This article is part of our Transaction Analysis series.
Here's look at some of the top moves in baseball this week:
SUNDAY
Nationals
Stephen Strasburg, RHP - activated from the 15-day DL
Xavier Cedeno, LHP - optioned to Triple-A Syracuse
Impact: Strasburg needed just a couple of weeks to work his way back from a strained right lat. The flame-throwing righty returns to a 3-5 record and a 2.54 ERA over 12 starts. Ross Ohlendorf fared well during one start with the big-league club, but will be bumped either to relief or to the minors to accommodate Strasburg. Cedeno has had a rough time during his seven relief appearances with the Astros and Nats this year, posting an ugly 9.39 ERA and 2.48 WHIP.
Rays
Wil Myers, OF - contract purchased from Triple-A Durham
Ryan Roberts, IF - optioned to Triple-A Durham
Alex Cobb, RHP - placed on the 7-day DL (concussion)
Josh Lueke, RHP - recalled from Triple-A Durham
Impact: The wait is finally over in TB, as its power-hitting outfielder finally made it to the big leagues. Myers hit .314 with 37 home runs and 109 RBI in 134 games between Double-A and Triple-A last year, before hitting .286 with 14 homers and 57 RBI in 64 games at Triple-A this year. He should get regular at-bats, so he should be added to fantasy rosters immediately. Luke Scott, Sam Fuld and Kelly Johnson could all lose playing time as a result of this move. Roberts hit just .238 with three
Here's look at some of the top moves in baseball this week:
SUNDAY
Nationals
Stephen Strasburg, RHP - activated from the 15-day DL
Xavier Cedeno, LHP - optioned to Triple-A Syracuse
Impact: Strasburg needed just a couple of weeks to work his way back from a strained right lat. The flame-throwing righty returns to a 3-5 record and a 2.54 ERA over 12 starts. Ross Ohlendorf fared well during one start with the big-league club, but will be bumped either to relief or to the minors to accommodate Strasburg. Cedeno has had a rough time during his seven relief appearances with the Astros and Nats this year, posting an ugly 9.39 ERA and 2.48 WHIP.
Rays
Wil Myers, OF - contract purchased from Triple-A Durham
Ryan Roberts, IF - optioned to Triple-A Durham
Alex Cobb, RHP - placed on the 7-day DL (concussion)
Josh Lueke, RHP - recalled from Triple-A Durham
Impact: The wait is finally over in TB, as its power-hitting outfielder finally made it to the big leagues. Myers hit .314 with 37 home runs and 109 RBI in 134 games between Double-A and Triple-A last year, before hitting .286 with 14 homers and 57 RBI in 64 games at Triple-A this year. He should get regular at-bats, so he should be added to fantasy rosters immediately. Luke Scott, Sam Fuld and Kelly Johnson could all lose playing time as a result of this move. Roberts hit just .238 with three home runs and 13 RBI in 47 games with the Rays. Cobb was hit in the right ear by a line drive during Saturday's game against the Royals, and will be forced to miss at least one start. Alex Colome should get the call to start in Cobb's place on Saturday but can probably be avoided in most league formats. Lueke should work middle relief and likely won't be fantasy relevant outside of possibly holds.
Reds
Johnny Cueto, RHP - activated from the 15-day DL
Pedro Villarreal, RHP - optioned to Triple-A Louisville
Impact: Cueto returned from his second DL stint of the year to a 3-0 record and a 2.17 ERA over six starts. He's safe to activate in all fantasy league formats, barring further injury. Tony Cingrani was bumped to the bullpen to make room in the rotation for Cueto, after going 3-0 with a 3.15 ERA over seven starts. Pedro Villarreal made one spot start for the Reds and was roughed up to the tune of six earned runs over 3.2 innings.
