No one knew what to expect when Brett Anderson took the hill in Oakland on Tuesday night for the first time in 13 months.
Previously one of the most impressive young pitchers in the game, Anderson had been shelved for over a year by Tommy John surgery, and while he'd shown good control in a six-start minor-league rehab stint, he also got knocked around a little bit. Some bumps in the road are to be expected in the path back from elbow surgery.
As it turned out, Anderson's ride couldn't have been smoother in his 2012 MLB debut. The lefty shut down the Twins, allowing just one run on four hits in seven innings while striking out six and walking none. His fastball velocity was good, his breaking pitches sharp and his command excellent.
If you exclude his final two ugly starts before going under the knife last year (when elbow soreness was likely a factor), the 24-year-old is 11-10 with a 2.76 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 137-to-42 K/BB ratio in 192 innings since the start of the 2010 season. Phenomenal.
His sterling performance this past week is hardly a guarantee that he's fully returned to form, but Anderson is immensely talented and it was a heck of an encouraging sign. Fantasy owners in need of a pitching boost should be scurrying to add him, and with two relatively favorable starts lined up for The Week Ahead, there's no time like the present.
Going Twice…
American League
Strong Plays
Brett Anderson: @CLE (Hernandez), BOS (Buchholz)
David Price: @TEX (Holland), @TOR (Morrow)
Felix Hernandez: @MIN (Hendriks), LAA (Santana)
Scott Diamond: SEA (Iwakuma), @KC (Mendoza)
Jered Weaver: BOS (Morales), @SEA (Iwakuma)
Chris Sale: @BAL, @DET (Sanchez)
Clay Buchholz: KC (Hochevar), @OAK (Anderson)
Decent Plays
Derek Holland: TB (Price), @CLE (McAllister)
James Shields: @TEX (Darvish), @TOR (Romero)
Hisashi Iwakuma: @MIN (Diamond), LAA (Weaver)
Tommy Milone: @CLE (McAllister), BOS (Morales)
David Phelps: TOR (Romero), BAL
Luis Mendoza: DET (Sanchez), MIN (Diamond)
Luke Hochevar: @BOS (Buchholz), MIN (Hendriks)
Anibal Sanchez: @KC (Mendoza), CWS (Sale)
Francisco Liriano: @BAL (Tillman), @DET (Scherzer)
Zach McAllister: OAK (Milone), TEX (Holland)
Chris Tillman: CWS (Liriano), @NYY (Garcia)
At Your Own Risk
Liam Hendriks: SEA (Hernandez), @KC (Hochevar)
Roberto Hernandez: OAK (Anderson), TEX (Feldman)
Franklin Morales: @LAA (Weaver), @OAK (Milone)
National League
Strong Plays
Stephen Strasburg: @MIA (Nolasco), STL (Westbrook)
Kyle Lohse: @PIT (Correia), @WAS (Zimmermann)
Matt Cain: @HOU (Norris), @CHC (Wood)
Yovani Gallardo: @CHC (Wood), PIT (Bedard)
Wade Miley: CIN (Cueto), @LAD (Capuano)
Decent Plays
Jake Westbrook: @PIT (Burnett), @WAS (Strasburg)
Vance Worley: NYM (Young), @ATL (Hudson)
Marco Estrada: @CHC (Germano), PIT (Karstens)
Chris Capuano: @COL (Chatwood), ARI (Miley)
Bud Norris: SF (Cain), CIN (Arroyo)
Bronson Arroyo: @ARI (Cahill), @HOU (Norris)
Travis Wood: MIL (Gallardo), SF (Cain)
Trevor Cahill: CIN (Arroyo), @LAD (Blanton)
At Your Own Risk
Joe Blanton: @COL (Francis), ARI (Cahill)
Jeff Francis: LAD (Blanton), SD
Justin Germano: MIL (Estrada), SF (Lincecum)
No one knew what to expect when Brett Anderson took the hill in Oakland on Tuesday night for the first time in 13 months.
Previously one of the most impressive young pitchers in the game, Anderson had been shelved for over a year by Tommy John surgery, and while he'd shown good control in a six-start minor-league rehab stint, he also got knocked around a little bit. Some bumps in the road are to be expected in the path back from elbow surgery.
As it turned out, Anderson's ride couldn't have been smoother in his 2012 MLB debut. The lefty shut down the Twins, allowing just one run on four hits in seven innings while striking out six and walking none. His fastball velocity was good, his breaking pitches sharp and his command excellent.
If you exclude his final two ugly starts before going under the knife last year (when elbow soreness was likely a factor), the 24-year-old is 11-10 with a 2.76 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 137-to-42 K/BB ratio in 192 innings since the start of the 2010 season. Phenomenal.
His sterling performance this past week is hardly a guarantee that he's fully returned to form, but Anderson is immensely talented and it was a heck of an encouraging sign. Fantasy owners in need of a pitching boost should be scurrying to add him, and with two relatively favorable starts lined up for The Week Ahead, there's no time like the present.
