Fantasy daily notes for July 2
Click through for information on specific matchups and injuries for the day's games.
Starting pitcher rankings for July 2
| Name | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Jered Weaver | R | @CLE | 9 | 8-1 | 2.31 | 0.92 | 2-0 | 0.71 | 0.87 |
| 2 |  | Zack Greinke | R | MIA | 8 | 9-2 | 2.82 | 1.17 | 2-0 | 2.10 | 0.97 |
| 3 |  | Tommy Hanson | R | CHC | 7 | 9-4 | 3.59 | 1.35 | 2-0 | 3.78 | 1.50 |
| 4 |  | Kyle Lohse | R | COL | 5 | 7-2 | 2.82 | 1.09 | 1-1 | 2.53 | 1.08 |
| 5 |  | Jason Hammel | R | @SEA | 7 | 8-3 | 3.29 | 1.19 | 2-1 | 4.10 | 1.14 |
| 6 |  | James McDonald | R | HOU | 7 | 7-3 | 2.44 | 0.98 | 2-1 | 2.61 | 0.92 |
| 7 |  | Jarrod Parker | R | BOS | 10 | 4-3 | 2.57 | 1.21 | 2-0 | 0.90 | 0.85 |
| 8 |  | Doug Fister | R | MIN | 8 | 1-5 | 3.91 | 1.34 | 1-2 | 5.51 | 1.41 |
| 9 |  | Trevor Cahill | R | SD | 7 | 6-6 | 3.67 | 1.28 | 2-1 | 5.00 | 1.22 |
| 10 |  | Ubaldo Jimenez | R | LAA | 7 | 7-6 | 4.69 | 1.54 | 1-2 | 3.16 | 1.17 |
| 11 |  | Ricky Romero | L | KC | 5 | 8-2 | 4.94 | 1.43 | 1-1 | 8.55 | 2.10 |
| 12 |  | Clayton Richard | L | @ARI | 5 | 5-8 | 3.77 | 1.22 | 3-1 | 1.59 | 0.95 |
| 13 |  | Daisuke Matsuzaka | R | @OAK | 8 | 0-2 | 4.91 | 1.14 | 0-1 | 4.24 | 1.12 |
| 14 |  | Jordan Lyles | R | @PIT | 4 | 2-4 | 4.59 | 1.45 | 1-2 | 3.06 | 1.30 |
| 15 |  | Homer Bailey | R | @LAD | 5 | 5-6 | 4.42 | 1.37 | 1-2 | 4.50 | 1.42 |
| 16 |  | Carlos Zambrano | R | @MIL | 5 | 4-6 | 3.71 | 1.34 | 0-2 | 4.61 | 2.20 |
| 17 |  | Matt Moore | L | NYY | 4 | 4-5 | 4.19 | 1.40 | 1-0 | 2.79 | 1.19 |
| 18 |  | Chad Billingsley | R | CIN | 5 | 4-7 | 4.18 | 1.44 | 1-3 | 5.25 | 1.54 |
| 19 |  | Freddy Garcia | R | @TB | 4 | 2-2 | 6.39 | 1.45 | 2-0 | 1.42 | 0.32 |
| 20 |  | Hisashi Iwakuma | R | BAL | 1 | 1-1 | 4.75 | 1.42 | 1-1 | 4.50 | 1.70 |
| 21 |  | Everett Teaford | L | @TOR | 5 | 0-1 | 5.06 | 1.56 | 0-0 | 3.60 | 1.40 |
| 22 |  | Liam Hendriks | R | @DET | 1 | 0-5 | 6.82 | 1.66 | 0-3 | 4.41 | 1.41 |
| 23 |  | Jeff Samardzija | R | @ATL | 4 | 5-7 | 5.05 | 1.42 | 0-3 | 10.43 | 1.77 |
| 24 |  | Josh Outman | L | @STL | 1 | 0-3 | 9.32 | 1.71 | 0-1 | 10.06 | 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 my last rendition of Daily Notes on Wednesday, June 27, I recommended starting Jarrod Parker, Jonathon Niese, Clayton Richard and Lucas Harrell, four pitchers owned in 34 percent or less of ESPN.com fantasy leagues. The results were better than I ever could have imagined:
Parker: W, 7 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 4 BB's, 9 K's
Niese: W, 7 IP, 8 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K's
Richard: 7 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB's, 5 K's
Harrell: W, 9 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 4 BBs, 7 K's
Total: 3 W, 30 IP, 19 H, 3 ER, 9 BB's, 27 K's (0.90 ERA, 0.93 WHIP)
While I'm pretty sure the following four pitchers won't tally another combined ERA under one, these hurlers (also owned in 34 percent or less of ESPN.com fantasy leagues) should improve your fantasy rotation on Monday.
