This article is part of our The Lineup Card series.
Projected Starters - A look at Friday's matchups (all times Eastern)Blue Jays (Mark Buehrle – L) at Orioles (Bud Norris – R), 3:05
Astros (Collin McHugh – R) at Rangers (Derek Holland – L), 4:05
Tigers (Alfredo Simon – R) at Indians (Zach McAllister – R), 4:10
Cubs (Travis Wood – L) at Rockies (Tyler Matzek – L), 4:10
Twins (Tommy Milone – L) at White Sox (Hector Noesi – R), 4:10
Nationals (Gio Gonzalez – L) at Phillies (Jerome Williams – R), 7:05
Red Sox (Wade Miley – L) at Yankees (Nathan Eovaldi – R), 7:05
Cardinals (John Lackey – R) at Reds (Jason Marquis – R), 7:10
Rays (Erasmo Ramirez – R) at Marlins (Dan Haren – R), 7:10
Mets (Jon Niese – L) at Braves (Eric Stults – L), 7:35
Pirates (Jeff Locke – L) at Brewers (Mike Fiers – R), 8:10
Dodgers (Brett Anderson – L) at Diamondbacks (Chase Anderson – R), 9:40
Royals (Jason Vargas – L) at Angels (Hector Santiago – L), 10:05
Mariners (Taijuan Walker – R) at Athletics (Drew Pomeranz – L), 10:05
Giants (Tim Lincecum – R) at Padres (Brandon Morrow – R), 10:10
Day Game After Night Game: TOR/BAL
Injuries
Day-to-Day
Ian Kennedy, SP, SD (Hamstring) – Removed from Thursday's game due to a strain.
Chris Herrmann, OF, MIN (Face) – Passed a concussion test and will likely be available to pinch hit on Friday.
Brandon Belt, 1B, SF (Groin) – Did not start on Thursday, but will likely be ready to play the field on Friday.
Odubel Herrera, 2B, PHI (Foot) – Did not play on Thursday.
Michael Brantley, OF, CLE (Back) – Missed Thursday's game.
Ricky Nolasco, SP, MIN (Elbow) – Flew back to Minnesota to have his elbow examined.
Players on the DL
Garrett Richards, SP, LAA (Knee) – Struck out 12 hitters in Thursday's rehab start and will likely be activated after one more rehab start.
Koji Uehara, RP, BOS (Hamstring) – Could return to action next week.
Joe Kelly, SP, BOS (Biceps) – Will start Saturday against the Yankees.
Chris Stewart, C, PIT (Hamstring) – Began a rehab assignment on Thursday.
Matt Harrison, SP, TEX (Back) – Was placed on the 60-day DL.
Jaff Decker, OF, PIT (Calf) – Started a rehab assignment on Thursday.
Chris Taylor, SS, SEA (Wrist) – Took part in hitting and fielding drills on Thursday.
Homer Bailey, SP, CIN (Forearm) – Expected to pitch for Triple-A Louisville on Sunday with the expectation he'll be activated from the DL after.
Denard Span, OF, WAS (Abdomen) – Will continue rehab at the Nationals spring training complex.
Casey Janssen, RP, WAS (Shoulder) – Will continue rehab at the Nationals spring training complex.
Anthony Rendon, 2B, WAS (Knee) – On target for a late-April return.
Chris Sale, SP, CHW (Foot) – Is completely healthy for his season-debut on Sunday.
Transactions - Players who have been demoted, called up, traded, released, you name it. We'll cover it here.
Placed on the DL (15-day DL, unless otherwise noted)
Matt Harrison, SP, TEX (Back) – Moved to the 60-day DL.
