Back in 2008, Cincinnati's Edinson Volquez was one of the most promising young pitchers in the National League. That year, he went 17-6 with a 3.21 ERA for the Reds, finishing fourth in the Rookie of the Year voting.
Volquez's next two seasons were cut short by injuries, and last year he was simply a mess. The strikeouts were there, as he averaged 8.6 K/9, but the right-hander scuffled in other departments. His control was worse than normal, he gave up too many hits and far too many homers (19 in 108 2/3 innings).
During the offseason, the Reds granted the struggling starter a change of scenery, sending him to San Diego in the Mat Latos deal. Not surprisingly, Volquez has looked much better in the friendly confines of Petco. Through six starts, he owns a .2.92 ERA and 33/18 K/BB ratio in 37 innings. The control still hasn't been great – Volquez has always been effectively wild even at his best – but his 4.4 BB/9 rate is below his career average and he's allowed only 25 hits and two homers.
Volquez is listed as a Strong Play this week, and best of all, he's available in most leagues.
Initially, it appeared that a change of scenery was paying similar dividends for fellow two-start pitcher A.J. Burnett, but he coughed up a staggering 12 earned runs in his last start for Pittsburgh, landing him squarely in the At Your Own Risk category this week.
In the AL, Jered Weaver lines up for two starts fresh off his no-hitter against the Twins, and Doug Fister goes twice in his return from an oblique injury (with excellent match-ups).
Going Twice…
American League
Strong Plays
Ricky Romero: @OAK (Parker), @MIN (Hendriks)
Matt Harrison: @BAL (Arrieta), LAA (Weaver)
Neftali Feliz: @BAL (Matusz), LAA (Williams)
James Shields: @NYY (Nova), @BAL (Arrieta)
Jered Weaver: @MIN (Liriano), @TEX (Harrison)
Justin Verlander: @SEA (Millwood), @OAK (Parker)
Doug Fister: @SEA (Beavan), @OAK (Milone)
Decent Plays
Blake Beavan: DET (Fister), @NYY (Nova)
Jarrod Parker: TOR (Romero), DET (Verlander)
Ivan Nova: TB (Shields), SEA (Beavan)
Philip Humber: @CLE (Tomlin), KC (Sanchez)
Justin Masterson: CWS (Danks), @BOS (Bard)
Daniel Bard: @KC (Duffy), CLE (Masterson)
Felix Doubront: @KC (Sanchez), CLE (Tomlin)
Jake Arrieta: TEX (Harrison), TB (Shields)
Brian Matusz: TEX (Feliz), TB (Moore)
At Your Own Risk
Francisco Liriano: LAA (Weaver) TOR (Hutchison)
Liam Hendriks: LAA (Haren), TOR (Romero)
Jonathan Sanchez: BOS (Doubront), @CWS (Humber)
Josh Tomlin: CWS (Humber), @BOS (Doubront)
National League
Strong Plays
Edwin Jackson: @PIT (Burnett), @CIN (Arroyo)
Lance Lynn: @ARI (Saunders), ATL (Hanson)
Edinson Volquez: COL (Pomeranz), @PHI (Halladay)
Roy Halladay: NYM (Niese), SD (Volquez)
Carlos Zambrano: @HOU (Happ), NYM (Niese)
Ted Lilly: SF (Zito), COL (Pomeranz)
Bronson Arroyo: @MIL (Gallardo), WAS (Jackson)
Tommy Hanson: @CHC (Samardzija), @STL (Lynn)
Joe Saunders: STL (Lynn), SF (Zito)
Decent Plays
Barry Zito: @LAD (Lilly), @ARI (Saunders)
Jonathon Niese: @PHI (Halladay), @MIA (Zambrano)
Yovani Gallardo: CIN (Arroyo), CHC (Samardzija)
J.A. Happ: MIA (Zambrano), @PIT (Burnett)
Drew Pomeranz: @SD (Volquez), @LAD (Lilly)
Jeff Samardzija: ATL (Hanson), @MIL (Gallardo)
At Your Own Risk
A.J. Burnett: WAS (Jackson), HOU (Happ)
Back in 2008, Cincinnati's Edinson Volquez was one of the most promising young pitchers in the National League. That year, he went 17-6 with a 3.21 ERA for the Reds, finishing fourth in the Rookie of the Year voting.
Volquez's next two seasons were cut short by injuries, and last year he was simply a mess. The strikeouts were there, as he averaged 8.6 K/9, but the right-hander scuffled in other departments. His control was worse than normal, he gave up too many hits and far too many homers (19 in 108 2/3 innings).
During the offseason, the Reds granted the struggling starter a change of scenery, sending him to San Diego in the Mat Latos deal. Not surprisingly, Volquez has looked much better in the friendly confines of Petco. Through six starts, he owns a .2.92 ERA and 33/18 K/BB ratio in 37 innings. The control still hasn't been great – Volquez has always been effectively wild even at his best – but his 4.4 BB/9 rate is below his career average and he's allowed only 25 hits and two homers.
Volquez is listed as a Strong Play this week, and best of all, he's available in most leagues.
Initially, it appeared that a change of scenery was paying similar dividends for fellow two-start pitcher A.J. Burnett, but he coughed up a staggering 12 earned runs in his last start for Pittsburgh, landing him squarely in the At Your Own Risk category this week.
In the AL, Jered Weaver lines up for two starts fresh off his no-hitter against the Twins, and Doug Fister goes twice in his return from an oblique injury (with excellent match-ups).
