This article is part of our The Lineup Card series.
Projected Starters - A look at Thursday's matchups (all times Eastern)Diamondbacks (Archie Bradley – R) at Marlins (Mat Latos – R), 12:10
Mariners (J.A. Happ – L) at Orioles (Chris Tillman – R), 12:35
Astros (Scott Feldman – R) at Tigers (David Price – L), 1:08
Cardinals (Jaime Garcia – R) at Mets (Jacob deGrom – L), 1:10
Phillies (Jerome Williams – R) at Rockies (Jorge De La Rosa – L), 3:10
Dodgers (Clayton Kershaw – L) at Giants (Madison Bumgarner – L), 3:45
Angels (Matt Shoemaker – R) at Blue Jays (R.A. Dickey – R), 7:07
Brewers (Matt Garza – R) at Braves (Julio Teheran – R), 7:10
Athletics (Jesse Chavez – R) at Rays (Alex Colome – R), 7:10
Rangers (Wandy Rodriguez – L) at Red Sox (Clay Buchholz – R), 7:10
Indians (Danny Salazar – R) at White Sox (John Danks – L), 8:10
Cubs (Kyle Hendricks – R) at Padres (Odrisamer Despaigne – R), 9:10
Day Game After Night Game: ARI/MIA, SEA/BAL, HOU/DET, STL/NYM
Injuries
Day-to-Day
Carlos Santana, C, CLE (Back) – Expected to return to action on Thursday.
Coco Crisp, OF, OAK (Neck) – Will visit with a neck specialist on Thursday.
Devon Travis, 2B, TOR (Shoulder) – Did not start on Wednesday.
Pablo Sandoval, 3B, BOS (Knee) – Did not start on Wednesday.
Players on the DL
Brandon Morrow, SP, SD (Shoulder) – Expected to throw his first bullpen session on Thursday.
Jake Peavy, SP, SF (Back) – Will begin his rehab assignment on Friday.
Casey Fien, RP, MIN (Shoulder) – Threw a successful bullpen session on Wednesday and will now start a rehab assignment.
David Hernandez, RP, ARI (Elbow) – Will throw at Double-A Mobile over the weekend.
Matt Moore, SP, TB (Elbow) – Completed a successful bullpen session on Wednesday.
Bruce Rondon, RP, DET (Shoulder) – Will have to pitch in back-to-back games before being activated from the disabled list.
Erik Kratz, C, KC (Foot) – Will begin a rehab assignment on Thursday.
Hyun-Jin Ryu, SP, LAD (Shoulder) – Will undergo surgery on Thursday and could miss the remainder of the season.
Brandon Workman, RP, BOS (Elbow) – Resumed playing catch after receiving a platelet-rich injection.
Anthony Rendon, 2B, WAS (Oblique) – Took some swings in the batting cage and fielded some grounders on Wednesday.
Matt Wieters, C, BAL (Elbow) – Expected to catch in an extended spring training game on Thursday.
Jose Reyes, SS, TOR (Ribs) – Expected to join the Blue Jays on Monday.
Austin Jackson, OF, SEA (Ankle) – Jackson is unlikely to return to action this weekend.
Eric O'Flaherty, RP, OAK (Shoulder) – Expected to throw a bullpen session by the end of the week.
Sean Doolittle, RP, OAK (Shoulder) – Expected to make his next rehab session on Friday.
Ben Zobrist, 2B, OAK (Knee) – Will play in a rehab game on Friday.
A.J. Griffin, SP, OAK (Elbow) – Could begin a rehab assignment next week.
Everth Cabrera, SS, BAL (Foot) – Expected to be activated from the disabled list on Friday.
John Jaso, C, TB (Wrist) – Has resumed swinging a bat.
Ryan Brett, 2B, TB (Shoulder) – Has started playing in extended spring training games.
LaTroy Hawkins, RP, COL (Biceps) – Is not close to returning to the Rockies.
Corey Dickerson, OF, COL (Foot) – Does not plan on undergoing surgery.
Brendan Ryan, SS, NYY (Calf) – Returned to action in a rehab game on Wednesday.
Josh Hamilton, OF, TEX (Shoulder) – Is expected to play in rehab games at Triple-A Round Rock from Thursday through Saturday.
Drew Pomeranz, SP, OAK (Shoulder) – Pomeranz was placed on the 15-day DL on Wednesday.
Patrick Corbin, SP, ARI (Elbow) – Next rehab outing may be pushed back.
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)
Chase Whitley, SP, NYY – transferred to the 60-day DL.
Drew Pomeranz, SP, OAK
Jacoby Ellsbury, OF, NYY
Called Up
Slade Heathcott, OF, NYY
Shaun Marcum, RP, CLE
Brandon Barnes, OF, COL
Phil Klein, RP, TEX
Arnold Leon, RP, OAK
Severino Gonzalez, RP, PHI
Sent Down (to Triple-A, unless otherwise noted)
John Cornely, RP, BOS
Zach Walters, 2B, CLE
Hector Neris, RP, PHI
Edgar Olmos, RP, SEA
Jesus Sucre, C, SEA
Stolmy Pimentel, RP, TEX
Jeff Francis, RP, TOR
Drew Stubbs, OF, COL
Traded
John Cornely, RP, BOS – from Atlanta Braves for cash.