Trevor Cahill (34 percent ESPN.com fantasy ownership) has an ideal matchup Monday against the San Diego Padres, a team he has completely baffled this season. In Cahill's debut with the Arizona Diamondbacks in April, he limited the Padres to one run on two hits in six innings. Then when he visited San Diego on June 3, Cahill pitched a six-hit shutout with five strikeouts. Granted, both of those starts were in the pitcher haven known as Petco Park, and Cahill has not been great at Chase Field (5.25 ERA, 1.50 WHIP). However, the Pads are 13-26 on the road, and rank last in the majors in slugging (.355) with just 45 homers, so the longball should not be a factor.
Cahill's mound opponent, Clayton Richard (9 percent ESPN.com fantasy ownership) is not usually a good road play this year (4.45 ERA, 1.30 WHIP), but he's been riding high in his past four starts, with three of those coming on the road. In these three most recent away outings, he's 2-1 with an 0.83 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 14 K's and just three walks. This K-to-BB ratio should remain high against a D'backs offense that enters Sunday with 47 K's and just 12 walks in their past five games. Clayton isn't a great win candidate considering his Padres have scored a total of 14 runs in his past seven road starts, but he will still keep his club in the game with a quality outing.
Daisuke Matsuzaka (2 percent ESPN.com fantasy ownership) appears to be finding his groove, tossing 5 2/3 strong innings against Toronto his last time out, allowing just one run on six hits, one walk and five strikeouts. That gives him 20 K's and six walks in his four starts this season, three of which have been at Fenway Park. On Monday, he'll take the hill in a pitchers' park when he faces the Oakland Athletics on the road. The A's batters have been very hospitable to visitors in 2012 with an anemic slash of .220/.301/.360 at O.co Coliseum. Matsuzaka has usually enjoyed facing Oakland in his career, going 4-1 with a 3.69 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 44 K's and 13 BB's in his 39 innings versus the A's tossing five quality starts in seven outings against them.
Jordan Lyles (0.1 percent ESPN.com fantasy ownership) has strung together two straight quality starts, making him worthy of a play in deeper fantasy leagues on Monday when he takes on the Pittsburgh Pirates. Lyles has allowed just three runs on nine hits in these 13 1/3 innings, fanning four in each outing. Although the Bucs have been mashing during a current four-game win streak (37 runs, 10 HR's, .962 OPS), they haven't been very potent at PNC Park this year with an atrocious slash of .225/.283/.356 in front of their home fans. When they hosted Houston in May, the Pirates scored eight runs in the three-game set with a .186 BA, .234 OBP, 29 K's and seven walks.
Hitter matchup ratings for July 2
| Overall | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | 6 | 1 | 7 | 6 | | 5 | 7 | 2 | 6 | |
| | 8 | 10 | 3 | 10 | | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | |
| | 10 | 1 | 10 | 4 |  | No game scheduled | ||||
| | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | | 5 | 10 | 3 | 6 | |
| | 3 | 5 | 1 | 8 | | 4 | 6 | 1 | 8 | |
 | No game scheduled |  | No game scheduled | |||||||
| | 5 | 6 | 4 | 4 | | 8 | 10 | 4 | 6 | |
| | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | | 10 | 1 | 10 | 2 | |
| | 6 | 5 | 5 | 1 | | 5 | 6 | 3 | 1 | |
| | 10 | 1 | 10 | 6 |  | No game scheduled | ||||
| | 4 | 5 | 3 | 8 | | 6 | 5 | 6 | 4 | |
| | 6 | 10 | 3 | 5 | | 7 | 6 | 7 | 5 | |
| | 3 | 3 | 2 | 5 |  | No game scheduled | ||||
| | 7 | 6 | 6 | 4 | | 6 | 4 | 7 | 7 | |
| | 3 | 5 | 1 | 7 |  | 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.
