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| LHP Jarrod Washburn is set to return to the mound after missing eight days with the flu, according to MLB.com. |
Our View: The flu bug, which swept through the Washburn family during the All-Star break, has been conquered, and he said the illness cost him three pounds -- and postponed his first start of the second half by two days. Washburn returns to the mound on Monday night in the Mariners' series opener against the Red Sox.
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| Francisco Rodriguez posted his 40th save of the season this evening, closing the door on the Boston Red Sox once again as the Angels sealed the 5-3 win. K-Rod struckout all three batters he faced in the ninth, throwing just 18 pitches to get it done. |
Our View: That's 12 strikeouts for the month of July, matching his total for all of June. His team is starting to surge and K-Rod is a big part of their success. He's allowed just three earned runs over his last 12 innings of work.
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| Angels RHP Jon Garland failed to get the win, but his teammates made sure the offense came through late to put the Boston to the loss, 5-3. Garland went 6 2/3 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits with three walks and six strikeouts. |
Our View: This was a nice rebound for Garland after surrendering seven runs over 2 2/3 innings in his last outing. He failed to get the decision today and now stands at 8-6 on the season with a 4.12 ERA.
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| The Sox failed to pull in a win that was well within reach, falling 5-3 due to late-inning misgivings once again. For Boston, the frustrating waste of a respectable night from veteran starter Tim Wakefield is the most damaging mark, pitching seven innings to allow four runs (all earned) on six hits with no walks and one strikeout. |
Our View: Wakefield is struggling to find wins in consecutive starts and continues to let homers hamper his efforts, allowing four home runs over his last three starts with 18 homers allowed this season. He's working deep into games, but if the offense can't get at least three or four tallies on the board, times are tough.
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| The Red Sox and Angels hooked up for today's nightcap, putting another exciting baseball battle on the field for fans to enjoy with the Angels once again emerging victorious, 5-3. A run-producing error by outfielder Vladimir Guerrero nearly cost them the game, but he did contribute to the cause as well by going 1-for-4 at the dish with his 17th homer of the season. The error on a dropped fly ball by Guerrero allowed Boston outfielder Coco Crisp to score the go-ahead run in the seventh, but Casey Kotchman bailed him out with a two-run double in the bottom of the eighth followed by another stellar performance by closer Francisco Rodriguez to seal the deal. |
Our View: Guerrero hit .375 with six homers and 15 RBIs through June but has posted an average of just .310 with four homers and 10 RBIs through July, respectable numbers but far from the furious pace he was on last month.
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| Cleveland LHP Cliff Lee continues to roll, lifting his Indians to a 6-2 win over Seattle today with his third complete game of the season. Lee pitched all nine innings, allowing two runs (both earned) on 11 hits with no walks and four strikeouts. |
Our View: Lets go over some impressive numbers. For starters, Lee has pitched five starts, going at least six innings in each, without giving up a homer. During that same stretch, he has surrendered six walks versus 34 strikeouts. During that stretch, he's allowed a combined total of nine earned runs.
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| Cleveland enjoyed another strong effort off the mound but catcher Kelly Shoppach was there to bring the offense in the Indians' 6-2 win over the Mariners. Shoppach went 2-for-4 with his eighth homer of the season, hit with two men on to give Shoppach a total of four RBIs and one runs scored on the day. |
Our View: Shoppach is trying to keep his power-hitting prowess going, coming off four homers for 14 RBIs in June with three homers for seven RBIs thus far through July.
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| The Mariners failed to make good on 11 hits versus Cleveland today, falling 6-2 to continue a season of frustration. The bulk of that offense came from just two players sharing nearly identical days at the plate. Designated hitter Jose Vidro and first baseman Miguel Cairo both went 3-for-4 at the dish, both posting one RBI. |
Our View: Vidro is showing a bit of promise, hitting .290 through July with six RBIs (three over his last five games). It's not much, but it represents a noteworthy improvement.