Going Twice…
American League
Strong Plays
Brett Anderson: @CLE (Hernandez), BOS (Buchholz)
David Price: @TEX (Holland), @TOR (Morrow)
Felix Hernandez: @MIN (Hendriks), LAA (Santana)
Scott Diamond: SEA (Iwakuma), @KC (Mendoza)
Jered Weaver: BOS (Morales), @SEA (Iwakuma)
Chris Sale: @BAL, @DET (Sanchez)
Clay Buchholz: KC (Hochevar), @OAK (Anderson)
Decent Plays
Derek Holland: TB (Price), @CLE (McAllister)
James Shields: @TEX (Darvish), @TOR (Romero)
Hisashi Iwakuma: @MIN (Diamond), LAA (Weaver)
Tommy Milone: @CLE (McAllister), BOS (Morales)
David Phelps: TOR (Romero), BAL
Luis Mendoza: DET (Sanchez), MIN (Diamond)
Luke Hochevar: @BOS (Buchholz), MIN (Hendriks)
Anibal Sanchez: @KC (Mendoza), CWS (Sale)
Francisco Liriano: @BAL (Tillman), @DET (Scherzer)
Zach McAllister: OAK (Milone), TEX (Holland)
Chris Tillman: CWS (Liriano), @NYY (Garcia)
At Your Own Risk
Liam Hendriks: SEA (Hernandez), @KC (Hochevar)
Roberto Hernandez: OAK (Anderson), TEX (Feldman)
Franklin Morales: @LAA (Weaver), @OAK (Milone)
National League
Strong Plays
Stephen Strasburg: @MIA (Nolasco), STL (Westbrook)
Kyle Lohse: @PIT (Correia), @WAS (Zimmermann)
Matt Cain: @HOU (Norris), @CHC (Wood)
Yovani Gallardo: @CHC (Wood), PIT (Bedard)
Wade Miley: CIN (Cueto), @LAD (Capuano)
Decent Plays
Jake Westbrook: @PIT (Burnett), @WAS (Strasburg)
Vance Worley: NYM (Young), @ATL (Hudson)
Marco Estrada: @CHC (Germano), PIT (Karstens)
Chris Capuano: @COL (Chatwood), ARI (Miley)
Bud Norris: SF (Cain), CIN (Arroyo)
Bronson Arroyo: @ARI (Cahill), @HOU (Norris)
Travis Wood: MIL (Gallardo), SF (Cain)
Trevor Cahill: CIN (Arroyo), @LAD (Blanton)
At Your Own Risk
Joe Blanton: @COL (Francis), ARI (Cahill)
Jeff Francis: LAD (Blanton), SD
Justin Germano: MIL (Estrada), SF (Lincecum)
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, 8/29: Sam Deduno vs. SEA
The right-hander has been able to overcome his horrendous control to post quality starts for the Twins. It may not be sustainable, but he's still a good bet at home against the M's.
Thursday, 8/30: Jeremy Guthrie vs. DET
Guthrie is on fire, as he's gone three straight starts without allowing an earned run while posting a 19/3 K/BB ratio in 22 2/3 innings.
National League
Wednesday, 8/29: Jacob Turner vs. WAS
Turner looked sharp in his Marlins debut this past week. Now that he's sticking in the rotation, he'll be a great streaming option and deep-league pickup for the final weeks.
Wednesday, 8/29: Eric Stults vs. ATL
The veteran lefty journeyman is having a surprisingly good season, with a 3.02 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in 56 innings. He's generally a solid play at Petco.
Friday, 8/31: Nathan Eovaldi vs. NYM
Since coming over to Miami, Eovaldi is 3-2 with a 3.75 ERA. He's looked particularly comfortable pitching in Marlins Park.
Total Games
American League
6: DET, LAA, NYY, SEA, TEX
7: BAL, BOS, CLE, CWS, KC, MIN, OAK, TB, TOR
National League
5: MIA
6: ATL, CIN, COL, HOU, NYM, PHI, PIT, SD, SF, WAS
7: ARI, CHC, LAD, MIL, STL
Lefty/Righty Breakdowns
American League
BAL: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
BOS: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
CLE: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
CWS: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
DET: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
KC: 6 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
LAA: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
MIN: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
NYY: 2 vs. RHP, 4 vs. LHP
OAK: 6 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
SEA: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
TB: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
TEX: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
TOR: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
National League
ARI: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
ATL: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
CHC: 6 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
CIN: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
COL: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
HOU: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
LAD: 3 vs. RHP, 4 vs. LHP
MIA: 3 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
MIL: 3 vs. RHP, 4 vs. LHP
NYM: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
PHI: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
PIT: 6 vs. RHP, 0 vs. LHP
SD: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
SF: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
STL: 6 vs. RHP, 1 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:
Peter Bourjos: Out until early September (wrist)
Carl Crawford: Out for the season (elbow)
Eric Young Jr.: Out until September (intercostal)
Michael Cuddyer: Out for the season (ribs)
Alejandro De Aza: Out until September (ribs)
Emilio Bonifacio: Out until early September (knee)
Johan Santana: Out for the season (back)
Ivan Nova: Out until September (shoulder)
Jason Marquis: Out until September (wrist)