Joe Nathan, RP, DET (Elbow)
Called Up
Blaine Hardy, RP, DET
Claimed
Alex Hassan, OF, TEX – (from OAK)
Signed (Minor league contract, unless otherwise noted)
Alexi Casilla, 2B, TB
Adam Reifer, RP, PHI
Scott Baker, SP, LAD
Jorge De Leon, RP, LAD
Freddy Garcia, SP, LAD
Matt Koch, C, LAA
Closer Watch
Cincinnati Reds – Premier closer Aroldis Chapman didn't get the save on Thursday afternoon, but he did bring home the victory as he came into a 2-2 tied ball game. Chapman threw 13 pitches, with 10 of them landing in the strike zone, as he struck out two batters in a perfect ninth inning, while the Reds were kind enough to score the winning run in the bottom of the 9th inning.
Kansas City Royals – It only took 10 pitches for Greg Holland to secure his second save of the season, as he locked this one away for Edinson Volquez. With a third 45-plus save season in sight, Holland is arguably the best closer in the game.
Key Matchups
Matchup Info | Career Matchup Stats | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Batter | Pos | Game | Pitcher | AB | H | XBH | HR | RBI | BB | K | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
C. Davis | 1B | BAL vs TOR 3:05PM | M. Buehrle | 20 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 5 | .300 | .391 | .600 | .991 |
A. Jones | OF | BAL vs TOR 3:05PM | M. Buehrle | 31 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 3 | .355 | .412 | .516 | .928 |
D. Young | OF | BAL vs TOR 3:05PM | M. Buehrle | 50 | 21 | 6 | 4 | 9 | 3 | 4 | .420 | .453 | .700 | 1.153 |
D. Navarro | C | TOR @ BAL 3:05PM | B. Norris | 14 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | .357 | .471 | .643 | 1.113 |
D. Stubbs | OF | COL vs CHC 4:10PM | T. Wood | 12 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | .417 | .417 | .583 | 1.000 |
V. Martinez | 1B | DET @ CLE 4:10PM | Z. McAllister | 18 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 3 | .500 | .526 | .889 | 1.415 |
D. Santana | SS | MIN @ CWS 4:10PM | H. Noesi | 14 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | .357 | .357 | .714 | 1.071 |
P. Sandoval | 3B | BOS @ NYY 7:05PM | N. Eovaldi | 11 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 1 | .727 | .667 | 1.273 | 1.939 |
J. Francoeur | OF | PHI vs WAS 7:05PM | G. Gonzalez | 14 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | .357 | .357 | .714 | 1.071 |
B. Revere | OF | PHI vs WAS 7:05PM | G. Gonzalez | 19 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | .421 | .450 | .526 | .976 |
D. Ruf | 1B | PHI vs WAS 7:05PM | G. Gonzalez | 16 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 3 | .375 | .450 | .813 | 1.263 |
G. Sizemore | OF | PHI vs WAS 7:05PM | G. Gonzalez | 14 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | .500 | .500 | .786 | 1.286 |
M. Byrd | OF | CIN vs STL 7:10PM | J. Lackey | 27 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 7 | .370 | .379 | .667 | 1.046 |
J. Heyward | OF | STL @ CIN 7:10PM | J. Marquis | 10 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | .300 | .300 | 1.000 | 1.300 |
M. Reynolds | 1B | STL @ CIN 7:10PM | J. Marquis | 16 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | .313 | .421 | .563 | .984 |
J. Jaso | C | TB @ MIA 7:10PM | D. Haren | 20 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 2 | .300 | .364 | .750 | 1.114 |
K. Johnson | 3B | ATL vs NYM 7:35PM | J. Niese | 11 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | .364 | .500 | .455 | .955 |
R. Braun | OF | MIL vs PIT 8:10PM | J. Locke | 17 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | .294 | .294 | .647 | .941 |
C. Gomez | OF | MIL vs PIT 8:10PM | J. Locke | 15 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | .333 | .444 | .600 | 1.044 |
J. Lucroy | C | MIL vs PIT 8:10PM | J. Locke | 13 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1 | .462 | .588 | .769 | 1.357 |
