This article is part of our Transaction Analysis series.
Here's a look at some the top transactions from this week.
SUNDAY
Brewers
Jim Henderson, RHP - activated from the 15-day DL
Tyler Thornburg, RHP - optioned to Triple-A Nashville
Impact: Henderson missed a couple weeks due to a strained right hamstring. The Brewers closer was dominant before the injury, saving nine games in as many chances while posting a 0.92 ERA and a strikeout rate of better than one per inning. He may not return to his ninth-inning role immediately, as manager Ron Roenicke said he wants to ease Henderson back. Francisco Rodriguez could still be in line for the occasional save in the meantime. Thornburg pitched four scoreless innings over two relief appearances with Milwaukee.
Marlins
Logan Morrison, 1B - activated from the 60-day DL
Chris Coghlan, OF - placed on the 15-day DL (right calf)
Impact: Morrison's season finally got under way Sunday, after he missed more than two months following surgery on his right knee. The 25-year-old first baseman is coming off of an unremarkable season in which he hit just .230, with 11 home runs and 36 RBI over 93 games. His OPS has declined every year since his rookie campaign in 2010, so his potential for helping a fantasy team would appear limited, especially at the deep first base and outfield positions. Nevertheless, he should get regular playing time at first base, bumping Greg Dobbs back to a backup role. Coghlan is suffering from an injured right calf and a
Here's a look at some the top transactions from this week.
SUNDAY
Brewers
Jim Henderson, RHP - activated from the 15-day DL
Tyler Thornburg, RHP - optioned to Triple-A Nashville
Impact: Henderson missed a couple weeks due to a strained right hamstring. The Brewers closer was dominant before the injury, saving nine games in as many chances while posting a 0.92 ERA and a strikeout rate of better than one per inning. He may not return to his ninth-inning role immediately, as manager Ron Roenicke said he wants to ease Henderson back. Francisco Rodriguez could still be in line for the occasional save in the meantime. Thornburg pitched four scoreless innings over two relief appearances with Milwaukee.
Marlins
Logan Morrison, 1B - activated from the 60-day DL
Chris Coghlan, OF - placed on the 15-day DL (right calf)
Impact: Morrison's season finally got under way Sunday, after he missed more than two months following surgery on his right knee. The 25-year-old first baseman is coming off of an unremarkable season in which he hit just .230, with 11 home runs and 36 RBI over 93 games. His OPS has declined every year since his rookie campaign in 2010, so his potential for helping a fantasy team would appear limited, especially at the deep first base and outfield positions. Nevertheless, he should get regular playing time at first base, bumping Greg Dobbs back to a backup role. Coghlan is suffering from an injured right calf and a strained lower back and likely will miss more than the minimum 15 days. He's hitting .277 with one home run and 10 RBI in 51 games.
Rangers
Alexi Ogando, RHP - placed on the 15-day DL (right shoulder)
Josh Lindblom, RHP - recalled from Triple-A Round Rock
Impact: Ogando has once again landed on the DL, raising questions about whether he's cut out for a starting role. The Dominican right-hander had just come off a DL stint for tendinitis in his right biceps and made just one start before being sidelined with right shoulder inflammation. He leaves behind a 4-2 record and 2.93 ERA over 10 starts, and there's a possibility that he could be moved back to the pen upon his return. Josh Lindblom takes over Ogando's spot in the rotation, but makes for a risky fantasy option due to his lack of starting experience in the majors.
MONDAY
Angels
Peter Bourjos, OF - activated from the 15-day DL
Chris Nelson, 3B - designated for assignment
Impact: The Angels center fielder returned on Monday after missing over a month with a strained left hamstring. Bourjos returns to a .313 average, two home runs and eight RBI over 22 games. He has some decent speed, though his career offensive numbers aren't that impressive. His return will allow Mike Trout to return to left field, bumping J.B. Shuck into a reserve role. Nelson went 3-for-9 in seven games with the Halos, and has since passed through waivers and been optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake.
Marlins
Giancarlo Stanton, OF - activated from the 15-day DL
Casey Kotchman, 1B - placed on the 15-day DL (left oblique)
Impact: The Marlins slugger missed more than a month with a strained right hamstring. The 23-year-old Stanton has quickly become one of the top power hitters in baseball, slugging 71 home runs the last two seasons combined. Fantasy owners should activate him immediately (if they haven't done so already). Kotchman went 0-for-20 in six games with the Marlins and will miss at least a couple of weeks with a left oblique strain.
