With a thrilling (not) All-Star Game now in the rear-view mirror, it's time to embark on the home stretch. A little less than half the season remains, so now is the time for fantasy owners to lock in and begin positioning their teams for the playoffs.
After last week's absence of two-start pitchers, we've got a sizable crop this week, although with rotations resetting on Friday we'll see a lot of middle and back of the rotation types (thus the concentration of "Decent Play" options). The downside is that owners of top-end guys mostly won't get to see them throw twice; the upside is that tons of the two-start pitchers listed below are widely available, so if you see any you like, you might consider taking a waiver.
Note, also, that the Rangers play only five games while the Nationals are scheduled to play eight.
Going Twice…
American League
Strong Plays
CC Sabathia: TOR (Cecil), @OAK (Colon)
Scott Diamond: BAL (Gonzalez), @KC
Phil Hughes: TOR (Alvarez), @OAK (Parker)
Decent Plays
Matt Moore: CLE (Tomlin), SEA
Alex Cobb: CLE (McAllister), SEA (Vargas)
Bartolo Colon: TEX (Oswalt), NYY (Sabathia)
Luis Mendoza: SEA (Iwakuma), MIN (Diamond)
Drew Smyly: LAA, CWS (Humber)
Rick Porcello: LAA (Santana), CWS (Floyd)
Zach McAllister: @TB (Cobb), BAL (Gonzalez)
Josh Tomlin: @TB (Moore), BAL (Britton)
Gavin Floyd @BOS (Cook), @DET (Porcello)
At Your Own Risk
Aaron Cook: CHW (Floyd), TOR (Alvarez)
Jason Vargas: @KC, @TB (Cobb)
Henderson Alvarez: @NYY (Hughes), @BOS (Cook)
Samuel Deduno: BAL (Eveland), @KC
Zach Britton: @MIN (Deduno), @CLE (Tomlin)
Miguel Gonzalez: @MIN (Diamond), @CLE (McAllister)
National League
Strong Plays
Edwin Jackson: @MIA (Zambrano), ATL (Sheets)
Chris Capuano: PHI (Blanton), @NYM (Niese)
Wade Miley: @CIN (Arroyo), HOU (Happ)
Decent Plays
Ross Detwiler: NYM (Niese), ATL (Jurrjens)
Lance Lynn: @MIL (Lynn), CHC (Wood)
Joe Blanton: @LAD (Capuano), SF (Vogelsong)
Jon Niese: @WAS (Detwiler), LAD (Capuano)
Carlos Zambrano: WAS (Jackson), @PIT (Burnett)
Anibal Sanchez: @CHC (Wood), @PIT (Karstens)
J.A. Happ: @SD (Wells), @ARI (Miley)
Jeff Francis: PIT (Karstens), @SD (Wells)
Homer Bailey: ARI (Bauer), MIL (Wolf)
Bronson Arroyo: ARI (Miley), MIL (Gallardo)
Travis Wood: MIA (Sanchez), @STL (Lynn)
Jair Jurrjens: SF (Zito), @WAS (Detwiler)
Trevor Bauer: @CIN (Bailey), HOU (Lyles)
Jordan Lyles: @SD (Ohlendorf), @ARI (Bauer)
At Your Own Risk
Kip Wells: HOU (Happ), COL (Francis)
Jeff Karstens: @COL (Francis), MIA (Zambrano)
Barry Zito: @ATL (Jurrjens), @PHI (Blanton)
With a thrilling (not) All-Star Game now in the rear-view mirror, it's time to embark on the home stretch. A little less than half the season remains, so now is the time for fantasy owners to lock in and begin positioning their teams for the playoffs.
After last week's absence of two-start pitchers, we've got a sizable crop this week, although with rotations resetting on Friday we'll see a lot of middle and back of the rotation types (thus the concentration of "Decent Play" options). The downside is that owners of top-end guys mostly won't get to see them throw twice; the upside is that tons of the two-start pitchers listed below are widely available, so if you see any you like, you might consider taking a waiver.
Note, also, that the Rangers play only five games while the Nationals are scheduled to play eight.