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| The Rockies were rolling in offensive fun today, posting an impressive 11-3 win against Pittsburgh. The charge at the plate was led by outfielder Matt Holliday , going 3-for-5 at the plate with his 22nd double and 16th home run of the season, posting two RBIs and two runs scored. |
Our View: Holliday trade rumors will start glowing as Colorado seeks an inflated cost on their top offensive weapon. The guy hit .360 last month, is hitting .333 this month, and has surged in the power categories with six homers and 16 RBIs thus far in July.
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| The Rangers failed to enjoy much success at the plate today, leaving RHP Vicente Padilla to earn the 1-0 victory almost entirely with his pitching arm. Padilla went seven innings, allowing no runs on three hits with two walks and no strikeouts. |
Our View: Padilla coerced 12 ground-outs on the day and threw just 80 pitches, getting his 11th win to move to 11-5 with an ERA of 4.41.
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| The Rangers and Twins hooked up for barnburner today, posting six combined hits between them in a battle of pitching with Texas emerging with the 1-0 win. For Minnesota, it was the effort of RHP Scott Baker that went wasted, pitching eight innings to allow just one run on two hits with one walk and eight strikeouts. |
Our View: Baker falls to 6-3 on the season, though the three losses have come over his last eight starts.
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| The Braves continue to look more like sellers than buyers as we move away from the All-Star break, falling 15-6 to the Nationals today to lose the series. However, one player rumored as trade bait served as a positive note. First baseman Mark Teixeira went 3-for-4 at the plate with one walk and two homers (his 18th and 19th this season), finishing with three RBIs and two runs scored. |
Our View: Teixeira is doing what he can to draw attention, hitting .291 with three homers and 10 RBIs through July, also touting an evenly-balanced 11 walks and 11 strikeouts along the way.
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| The White Sox suffered a disappointing series-closing loss versus the Kansas City Royals today, losing 8-7 despite working from behind to overtake two leads during the game, an effort led by outfielder Nick Swisher that fell just short. Swisher went 2-for-4 at the plate with one walk and his 13th homer of the season, touting three RBIs and two runs scored through the struggle. |
Our View: After hitting .315 with seven homers and 23 RBIs last month, Swisher is hitting just .213 with one homer and five RBIs through July.
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| The Royals and White Sox decided to turn up the offense today and put on a great show for local Chicago fans, but in the end it was Kansas City emerging victorious, 8-7. Outfielder David DeJesus led the way, going 2-for-5 at the dish with three RBIs and one run scored to show for his efforts. |
Our View: DeJesus is hitting just .254 this month, well short of the .361 average he enjoyed in June. His OBP has dropped in more dramatic fashion, sitting at .288 for July after going .431 through June.
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| The Royals found a way to pull the 8-7 win against the White Sox today, using the bat of Esteban German to get the job done. German went 3-for-3 at the dish, hitting two doubles with one walk to post two RBIs and one run scored on the day. |
Our View: This was the Royals' first series win at US Cellar field since 2003. The team tried to steal defeat from the jaws of victory, blowing two leads early in the game, but getting two runs off German's double in the eighth sealed the deal.
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| With a total lack of pitching worthy of discussion on the day, the Jays and Rays did battle with the bats with Toronto earning the victory, 9-4, despite the efforts of designated hitter Evan Longoria . Longoria went 1-for-3 with one walk and his 18th home run on the season, serving as one of three players with one RBI and one run scored on the day for Tampa Bay. |
Our View: Longoria needs to pick up the pace a bit to match the eight homers he posted in June, now touting just three through July. He's also touting a regressing walk/strikeout ratio, earning just four free bases thus far through July versus 16 strikeouts (posting 13 walks and 24 strikeouts last month).
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| The Jays needed all of the offense they could muster today with a total of seven pitchers hitting the mound, but the troops in the batting order made good to get Toronto the 9-4 win over Tampa Bay. Second baseman Marco Scutaro was one of the top soldiers for the cause, going 1-for-4 with one walk and his fourth homer of the season to drive in three, adding two runs scored to the stat line along the way. |
Our View: Scutaro hasn't been too helpful for fantay owners this season, hitting just .269 through July with a disappointing .333 OBP. Today he made one good swing of the bat, and you know that's nothing to get too excited about.
