Last week, I called out a number of two-start pitchers who were candidates to switch teams with July 31st rapidly approaching. Among the names mentioned – Francisco Liriano, Zack Greinke, Wandy Rodriguez and Clayton Richard – only Rodriguez has been dealt thus far.
The remaining names continue to buzz as we inch toward Tuesday's deadline, but none of them repeat as two-start pitchers.
The big name on this week's list is Ryan Dempster. He seems very likely to be traded, although talks between the Cubs and Dodgers have apparently stalled. Among other guys set to go twice, only Cliff Lee and maybe Edinson Volquez look like feasible candidates to move and both are long-shots. The flurry of trades that will undoubtedly take place in the coming days is sure to shake up the fantasy world, but aside from Dempster, most of the pitchers listed below should be locked in. (And of course, even if he's moved, there's a good chance Dempster could stay on schedule.)
Going Twice…
American League
Strong Plays
David Price: @OAK (Griffin), BAL (Gonzalez)
Tommy Milone: TB (Shields), TOR (Laffey)
A.J. Griffin: TB (Price), TOR (Romero)
Jered Weaver: @TEX (Feldman), @CWS (Floyd)
Max Scherzer: @BOS (Buchholz), CLE (Lowe)
Decent Plays
Aaron Laffey: @SEA (Vargas), @OAK (Milone)
Derek Holland: LAA (Santana), @KC (Hochevar)
Scott Feldman: LAA (Weaver), @KC (Smith)
Freddy Garcia: BAL (Gonzalez), SEA (Iwakuma)
Jose Quintana: @MIN (De Vries), LAA (Santana)
Josh Beckett: DET (Verlander), MIN (Blackburn)
Clay Buchholz: DET (Scherzer), MIN (De Vries)
Miguel Gonzalez: @NYY (Garcia), @TB (Price)
At Your Own Risk
Ricky Romero: @SEA (Iwakuma), @OAK (Griffin)
Hisashi Iwakuma: TOR (Romero), @NYY (Garcia)
Cole De Vries: CWS (Quintana), @BOS (Buchholz)
Nick Blackburn: CWS (Peavy), @BOS (Beckett)
Ervin Santana: @TEX (Holland), @CWS (Quintana)
Luke Hochevar: CLE (Lowe), TEX (Holland)
Derek Lowe: @KC (Hochevar), @DET (Scherzer)
National League
Strong Plays
Kyle Lohse: @COL (Francis), MIL (Estrada)
Stephen Strasburg: PHI (Lee), MIA (Nolasco)
Madison Bumgarner: NYM (Hefner), @COL (Francis)
Edinson Volquez: @CIN (Leake), NYM (Hefner)
Erik Bedard: @CHC (Dempster), @CIN (Bailey)
Cliff Lee: @WAS (Strasburg), ARI (Cahill)
Mark Buehrle: @ATL (Hanson), WAS (Lannan)
Aaron Harang: ARI (Cahill), CHC (Garza)
Homer Bailey: SD (Marquis), PIT (Bedard)
Ryan Dempster: PIT (Bedard), @LAD (Kershaw)
Decent Plays
Tim Lincecum: NYM (Harvey), @COL (Friedrich)
Jason Marquis: @CIN (Bailey), NYM (Harvey)
Matt Harvey: @SF (Lincecum), @SD (Marquis)
Marco Estrada: HOU (Norris), @STL (Lohse)
Bud Norris: @MIL (Estrada), @ATL (Jurrjens)
Jeff Francis: STL (Lohse), SF (Bumgarner)
Mike Leake: SD (Volquez), PIT (Bedard)
Tommy Hanson: MIA (Buehrle), HOU (Harrell)
Trevor Cahill: @LAD (Harang), @PHI (Lee)
At Your Own Risk
Jeremy Hefner: @SF (Bumgarner), @SD (Volquez)
Ricky Nolasco: @ATL (Jurrjens), @WAS (Strasburg)
Christian Friedrich: STL (Westbrook), SF (Lincecum)
Jair Jurrjens: MIA (Nolasco), HOU (Norris)
Last week, I called out a number of two-start pitchers who were candidates to switch teams with July 31st rapidly approaching. Among the names mentioned – Francisco Liriano, Zack Greinke, Wandy Rodriguez and Clayton Richard – only Rodriguez has been dealt thus far.
The remaining names continue to buzz as we inch toward Tuesday's deadline, but none of them repeat as two-start pitchers.
The big name on this week's list is Ryan Dempster. He seems very likely to be traded, although talks between the Cubs and Dodgers have apparently stalled. Among other guys set to go twice, only Cliff Lee and maybe Edinson Volquez look like feasible candidates to move and both are long-shots. The flurry of trades that will undoubtedly take place in the coming days is sure to shake up the fantasy world, but aside from Dempster, most of the pitchers listed below should be locked in. (And of course, even if he's moved, there's a good chance Dempster could stay on schedule.)