Closer Watch
Colorado Rockies – The Rockies have only given John Axford two save chances since April 27, although Axford was quite successful and locked down both chances without issue. Axford, a name once forgotten amongst closers, has done an admirable job since taking over for the injured Adam Ottavino. The Rockies will have a tough time giving Axford save opportunities; however, if Axford maintains his current level of production, we should expect at least 30 saves total on the season. Axford is a decent buy-candidate, one that shouldn't cost you an arm-and-a-leg to snag.
Key Matchups
Matchup Info | Career Matchup Stats | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Batter | Pos | Game | Pitcher | AB | H | XBH | HR | RBI | BB | K | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
S. Pearce | OF | BAL vs SEA 12:35PM | J. Happ | 18 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 2 | .333 | .381 | .778 | 1.159 |
R. Cano | 2B | SEA @ BAL 12:35PM | C. Tillman | 28 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 3 | .429 | .467 | .679 | 1.145 |
M. Cabrera | 1B | DET vs HOU 1:08PM | S. Feldman | 16 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | .563 | .588 | 1.063 | 1.651 |
Y. Cespedes | OF | DET vs HOU 1:08PM | S. Feldman | 11 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | .273 | .429 | .455 | .883 |
J. Mayberry | OF | NYM vs STL 1:10PM | J. Garcia | 13 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | .462 | .462 | .769 | 1.231 |
C. Ruiz | C | PHI @ COL 3:10PM | J. De La Rosa | 11 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | .545 | .643 | .727 | 1.370 |
G. Sizemore | OF | PHI @ COL 3:10PM | J. De La Rosa | 17 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | .235 | .350 | .647 | .997 |
C. Utley | 2B | PHI @ COL 3:10PM | J. De La Rosa | 14 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | .286 | .375 | .571 | .946 |
J. Turner | 3B | LAD @ SF 3:45PM | M. Bumgarner | 25 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | .280 | .308 | .600 | .908 |
F. Freeman | 1B | ATL vs MIL 7:10PM | M. Garza | 12 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | .333 | .429 | .583 | 1.012 |
A. Pierzynski | C | ATL vs MIL 7:10PM | M. Garza | 16 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | .250 | .294 | .625 | .919 |
H. Ramirez | SS | BOS vs TEX 7:10PM | W. Rodriguez | 24 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | .417 | .500 | .792 | 1.292 |
E. Andrus | SS | TEX @ BOS 7:10PM | C. Buchholz | 11 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | .455 | .455 | .545 | 1.000 |
M. Bourn | OF | CLE @ CWS 8:10PM | J. Danks | 14 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | .286 | .333 | .571 | .905 |
J. Kipnis | 2B | CLE @ CWS 8:10PM | J. Danks | 26 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 3 | .269 | .355 | .500 | .855 |
R. Raburn | OF | CLE @ CWS 8:10PM | J. Danks | 47 | 17 | 11 | 4 | 12 | 6 | 12 | .362 | .426 | .766 | 1.192 |
N. Swisher | 1B | CLE @ CWS 8:10PM | J. Danks | 25 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 1 | .280 | .419 | .520 | .939 |
A. Ramirez | SS | CWS vs CLE 8:10PM | D. Salazar | 10 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | .800 | .800 | 1.200 | 2.000 |
M. Montero | C | CHC @ SD 9:10PM | O. Despaigne | 10 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | .300 | .417 | .600 | 1.017 |
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 |
David Price | DET vs HOU 1:08PM | 71 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 23 | .183 | .236 | .251 | .487 |
Madison Bumgarner | SF vs LAD 3:45PM | 211 | 42 | 14 | 4 | 13 | 9 | 57 | .199 | .235 | .305 | .540 |
Clayton Kershaw | LAD @ SF 3:45PM | 337 | 64 | 12 | 2 | 14 | 15 | 91 | .190 | .227 | .239 | .466 |
R.A. Dickey | TOR vs LAA 7:07PM | 83 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 14 | 6 | 16 | .169 | .218 | .331 | .549 |
Matt Garza | MIL @ ATL 7:10PM | 99 | 22 | 8 | 5 | 16 | 10 | 14 | .222 | .294 | .396 | .690 |
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. Pacheco | C | ARI @ MIA 12:10PM | M. Latos | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .100 | .100 | .100 | .200 |
J. Hardy | SS | BAL vs SEA 12:35PM | J. Happ | 17 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | .176 | .300 | .353 | .653 |
M. Machado | 3B | BAL vs SEA 12:35PM | J. Happ | 12 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | .167 | .231 | .333 | .564 |
D. Young | OF | BAL vs SEA 12:35PM | J. Happ | 19 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | .211 | .211 | .211 | .421 |
