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| Takashi Saito received an MRI on Monday, but club officials won't discuss the results until Tuesday, MLB.com reports. The closer has experienced discomfort in his right elbow. The Dodgers are worried that he may need season-ending surgery. |
Our View: Jonathan Broxton has been standing on the closer's doorstep for the better part of two seasons, and he would take over the ninth inning. Needless to say, Broxton's fantasy value would skyrocket.
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| Jordan Zimmerman held Bowie to three hits and one run over seven innings on Monday. The 22-year-old right-hander also struck out nine. Zimmerman is 4-2 with a 3.45 ERA and 1.21 WHIP over 13 starts for Double-A Harrisburg. He opened the season at High-A Potomac. |
Our View: Zimmerman had a blowup performance on June 29 but has otherwise been pitching very, very well for Harrisburg. He was a second-round pick in 2007, and we imagine that Jordan may get a bump up to Triple-A before the year is out. He is in the Nats future plans.
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| Ryan Zimmerman could be back with the Nationals as soon as Friday, according to the Washington Times. The third baseman will play at High-A Potomac on Monday and Tuesday and then move to Triple-A Columbus. If all goes well, he'll be back in the majors by this weekend. Zimmerman hasn't played since May 25 due to a labral tear in his left shoulder. |
Our View: Fantasy owners should hold off on activating Zimmerman until he proves that his shoulder is healthy. There's no guarantee that he'll feel good during this rehab.
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| The Cubs have recently inquired about the availability of Khalil Greene, the San Diego Union-Tribune notes. The report says that Greene will stick with the Padres because his trade value has fallen too low. |
Our View: We're not sure why the Cubs would want Greene when they have Ryan Theriot, Mark DeRosa, Ronny Cedeno, and Mike Fontenot up the middle. Greene would add pop to that list, but that's about it.
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| Josh Bard played for Single-A Lake Elsinore against Rancho Cucamonga on Sunday as he he continues to recover from a high ankle sprain, according to the North County Times. The plan is for Bard to start as Elsinore's DH on Monday before taking Tuesday off. Bard is also scheduled to catch five innings Wednesday.
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Our View: Manager Bud Black noted that it wouldn't surprise him if Bard returned to the Padres on July 24 (against the Pirates).
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| Tadahito Iguchi, who is recovering from a separated right shoulder, will hit off a tee on Wednesday, according to the North County Times. |
Our View: Iguchi will join the Padres on their 11-game road trip after the All-Star break. He is coming around well and feeling good, but is still a few weeks away from playing.
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| Barry Bonds' agent (Jeff Borris) stated that there’s little chance his client will play this year, according to the AP. Bonds also noted that his prospects look bleak.
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Our View: According to Borris, the news that the Mets, Red Sox, and Diamondbacks are interested in Bonds is not true.
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| Wily Mo Pena will undergo surgery on his ailing left shoulder, according to the AP. Pena has a small tear in his left rotator cuff and fraying of the labrum in his left shoulder.
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Our View: He was examined Monday by Nationals team doctor Ben Shaffer and is expected to have the operation within seven to 10 days. He held little to no fantasy value as he maintained a .205 average over 195 at-bats, with only two homers.
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| Mike Pelfrey has been named the NL Player of the Week, according to the NY Daily News. Pelfrey earned the honor by hurling 15 scoreless innings in wins over the Giants and Rockies. |
Our View: Pelfrey has now won six straight decisions, and should remain active in your starting lineup while he is hot.
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| Jason Schmidt struggled in his rehab outing with Triple-A Las Vegas on Sunday, as he allowed four earned runs on five hits over a mere two innings, according to the LA Daily News. |
Our View: He could hold decent value in larger NL-only leagues in the second half of the season, but his return to the rotation remains in question, especially following Sunday's poor showing.
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| Ryan Braun is ready to compete in the HR Derby and isn't concerned with the event messing up his swing, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. He said, "For me, personally, that's not a concern. I don't feel like I have to change my swing drastically to hit in the Derby. So, I'm not concerned about that."
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Our View: The NL participants will be Braun, Chase Utley, Dan Uggla, and Lance Berkman. The AL will feature Josh Hamilton, rookie phenom Evan Longoria, Grady Sizemore, and Justin Morneau.
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| Troy Tulowitzki will have the stitches removed from his right hand Monday, according to the Rocky Mountain News. |
Our View: That could put him on schedule to return at some point in late July. He is worth keeping stashed on your roster for the stretch run.
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| Jeff Francis, who is on the DL due to left shoulder inflammation, was reportedly in good shape following his 45-pitch bullpen session on Saturday, according to the Rocky Mountain News. |
Our View: Francis will throw another pen session on Thursday, after which point a decision will be made on whether to have him throw live batting practice or go on a minor league rehab assignment.
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| Todd Helton, who is recovering from lower back inflammation, will be working out with the Rockies when they return from the All-Star break, according to the Rocky Mountain News. |
Our View: Trainer Keith Dugger said Helton is rid of the symptoms related to the ailment. He hopes to be back at some point near the end of the month, and is worth stashing for the stretch run of the second half.