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| The Jays found their offense to be in rare form today, helping Toronto get the 9-4 win over Tampa Bay. Outfielder Alex Rios was the man in charge of the surge, going 3-for-5 at the dish with two doubles (his 25th and 26th of the season) and his fifth homer of the season, totaling three RBIs and two runs scored for the effort. |
Our View: Rios has been a strong force for those seeking batting average, hitting .320 through June with a matching .319 through July. He's failed to post a hit just twice over his last 11 games.
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| David Aardsma has been placed on the 15-day DL due to a groin injury, according to the AP. The team recalled Justin Masterson from Triple-A Pawtuckett to fill his spot on the roster. Aardsma said, "I’ll make sure I give it a lot of rest so I’ll be able to come back healthy. I know it’s one of those things where the last thing I want to do is make it a lot worse than what it is." |
Our View: Aardsma was pitching well for the Red Sox bullpen this season prior to landing on the DL, as he held a 3-2 record with a 2.75 ERA and 1.40 WHIP over 39.1 innings, with 41 strikeouts. He held little fantasy value in leagues that don't use middle relievers, however.
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| Luke Scott went 1-for-3 with an RBI and provided the Orioles' lone source of scoring in Sunday's 5-1 loss to the Tigers at home. His hit, which was one of three mustered by the Orioles in the game, was good for a double. |
Our View: He extended his RBI streak to three games, with six recorded over the span. He also has three home runs over his last three games, and could be headed for a strong second half. He is worth targeting if you can get him for a favorable price.
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| Magglio Ordonez went 2-for-5 with a solo homer in Sunday's 5-1 win over the Orioles. |
Our View: He collected his 13th homer of the season, and snapped an eight-game drought.
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| Brian Burres allowed three earned runs on six hits over 5.1 innings in Sunday's 5-1 loss to the Tigers at Camden Yards, with four walks and five strikeouts. |
Our View: He falls to 7-6 for the year, but this was his first loss since June 1.
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| Justin Verlander shut down the Orioles in Sunday's 5-1 win, as he only surrendered one earned run on three hits over 8.2 innings, with three walks and three strikeouts. |
Our View: He improves to 8-9 for the season, and just missed his second complete game. He extended his winning streak to four games, and has allowed two or less earned runs in eight straight starts. He is seemingly headed for a strong second half of the season.
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| Justin Masterson has been recalled from Triple-A Pawtuckett, according to the AP. The team placed David Aardsma on the 15-day DL with a strained right groin to make room on the roster. |
Our View: Masterson fared well as a starter this season, but he looks to work out of the bullpen for now. He could prove to be effective as a setup man to closer Jon Papelbon, but his fantasy value will be limited in standard leagues that don't use middle relievers.
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| Jason Giambi went 2-for-2 with a solo home run in Sunday's close 2-1 win over the Athletics at Yankee Stadium. |
Our View: His homer was his 20th of the season, and his second over his last three games. His average may be on the decline, but he is still coming up big for fantasy owners in the power department.
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| Ryan Sweeney went 2-for-4 and registered the A's lone RBI in Sunday's 2-1 loss to the Yankees in the Bronx. |
Our View: That was the fourth time he recorded multiple hits over his last six games, and he has four RBI over his last three outings. He should remain in AL-only league lineups while he is hot.
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| Jermaine Dye was forced out of action against the Royals on Sunday after getting hit in the right knee by a pitch, according to the AP. |
Our View: Brian Anderson replaced him in the outfield. We will keep you posted when more is known regarding Dye's injury.
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| Ryan Rowland-Smith has been optioned to Triple-A Tacoma, according to the AP. He was moved to free up a roster spot for J.J. Putz, who has been activated from the DL. |
Our View: He held a 3.44 ERA and 1.36 WHIP over 55 innings this season, with 42 strikeouts. He fared well as a spot starter (made two starts), but was expendable to the club when moved back to the bullpen.
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| J.J. Putz has been activated from the DL following his battle with a hyperextended right elbow, according to the AP. Ryan Rowland-Smith was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma to make room on the roster. |
Our View: Putz made two trips to the DL this season, and hopefully he can stay healthy this time. Barring another issue, he could serve as a solid number two closer during the stretch run of the season. He should be eased back in slowly for now.