Going Twice…
American League
Strong Plays
Ricky Romero: @OAK (Parker), @MIN (Hendriks)
Matt Harrison: @BAL (Arrieta), LAA (Weaver)
Neftali Feliz: @BAL (Matusz), LAA (Williams)
James Shields: @NYY (Nova), @BAL (Arrieta)
Jered Weaver: @MIN (Liriano), @TEX (Harrison)
Justin Verlander: @SEA (Millwood), @OAK (Parker)
Doug Fister: @SEA (Beavan), @OAK (Milone)
Decent Plays
Blake Beavan: DET (Fister), @NYY (Nova)
Jarrod Parker: TOR (Romero), DET (Verlander)
Ivan Nova: TB (Shields), SEA (Beavan)
Philip Humber: @CLE (Tomlin), KC (Sanchez)
Justin Masterson: CWS (Danks), @BOS (Bard)
Daniel Bard: @KC (Duffy), CLE (Masterson)
Felix Doubront: @KC (Sanchez), CLE (Tomlin)
Jake Arrieta: TEX (Harrison), TB (Shields)
Brian Matusz: TEX (Feliz), TB (Moore)
At Your Own Risk
Francisco Liriano: LAA (Weaver) TOR (Hutchison)
Liam Hendriks: LAA (Haren), TOR (Romero)
Jonathan Sanchez: BOS (Doubront), @CWS (Humber)
Josh Tomlin: CWS (Humber), @BOS (Doubront)
National League
Strong Plays
Edwin Jackson: @PIT (Burnett), @CIN (Arroyo)
Lance Lynn: @ARI (Saunders), ATL (Hanson)
Edinson Volquez: COL (Pomeranz), @PHI (Halladay)
Roy Halladay: NYM (Niese), SD (Volquez)
Carlos Zambrano: @HOU (Happ), NYM (Niese)
Ted Lilly: SF (Zito), COL (Pomeranz)
Bronson Arroyo: @MIL (Gallardo), WAS (Jackson)
Tommy Hanson: @CHC (Samardzija), @STL (Lynn)
Joe Saunders: STL (Lynn), SF (Zito)
Decent Plays
Barry Zito: @LAD (Lilly), @ARI (Saunders)
Jonathon Niese: @PHI (Halladay), @MIA (Zambrano)
Yovani Gallardo: CIN (Arroyo), CHC (Samardzija)
J.A. Happ: MIA (Zambrano), @PIT (Burnett)
Drew Pomeranz: @SD (Volquez), @LAD (Lilly)
Jeff Samardzija: ATL (Hanson), @MIL (Gallardo)
At Your Own Risk
A.J. Burnett: WAS (Jackson), HOU (Happ)
Streamer City
The following pitchers are generally available in over 50 percent of fantasy leagues and have favorable match-ups this week:
American League
Wednesday, 5/9: Drew Smyly @ SEA
The rookie left-hander has been excellent in early action, notching 22 strikeouts in 22 innings with a 1.23 ERA.
Thursday, 5/10: Henderson Alvarez @ MIN
Alvarez is having an odd year. He's pitching deep into games consistently and having success, but striking out nobody. In any case, the Blue Jays own the Twins.
National League
Wednesday, 5/9: Wade Miley vs. STL
Miley is 3-0 on the season and has won both of his past two starts while looking extremely sharp.
Wednesday, 5/9: Ross Detwiler @ PIT
The lefty has turned in quality starts in each of his first five outings; he's a good bet to do so again in Pittsburgh.
Thursday, 5/10: Patrick Corbin vs. SF
The Giants are hitting just .237 against southpaws this year.
Total Games
American League
6: KC, LAA, NYY, OAK, SEA, TB, TOR
7: BAL, BOS, CWS, DET, MIN, TEX
8: CLE
National League
6: ARI, ATL, CHC, CIN, COL, HOU, LAD, MIA MIL, NYM, PHI, PIT, SD, SF, STL, WAS
Lefty/Righty Breakdowns
American League
BAL: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
BOS: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
CLE: 6 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
CWS: 6 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
DET: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
KC: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
LAA: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
MIN: 6 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
NYY: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
OAK: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
SEA: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
TB: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
TEX: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
TOR: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
National League
ARI: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
ATL: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
CHC: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
CIN: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
COL: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
HOU: 6 vs. RHP, 0 vs. LHP
LAD: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
MIA: 2 vs. RHP, 4 vs. LHP
MIL: 6 vs. RHP, 0 vs. LHP
NYM: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
PHI: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
PIT: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
SD: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
SF: 2 vs. RHP, 4 vs. LHP
STL: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
WAS: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
The Infirmary
You can get a full listing of injured players at Rotoworld's Injury Page but here's the latest on a few prominent players who have been out of action:
Kevin Youkilis: Out until mid-May (back)
Rafael Perez: Out indefinitely (shoulder)
Jeremy Guthrie: Out until mid-May (shoulder)
Jesse Crain: Out until mid-May (ribs)
Doug Fister: Returning this week (ribs)
Yuniesky Betancourt: Out until mid-May (ankle)
Mariano Rivera: Out for the season (knee)
Eric Chavez: Out indefinitely (head)
Coco Crisp: Out indefinitely (ear)
Jim Thome: Out indefinitely (back)
Cory Luebke: Out until mid-May (elbow)
Pablo Sandoval: Out until mid-June (hand)
Evan Longoria: Out until late June (hamstring)