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| Aaron Harang's strained right forearm was examined by Dr. Tim Kremchek Sunday in Cincinnati, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.
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Our View: Kremchek was pleased with Harang's progress, but he will not determine when Harang can start throwing until he examines him again on Thursday. He would be eligible to come off the DL July 23.
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| Jared Burton is nursing an injured lateral muscle, and the Reds are hoping the three-day All-Star break will be enough to calm it down, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. Manager Dusty Baker said, "We'll have him throw Thursday. If he's not better, we'll disable him and get help from Louisville."
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Our View: Burton has been the Reds best reliever, as he is 4-1 with a 2.23 ERA and 1.28 WHIP over 48.1 innings, with 50 strikeouts. He has a 0.85 ERA over his last 27 appearances as well.
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| Luis Castillo is in the first season of a four-year, $25 million deal with the Mets, but the team is not concerned about getting him back, according to the NY Daily News. When asked if Castillo will be returning from the DL when eligible Friday following the All-Star break, a Mets' official said, "What for?" Manager Jerry Manuel added that the club is performing very well at second base right now. |
Our View: Castillo has been a disappointment this season, and it appears that he will have to battle Damion Easley and Argenis Reyes for playing time when he comes back, which will further lower his fantasy value.
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| Chris Snyder is slated to participate in a rehab game with Triple-A Tuscon on July 18, according to the East Valley Tribune. |
Our View: He could rejoin the D-Backs from the DL either Saturday or Sunday.
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| Justin Upton, who is nursing a strained oblique, said he is unsure if he will be ready to return to action when the team resumes play on Friday, according to the East Valley Tribune. He said, "At this point, we're still working on it. We'll see what four days can do and evaluate then." |
Our View: Manager Bob Melvin previously noted that he was optimistic Upton would be ready to return following the break. He shouldn't be out very long if he isn't ready for Friday.
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| Al Reyes is expected to be activated from the DL on Friday, according to the St. Petersburg Times. Manager Joe Maddon said there was a good chance he will be ready, following his bout with right shoulder tendinitis. |
Our View: Reyes will be a welcome addition back to the Rays' pen, but won't hold much fantasy value in standard leagues as a setup man.
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| R.J. Swindle has been optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. The team recalled Joe Bisenius as the adjoining move. |
Our View: Swindle allowed five hits and two earned runs over 1.2 brief innings of work with the club, and held no fantasy value prior to his demotion.
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| Joe Bisenius has been recalled from Lehigh Valley, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. The Phillies optioned R.J. Swindle as the corresponding move. |
Our View: The 25-year-old righty split his time between Lehigh Valley and double-A Reading, where he went a combined 2-4 with a 4.78 ERA in 27 games covering 37.2 innings. He isn't expected to be with the Phillies long, and holds no fantasy value.
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| The Dodgers Hiroki Kuroda will pitch the first game after the All Star break and Derek Lowe will not pitch in the three game series in Colorado, according to the team website.
Kuroda will open the three-game series in Arizona on Friday, followed by Chad Billingsley. Derek Lowe will pitch on Sunday allowing him to miss the series in Colorado. Kuroda and Billingsley will be pitching on five days' rest and Lowe on 10 days' rest.
Lowe is 1-4 with a 7.43 ERA at Coors Field. He is 0-3 with a 10.95 ERA in his last three starts. |
Our View: Chan Ho Park and Eric Stults round out the starting five until Brad Penny is cleared to return to the rotation.
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| Brett Myers is expected to get called up from Double-A Reading to start in the Phillies' rotation on July 23 against the Mets, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. Pitching coach Rick Dubee said, "He's gaining on it. His fastball command is getting better. I think Brett needed to get out of the environment."
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Our View: He is not worth waiting for in anything but larger NL-only leagues, as he held a 3-9 mark over 17 starts, with a poor 5.84 ERA and 1.56 WHIP.
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| Hanley Ramirez missed Sunday's game due to a sore right shoulder but is expected to be able to start the All-Star Game Tuesday, according to the Miami Herald. |
Our View: The team stated that the injury is not a big deal and isn't expected to hinder him for the rest of the season.
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| John Grabow was shut down by the club Wednesday to attend to arm fatigue, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. |
Our View: The team stated the reliever should be ready to pitch on Friday or Saturday. There was no specific injury disclosed, but 10 of his last 15 runs surrendered have come on a home run, and the team wanted him to rest as a precaution.
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| Jose Reyes is the first player in Major League history to record 10 home runs, 20 doubles, 10 triples, and 30 stolen bases before the All-Star break. |
Our View: Reyes got off to an anemic start this season, but is now back on track and playing up to high expectations as a first-round fantasy pick. He also raised his average to .302 and is riding a nine-game hitting streak, with five multi-hit efforts over the span.
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| Brian Giles has been nursing a hamstring ailment, but the team believes he will be healthy and set to return immediately following the All-Star break, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. Giles said, "There has been noticeable improvement. Getting off it for a couple of days was the right decision." |
Our View: Giles has 21 doubles for the season, but only one over his last eight contests. His pace should go back up while refreshed after the break.