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| Andy Pettitte pitched a gem against the Athletics at Yankee Stadium in Sunday's close 2-1 win. He only issued one earned run on four hits over eight innings, with no walks and nine strikeouts. |
Our View: Pettitte is now 11-7 and lowered his ERA to 3.86. He tied his season-high with nine strikeouts, and didn't allow a walk for the fourth time.
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| Justin Duchscherer pitched well against the Yankees on Sunday as he only allowed two earned runs on six hits over seven innings, but was dealt a loss, his sixth of the season. Oakland fell 2-1 at Yankee Stadium. |
Our View: Duchscherer was still feeling the effects of a throat infection, and fantasy owners should be pleased with his performance despite the loss. He is now 2-1 over four starts in July, and has 10 wins for the season.
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| Johnny Damon could not convince the Yankees to activate him from the DL Sunday, according to the NY Daily News. He resumed a light throwing program before Sunday’s game, but GM Brian Cashman suggested the Yankees want to remain cautious and might still send Damon on a one-game rehab assignment this week, and maybe not until Thursday’s off-day, according to skipper Joe Girardi, before activating him. Damon said, "I let it be known to them that I was ready. I think they want to be extra cautious because what’s hurt this team all year has been injuries and I don’t think they want to see me jump back on the DL. But I actually think I’m fine."
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Our View: So it looks like he won't be back until late next week, meaning you shouldn't activate him from your bench yet.
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| Evan Longoria is serving as the Rays' DH Sunday after after fouling two pitches off his left ankle Saturday night, according to the St. Petersburg Times. |
Our View: He didn't miss a game, and said he feels fine, so fantasy owners should not be worried about him. Willy Aybar started in his place at third base.
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| Carlos Guillen has rejoined the Tigers Sunday but is available to only play in an emergency, according to MLive.com. He said his wife, Amelia, was in stable condition and expected to be released from the hospital Monday, after being admitted Tuesday for surgery to correct bleeding problems connected to the birth two weeks ago of their daughter, Camelia. Guillen added, "She's doing better. Tuesday morning, she woke up bleeding, and the doctor sent her to the hospital for surgery to stop the bleeding."
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Our View: He is missing a fourth straight start, and it is unclear when he will return to the Tigers' lineup.
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| Josh Hamilton is getting a rest on Sunday and is not in the Rangers' starting lineup, according to the Dallas Morning News. |
Our View: He isn't nursing an injury, he just needs a day of rest.
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| Billy Butler has altered his batting stance, and so far he is seeing strong results, according to the KC Star. He said, "I looked at some video. I don’t know if it was the cause of my slump or not, but I thought I was a little too close to the plate."
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Our View: Butler is 4-for-9 over his last two games, with a home run in both outings and a total of seven RBI. He could be headed for a strong second half, and is worth targeting if you can get him for a good price.
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| Gil Meche has been named in trade rumors, but he has a no-trade clause in his contract and said he doesn't plan to waive it, according to the KC Star. GM Dayton Moore also noted that Meche is part of the Royals plans to build a contender in the coming years. |
Our View: The team is also disinclined to trade away David DeJesus, Jose Guillen, Zach Greinke, or Ron Mahay, unless overwhelmed by an offer.
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| Infielder German Duran has been optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma, according to the Sports Network. The team activated Vincente Padilla from the DL, and Duran was viewed as expendable to free up a roster spot. |
Our View: Duran held little fantasy value prior to his demotion, as he was hitting .225 with three homers and 11 RBI over 102 at-bats.
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| Vicente Padilla has recovered from his strained neck muscle and has been activated from the DL, according to the Sports Network. The team optioned infielder German Duran to Triple-A Oklahoma to make room on the roster. |
Our View: Padilla is slated to start Sunday's game against the Twins. Padilla holds a less than impressive 4.70 ERA and 1.45 WHIP this season, but maintains a 10-5 record. He should remain a favorable option in AL-only leagues.
