going into Sunday. In six career starts against the Cardinals, he has a 1-3 record with a 6.04 ERA, 1.73 WHIP, and .302 BAA. He's allowed their current roster to hit a slash line of .311/.393/.419 in 90 at-bats. On top of all of that, Bailey is coming off two mediocre starts in which he's allowed nine runs over 11.1 innings. The Cardinals' offense has struggled some this year, so there's a chance Bailey could enjoy some success on Sunday. But, even in that event, the Cardinals are throwing Chris Carpenter whom is 4-0 in four starts against the Reds this season. Bench Bailey with confidence.

Kyle Davies v. Detroit Tigers – Davies has been beat to a pulp by the Tigers. In 11.1 innings over two starts this season, Davies has a 7.94 ERA, 2.21 WHIP, and .396 BAA. He's allowed the Tigers' current roster to hit a slash line of .373/.453/.585 through 139 batters, and he's going to battle with a Royals lineup that has been terrible against Tigers' starter Armando Galarraga. If you're playing in a league deep enough to justify owning Davies, you should make sure he's benched on Sunday.

Recommended Pickup

Jordan Zimmermann, SP, WAS – Zimmerman was last year's Stephen Strasburg. He showed a lot of promise in his rookie season for the Nationals, and was striking out batters at a magnificent clip. And then he suffered an arm injury that required him to undergo Tommy John surgery. Now, with the recovery time from Tommy John surgery quickening, Zimmerman has returned to the Nationals' starting rotation, and his high strikeout rate came back with him. He's made two starts for the Nationals since his return and has struck out 13 batters in 10 innings. Zimmerman will be slotted with Strasburg as the Nationals' one-two punch for their starting rotation over the coming years. Fantasy managers should pounce on Zimmerman. He's owned in only five percent of Yahoo! leagues and less than one percent of ESPN leagues.

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