This article is part of our The Lineup Card series.
Projected Starters - A look at Sunday's matchups (all times Eastern)Nationals (Tanner Roark – R) at Reds (Michael Lorenzen – R), 1:10
Marlins (David Phelps – R) at Mets (Bartolo Colon – R) 1:10
Rays (Jake Odorizzi – R) at Orioles (Chris Tillman – R), 1:35
Rockies (Jordan Lyles – R) at Phillies (Jerome Williams – R), 1:35
Diamondbacks (Chase Anderson – R) at Brewers (Tyler Wagner – R), 2:10
Blue Jays (Drew Hutchison – R) at Twins (Ricky Nolasco – R), 2:10
White Sox (John Danks – L) at Astros (Roberto Hernandez – L), 2:10
Dodgers (Brett Anderson – L) at Cardinals (Carlos Martinez – R), 2:15
Royals (Yordano Ventura – R) at Cubs (Tsuyoshi Wada – L), 2:20
Red Sox (Joe Kelly – R) at Rangers (Wandy Rodriguez – L), 3:05
Yankees (Adam Warren – R) at Athletics (Jesse Chavez – R), 4:05
Braves (Julio Teheran – R) at Giants (Madison Bumgarner – L), 4:05
Indians (Danny Salazar – R) at Mariners (J.A. Happ – L) 4:10
Tigers (David Price – L) at Angels (Matt Shoemaker – R), 8:00
Pirates (Jeff Locke – L) at Padres (Odrisamer Despaigne – R), 9:10
Day Game After Night Game: BOS/TEX, CIN/SEA, ATL/SF, NYY/OAK, LAD/STL
Injuries
Day-to-Day
Jorge De La Rosa, SP, COL – (Hand) Scratched from start Saturday.
Adam Jones, OF, BAL – (Ankle) Did not play Saturday; X-rays were negative, but will undergo MRI.
Jose Abreu, 1B, CWS – (Finger) Did not play Saturday; X-rays were negative.
Matt Holliday, OF, STL – (Illness) Left Saturday's game; expected to return to lineup Sunday.
Tim Beckham, SS, TB – (Hamstring) Left Saturday's game with a cramp.
Erick Aybar, SS, LAA – (Hasmstring) Did not play Saturday.
Bryce Harper, OF, WAS – (Back) Scratched from Saturday's game; suggested he could sit Sunday.
Out
Khris Davis, OF, MIL – (Knee) Torn meniscus will necessitate surgery and likely DL stint.
Players on the DL
Gregorio Petit, SS, NYY – (Hand) Has begun taking batting practice.
Patrick Corbin, SP, ARI – (Elbow) Threw a 35-pitch bullpen session Thursday after recovery from Tommy John Surgery was slowed by setbacks.
Anthony Rendon, 2B, WAS – (Oblique) Continued rehab assignment Saturday; should return in less than two weeks.
Jason Bourgeois, OF, CIN – (Shoulder) Took batting practice Friday.
Yasiel Puig, OF, LAD – (Hamstring) Could start another rehab assignment in the coming week.
Wil Myers, OF, SD – (Wrist) Took 30 swings off a tee Saturday.
Brandon Morrow, SP, SD – (Shoulder) Scheduled to make rehab start Tuesday.
Matt Cain, SP, SF – (Forearm) Tentatively scheduled to make an extended spring training start Wednesday.
Dioner Navarro, C, TOR – (Hamstring) On schedule to return Monday.
Transactions - Players who have been demoted, called up, traded, released, you name it. We'll cover it here.
Placed on the DL
Stephen Strasburg, SP, WAS – (Neck)
Sean Doolittle, RP, OAK – (Shoulder)
Called Up
Taylor Hill, RP, WAS
Ramon Flores, OF, NYY
Chi Chi Gonzalez, RP, TEX
Angel Castro, RP, OAK
Efren Navarro, OF, LAA
Sent Down (to Triple-A, unless otherwise noted)
Chris Heisey, OF, LAD
Slade Heathcott, OF, NYY
Paulo Orlando, OF, KC
Thomas Field, 2B, TEX
Lucas Luetge, RP, SEA
Eric Stults, RP, LAD
Vinnie Pestano, RP, LAA
Released
Jeff Bianchi, SS, BOS
Closer Watch
Seattle Mariners – Though it appears manager Lloyd McClendon will continue to stick with Fernando Rodney to close games in the short term, the M's skipper surely must be nearing the end of the rope with the veteran. Nine times out of the 20 appearances he has made so far this season, Rodney has made of a mess of the ninth. In his last five outings, Rodney has allowed a total of six runs, raising his season ERA to 7.08 ERA. Meanwhile, Carson Smith has stepped up into the setup role admirably in Seattle, throwing 21 innings and allowing just two earned runs in 2015. With an elite K rate and passable control given the circumstance, Smith profiles as having the tools to succeed in the ninth inning. He should be owned in more than the 15 percent of Yahoo leagues in which he is rostered.