A. McCutchen | OF | PIT @ MIL 8:10PM | M. Fiers | 14 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 2 | .429 | .429 | 1.286 | 1.714 |
N. Walker | 2B | PIT @ MIL 8:10PM | M. Fiers | 13 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | .385 | .385 | .692 | 1.077 |
M. Trumbo | OF | ARI vs LAD 9:40PM | B. Anderson | 11 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 3 | .273 | .357 | .545 | .903 |
A. Rios | OF | KC @ LAA 10:05PM | H. Santiago | 11 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 3 | .273 | .333 | .818 | 1.152 |
A. Pujols | 1B | LAA vs KC 10:05PM | J. Vargas | 21 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 3 | .286 | .273 | .619 | .892 |
M. Trout | OF | LAA vs KC 10:05PM | J. Vargas | 15 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | .400 | .471 | .667 | 1.137 |
Matchup Info | Career Matchup Stats | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Batter | Pos | Game | Pitcher | AB | H | XBH | HR | RBI | BB | K | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
Matchup Info | Career Stats Allowed To Batters On Opposing Team | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pitcher | Game | AB | H | XBH | HR | RBI | BB | K | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
Tommy Milone | MIN @ CWS 4:10PM | 63 | 16 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 12 | .254 | .277 | .386 | .663 |
Dan Haren | MIA vs TB 7:10PM | 86 | 16 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 4 | 19 | .186 | .229 | .390 | .619 |
John Lackey | STL @ CIN 7:10PM | 89 | 25 | 6 | 3 | 12 | 3 | 21 | .281 | .309 | .423 | .731 |
Hector Santiago | LAA vs KC 10:05PM | 78 | 15 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 22 | .192 | .259 | .324 | .583 |
Tim Lincecum | SF @ SD 10:10PM | 237 | 46 | 12 | 1 | 17 | 19 | 77 | .194 | .257 | .259 | .517 |
Matchup Info | Career Stats Allowed To Batters On Opposing Team | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pitcher | Game | AB | H | XBH | HR | RBI | BB | K | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
Matchup Info | Career Matchup Stats | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Batter | Pos | Game | Pitcher | AB | H | XBH | HR | RBI | BB | K | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
J. Bautista | OF | TOR @ BAL 3:05PM | B. Norris | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | .077 | .200 | .077 | .277 |
J. Lowrie | SS | HOU @ TEX 4:05PM | D. Holland | 21 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | .190 | .190 | .238 | .429 |
C. Rasmus | OF | HOU @ TEX 4:05PM | D. Holland | 10 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .200 | .200 | .600 | .800 |
C. Gonzalez | OF | COL vs CHC 4:10PM | T. Wood | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
T. Flowers | C | CWS vs MIN 4:10PM | T. Milone | 10 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | .100 | .100 | .400 | .500 |
A. Ramirez | SS | CWS vs MIN 4:10PM | T. Milone | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .091 | .167 | .091 | .258 |
J. Shuck | OF | CWS vs MIN 4:10PM | T. Milone | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .100 | .100 | .100 | .200 |
A. Avila | C | DET @ CLE 4:10PM | Z. McAllister | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 7 | .091 | .231 | .091 | .322 |
O. Arcia | OF | MIN @ CWS 4:10PM | H. Noesi | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .100 | .250 | .100 | .350 |
B. Dozier | 2B | MIN @ CWS 4:10PM | H. Noesi | 12 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | .167 | .167 | .417 | .583 |
C. Headley | 3B | NYY vs BOS 7:05PM | W. Miley | 17 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 | .176 | .300 | .176 | .476 |
