Saturday Lineup Card: KC Officially Ready to Sal-ivate

This article is part of our The Lineup Card series.

Saturday's Starters

Blue Jays (Brett Cecil -- L) at Marlins (Josh Johnson -- R), 1:10
Cardinals (Adam Wainwright -- R) at Royals (Luis Mendoza -- R), 2:10
Rockies (Josh Outman -- L) at Rangers (Colby Lewis -- R), 3:05
Indians (Jeanmar Gomez -- R) at Astros (Dallas Keuchel -- L), 4:05
Tigers (Max Scherzer -- R) at Pirates (Brad Lincoln -- R), 4:05
Rays (Alex Cobb -- R) at Phillies (Kyle Kendrick -- R), 4:05
Twins (Brian Duensing -- L) at Reds (Johnny Cueto -- R), 4:10
Braves (Randall Delgado -- R) at Red Sox (Franklin Morales -- L), 7:15
Dodgers (Chris Capuano -- L) at Angels (Ervin Santana -- R), 7:15
Brewers (Randy Wolf -- L) at White Sox (Dylan Axelrod -- R), 7:15
Yankees (Ivan Nova -- R) at Mets (Chris Young -- R), 7:15
Giants (Madison Bumgarner -- L) at Athletics (Tyson Ross -- R), 7:15
Nationals (Edwin Jackson -- R) at Orioles (Wei-Yin Chen -- L), 7:15
Mariners (Felix Hernandez -- R) at Padres (Jason Marquis -- R), 10:05
Cubs (Paul Maholm -- L) at Diamondbacks (Ian Kennedy -- R), 10:10

Day Game After Night Game:TOR/MIA, STL/KC, COL/TEX, CLE/HOU, DET/PIT, TB/PHI, MIN/CIN

Injuries

Day-to-Day
Matt Capps, RP, MIN (Shoulder) -- Could make an appearance during weekend series against the Reds.
Allen Craig, OF, STL (Wrist) -- Did not start Friday after appearing in the lineup on Thursday.
Logan Forsythe, 2B, SD (Abdomen) -- Returned to the starting lineup Friday.
Carlos Gonzalez, OF, COL (Knee) -- Still not 100 percent but hopes to be fully healthy in coming days.
Joe Mauer, C, MIN (Quad) -- May not play in this weekend's series against the Reds.
Justin Maxwell, OF, HOU (Ankle) -- Results of MRI showed a "loose body" but is able to play if it does not hinder ligaments or joints.
Justin Smoak, 1B, SEA (Knee) -- Returned to the starting lineup Friday.

Disabled List
Andrew Bailey, RP, BOS (Thumb) -- Threw for a session on Friday after a 25-pitch session on Wednesday.
Jason Bay, OF, NYM (Concussion) -- Received follow-up testing at Citi Field on Friday and reportedly progressing well.
Endy Chavez, OF, BAL (Hamstring) -- Injury hasn't improved and will head to Sarasota, Fla. for further rehab.
Roy Halladay, SP, PHI (Shoulder) -- Threw off flat ground from 90 feet on Thursday.
Travis Hafner, DH, CLE (Knee) -- Could begin a rehab assignment within the next 10 days.
Ramon Hernandez, C, COL (Hand) -- Injury is improving but not believed to be much closer to returning.
Evan Longoria, 3B, TB (Hamstring) -- Has yet to resume baseball activities.
Victor Martinez, C, DET (Knee) -- Rehab is going faster than expected and could return in August.
Mitch Moreland, 1B, TEX (Hamstring) -- Expected to miss four to six weeks.
Felipe Paulino, SP, KC (Elbow) -- Diagnosed with torn ulnar collateral ligament and will likely require Tommy John surgery.
Wilson Ramos, C, WAS (Knee) -- Has surgery scheduled for July 18.
Nolan Reimold, OF, BAL (Neck) -- Has decided to undergo surgery on Monday.
Grady Sizemore, OF, CLE (Back) -- Hasn't been running and will not be ready to return before the All-Star break.
Drew Stubbs, OF, CIN (Oblique) -- Will be activated Monday if he makes it through weekend rehab assignment without incident.
Troy Tulowitzki, SS, COL (Groin) -- Underwent successful surgery on Thursday.