MONDAY
Tigers
Alex Avila, C - placed on the 15-day DL (left forearm)
Bryan Holaday, C - recalled from Triple-A Toledo
Impact: The Tigers backstop will miss a couple of weeks after he was hit in the left forearm by a pitch on Sunday. The injury is not serious, so Avila should be ready to return once his 15 days are up. He has struggled offensively this season and leaves behind a .172 average, five home runs and 13 RBI in 48 games. Brayan Pena will handle the regular catching duties until Avila can return but isn't likely to hold much fantasy value outside of deeper leagues. Holaday will serve as Pena's backup and can be avoided in most league formats.
TUESDAY
Astros
Justin Maxwell, OF - activated from the 15-day DL
Jimmy Paredes, OF - optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City
Impact: Maxwell missed nearly two months with a fractured left hand. The outfielder had a decent year with the bat last season, as he slugged 18 home runs and drove in 53 runs in 124 games, though his .229 average was no help to his fantasy owners. He should see a significant time in right field, as the Astros stick with Brandon Barnes in center. Paredes hit just .190 with one home run and seven RBI in 31 games as part of the right-field mix in Houston. Trevor Crowe had also gotten a lot of time in right field and should now see reduced playing time.
Braves
Evan Gattis, C-OF - placed on the 15-day DL (right oblique)
Tyler Pastornicky, IF - recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett
Impact: Gattis has been one of baseball's most surprising players this year, earning himself semi-regular at-bats even after Brian McCann came off the DL in early May. The 26-year-old catcher has a .252 average, 14 home runs and 37 RBI in 53 games, while seeing time behind the dish, in left field and at first base. He's suffering from a strained right oblique muscle, which shouldn't keep him out much longer than a couple of weeks. Pastornicky will serve as infield and bench depth.
Phillies
Carlos Ruiz, C - activated from the 15-day DL
Steven Lerud, C - optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley
Impact: The Phillies catcher returned to action Tuesday after missing about a month with a strained right hamstring. Ruiz served a 50-game suspension for amphetamine use to start the season after a career year in 2012 when he hit .325 with 16 home runs and 68 RBI in 114 games. He should be safe to activate in most fantasy league formats, but fantasy owners shouldn't expect a repeat of his 2012 numbers. Erik Kratz returns to a backup role after handling the bulk of the catching duties in Ruiz's absence. Lerud went 0-for-5 with four strikeouts in six games with the Phillies.
Red Sox
Clay Buchholz, RHP - placed on the 15-day DL (neck)
Alex Wilson, RHP - recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket
Impact: Buchholz was placed on the DL after he strained a muscle in his neck. The move was made retroactive to June 9, so he can be activated as early as June 25. He has been dominant this year, going 9-0 with a 1.71 ERA and a strikeout rate of 8.64 K/9. Allen Webster appears to be the most likely candidate to fill Buchholz's spot in the rotation, though he owns an ugly 11.74 ERA over two major league starts this year. Wilson will likely be used in low-leverage relief situations.
Yankees
Mark Teixeira, 1B - placed on the 15-day DL (right wrist)
Zoilo Almonte, OF - recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre
Impact: Teixeira has returned to the DL with inflammation in his right wrist. The Yankees first baseman missed the first couple months of the season with a torn tendon in his wrist that he sustained during the World Baseball Classic, though his injury this time isn't as serious. He shouldn't be out much longer than the 15-day minimum and leaves behind a .151 average, three home runs and 12 RBI in 15 games. Lyle Overbay will once again handle the regular duties at first while Teixeira recovers, though he's not a good option in most mixed leagues. Almonte provides the Yankees with some outfield depth.
WEDNESDAY
Padres
Everth Cabrera, SS - placed on the 15-day DL (left hamstring)
Jaff Decker, OF - recalled from Triple-A Tucson
Impact: Cabrera is suffering from a mild strain of his left hamstring and will miss at least a couple weeks. The 26-year-old shortstop has helped his fantasy owners this year with a .305 average and 31 stolen bases over 69 games. Alexi Amarista and newly acquired Pedro Ciriaco should share the shortstop duties in his absence. Both players can probably be avoided in the majority of league formats. Decker provides the Padres with an extra left-handed bat off the bench and some outfield depth.