• Ricky Romero is 5-0, has an ERA of 3.83 and a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 2.12 when pitching at home this season. He will face the Royals who hit .247 against lefty pitchers versus .270 versus righties.
• Justin Upton has had a disappointing year so far, but he might be turning it around. From June 20 to June 30, Upton is 14 for 31 (.452) with 2 HR, 10 RBI, and 2 steals. He is also 5 for 11 (.455) in his career against Monday's expected starter Clayton Richard.
• Zack Greinke has pitched considerably better at home this season with an ERA of just 1.08 and 52 strikeouts in 41 2/3 IP. On the road his ERA is 4.03 in 60 1/3 IP.
• Since 2009, Jered Weaver is 4-1 with a 1.96 ERA against the Indians. However, it should be noted that the Indians hit .249 off Weaver, compared to his .223 mark against all opponents. He is still a very safe bet to start Monday.
• From 2009-11, Denard Span went .348/.455/.409 against the Tigers. The Twins' centerfielder has continued his good numbers against Detroit this season (.500/.929/.500).
Joey Votto, 1B, Reds: Day-to-day, left knee inflammation. He left Saturday's game early, and is expected to sit on Sunday. He could be in the starting lineup Monday though.
Andrew McCutchen, OF, Pirates: Day-to-day, sprained wrist. He is not in Sunday's lineup, but he may return on Monday versus Houston. Alex Presley is starting in center field on Sunday.
Carlos Gonzalez, OF, Rockies: Not starting Sunday. The team says this was a planned off-day and that Gonzalez has no injuries to be concerned with.
Stephen Strasburg, SP, Nationals: Day-to-day, heat exhaustion. He had to be pulled in Saturday's game due to 104-degree temperatures, but is expected to make his next start on Friday versus the Rockies.
Carlos Santana, C, Indians: Day-to-day, back injury. He's not in Sunday's lineup for the fourth straight night, but he could return to the field on Monday. Lou Marson is replacing Santana behind the dish.
Andre Ethier, OF, Dodgers: Day-to-day, strained left oblique. He has not played since hurting himself during a slide on June 27, but hopes to return to the field on Monday.
David Price, SP, Rays: Day-to-day, tight lower back. He left Friday's start early, but he will pitch in his next rotation turn on Wednesday night.
Jeremy Hellickson, SP, Rays: Day-to-day, bruised shin. He was hit with a line drive on Saturday, but X-rays were negative. He expects to make his next start Thursday.
Lonnie Chisenhall, 3B, Indians: 15-day DL, broken bone in right forearm. He will miss up to three months as a result of getting hit by a pitch on Friday. Jose Lopez started at third base on Saturday, registering five hits and 3 RBI.
Michael Saunders, OF, Mariners: Day-to-day, illness. He has not played since June 28 because of flu-like symptoms and is being replaced by Chone Figgins.
Jim Thome, DH, Orioles: Traded from Phillies. He was acquired for a pair of minor leaguers and could be the team's regular designated hitter, relegating Chris Davis to some spot starts and pinch-hitting duties.
Edward Mujica, RP, Marlins: 15-day DL, fractured right toe. He suffered the injury on Friday when he took a line drive off his foot.
Andy Pettitte, SP, Yankees: 60-day DL, fractured left ankle. He was injured on Wednesday when he took a line drive off his lower leg.
CC Sabathia, SP, Yankees: 15-day DL, left groin strain. This move was made retroactive to June 25 and he was replaced in the rotation by Freddy Garcia.
Franklin Gutierrez, OF, Mariners: 7-day DL, concussion. He was hurt on Thursday when a poor pickoff throw hit him in the side of the face.
Jesse Crain, RP, White Sox: Day-to-day, tightness in shoulder. He has not pitched since June 23 and there is no timetable for his return.
John McDonald, SS, Diamondbacks: Day-to-day, tightness in back. He has not played since June 24 and his return to the field is uncertain.