R. Howard | 1B | PHI vs WAS 7:05PM | G. Gonzalez | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | .000 | .083 | .000 | .083 |
C. Utley | 2B | PHI vs WAS 7:05PM | G. Gonzalez | 17 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | .176 | .222 | .176 | .399 |
B. Phillips | 2B | CIN vs STL 7:10PM | J. Lackey | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .167 | .231 | .167 | .397 |
A. Cabrera | SS | TB @ MIA 7:10PM | D. Haren | 26 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | .077 | .111 | .077 | .188 |
K. Davis | OF | MIL vs PIT 8:10PM | J. Locke | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | .000 | .091 | .000 | .091 |
A. Ramirez | 3B | MIL vs PIT 8:10PM | J. Locke | 14 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 1 | .143 | .333 | .429 | .762 |
J. Segura | SS | MIL vs PIT 8:10PM | J. Locke | 16 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | .125 | .176 | .313 | .489 |
A. Gordon | OF | KC @ LAA 10:05PM | H. Santiago | 11 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .182 | .250 | .273 | .523 |
M. Joyce | OF | LAA vs KC 10:05PM | J. Vargas | 10 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .200 | .200 | .300 | .500 |
Y. Alonso | 1B | SD vs SF 10:10PM | T. Lincecum | 21 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | .095 | .136 | .095 | .232 |
A. Amarista | 2B | SD vs SF 10:10PM | T. Lincecum | 18 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .111 | .158 | .111 | .269 |
C. Barmes | SS | SD vs SF 10:10PM | T. Lincecum | 23 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 5 | .130 | .130 | .261 | .391 |
W. Venable | OF | SD vs SF 10:10PM | T. Lincecum | 56 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 20 | .214 | .241 | .286 | .527 |
Matchup Info | Career Matchup Stats | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Batter | Pos | Game | Pitcher | AB | H | XBH | HR | RBI | BB | K | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
Matchup Info | Career Stats Allowed To Batters On Opposing Team | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pitcher | Game | AB | H | XBH | HR | RBI | BB | K | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
Bud Norris | BAL vs TOR 3:05PM | 85 | 25 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 10 | 10 | .294 | .381 | .379 | .760 |
Mark Buehrle | TOR @ BAL 3:05PM | 146 | 57 | 18 | 9 | 24 | 9 | 15 | .390 | .430 | .633 | 1.063 |
Zach McAllister | CLE vs DET 4:10PM | 95 | 32 | 12 | 2 | 15 | 7 | 25 | .337 | .379 | .505 | .885 |
Hector Noesi | CWS vs MIN 4:10PM | 108 | 33 | 11 | 5 | 15 | 2 | 15 | .306 | .325 | .499 | .823 |
Jason Marquis | CIN vs STL 7:10PM | 87 | 23 | 11 | 6 | 13 | 9 | 15 | .264 | .341 | .534 | .875 |
Jon Niese | NYM @ ATL 7:35PM | 128 | 41 | 10 | 4 | 14 | 7 | 20 | .320 | .356 | .458 | .813 |
Matchup Info | Career Stats Allowed To Batters On Opposing Team | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pitcher | Game | AB | H | XBH | HR | RBI | BB | K | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
Jake Lamb, 3B, ARI – It's extremely early in the season, but Lamb offers some intriguing season-long value for owners. Take comfort in knowing that Lamb's hot start to the season is preceded by three seasons of excellent minor league play, where he slashed .321/.406/.553 over 920 at-bats. There may be 158 games left in the season, but you don't want to be the guy that says, "I could've had Jake Lamb!" If Lamb is there for you, make room for him on your roster. Don't wait too long – one of your leaguemates just might beat you to him.
Other Recent Recommendations:Joe Panik, Daniel Norris, Jason Grilli
DraftKings Value Picks
SP: Nathan Eovaldi, NYY ($6,600)
C: Travis d'Arnaud, NYM ($3,800)
1B: Eric Hosmer, KC ($4,000)
2B: Dan Uggla, WAS ($3,300)
SS: Zack Cozart, CIN ($3,300)
3B: Jake Lamb, ARI ($4,100)
OF: Angel Pagan, SF ($4,000)