Fantasy notes for May 31
Click through for information on specific matchups, injuries and weather for the day's games.
Starting pitcher rankings for May 31
| Name | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Zack Greinke | R | @LAD | 8 | 5-2 | 3.66 | 1.29 | 2-1 | 3.00 | 1.13 |
| 2 |  | Josh Beckett | R | DET | 5 | 4-4 | 4.15 | 1.19 | 2-1 | 3.75 | 1.17 |
| 3 |  | Bud Norris | R | @COL | 4 | 5-1 | 3.34 | 1.31 | 3-0 | 1.46 | 1.18 |
| 4 |  | Chad Billingsley | R | MIL | 5 | 2-3 | 3.88 | 1.46 | 0-1 | 5.21 | 2.16 |
| 5 |  | Max Scherzer | R | @BOS | 2 | 4-3 | 5.67 | 1.54 | 3-0 | 4.76 | 1.28 |
| 6 |  | Jeremy Guthrie | R | HOU | 4 | 2-3 | 5.31 | 1.55 | 0-2 | 4.41 | 1.71 |
Rk.: The author's ranking of that pitcher for that day only. T: Pitcher throws left-handed or right-handed. Opp: The pitcher's opponent for the day. QR: "Quality Rating," or the starting pitcher's matchup rating -- separate from the author's ranking -- which accounts for past history (three years' worth as well as past 21 days), opponent and ballpark. OPS is the primary statistic used in the calculation. Ratings range from 1-10, with 10 representing the best possible matchup, statistically speaking, and 1 representing the worst. So, for example, a 10 is a must-start rating, while a 1 should be avoided (if possible); a 1-2 is poor, 3-4 is fair, 5-6 is average, 7-8 is very good and 9-10 is excellent. W-L: Pitcher's win-loss record. ERA: Pitcher's earned run average. WHIP: Pitcher's average number of walks plus hits surrendered per inning.
In three starts against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Zack Greinke is 1-0 with a 2.84 ERA, including a 3-2 win back on April 18. There's not much baseball being played on Thursday, but he'd likely be near the top of the list regardless. Chad Billingsley, with a .302 batting average against at home in 2012, is slightly less recommended.
Three straight quality starts and a .195 BAA makes Josh Beckett a strong play in the lone American League contest of the day. His opponent will be Max Scherzer, who has a 13.7 K/9 rate in the month of May. If there's any reason to be cautious with Scherzer, though, it's the fact that his prior start against the Boston Red Sox this season resulted in seven earned runs in just 2 2/3 innings .
Jeremy Guthrie is 0-2 with a 9.92 ERA at home this season. Bud Norris has pitched only five innings in Coors Field, but has allowed five runs and a .524 slugging percentage in that small sample size. This might be a good day to sit them both.
Hitter matchup ratings for May 31
| Overall | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | No game scheduled | | 5 | 6 | 3 | 4 | ||||
 | No game scheduled |  | No game scheduled | |||||||
 | No game scheduled |  | No game scheduled | |||||||
| | 8 | 10 | 5 | 5 |  | No game scheduled | ||||
 | No game scheduled |  | No game scheduled | |||||||
 | No game scheduled |  | No game scheduled | |||||||
 | No game scheduled |  | No game scheduled | |||||||
 | No game scheduled |  | No game scheduled | |||||||
| | 8 | 8 | 6 | 6 |  | No game scheduled | ||||
| | 5 | 5 | 3 | 7 |  | No game scheduled | ||||
| | 9 | 10 | 7 | 1 |  | No game scheduled | ||||
 | No game scheduled |  | No game scheduled | |||||||
 | No game scheduled |  | No game scheduled | |||||||
| | 4 | 5 | 1 | 6 |  | No game scheduled | ||||
 | No game scheduled |  | No game scheduled | |||||||
Hitter ratings account for the opposing starting pitcher's past history (three years' worth as well as past 21 days) as well as ballpark factors. "LHB" and "RHB" ratings account only for left- and right-handed batters, respectively. OPS is the primary statistic used in the calculation. Ratings range from 1-10, with 10 representing the best possible matchup, statistically speaking, and 1 representing the worst. So, for example, a 10 is a must-start rating, while a 1 should be avoided (if possible); a 1-2 is poor, 3-4 is fair, 5-6 is average, 7-8 is very good and 9-10 is excellent.
• Zack Greinke has a 7.03 ERA in five road starts this season (1.30 ERA in five home starts). Opponents are hitting .369 against him on the road, compared to just .185 at home.
• Astros' starter Bud Norris is 3-0 with a 1.60 ERA in five home starts, but has struggled on the road, posting a 5.40 ERA in five starts.
• Max Scherzer is 0-2 with a 11.81 ERA in four starts against the Red Sox. It's his highest ERA against any opponent.
Austin Jackson, OF, Tigers: The team reports that Jackson likely will not be ready to be activated when eligible to return from disabled list on Friday. Quintin Berry should continue to play in his stead.
Dustin Pedroia, 2B, Red Sox: Tore an abductor muscle in his right thumb. He will try to play through the injury, but if he cannot resume play in a day or so, a trip to the disabled list is very likely.
Ryan Raburn, 2B, Tigers: Optioned to Triple-A Toledo. Danny Worth and Ramon Santiago should split time at second base going forward .
Jered Weaver, P, Angels: Placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained lower back. Garrett Richards was recalled from Triple-A Salt Lake to take his spot in the rotation.
Matt Kemp, OF, Dodgers: Activated from the disabled list on Tuesday. Jerry Sands was sent back to Triple-A Albuquerque.
Roy Oswalt, P, Rangers: Oswalt signed a one-year deal with Texas and will tune up in the minors. Assuming all goes well, expect to see him on the mound in the major leagues before the end of June.
Roy Halladay, P, Phillies: Placed on the 15-day disabled list with a right lat muscle strain and is expected to miss 6- 8 weeks.
- AJ Mass is a fantasy football, baseball and college basketball analyst for ESPN.com.
- Author; How Fantasy Sports Explains the World.
