Fantasy notes for June 25
Click through for information on specific matchups, injuries and weather for the day's games.
Starting pitcher rankings for June 25
| Name | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Jake Peavy | R | @MIN | 10 | 6-3 | 2.74 | 0.94 | 0-2 | 1.64 | 1.00 |
| 2 |  | Johan Santana | L | @CHC | 7 | 5-3 | 3.00 | 1.12 | 2-1 | 5.63 | 1.50 |
| 3 |  | Stephen Strasburg | R | @COL | 10 | 9-1 | 2.46 | 1.04 | 3-0 | 2.84 | 1.00 |
| 4 |  | Hiroki Kuroda | R | CLE | 7 | 6-7 | 3.57 | 1.29 | 2-1 | 2.70 | 1.10 |
| 5 |  | Wandy Rodriguez | L | SD | 7 | 6-5 | 3.29 | 1.26 | 2-1 | 3.93 | 1.42 |
| 6 |  | Yovani Gallardo | R | @CIN | 5 | 6-5 | 4.22 | 1.41 | 2-1 | 4.21 | 1.29 |
| 7 |  | Nate Eovaldi | R | @SF | 9 | 0-3 | 2.35 | 1.30 | 0-2 | 2.28 | 1.48 |
| 8 |  | Francisco Liriano | L | CHW | 6 | 1-7 | 5.74 | 1.52 | 0-2 | 3.33 | 0.95 |
| 9 |  | Travis Wood | L | NYM | 5 | 1-3 | 4.14 | 1.26 | 1-2 | 2.92 | 1.30 |
| 10 |  | Alex Cobb | R | @KC | 8 | 3-3 | 3.82 | 1.17 | 1-2 | 3.92 | 0.92 |
| 11 |  | Mat Latos | R | MIL | 6 | 5-2 | 5.20 | 1.41 | 1-0 | 6.23 | 1.44 |
| 12 |  | Justin Grimm | R | DET | 2 | 1-0 | 4.50 | 1.00 | 1-0 | 4.50 | 1.00 |
| 13 |  | Joe Blanton | R | PIT | 4 | 6-6 | 5.04 | 1.25 | 2-1 | 5.02 | 1.08 |
| 14 |  | Jake Westbrook | R | @MIA | 5 | 6-6 | 3.83 | 1.32 | 2-2 | 3.81 | 1.19 |
| 15 |  | Tommy Milone | L | @SEA | 7 | 7-5 | 4.13 | 1.21 | 1-1 | 5.40 | 1.40 |
| 16 |  | Felix Doubront | L | TOR | 2 | 8-3 | 4.31 | 1.35 | 2-1 | 6.35 | 1.35 |
| 17 |  | Ricky Nolasco | R | STL | 3 | 6-6 | 5.16 | 1.39 | 0-3 | 8.80 | 1.70 |
| 18 |  | Jeff Francis | L | WAS | 3 | 0-1 | 8.56 | 2.05 | 0-1 | 8.56 | 2.05 |
| 19 |  | Ross Ohlendorf | R | @HOU | 3 | 1-0 | 4.50 | 1.60 | 1-0 | 4.50 | 1.60 |
| 20 |  | Josh Tomlin | R | @NYY | 3 | 3-4 | 5.12 | 1.41 | 1-1 | 4.58 | 1.64 |
| 21 |  | Jeff Karstens | R | @PHI | 3 | 0-1 | 4.50 | 1.42 | -- | -- | -- |
| 22 |  | Henderson Alvarez | R | @BOS | 1 | 3-6 | 4.30 | 1.37 | 0-1 | 6.50 | 1.67 |
| 23 |  | Barry Zito | L | LAD | 5 | 5-5 | 4.35 | 1.41 | 1-3 | 6.75 | 1.63 |
| 24 |  | Rick Porcello | R | @TEX | 1 | 4-5 | 4.95 | 1.58 | 1-1 | 5.29 | 1.88 |
| 25 |  | Luke Hochevar | R | TB | 3 | 4-7 | 5.65 | 1.46 | 1-1 | 3.00 | 1.24 |
| 26 |  | Erasmo Ramirez | L | OAK | 1 | 0-1 | 5.40 | 1.50 | 0-1 | 9.00 | 1.89 |
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.