Hot Batter Matchups – May 31, 2015Matchup Info | Career Matchup Stats | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Batter | Pos | Game | Pitcher | AB | H | XBH | HR | RBI | BB | K | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
| I. Suzuki | OF | MIA @ NYM 1:10PM | B. Colon | 85 | 23 | 6 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 6 | .271 | .279 | .424 | .703 |
| A. Jones | OF | BAL vs TB 1:35PM | J. Odorizzi | 17 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | .471 | .471 | .706 | 1.176 |
| B. Barnes | OF | COL @ PHI 1:35PM | J. Williams | 11 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | .364 | .417 | .455 | .871 |
| R. Howard | 1B | PHI vs COL 1:35PM | J. Lyles | 11 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 3 | .364 | .417 | .455 | .871 |
| E. Longoria | 3B | TB @ BAL 1:35PM | C. Tillman | 38 | 15 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 4 | 6 | .395 | .452 | .947 | 1.400 |
| G. Beckham | 2B | CWS @ HOU 2:10PM | R. Hernandez | 15 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | .333 | .474 | .467 | .940 |
| M. Cabrera | OF | CWS @ HOU 2:10PM | R. Hernandez | 25 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 3 | .360 | .448 | .560 | 1.008 |
| E. Encarnacion | 1B | TOR @ MIN 2:10PM | R. Nolasco | 14 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | .357 | .400 | .643 | 1.043 |
| J. Reyes | SS | TOR @ MIN 2:10PM | R. Nolasco | 52 | 18 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 7 | .346 | .382 | .635 | 1.016 |
| H. Ramirez | SS | BOS @ TEX 3:05PM | W. Rodriguez | 27 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | .370 | .452 | .704 | 1.155 |
| C. Johnson | 3B | ATL @ SF 4:05PM | M. Bumgarner | 18 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | .333 | .333 | .556 | .889 |
| B. Posey | C | SF vs ATL 4:05PM | J. Teheran | 11 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | .636 | .667 | 1.182 | 1.848 |
| C. Iannetta | C | LAA vs DET 8:05PM | D. Price | 15 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | .333 | .333 | .600 | .933 |
| A. Pujols | 1B | LAA vs DET 8:05PM | D. Price | 11 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | .273 | .273 | .818 | 1.091 |
Matchup Info | Career Matchup Stats | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Batter | Pos | Game | Pitcher | AB | H | XBH | HR | RBI | BB | K | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
Hot Pitcher Matchups – May 31, 2015Hot Pitcher Matchups – May 31, 2015Matchup Info | Career Stats Allowed To Batters On Opposing Team | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pitcher | Game | AB | H | XBH | HR | RBI | BB | K | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
| Bartolo Colon | NYM vs MIA 1:10PM | 151 | 45 | 13 | 5 | 15 | 2 | 17 | .298 | .305 | .464 | .769 |
Cold Batter Matchups – May 31, 2015Matchup Info | Career Matchup Stats | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Batter | Pos | Game | Pitcher | AB | H | XBH | HR | RBI | BB | K | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
| M. Ozuna | OF | MIA @ NYM 1:10PM | B. Colon | 10 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .200 | .200 | .300 | .500 |
| C. Yelich | OF | MIA @ NYM 1:10PM | B. Colon | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | .182 | .182 | .182 | .364 |
| L. Forsythe | 2B | TB @ BAL 1:35PM | C. Tillman | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .091 | .091 | .091 | .182 |
| P. Bourjos | OF | STL vs LAD 2:15PM | B. Anderson | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .100 | .100 | .100 | .200 |
| E. Young Jr. | OF | ATL @ SF 4:05PM | M. Bumgarner | 26 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | .115 | .179 | .115 | .294 |
| B. Crawford | SS | SF vs ATL 4:05PM | J. Teheran | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | .091 | .091 | .091 | .182 |
Cold Pitcher Matchups – May 31, 2015Matchup Info | Career Stats Allowed To Batters On Opposing Team | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pitcher | Game | AB | H | XBH | HR | RBI | BB | K | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS |
| Ricky Nolasco | MIN vs TOR 2:10PM | 100 | 30 | 9 | 5 | 10 | 10 | 16 | .300 | .364 | .501 | .865 |
| Julio Teheran | ATL @ SF 4:05PM | 65 | 21 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 12 | .323 | .362 | .512 | .874 |
Recommended Pickup
Billy Burns, OF, OAK – The punchless A's lineup has been one of the league's most disappointing. Coco Crisp is having easily the most challenging season of his career and Billy Beane's decisions to trade the team's most recognizable names – both pitchers and hitters – seem to have hamstrung its maneuverability in both the immediate and more distant futures. Burns stepped into the wasteland of offense this season with just two home runs in his professional career. He has now doubled that output and, more importantly, shown the propensity to get on-base. Throughout the minors, the 25-year-old exhibited excellent speed – he stole 74 bases in a single season between High-A and Double-A – and parlayed those skills into a spot at the top of the Oakland order. If he continues to show discipline at the plate, Burns could be an under-the-radar find who could log a healthy number of at-bats from an enviable spot in the batting order.
Other Recent Recommendations :Cameron Maybin, Eduardo Rodriguez, Kyle Gibson, Michael Bolsinger and Josh Hamilton
Draft Kings Value Picks
SP: Tanner Roark, WAS ($6,000)
C: Derek Norris, SD ($3,500)
1B: Pedro Alvarez, PIT ($3,600)
2B: Logan Forsythe, TB ($3,100)
SS: Andrelton Simmons, ATL ($2,900)
3B: Alex Guerrero, LAD ($3,000)
OF: Gregory Polanco, PIT ($3,400)
