This article is part of our The Lineup Card series.
Friday's Starters
Marlins (Brad Hand – L) at Nationals (John Lannan – L), 4:05 (Game 1)
Indians (Justin Masterson – R) at Tigers (Anibal Sanchez – R), 7:05
Diamondbacks (Ian Kennedy – R) at Phillies (Kyle Kendrick – R), 7:05
Mariners (Kevin Millwood – R) at Yankees (CC Sabathia – L), 7:05
Pirates (Wandy Rodriguez – L) at Reds (Mat Latos – R), 7:10
Twins (Brian Duensing – L) at Red Sox (Felix Doubront – L), 7:10
Orioles (Tommy Hunter – R) at Rays (Matt Moore – L), 7:10
Marlins (Josh Johnson – R) at Nationals (Gio Gonzalez – L), 7:35 (Game 2)
Rangers (Matt Harrison – L) at Royals (Jeremy Guthrie – R), 8:10
Angels (Zack Greinke – R) at White Sox (Phil Humber – R), 8:10
Brewers (Randy Wolf – L) at Cardinals (Joe Kelly – R), 8:15
Giants (Ryan Vogelsong – R) at Rockies (Jonathan Sanchez – L), 8:40
Blue Jays (Brett Cecil – L) at Athletics (Daniel Straily – R), 10:05
Mets (R.A. Dickey – R) at Padres (Clayton Richard – L), 10:05
Cubs (Jeff Samardzija – R) at Dodgers (Chad Billingsley – R), 10:10
Day Game After Night Game: MIA (but it's a doubleheader – everyone plays at least one)
Injuries
Day-to-Day
David Ortiz, DH, BOS (Achilles) – Said he's 3-4 days from running at close to full speed
Edwin Encarnacion, 3B, TOR (heel) – Limited to DH duties again Thursday
Jordan Zimmermann, SP, WAS (shoulder) – Pushed back a day to Saturday due to minor inflammation
Dan Haren, SP, LAA (back) – Will start Sunday
Mark Teixeira, 1B, NYY (wrist) – Decision will be made on his availability Friday
Yadier Molina, C, STL (thumb) – Sprained thumb; out Thursday and unlikely for Friday
Brandon Phillips, 2B, CIN (calf) – Still out Thursday; no word on Friday
Michael Cuddyer, OF, COL (oblique) – Out again Thursday; questionable for Friday
Dexter Fowler, OF, COL (illness) – Returned Thursday
Jed Lowrie, SS, HOU (ankle) – Wearing a new leg brace; still weeks from rehab trip
Rafael Furcal, SS, STL (back) – Out again Thursday, but seems close
Josh Beckett, SP, BOS (back) – Likely to miss his scheduled start Sunday
Frank Francisco, SP, NYM (oblique) – Will return Friday and likely immediately close
J.D. Martinez, OF, HOU (elbow) – Hurt elbow Monday on dugout fall, but doesn't seem serious
Todd Helton, 1B, COL (illness) – Returned to the lineup Wednesday
Scott Diamond, SP, MIN (thigh) – Left Wednesday's game after being hit by a liner
Travis Hafner, DH, CLE (personal) – Will rejoin team on Saturday
Andres Torres, OF, NYM (hand) – Started in center Thursday
Jason Castro, C, HOU (knee) – Starting rehab assignment Friday
Wilson Valdez, SS, CIN (neck) – Removed Wednesday with stiff neck
Justin Ruggiano, OF, MIA (back) – Out with back spasms last two games, but returning Friday
Manny Parra, RP, MIL (shoulder) – Won't pitch this weekend; to be examined Monday
Mike Aviles, 2B, BOS (toe) – Available to play Thursday
Donnie Murphy, SS, MIA (illness) – Scratched Thursday
Kelly Shoppach, C, BOS (leg) – Bruised, but available
Disabled List
Evan Longoria, 3B, TB (hamstring) – Will be in the lineup Thursday in Triple-A
Jose Bautista, OF, TOR (wrist) – Will wait 'til he's 100% to return to the Jays
Joey Votto, 1B, CIN (knee) – Took ground balls Thursday
Giancarlo Stanton, OF, MIA (knee) – Homered in first rehab game Thursday
Shaun Marcum, SP, MIL (elbow) – Bullpen went "great"; rehab assignment soon
Johan Santana, SP, NYM (ankle) – Will throw bullpens Thursday/Friday and could be back Wednesday
Trevor Plouffe, SS, MIN (thumb) – If he can swing a bat, will be activated Sunday
Brandon Morrow, SP, TOR (oblique) – Second rehab start coming Friday, then will move to Double-A
Neftali Feliz, RP, TEX (elbow) – Tommy John surgery successful; see you in 2014?
