Streamer CityThe following pitchers are generally available in over 50 percent of fantasy leagues and have favorable match-ups this week:
American LeagueWednesday, 9/12: Jason Hammel vs. TBHammel came off the disabled list this past week, returning to a 3.54 ERA and 106/39 K/BB ratio.
Wednesday, 9/12: Ervin Santana vs. OAKThe Halos right-hander has looked much better in recent outings, turning in a 3-1 record and 3.40 ERA while holding opposing hitters to a .190 average since the start of August.
Thursday, 9/13: Derek Holland vs. CLESince struggling through a rocky midsummer stretch, Holland has turned in four quality starts in five outings, accruing a 28/6 K/BB ratio in 33 1/3 innings during that span.
National LeagueTuesday, 9/11: Jhoulys Chacin vs. SF Over his past three starts, Chacin is 2-1 with a 1.50 ERA.
Wednesday, 9/12: Lucas Harrell vs. CHCHarrell has quietly been one of the league's more reliable starters in the second half, allowing two or fewer runs in nine of 10 starts since the All-Star break.
Friday, 9/14: Tyler Cloyd @ HOUThe Phillies rookie has been extremely impressive in early action, especially his most recent outing in Cincinnati where he fanned nine in seven shutout frames.
Total GamesAmerican League6: BAL, BOS, KC, NYY, SEA, TB, TEX, TOR
7: CLE, CWS, DET, LAA, MIN, OAK
National League5: ARI
6: ATL, CHC, CIN, COL, LAD, MIA, MIL, NYM, PIT, SD, SF, STL
7: HOU, PHI, STL
Lefty/Righty BreakdownsAmerican LeagueBAL: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
BOS: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
CLE: 6 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
CWS: 6 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
DET: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
KC: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
LAA: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
MIN: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
NYY: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
OAK: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
SEA: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
TB: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
TEX: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
TOR: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
National LeagueARI: 3 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
ATL: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
CHC: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
CIN: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
COL: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
HOU: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
LAD: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
MIA: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
MIL: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
NYM: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
PHI: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
PIT: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
SD: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
SF: 2 vs. RHP, 4 vs. LHP
STL: 3 vs. RHP, 4 vs. LHP
WAS: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
The InfirmaryYou 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:
Javy Guerra: Out until late September (ribs)
Brandon Inge: Out for the season (shoulder)
Placido Polanco: Out for the season (back)
The Rockies implemented a six-man rotation back in July as a creative approach to solving their severe starting pitching issues. Here in September, for various reasons, many other teams are following suit. The Marlins, Astros, Twins, Mets and Padres are among teams that have opted to go with six starters the rest of the way.
From a baseball standpoint, this makes sense. For teams that are not contending for a playoff spot, the primary objectives become keeping everyone healthy and getting a look at as many players as you can. Adding an extra starter to the rotation is helpful toward both ends.
From a fantasy standpoint, it's bad news. Teams that play six games in a week often won't have a single two-start pitcher, and teams that play seven games will have one instead of two. The number of remaining starts for fantasy assets such as Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, Clayton Richard, Edinson Volquez and Scott Diamond is reduced.
Keep this in mind as you set your roster here in the final weeks.