Padres
Jedd Gyorko, 2B - placed on the 15-day DL (right groin)
Logan Forsythe, IF - activated from the 60-day DL
Impact: The Padres' rookie second baseman will miss at least a couple weeks due to a strained right groin. Through 60 games, Gyorko hit .284 with eight home runs and 25 RBI. Forsythe should get most of the playing time at second for now, after missing over two months with plantar fasciitis in his right foot. Forsythe hit .273 with six home runs and 26 RBI in 91 games last year, and could have some value in deeper leagues. Alexi Amarista could also figure into the mix at second.
Red Sox
Will Middlebrooks, 3B - activated from the 15-day DL
Pedro Ciriaco, IF - designated for assignment
Impact: Middlebrooks only missed a couple of weeks with a strained lower back, but will now be forced to share playing time with Jose Iglesias at third base. The 24-year-old Middlebrooks was hitting just .201 with eight home runs and 22 RBI at the time of his injury. Iglesias took over at third while Middlebrooks was shelved and has been absolutely on fire at the plate, despite a career OPS of just .626 over 261 minor league games. Due to the shared playing time and the fact that Iglesias is playing way over his head, neither player is recommended in most fantasy leagues. Ciriaco hit just .216 with one home run and four RBI in 28 games.
TUESDAY
Giants
Pablo Sandoval, 3B - placed on the 15-day DL (left foot)
Nick Noonan, IF - recalled from Triple-A Fresno
Impact: Kung Fu Panda will miss time as he deals with a strained tendon in his left foot. It was originally suspected that Sandoval might have a hairline fracture in the foot, so the fact that the injury isn't that serious has to be considered good news. He'll be expected to try to shed a few pounds during his DL stint, and he leaves behind a .289 average, eight home runs and 37 RBI in 57 games. Joaquin Arias should get the lion's share of playing time at the hot corner for now, but can be avoided in most league formats. Noonan gives the Giants some infield depth while Sandoval is sidelined.
Mariners
Mike Zunino, C - contract purchased from Triple-A Tacoma
Brandon Bantz, C - designated for assignment
Impact: Zunino is one of the top catching prospects in baseball and should be in line for a lot of playing time behind the dish in Seattle. The 22-year-old backstop was hitting just .238 in 47 games with Triple-A before his promotion, though he has managed to hit a whopping 24 home runs over 91 career minor league games. He may experience some growing pains, but fantasy owners in need of catching help may want to give him a shot. Bantz went 0-for-2 in his one game with the Mariners.
Pirates
Wandy Rodriguez, LHP - placed on the 15-day DL (left forearm)
Gerrit Cole, RHP - contract purchased from Triple-A Indianapolis
Impact: Rodriguez has been dealing with some tightness in his left forearm, so the Bucs opted to give him some time off to recover. The veteran lefty is 6-4 with a 3.59 ERA over 12 starts. Charlie Morton came off the DL to start in Rodriguez's place Thursday. The 29-year-old righty has a career mark of 23-45 and a 5.06 ERA and is probably best avoided in most fantasy leagues. Cole is one of the top pitching prospects in baseball and will occupy the rotation spot that was vacated when Jeanmar Gomez landed on the DL on June 3. The 22-year-old Cole went 5-3 with a 2.91 ERA over 12 starts at Triple-A and has the potential to have some value in most league formats.
THURSDAY
Nationals
Ross Detwiler, LHP - activated from the 15-day DL
Erik Davis, RHP - optioned to Triple-A Syracuse
Impact: Detwiler missed nearly a month due to a strained oblique muscle. The 27-year-old lefty had a breakout year last year, going 10-8 with a 3.40 ERA over 33 appearances (27 starts). He also performed well in his first eight starts this year before the injury shut him down, as he posted an ERA of 2.76 over eight starts. His strikeout rates are nothing to get excited about, as he owns a 5.41 K/9 mark over his career, which hurts his fantasy value. Still, he should have some mixed league value. Davis made five relief appearances for the Nats, posting an ERA of 6.23 while fanning seven batters in 4.1 innings.