Going Twice…
American League
Strong Plays
CC Sabathia: TOR (Cecil), @OAK (Colon)
Scott Diamond: BAL (Gonzalez), @KC
Phil Hughes: TOR (Alvarez), @OAK (Parker)
Decent Plays
Matt Moore: CLE (Tomlin), SEA
Alex Cobb: CLE (McAllister), SEA (Vargas)
Bartolo Colon: TEX (Oswalt), NYY (Sabathia)
Luis Mendoza: SEA (Iwakuma), MIN (Diamond)
Drew Smyly: LAA, CWS (Humber)
Rick Porcello: LAA (Santana), CWS (Floyd)
Zach McAllister: @TB (Cobb), BAL (Gonzalez)
Josh Tomlin: @TB (Moore), BAL (Britton)
Gavin Floyd @BOS (Cook), @DET (Porcello)
At Your Own Risk
Aaron Cook: CHW (Floyd), TOR (Alvarez)
Jason Vargas: @KC, @TB (Cobb)
Henderson Alvarez: @NYY (Hughes), @BOS (Cook)
Samuel Deduno: BAL (Eveland), @KC
Zach Britton: @MIN (Deduno), @CLE (Tomlin)
Miguel Gonzalez: @MIN (Diamond), @CLE (McAllister)
National League
Strong Plays
Edwin Jackson: @MIA (Zambrano), ATL (Sheets)
Chris Capuano: PHI (Blanton), @NYM (Niese)
Wade Miley: @CIN (Arroyo), HOU (Happ)
Decent Plays
Ross Detwiler: NYM (Niese), ATL (Jurrjens)
Lance Lynn: @MIL (Lynn), CHC (Wood)
Joe Blanton: @LAD (Capuano), SF (Vogelsong)
Jon Niese: @WAS (Detwiler), LAD (Capuano)
Carlos Zambrano: WAS (Jackson), @PIT (Burnett)
Anibal Sanchez: @CHC (Wood), @PIT (Karstens)
J.A. Happ: @SD (Wells), @ARI (Miley)
Jeff Francis: PIT (Karstens), @SD (Wells)
Homer Bailey: ARI (Bauer), MIL (Wolf)
Bronson Arroyo: ARI (Miley), MIL (Gallardo)
Travis Wood: MIA (Sanchez), @STL (Lynn)
Jair Jurrjens: SF (Zito), @WAS (Detwiler)
Trevor Bauer: @CIN (Bailey), HOU (Lyles)
Jordan Lyles: @SD (Ohlendorf), @ARI (Bauer)
At Your Own Risk
Kip Wells: HOU (Happ), COL (Francis)
Jeff Karstens: @COL (Francis), MIA (Zambrano)
Barry Zito: @ATL (Jurrjens), @PHI (Blanton)
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, 7/18: Francisco Liriano vs. BAL
Liriano remains unowned in most fantasy leagues despite a 3.63 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 67 innings since the start of May.
Thursday, 7/19: Franklin Morales vs. CWS
The lefty has been an intriguing addition to Boston's rotation despite a hiccup in his last start. He's fanned 48 hitters in 46 innings this year.
Thursday, 7/19: Luke Hochevar vs. SEA
It seems Hochevar is always either very bad or very good. This home match-up against the Mariners portends the latter.
National League
Tuesday, 7/17: Jordan Lyles @ SD
The young Astro turned in three quality starts in his four turns leading up to the break.
Wednesday, 7/18: Mike Minor vs. SF
Minor is a good bet for a second-half rebound, and this tilt against the Giants could serve as a suitable launching point.
Friday, 7/20: Drew Pomeranz @ SD
Pomeranz hasn't allowed an earned run in either of his past two outings and is a good bet to shut down the Padres at Petco.
Total Games
American League
5: TEX
6: OAK, TOR
7: BAL, BOS, CLE, CWS, DET, KC, LAA, MIN, NYY, SEA, TB
National League
6: CHC, COL, LAD, MIL, NYM, PHI, PIT, SF, STL
7: ARI, ATL, CIN, HOU, MIA, SD
8: WAS
Lefty/Righty Breakdowns
American League
BAL: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
BOS: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
CLE: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
CWS: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
DET: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
KC: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
LAA: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
MIN: 3 vs. RHP, 4 vs. LHP
NYY: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
OAK: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
SEA: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
TB: 6 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
TEX: 3 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
TOR: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
National League
ARI: 6 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
ATL: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
CHC: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
CIN: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
COL: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
HOU: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
LAD: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
MIA: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
MIL: 6 vs. RHP, 0 vs. LHP
NYM: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
PHI: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
PIT: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
SD: 3 vs. RHP, 4 vs. LHP
SF: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
STL: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
WAS: 6 vs. RHP, 2 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:
Jerome Williams: Returning this week (head)
Andrelton Simmons: Out indefinitely (finger)
Dustin Pedroia: Out until late July (thumb)
Dillon Gee: Out until September (shoulder)