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| Mike Hampton, who is recovering from a strained left pectoral, is set for one more rehab start, according to MLB.com. Hampton experienced no issues and provided a positive impression while allowing two earned runs and six hits in five innings for Double-A Mississippi on Thursday night. Braves' skipper Bobby Cox said the battle-scarred 35-year-old hurler will pitch again on Wednesday and then likely join the Atlanta starting rotation.
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Our View: His return to the Braves' rotation could come July 21, but he shouldn't be considered a target unless you are gravely desperate for a pitcher.
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| Yoslan Herrera will get another chance to pitch in the Pirates' banged up rotation, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. GM Neal Huntington said the rotation following the All-Star break will likely be: Paul Maholm, Ian Snell, Herrera, Zach Duke and "probably" John Van Benschoten getting recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis.
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Our View: The team thinks Herrera has good "stuff" but he was rocked for six runs and 11 hits over 4.1 innings in his debut Saturday. He is only an option in larger NL-only leagues.
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| Romulo Sanchez has been optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The team said there will be no corresponding move until after the break. |
Our View: He held no fantasy value as he only worked three innings as a middle reliever during his stint with the club, with no strikeouts.
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| The Nationals plan to reshuffle their pitching staff after the All Star break, manager Manny Acta told the team website on Saturday.
The Nationals skipper said that Tim Redding , John Lannan, Odalis Perez, Jason Bergmann and Collin Balester would be the starting five out of the break. |
Our View: Acta added that Bergmann, who last pitched on Thursday and faces the prospect of a 12-day layoff between starts, would be available out of the bullpen for the Nationals during their first two games against the Braves.
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| Ryan Theriot is riding a career-high 10-game hitting streak, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. He has also reached base in 41 of his last 44 contests, and Manager Lou Piniella said, "He's a scrappy kid with a lot of heart, power, speed. He wants to do well, and he's got some nice tools."
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Our View: Theriot holds a .320 average, and is tied for the NL lead with 37 multi-hit games. He chipped in 15 stolen bases as well, and has proven to be among the biggest draft day steals over the first half of the season.
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| Alfonso Soriano is expected to return to the Cubs' lineup either July 25 or 26 during a weekend series against the Marlins, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. He is expected to take batting practice Friday in Houston, and will go on at least a short rehab assignment when he is ready to play. |
Our View: The Cubs will need him big time in the second half of the season as they attempt to finally reach the World Series.
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| Kerry Wood noted that the All-Star break should give him enough time for his finger blister to heal, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. He plans to do some throwing to keep his shoulder loose but won't grip a ball with the affected finger.
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Our View: Wood has locked down 24 saves this season, with 55 strikeouts over 44.2 innings of work. Hopefully he can stay healthy in the second half as the Cubs continue their run at the postseason.
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| Todd Wellemeyer noted that he is starting to get his feel back following a bout with elbow irritation, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He compared his mechanics to a golfer's swing and said, "Right now I’m trying to hit it 350 yards and I’m forcing it. I need that nice easy swing, get everything going easy first and then I turn it up a notch." |
Our View: Wellemeyer is 7-4, but has not registered a win over his last five starts, and hasn't topped three strikeouts in any outing over that span. It sounds like he could get back on track in the second half however, and is worth holding onto.
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| Rick Ankiel's left ankle is fine, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He injured the ankle on Saturday night, but by Sunday he felt to ready to play. |
Our View: Manager Tony La Russa opted to leave him out of the lineup Sunday, to protect his ankle from what was expected to be rainy field conditions and also to get Chris Duncan and Skip Schumaker in the lineup. Ankiel will be safe to return to your lineups after the All-Star break. He has 20 homers and 50 RBI so far over 83 games.
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| Humberto Quintero, who would be eligible to come off the 15-day DL on Friday, will be examined that day to see if he has overcome the effects of the concussion he suffered back on May 1 when he was hit in the head by the Dodgers' Luis Maza's backswing, according to the Houston Chronicle. |
Our View: If Quintero is cleared, he will go on a rehab assignment at Triple-A Round Rock, where he'll try on a new mask similar to the hockey goalie-style helmet Brad Ausmus has worn. Due to the head injury, the Astros want Quintero to see if he's ready in a rehab assignment before activating him.
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| Randy Winn got a second day off due to his bruised knee, but the club expects him to be fine to return to the lineup on Friday after the All-Star break, according to the SF Chronicle. |
Our View: Winn only belted five homers, but is hitting .285 with 48 runs scored and 18 stolen bases, and should remain a favorable outfielder in mixed-leagues when he comes back.
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| John Bowker leads the Giants with nine home runs and he is the first rookie to lead the team in that department at the All-Star break since Dave Kingman, who had 21 back in 1972, according to the SF Chronicle. |
Our View: Bowker should remain solid in NL-only leagues over the second half of the season.
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| Matt Cain will pitch on Friday in the first game following the All-Star break, according to the SF Chronicle. |
Our View: Cain will be followed by Jonathan Sanchez, Tim Lincecum, Barry Zito, and Kevin Correia. Manager Bruce Bochy wants Lincecum to get some extra rest whether he pitches in the All-Star Game or not, and he said matchups played a role when he slated Zito fourth.
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