Transactions

Placed on the DL (15-day DL unless otherwise noted)
Lorenzo Cain, OF, KC (Transferred to 60-day DL)
Kyle Drabek, SP, TOR (Transferred to 60-day DL)
Joel Peralta, RP, TB (Withdraws appeal for suspension; eight-game ban effective Friday)
Phil Humber, SP, CHW
Matt Joyce, OF, TB
Mitch Moreland, 1B, TEX

Activated from the DL
Bill Bray, RP, CIN
Matt Carpenter, 1B, STL
Ronny Cedeno, SS, NYM
Jonathan Herrera, 2B, COL
Cesar Izturis, SS, MIL
Jon Jay, OF, STL
Jeff Keppinger, 2B, TB
Salvador Perez, C, KC

Called Up
Brian Bruney, RP, CHW
Brooks Conrad, 2B, TB
Brandon Gomes, OF, TB
Jair Jurrjens, SP, ATL
Roy Oswalt, SP, TEX
David Pauley, P, TOR

Sent Down
Matt Adams, 1B, STL
Adron Chambers, OF, STL
J.J. Hoover, RP, CIN
Tommy Hottovy, RP, KC
D.J. LeMahieu, 2B, COL
Elvin Ramirez, RP, NYM
Jason Repko, OF, BOS
Rich Thompson, OF, TB

Designated For Assignment
Kosuke Fukudome, OF, CHW
Mark Hamburger, RP, TEX
Edwin Maysonet, SS, MIL
Juan Perez, RP, MIL
Drew Sutton, 3B, TB

Signed
Livan Hernandez, P, MIL

Closer Watch

Colorado -- Rafael Betancourt rebounded from two consecutive blown saves to comfortably record his 11th save of the season in a 4-1 win over the Phillies on Thursday. Betancourt's overall numbers (3.16 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 26:7 K/BB rate) are solid, but the fact that he's gotten only 14 save opportunities on the season illustrates the ineptitude of the team's starting rotation. Betancourt should be fine when he does receive opportunities -- they've just been happening very infrequently.

Detroit -- With Jose Valverde (sprained right wrist) shelved for the coming days and possibly requiring a DL stint, the team has been using a committee approach, which reared its head on Thursday. Although it wasn't a save situation, Joaquin Benoit pitched a scoreless 10th inning and received the win after Quintin Berry's walk-off hit in the bottom of the inning. Benoit's main competition for saves in the interim, Phil Coke, who recorded a save on Tuesday, was used in the seventh inning on Thursday. It's anybody's guess if one pitcher will win out over the other during Valverde's absence, but the smart money is on Benoit, who owns a better ERA and K/9 rate.

Oakland -- Ryan Cook added a win rather than a save to his ledger on Thursday, after Yoenis Cespedes' walk-off three-run homer gave the A's a 4-1 win over the Dodgers. Cook's transition from setup man to closer has been seamless, and his ERA now sits at a miniscule 0.57. He should have a pretty long leash with manager Bob Melvin at this point.

Recommended Pickup

Salvador Perez, C, KC -- After a 2011 campaign that saw Perez bat .331 with 21 RBI and 20 runs scored for the Royals in just 148 at-bats, Perez was touted as a chic sleeper pick in fantasy circles going into 2012. However, after tearing the left lateral meniscus in his knee during spring training and requiring surgery, Perez effectively fell off the fantasy radar. Over three months later, Perez is fully healed and was activated from the DL on Friday. While one should normally proceed with caution in investing in a player coming off a long layoff, Perez has assuaged fears about his knee by catching a few full games and by batting .340 in 12 rehab games, including a 4-for-4 night on Wednesday at Triple-A Omaha. Just 22 years old, Perez is the rare catcher who can hit for a high average, and may be the best contact-hitting catching prospect to reach the majors since Joe Mauer. The Royals view him as the catcher of the future and have already locked him up to a contract extension through 2019, an investment that should allow Perez to quickly unseat Humberto Quintero as the team's starter. It's a rarity in fantasy leagues to get the chance in June to add a player that could be a top ten fantasy player at his position for the rest of the season. It's even rarer to get the chance to add a player that could be a top ten fantasy player at his position for the next five years, enhancing his value in keeper leagues. Perez could qualify on both fronts.

Other recent recommendations:John Mayberry, Andrelton Simmons, Norichika Aoki, Anthony Rizzo, Alex Cobb

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Draft Street Lineup
C -- Derek Norris ($4,194)
1B -- Paul Goldschmidt ($7,630)
2B -- Rickie Weeks ($4,628)
3B -- Chris Nelson ($5,451)
SS -- J.J. Hardy ($5,769)
OF -- Mike Trout ($9,651)
OF -- Andrew McCutchen ($8,675)
OF -- Dayan Viciedo ($5,135)
UTIL -- Zack Cozart ($5,416)
UTIL -- Michael Young ($6,037)
SP -- Edwin Jackson ($12,613)
SP -- Randall Delgado ($9,929)
RP -- Joe Nathan ($2,816)
P -- Wei-Yin Chen ($11,753)

Total: $99,697

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