Grady Sizemore, OF, CLE (back) – Will try running again Sunday
Jorge De La Rosa, SP, COL (elbow) – Threw a bullpen Wednesday
Nick Masset, RP, CIN (shoulder) – Pitching in Low-A Thursday and Saturday
Chien-Ming Wang, SP, WAS (hip) – Decent fourth rehab start Thursday in Double-A
Luke Scott, DH, TB (oblique) – Hopes to go on rehab soon and return next week
Jason Giambi, 1B, COL (illness) – Ready to resume baseball activities
Carl Pavano, SP, MIN (shoulder) – Threw BP on Thursday; I'm sure it felt familiar
Mark Lowe, RP, TEX (abdomen) – Two scoreless innings in Double-A Thursday; back this weekend
Rafael Perez, RP, CLE (shoulder) – Threw from 90 feet with no issues Wednesday; back on rehab soon
Roberto Hernandez, SP, CLE (suspension) – Third rehab start coming Sunday
Raul Valdes, RP, PHI (hip) – Throwing on flat ground
Scott Atchison, RP, BOS (elbow) – Gonna go see Dr. Andrews to be told he needs TJ surgery
Transactions
Activated from DL
Shane Loux, RP, SF
Hector Sanchez, C, SF
Jayson Werth, OF, WAS
Placed on DL
Henry Rodriguez, RP, WAS (back)
Aubrey Huff, 1B, SF (knee)
Optioned to Triple-A
Garrett Richards, SP, LAA
Derek Lowe, SP, CLE (DFA)
Josh Lueke, RP, TB
Justin Christian, OF, SF
Eli Whiteside, C, SF
Brandon Hicks, SS, OAK
Andrew Brown, OF, COL
Called Up
Corey Kluber, SP, CLE
Mike Olt, 3B, TEX
Adam Rosales, 2B, OAK
David Carpenter, RP, LAA
Released
Scott Podsednik, OF, AZ
Closer Watch
Mets – Frank Francisco will return Friday and immediately take back the closer's role from Bobby Parnell, who has been inconsistent at best in his second run at closing for New York. Francisco steps back into being a solid mid-tier closer the rest of the way.
Nationals – Tyler Clippard walked two batters Thursday, but still collected the save against Philadelphia. Drew Storen's got five straight scoreless outings, so a change could potentially occur soon, and without warning.
Royals – Jonathan Broxton is gone, and Greg Holland is 1-for-1. He pitched a perfect ninth Wednesday for his first save and another perfect inning in Thursday's extra-inning affair.
KEY MATCHUPS: HOT | |||||||||||||||||||
Hot Batter Matchups | At-Bats | AVG | HR | XBH | RBI | BB | K | SLG | OBP | OPS | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Carlos Lee - OF | MIA @ WAS 8/3 4:05 PM | John Lannan | 9-19 | .474 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0 | .947 | .500 | 1.447 | |||||||
Miguel Cabrera - 3B | DET vs CLE 8/3 7:05 PM | Justin Masterson | 7-15 | .467 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 3 | .667 | .591 | 1.258 | |||||||
Robinson Cano - 2B | NYY vs SEA 8/3 7:05 PM | Kevin Millwood | 12-28 | .429 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | .571 | .467 | 1.038 | |||||||
Raul Ibanez - OF | NYY vs SEA 8/3 7:05 PM | Kevin Millwood | 18-47 | .383 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 4 | 6 | .596 | .431 | 1.027 | |||||||
Andruw Jones - OF | NYY vs SEA 8/3 7:05 PM | Kevin Millwood | 7-16 | .438 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 1 | .813 | .500 | 1.313 | |||||||
Ichiro Suzuki - OF | NYY vs SEA 8/3 7:05 PM | Kevin Millwood | 31-78 | .397 | 2 | 7 | 11 | 5 | 7 | .564 | .434 | .998 | |||||||
Nick Swisher - OF | NYY vs SEA 8/3 7:05 PM | Kevin Millwood | 14-39 | .359 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 6 | 8 | .718 | .444 | 1.162 | |||||||
Mark Teixeira - 1B | NYY vs SEA 8/3 7:05 PM | Kevin Millwood | 8-23 | .348 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 6 | .565 | .483 | 1.048 | |||||||
Miguel Cairo - 3B | CIN vs PIT 8/3 7:10 PM | Wandy Rodriguez | 5-14 | .357 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | .643 | .471 | 1.113 | |||||||
Carlos Pena - 1B | TB vs BAL 8/3 7:10 PM | Tommy Hunter | 3-10 | .300 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1.000 | .364 | 1.364 | |||||||