Going Twice…
American League
Strong Plays
David Price: @OAK (Griffin), BAL (Gonzalez)
Tommy Milone: TB (Shields), TOR (Laffey)
A.J. Griffin: TB (Price), TOR (Romero)
Jered Weaver: @TEX (Feldman), @CWS (Floyd)
Max Scherzer: @BOS (Buchholz), CLE (Lowe)
Decent Plays
Aaron Laffey: @SEA (Vargas), @OAK (Milone)
Derek Holland: LAA (Santana), @KC (Hochevar)
Scott Feldman: LAA (Weaver), @KC (Smith)
Freddy Garcia: BAL (Gonzalez), SEA (Iwakuma)
Jose Quintana: @MIN (De Vries), LAA (Santana)
Josh Beckett: DET (Verlander), MIN (Blackburn)
Clay Buchholz: DET (Scherzer), MIN (De Vries)
Miguel Gonzalez: @NYY (Garcia), @TB (Price)
At Your Own Risk
Ricky Romero: @SEA (Iwakuma), @OAK (Griffin)
Hisashi Iwakuma: TOR (Romero), @NYY (Garcia)
Cole De Vries: CWS (Quintana), @BOS (Buchholz)
Nick Blackburn: CWS (Peavy), @BOS (Beckett)
Ervin Santana: @TEX (Holland), @CWS (Quintana)
Luke Hochevar: CLE (Lowe), TEX (Holland)
Derek Lowe: @KC (Hochevar), @DET (Scherzer)
National League
Strong Plays
Kyle Lohse: @COL (Francis), MIL (Estrada)
Stephen Strasburg: PHI (Lee), MIA (Nolasco)
Madison Bumgarner: NYM (Hefner), @COL (Francis)
Edinson Volquez: @CIN (Leake), NYM (Hefner)
Erik Bedard: @CHC (Dempster), @CIN (Bailey)
Cliff Lee: @WAS (Strasburg), ARI (Cahill)
Mark Buehrle: @ATL (Hanson), WAS (Lannan)
Aaron Harang: ARI (Cahill), CHC (Garza)
Homer Bailey: SD (Marquis), PIT (Bedard)
Ryan Dempster: PIT (Bedard), @LAD (Kershaw)
Decent Plays
Tim Lincecum: NYM (Harvey), @COL (Friedrich)
Jason Marquis: @CIN (Bailey), NYM (Harvey)
Matt Harvey: @SF (Lincecum), @SD (Marquis)
Marco Estrada: HOU (Norris), @STL (Lohse)
Bud Norris: @MIL (Estrada), @ATL (Jurrjens)
Jeff Francis: STL (Lohse), SF (Bumgarner)
Mike Leake: SD (Volquez), PIT (Bedard)
Tommy Hanson: MIA (Buehrle), HOU (Harrell)
Trevor Cahill: @LAD (Harang), @PHI (Lee)
At Your Own Risk
Jeremy Hefner: @SF (Bumgarner), @SD (Volquez)
Ricky Nolasco: @ATL (Jurrjens), @WAS (Strasburg)
Christian Friedrich: STL (Westbrook), SF (Lincecum)
Jair Jurrjens: MIA (Nolasco), HOU (Norris)
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, 8/1: Carlos Villanueva @ SEA
He has sparkled since moving to the rotation in early July, turning in a 2.13 ERA while averaging a strikeout per inning.
Friday, 8/3: Brett Cecil @ OAK
Cecil faced the A's this past week and held them to two runs over six innings while fanning eight. It was one of three quality starts in his past four turns.
Friday, 8/3: Tommy Hunter @ TB
The right-hander has performed well in two road starts since being recalled from the minors, allowing four runs and zero walks over 14 1/3 innings.
National League
Thursday, 8/2: Nathan Eovaldi @ ATL
As the top prospect received in return for Hanley Ramirez, the Marlins have high hopes for Eovaldi and will give him every opportunity. He's got the stuff to succeed.
Friday, 8/3: Clayton Richard vs. NYM
The southpaw has posted a 3.71 ERA and 1.14 WHIP at home in San Diego this season.
Total Games
American League
6: BAL, CLE, CWS, DET, KC, NYY, SEA, TB
7: BOS, LAA, MIN, OAK, TEX, TOR
National League
6: ARI, ATL, CHC, COL, HOU, LAD, MIL, PHI, PIT, STL
7: CIN, NYM, SD, SF, WAS
8: MIA
Lefty/Righty Breakdowns
American League
BAL: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
BOS: 6 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
CLE: 6 vs. RHP, 0 vs. LHP
CWS: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
DET: 6 vs. RHP, 0 vs. LHP
KC: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
LAA: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
MIN: 3 vs. RHP, 4 vs. LHP
NYY: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
OAK: 3 vs. RHP, 4 vs. LHP
SEA: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
TB: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
TEX: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
TOR: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
National League
ARI: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
ATL: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
CHC: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
CIN: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
COL: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
HOU: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
LAD: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
MIA: 6 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
MIL: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
NYM: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
PHI: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
PIT: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
SD: 7 vs. RHP, 0 vs. LHP
SF: 3 vs. RHP, 4 vs. LHP
STL: 2 vs. RHP, 4 vs. LHP
WAS: 4 vs. RHP, 3 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:
Matt Diaz: Out indefinitely (thumb)
Jason Giambi: Out indefinitely (illness)
Adam Kennedy: Out indefinitely (groin)
Johan Santana: Out until mid-August (ankle)
Alex Rodriguez: Out until mid-September (hand)
Placido Polanco: Out until mid-August (back)
Colby Lewis: Out for the season (arm)
J.P. Arencibia: Out until September (hand)
Ian Desmond: Out indefinitely (ribs)