Going Twice…
American League
Strong Plays
Ryan Dempster: CLE (Jimenez), SEA (Beavan)
Hiroki Kuroda: @BOS (Lester), TB (Cobb)
Dan Haren: OAK (Parker), @KC (Guthrie)
Doug Fister: @CWS (Peavy), @CLE (Jimenez)
Jake Peavy: DET (Fister), @MIN (Deduno)
Miguel Gonzalez: TB (Cobb), @OAK (Straily)
Brandon Morrow: SEA (Beavan), BOS (Lester)
Decent Plays
Alex Cobb: @BAL (Gonzalez), @NYY (Kuroda)
Jarrod Parker: @LAA (Haren), BAL (Saunders)
Samuel Deduno: CLE (Masterson), CWS (Peavy)
Rick Porcello: @CWS (Quintana), @CLE (Masterson)
Jose Quintana: DET (Porcello), @MIN (Hendriks)
Jon Lester: NYY (Kuroda), @TOR (Morrow)
Dan Straily: @LAA, BAL (Gonzalez)
At Your Own Risk
Blake Beavan: @TOR (Morrow), @TEX (Dempster)
Everett Teaford: @MIN (Diamond), LAA (Haren)
Ubaldo Jimenez: @TEX (Dempster), DET (Fister)
Justin Masterson: @MIN (Deduno), DET (Porcello)
National League
Strong Plays
Gio Gonzalez: @NYM (McHugh), @ATL (Minor)
Adam Wainwright: @SD (Stults), @LAD (Blanton)
Wandy Rodriguez: @CIN (Latos), @CHC (Volstad)
Roy Halladay: MIA (Eovaldi), @HOU (Gonzalez)
Kyle Kendrick: MIA (LeBlanc), @HOU (Lyles)
Mat Latos: PIT (Rodriguez), @MIA (Nolasco)
Mike Minor: @MIL (Peralta), WAS (Gonzalez)
Decent Plays
Jaime Garcia: @SD (Volquez), @LAD (Blanton)
Ryan Vogelsong: @COL (White), @ARI (Corbin)
Joe Blanton: @ARI (Kennedy), STL (Wainwright)
At Your Own Risk
Jordan Lyles: CHC (Volstad), PHI (Halladay)
Alex White: SF (Vogelsong), @SD (Werner)
Wily Peralta: ATL (Minor), NYM (Young)
Chris Volstad: @HOU (Lyles), PIT (Rodriguez)
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, 9/12: Jason Hammel vs. TB
Hammel came off the disabled list this past week, returning to a 3.54 ERA and 106/39 K/BB ratio.
Wednesday, 9/12: Ervin Santana vs. OAK
The Halos right-hander has looked much better in recent outings, turning in a 3-1 record and 3.40 ERA while holding opposing hitters to a .190 average since the start of August.
Thursday, 9/13: Derek Holland vs. CLE
Since struggling through a rocky midsummer stretch, Holland has turned in four quality starts in five outings, accruing a 28/6 K/BB ratio in 33 1/3 innings during that span.
National League
Tuesday, 9/11: Jhoulys Chacin vs. SF
Over his past three starts, Chacin is 2-1 with a 1.50 ERA.
Wednesday, 9/12: Lucas Harrell vs. CHC
Harrell has quietly been one of the league's more reliable starters in the second half, allowing two or fewer runs in nine of 10 starts since the All-Star break.
Friday, 9/14: Tyler Cloyd @ HOU
The Phillies rookie has been extremely impressive in early action, especially his most recent outing in Cincinnati where he fanned nine in seven shutout frames.
Total Games
American League
6: BAL, BOS, KC, NYY, SEA, TB, TEX, TOR
7: CLE, CWS, DET, LAA, MIN, OAK
National League
5: ARI
6: ATL, CHC, CIN, COL, LAD, MIA, MIL, NYM, PIT, SD, SF, STL
7: HOU, PHI, STL
Lefty/Righty Breakdowns
American League
BAL: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
BOS: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
CLE: 6 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
CWS: 6 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
DET: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
KC: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
LAA: 4 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
MIN: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
NYY: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
OAK: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
SEA: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
TB: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
TEX: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
TOR: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
National League
ARI: 3 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
ATL: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
CHC: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
CIN: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
COL: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
HOU: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
LAD: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
MIA: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
MIL: 3 vs. RHP, 3 vs. LHP
NYM: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
PHI: 5 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
PIT: 5 vs. RHP, 1 vs. LHP
SD: 4 vs. RHP, 2 vs. LHP
SF: 2 vs. RHP, 4 vs. LHP
STL: 3 vs. RHP, 4 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:
Javy Guerra: Out until late September (ribs)
Brandon Inge: Out for the season (shoulder)
Placido Polanco: Out for the season (back)