D. Ackley | OF | SEA @ BAL 12:35PM | C. Tillman | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .083 | .083 | .083 | .167 |
K. Seager | 3B | SEA @ BAL 12:35PM | C. Tillman | 13 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | .154 | .267 | .231 | .497 |
J. Altuve | 2B | HOU @ DET 1:08PM | D. Price | 11 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .273 | .273 | .273 | .545 |
C. Carter | DH | HOU @ DET 1:08PM | D. Price | 14 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | .143 | .250 | .214 | .464 |
C. Rasmus | OF | HOU @ DET 1:08PM | D. Price | 25 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | .200 | .286 | .200 | .486 |
R. Howard | 1B | PHI @ COL 3:10PM | J. De La Rosa | 13 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 4 | .231 | .214 | .308 | .522 |
A. Ellis | C | LAD @ SF 3:45PM | M. Bumgarner | 24 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | .125 | .222 | .167 | .389 |
A. Ethier | OF | LAD @ SF 3:45PM | M. Bumgarner | 24 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | .125 | .160 | .167 | .327 |
A. Gonzalez | 1B | LAD @ SF 3:45PM | M. Bumgarner | 35 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | .114 | .114 | .171 | .286 |
J. Rollins | SS | LAD @ SF 3:45PM | M. Bumgarner | 24 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | .167 | .167 | .167 | .333 |
N. Aoki | OF | SF vs LAD 3:45PM | C. Kershaw | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | .133 | .133 | .133 | .267 |
B. Belt | 1B | SF vs LAD 3:45PM | C. Kershaw | 32 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 18 | .094 | .171 | .125 | .296 |
B. Crawford | SS | SF vs LAD 3:45PM | C. Kershaw | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | .056 | .105 | .056 | .161 |
J. Maxwell | OF | SF vs LAD 3:45PM | C. Kershaw | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | .000 | .118 | .000 | .118 |
H. Pence | OF | SF vs LAD 3:45PM | C. Kershaw | 53 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 13 | .075 | .075 | .075 | .151 |
B. Posey | C | SF vs LAD 3:45PM | C. Kershaw | 65 | 13 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 14 | .200 | .235 | .323 | .558 |
M. Joyce | OF | LAA @ TOR 7:07PM | R. Dickey | 36 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 8 | .167 | .225 | .361 | .586 |
N. Markakis | OF | ATL vs MIL 7:10PM | M. Garza | 38 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 5 | .158 | .256 | .184 | .440 |
C. Gomez | OF | MIL @ ATL 7:10PM | J. Teheran | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | .200 | .273 | .200 | .473 |
G. Parra | OF | MIL @ ATL 7:10PM | J. Teheran | 11 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .182 | .182 | .273 | .455 |
A. Beltre | 3B | TEX @ BOS 7:10PM | C. Buchholz | 11 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | .182 | .250 | .364 | .614 |
S. Choo | OF | TEX @ BOS 7:10PM | C. Buchholz | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | .083 | .313 | .167 | .479 |
D. Murphy | OF | CLE @ CWS 8:10PM | J. Danks | 11 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | .182 | .250 | .273 | .523 |
C. Santana | 1B | CLE @ CWS 8:10PM | J. Danks | 30 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 8 | .200 | .324 | .367 | .691 |
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 |
Scott Feldman | HOU @ DET 1:08PM | 61 | 22 | 7 | 2 | 8 | 5 | 4 | .361 | .409 | .567 | .976 |
Jorge De La Rosa | COL vs PHI 3:10PM | 75 | 22 | 9 | 4 | 16 | 5 | 17 | .293 | .351 | .529 | .880 |
John Danks | CWS vs CLE 8:10PM | 233 | 67 | 29 | 10 | 36 | 27 | 40 | .288 | .358 | .512 | .871 |
Matchup Info | Career Stats Allowed To Batters On Opposing Team | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pitcher | Game | AB | H | XBH | HR | RBI | BB | K | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
Brad Miller, SS, SEA – Miller is a deeper-league recommendation, but I'm all about the hot streak he's been on. Good hitting shortstops are a rare find these days, and while Miller may not exactly qualify as "good" he still makes an owner take notice based on his recent power surge (4 HR, 5 R and 5 RBI over the last seven games). Miller's playing time is a tad unpredictable at times, although I'm taking the plunge until he cools down.
Other Recent Recommendations:Enrique Burgos, Matt Shoemaker, Carlos Correa, Brandon Crawford, Maikel Franco, Jose Quintana and Delino DeShields
DraftKings Value Picks
SP: Jesse Chavez, OAK ($7,200)
C: Stephen Vogt, OAK ($3,700)
1B: James Loney, TB ($3,500)
2B: Delino DeShields, TEX ($3,700)
SS: Starlin Castro, CHC ($3,600)
3B: Evan Longoria, TB ($4,000)
OF: Nick Markakis, OF ($3,500)