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| Mark Teixeira believes he will remain with the Braves and doesn't expect to be dealt prior to the July 31 trade deadline, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He said, "Bobby Cox pointed out that there had been rumors about me and reliever Will Ohman, and he told us not to listen to media reports and to those rumors, because this team is still trying to win the NL East." Cox added the Braves are buyers, not sellers. |
Our View: Cox's assurance will help prevent the trade rumors from becoming a distraction for Teixeira heading up to the deadline. He only holds a .273 average, but belted 17 homers with 69 RBI over 95 games.
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| Troy Percival has been activated from the DL following his fight with a strained left hamstring, according to the Tampa Tribune. The team placed Gary Glover on the 15-day DL to make room for Percival on the roster. |
Our View: Percival is not offering a guarantee, but is feeling 10 times better than he did following his previous stint on the DL this season. The Rays’ medical team figured out that a nerve problem in Percival’s back was actually causing most of his hamstring issues and they have begun to treat his back rather than his leg. He is expected to resume his role as the Rays' closer and should be safe to insert back into your lineups.
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| Jamie Walker is scheduled to throw a simulated game on Tuesday, according to the Baltimore Sun. He is recovering from left elbow inflammation. |
Our View: At that point, the club will decide whether or not to activate him from the DL.
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| Adam Jones has been scratched from Sunday's lineup after tweaking his ankle during Saturday action, according to the Baltimore Sun. |
Our View: Jay Payton will start in center field in his place. Jones was experiencing some swelling and the team decided to hold him out. Consider him day-to-day.
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| D.J. Carrasco has been recalled from Triple-A Charlotte, according to the AP. He was called up to fill the open roster spot for Jose Contreras, who landed on the DL with elbow tendinitis. |
Our View: The reliever fared well with Chicago this season, as he only allowed four hits and one earned run over 5.1 innings, with five strikeouts, but holds no value in standard leagues that don't use middle relievers.
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| Jose Contreras has been placed on the 15-day DL due to right elbow tendinitis, according to the AP. The move is retroactive to Friday. D.J. Carrasco has been recalled from Triple-A Charlotte to fill his spot on the roster. |
Our View: Contreras is 1-2 over his last six starts, and has allowed 12 earned runs over his last two outings. He will be missed in Chicago's rotation, but won't be missed as much as a fantasy hurler while he is out.
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| Zach Miner has been officially named the fifth starter of the Tigers' rotation, according to the Detroit Free Press. |
Our View: He will make his first start on Monday against the Royals, and pushes Eddie Bonine out of the slot. Miner held a 4.23 ERA and 1.52 WHIP over 44.2 innings as a reliever this season, with only 23 strikeouts, but he merits fantasy consideration in larger mixed-leagues following his promotion to the starting rotation.
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| The Star Tribune indicates that a deal for Seattle slugger Adrian Beltre to join the Twins is not likely to happen. The Twins recently contacted the Mariners regarding Beltre, but the team reportedly felt the asking price was too high. The Mariners could be asking for one of the Twins' young starting pitchers, plus minor league prospects. |
Our View: Beltre is the Mariners' best defender in the infielder and he belted 16 homers with 46 RBI in an underachieving lineup so far. The team is not going to deal him for a low price.
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| Mike Sweeney did his first running on Saturday since undergoing arthroscopic surgery on both knees back in May, according to the SF Chronicle. He is also taking batting practice. |
Our View: He is hopeful to come off the DL when first eligible on July 28. He was hitting .292 with two homers and 12 RBI over 40 games prior to going down, and is a decent option in larger AL-only leagues.
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| Joey Devine, who is recovering from right elbow inflammation, will throw to hitters in a side session today (they will stand in the box but won't swing), according to the SF Chronicle. |
Our View: Devine expects to throw a simulated game at Tampa Bay, likely on Tuesday. He will go on a rehab assignment after that, barring a setback.
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| Justin Duchscherer is still feeling the effects of a throat infection that bothered him during his last start and the All-Star Game, according to the SF Chronicle. |
Our View: Manager Bob Geren told him that he didn't need to come to the ballpark Saturday. Duchscherer is still scheduled to start today against the Yankees, and should be penciled into your lineups.
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