Monday's docket is usually a lot lighter than this 13-game schedule, which means there are plenty of quality arms to consider on the waiver wire. Here are four pitchers who are owned in less than 15 percent of ESPN.com fantasy leagues:
Nate Eovaldi (4 percent ESPN.com fantasy ownership) is coming off his worst outing of the season, but it was still a quality start (six innings and three runs) in Oakland. His lack of run support has just been absurd, as the Dodgers have 1, 2, 0, 1 and 1 runs for the entire game when Eovaldi toes the rubber. This luck has to change against slumping San Francisco Giants starter Barry Zito and his inflated 10.67 ERA (14 1/3 IP, 17 ER), 2.16 WHIP and .377 opponents' BA in his past three starts. Pick up Eovaldi now before he earns his first win of the season.
Francisco Liriano (11 percent ESPN.com fantasy ownership) has been dropped by five percent of fantasy owners in the past week, but I'm not sure why that is. In his latest outing in Pittsburgh, he produced 6 2/3 strong innings, giving up just four hits, two walks and one run while fanning six. Since his return to the Minnesota Twins' rotation, Liriano has carted a 2.67 ERA and .155 opponents' BA in five starts. Liriano also has a hefty 10.4 K/9 rate in this span, punching out 35 batters in 30 1/3 innings. His weak offense may not supply a bunch of runs against Jake Peavy, but the Chicago White Sox probably won't score a whole lot either if their past five road games are any indicator (.216 BA/.270 OBP/.327 SLG, 3.0 runs per game). If you haven't done so yet, go grab Liriano now.
Alex Cobb (14 percent ESPN.com fantasy ownership) got some love from ESPN.com fantasy owners with a 12.5 percent bump in the past week, and for good reason. He shut out the Miami Marlins for seven innings, allowing just two hits and one walk, while striking out 10. The Fish hit only two balls in the air, with 10 ground balls, marking the fourth straight start that Cobb has induced more grounders than flies. On Monday he visits the scuffling Kansas City Royals, who have 10 runs and are slugging .301 in their past four games. Cobb is also in line for a victory considering his weak mound opponent, Luke Hochevar, who has pitched to a nauseating 8.59 ERA and 1.53 WHIP in six starts in his home park this season. With 24 K's and just six walks in his past four starts, now is the time to pick up Cobb.
Justin Grimm is owned in a paltry 0.9 percent of ESPN.com fantasy leagues, but the former University of Georgia star came up big in his major-league debut, beating the Houston Astros, 8-3. He lasted six innings, allowed just six hits, three runs, zero walks and struck out seven. Granted, he'll face a lineup with much greater potency on Monday when the Detroit Tigers roll into town, but the 23-year-old Grimm is a future star, and should rise to the challenge. In Double-A Frisco this season, Grimm was 8-3 with a 1.87 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and a 4.8 K-to-BB ratio (67 K's, 14 BB's in 77 IP). He may not last long in the Texas Rangers' rotation with Derek Holland returning soon, so use Grimm while you still can, and while his team is red-hot (10-2 in past 12 games).
Hitter matchup ratings for June 25
| Overall | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | No game scheduled | | 4 | 6 | 1 | 6 | ||||
 | No game scheduled | | 2 | 2 | 1 | 7 | ||||
 | No game scheduled | | 6 | 1 | 7 | 8 | ||||
| | 10 | 10 | 8 | 5 | | 7 | 6 | 7 | 3 | |
| | 4 | 6 | 2 | 6 | | 10 | 10 | 10 | 6 | |
| | 4 | 1 | 6 | 8 | | 8 | 10 | 3 | 9 | |
| | 6 | 6 | 3 | 6 | | 8 | 6 | 8 | 6 | |
| | 4 | 6 | 1 | 5 | | 7 | 7 | 5 | 7 | |
| | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | | 5 | 1 | 6 | 6 | |
| | 9 | 10 | 1 | 5 | | 3 | 5 | 1 | 4 | |
| | 10 | 10 | 7 | 5 | | 6 | 9 | 4 | 6 | |
| | 2 | 4 | 1 | 8 | | 8 | 9 | 6 | 6 | |
 | No game scheduled | | 9 | 10 | 6 | 7 | ||||
| | 6 | 3 | 6 | 4 | | 9 | 10 | 8 | 7 | |
| | 7 | 6 | 6 | 1 | | 10 | 7 | 10 | 4 | |
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.