Gordon Beckham - 2B | CWS vs LAA 8/3 8:10 PM | Zack Greinke | 3-11 | .273 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | .636 | .333 | .970 | |||||||
A.J. Pierzynski - C | CWS vs LAA 8/3 8:10 PM | Zack Greinke | 19-46 | .413 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 7 | .609 | .426 | 1.034 | |||||||
Alex Rios - OF | CWS vs LAA 8/3 8:10 PM | Zack Greinke | 10-30 | .333 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 6 | .633 | .333 | .967 | |||||||
Billy Butler - DH | KC vs TEX 8/3 8:10 PM | Matt Harrison | 7-10 | .700 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1.100 | .667 | 1.767 | |||||||
Elvis Andrus - SS | TEX @ KC 8/3 8:10 PM | Jeremy Guthrie | 4-11 | .364 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .455 | .417 | .871 | |||||||
Josh Hamilton - OF | TEX @ KC 8/3 8:10 PM | Jeremy Guthrie | 5-15 | .333 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | .867 | .444 | 1.311 | |||||||
Michael Young - 3B | TEX @ KC 8/3 8:10 PM | Jeremy Guthrie | 10-23 | .435 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 0 | .696 | .480 | 1.176 | |||||||
Carlos Beltran - OF | STL vs MIL 8/3 8:15 PM | Randy Wolf | 11-37 | .297 | 3 | 7 | 9 | 4 | 2 | .649 | .366 | 1.015 | |||||||
Ryan Theriot - SS | SF @ COL 8/3 8:40 PM | Jonathan Sanchez | 4-12 | .333 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | .583 | .429 | 1.012 | |||||||
Kurt Suzuki - C | OAK vs TOR 8/3 10:05 PM | Brett Cecil | 5-13 | .385 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .692 | .385 | 1.077 | |||||||
Hot Pitcher Matchups | At-Bats | Opp AVG | HR Allow | XBH Allow | RBI Allow | BB | K | Opp SLG | Opp OBP | Opp OPS | |||||||||
Joe Blanton | PHI vs ARI 8/3 7:05 PM | Diamondbacks Batters | 11-64 | .172 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 10 | .281 | .171 | .452 | |||||||
CC Sabathia | NYY vs SEA 8/3 7:05 PM | Mariners Batters | 15-90 | .167 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 33 | .255 | .227 | .482 | |||||||
Randy Wolf | MIL @ STL 8/3 8:15 PM | Cardinals Batters | 52-237 | .219 | 7 | 25 | 32 | 18 | 39 | .383 | .280 | .663 |
KEY MATCHUPS: COLD | |||||||||||||||||||
Cold Batter Matchups | At-Bats | AVG | HR | XBH | RBI | BB | K | SLG | OBP | OPS | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aaron Hill - 2B | ARI @ PHI 8/3 7:05 PM | Joe Blanton | 1-15 | .067 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .133 | .063 | .196 | |||||||
Alex Avila - C | DET vs CLE 8/3 7:05 PM | Justin Masterson | 1-10 | .100 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | .100 | .154 | .254 | |||||||
Brennan Boesch - OF | DET vs CLE 8/3 7:05 PM | Justin Masterson | 3-15 | .200 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .200 | .250 | .450 | |||||||
Ramon Santiago - 2B | DET vs CLE 8/3 7:05 PM | Justin Masterson | 1-10 | .100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | .100 | .308 | .408 | |||||||
Delmon Young - OF | DET vs CLE 8/3 7:05 PM | Justin Masterson | 3-17 | .176 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | .235 | .167 | .402 | |||||||
Nate Schierholtz - OF | PHI vs ARI 8/3 7:05 PM | Ian Kennedy | 1-11 | .091 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .091 | .167 | .258 | |||||||
Chone Figgins - 3B | SEA @ NYY 8/3 7:05 PM | CC Sabathia | 6-32 | .188 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | .344 | .257 | .601 | |||||||
Miguel Olivo - C | SEA @ NYY 8/3 7:05 PM | CC Sabathia | 3-24 | .125 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 13 | .167 | .125 | .292 | |||||||
Michael Saunders - OF | SEA @ NYY 8/3 7:05 PM | CC Sabathia | 1-11 | .091 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | .091 | .091 | .182 | |||||||
Jay Bruce - OF | CIN vs PIT 8/3 7:10 PM | Wandy Rodriguez | 1-26 | .038 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | .038 | .038 | .077 | |||||||
Drew Stubbs - OF | CIN vs PIT 8/3 7:10 PM | Wandy Rodriguez | 3-19 | .158 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 9 | .316 | .304 | .620 | |||||||
B.J. Upton - OF | TB vs BAL 8/3 7:10 PM | Tommy Hunter | 2-10 | .200 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | .200 | .200 | .400 | |||||||
Orlando Hudson - 2B | CWS vs LAA 8/3 8:10 PM | Zack Greinke | 1-13 | .077 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | .077 | .200 | .277 | |||||||
Paul Konerko - 1B | CWS vs LAA 8/3 8:10 PM | Zack Greinke | 9-59 | .153 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 17 | .237 | .242 | .480 | |||||||
Alexei Ramirez - SS | CWS vs LAA 8/3 8:10 PM | Zack Greinke | 3-23 | .130 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5 | .304 | .125 | .429 | |||||||
Kevin Youkilis - 3B | CWS vs LAA 8/3 8:10 PM | Zack Greinke | 1-10 | .100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .100 | .182 | .282 | |||||||
Adrian Beltre - 3B | TEX @ KC 8/3 8:10 PM | Jeremy Guthrie | 4-27 | .148 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | .333 | .200 | .533 | |||||||
Mike Napoli - C | TEX @ KC 8/3 8:10 PM | Jeremy Guthrie | 2-12 | .167 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | .417 | .286 | .702 | |||||||
Lance Berkman - 1B | STL vs MIL 8/3 8:15 PM | Randy Wolf | 3-32 | .094 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 7 | .156 | .256 | .413 | |||||||
Allen Craig - OF | STL vs MIL 8/3 8:15 PM | Randy Wolf | 1-15 | .067 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .067 | .067 | .133 | |||||||
Rafael Furcal - SS | STL vs MIL 8/3 8:15 PM | Randy Wolf | 12-51 | .235 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 8 | .373 | .241 | .613 | |||||||
Angel Pagan - OF | SF @ COL 8/3 8:40 PM | Jonathan Sanchez | 2-11 | .182 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .364 | .182 | .545 | |||||||
Alfonso Soriano - OF | CHC @ LAD 8/3 10:10 PM | Chad Billingsley | 3-21 | .143 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 | .143 | .182 | .325 | |||||||
Cold Pitcher Matchups | At-Bats | Opp AVG | HR Allow | XBH Allow | RBI Allow | BB | K | Opp SLG | Opp OBP | Opp OPS | |||||||||
John Lannan | WAS vs Mia 8/3 4:05 PM | Marlins Batters | 27-69 | .391 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 7 | .573 | .443 | 1.016 | |||||||
Kevin Millwood | SEA @ NYY 8/3 7:05 PM | Yankees Batters | 115-332 | .346 | 13 | 38 | 53 | 39 | 49 | .554 | .415 | .970 | |||||||
Recommended Pickup
Josh Rutledge, SS, COL – Rutledge smashed his fifth homer on Thursday, but the 1-for-4 day actually lowered his batting average to .375. Rutledge's first 18 games have been a smashing success, with plenty of counting stats (three steals, 12 runs, 14 RBI) to go around. With Troy Tulowitzki still out for a while, maybe the rest of the year, Rutledge basically owns this job – and if he keeps hitting, he could be the one who takes over second when Tulo does return. Rutledge certainly experienced success – though nothing like this -- in Double-A this year, hitting .306/.338/.508 with 13 homers and 14 steals. He won't keep up this pace, of course, but Rutledge could easily be one of the most productive shortstops in fantasy the rest of the year.
Other Recent Recommendations:
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Draft Street Lineup
C: Joe Mauer, MIN ($6,713)
1B: Ryan Howard, PHI ($5,643)
2B: Robinson Cano, NYY ($9,652)
3B: Miguel Cabrera, DET ($10,522)
SS: Asdrubal Cabrera, CLE ($5,922)
OF: Travis Snider, PIT ($6,809)
OF: Bryce Harper, WAS ($6,688)
OF: Dexter Fowler, COL ($7,275)
UT: Lorenzo Cain, KC ($5,776)
UT: Mike Moustakas, KC ($4,977)
SP: Matt Moore, TB ($13,409)
SP: Josh Johnson, MIA ($12,621)
RP: Ernesto Frieri, LAA ($1,857)
P: Ryan Cook, OAK ($2,031)
Total: 99,715
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