• Athletics starter Tommy Milone is 2-4 with a 7.42 ERA in eight road starts this season (5-1 with a 0.99 ERA in six home starts).
• Astros first baseman Carlos Lee has struggled against Ross Ohlendorf in his career, batting only .200 (3-for-15).
• Alfonso Soriano has not recorded a hit against Johan Santana in 13 career at-bats (2 BB, .133 OPS).
• Reed Johnson is 13-for-25 (.520) with three extra-base hits and 5 RBIs against Mets starter Johan Santana.
• Jake Peavy has been stellar on the road this year, posting a 1.67 ERA in six starts, compared to a 3.56 ERA in eight home starts.
• Entering Sunday, Dexter Fowler has been a much more efficient hitter at Coors Field, batting .324 compared to .202 on the road. Seven of his nine home runs, 25 of his 32 RBIs, and 27 of his 37 runs scored have come at home.
• Alex Gordon is 10-for-63 (.159) with 17 strikeouts in the past three seasons versus Tampa Bay.
• Michael Brantley is 5-for-32 (.156) with nine strikeouts against the New York Yankees and is just 3-for-17 (.176) in his career at Yankee Stadium.
• David Murphy is 15-for-43 (.349) and slugging .628 in the month of June. Murphy is also 5-for-7 (.714) with a home run against Rick Porcello in his career.
Chase Utley, 2B, Phillies: May return to field Wednesday. Utley has been out all season with a knee injury.
Clay Buchholz, SP, Red Sox: 15-day DL, illness. It's unknown when Buchholz will pitch again. Aaron Cook (knee) was activated from the DL to start Sunday's game.
Shaun Marcum, SP, Brewers: 15-day DL, elbow. The move was made retroactive to June 14, so he will be eligible to pitch on Saturday. Michael Fiers will start for the Brewers on Sunday.
Mat Latos, SP, Reds: Will get one extra day's rest. He will now start Monday, not Sunday, when Mike Leake takes the mound in his stead.
Frank Francisco, RP, Mets: Day-to-day, sore oblique. He felt discomfort on Friday and was not able to pitch on Saturday. His return to the mound is uncertain at this time.
Ike Davis, 1B, Mets: Day-to-day, illness. He did not play Saturday, but could return for Sunday Night Baseball.
Jose Valverde, RP, Tigers: Day-to-day, sprained wrist. He could return Sunday, but if not, Joaquin Benoit will once again pitch the final inning.
Craig Gentry, OF, Rangers: Day-to-day, sprained right ankle. He left Saturday's game after three innings after aggravating the injury he sustained on Friday night. He'll miss at least one or two more days.
Don Kelly, OF, Tigers: Day-to-day, knee contusion. He was injured in Thursday's game attempting to make a catch and hasn't played since. The Tigers have not set a timetable for his return.
Joe Saunders, SP, Diamondbacks: 15-day DL, arm. The move was made retroactive to June 17. He was scratched from Friday's start because he couldn't get loose in pregame warmups. Top prospect Trevor Bauer is the most likely replacement.
Russell Martin, C, Yankees: Day-to-day, tightness in back. He left Saturday's game with his injury and is unlikely to play on Sunday as well.
Anthony Bass, SP, Padres: Day-to-day, right shoulder inflammation. He left his June 20 start early because of his injury and may not be able to make his next scheduled start on Tuesday.
Matt Joyce, OF, Rays: 15-day DL, oblique injury. The move was made retroactive to June 20. Ben Zobrist or Hideki Matsui will play right field until Joyce returns.
Mitch Moreland, 1B, Rangers: 15-day DL, strained left hamstring. This move was made retroactive to June 20.
Philip Humber, SP, White Sox: 15-day DL, elbow flexor strain. This move was made retroactive to June 17.
