Fantasy notes for Sept. 13
Click through for information on specific matchups, injuries and weather for the day's games.
Starting pitcher rankings for September 13
| Name | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Felix Hernandez | R | @TOR | 9 | 13-7 | 2.67 | 1.08 | 1-2 | 3.86 | 1.38 |
| 2 |  | Justin Verlander | R | @CHW | 10 | 13-8 | 2.91 | 1.06 | 1-1 | 5.34 | 1.33 |
| 3 |  | Jered Weaver | R | OAK | 10 | 16-4 | 2.86 | 1.03 | 1-1 | 3.72 | 1.45 |
| 4 |  | Chris Sale | L | DET | 8 | 16-6 | 2.88 | 1.08 | 2-2 | 3.80 | 1.23 |
| 5 |  | Brett Anderson | L | @LAA | 9 | 4-0 | 0.69 | 0.77 | 3-0 | 0.47 | 0.84 |
| 6 |  | Wei-Yin Chen | L | TB | 5 | 12-9 | 4.06 | 1.24 | 0-2 | 5.71 | 1.04 |
| 7 |  | Lucas Harrell | R | PHI | 6 | 10-9 | 3.83 | 1.34 | 0-0 | 2.25 | 1.15 |
| 8 |  | Jeremy Hellickson | R | @BAL | 6 | 8-10 | 3.33 | 1.25 | 0-2 | 3.71 | 0.94 |
| 9 |  | Derek Holland | L | CLE | 5 | 10-6 | 4.59 | 1.17 | 3-0 | 2.89 | 0.96 |
| 10 |  | Phil Hughes | R | @BOS | 2 | 14-12 | 4.13 | 1.26 | 2-2 | 3.60 | 1.16 |
| 11 |  | Tyler Cloyd | R | @HOU | 4 | 1-1 | 4.24 | 1.29 | 1-1 | 4.24 | 1.29 |
| 12 |  | Josh Beckett | R | STL | 4 | 6-13 | 5.05 | 1.34 | 1-2 | 3.86 | 1.45 |
| 13 |  | Lance Lynn | R | @LAD | 6 | 14-7 | 4.04 | 1.36 | 1-2 | 9.00 | 2.33 |
| 14 |  | Luis Mendoza | R | @MIN | 3 | 7-9 | 4.63 | 1.46 | 0-1 | 6.86 | 1.78 |
| 15 |  | Henderson Alvarez | R | SEA | 4 | 8-12 | 4.95 | 1.48 | 1-1 | 6.14 | 1.43 |
| 16 |  | Felix Doubront | L | NYY | 1 | 10-8 | 5.21 | 1.51 | 0-2 | 10.50 | 2.00 |
| 17 |  | Zach McAllister | R | @TEX | 1 | 5-7 | 4.31 | 1.37 | 0-3 | 7.36 | 1.96 |
| 18 |  | Liam Hendriks | R | KC | 1 | 0-7 | 6.20 | 1.69 | 0-2 | 4.76 | 1.59 |
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.
Mass' Rankings Notes
Brett Anderson has returned to action with four straight quality starts, each one ending in a victory. He faces a tough test in Jered Weaver (2.47 career ERA versus Oakland Athletics) on Thursday, but we fully expect him to rise to the task.
Wei-Yin Chen is coming off of back-to-back losses to the New York Yankees, where he allowed four home runs in 11 1/3 innings of work. The hope is that he can shake that off and return to the form that allowed him to shut out the Tampa Bay Rays for seven innings the last time he faced them (Aug. 4).
Derek Holland has never lost to the Cleveland Indians, with a 3-0 record and 2.25 ERA, including an 8-3 win over the Tribe on September 2. The concern, though, is that Holland has allowed 14 home runs over his past 10 starts, but otherwise, he's done well to hold the opposition to a .220 batting average against.
Lance Lynn returns to the rotation after going 1-2 with a 6.41 ERA during his exile to the St. Louis Cardinals bullpen. With Jake Westbrook out, the team has few other options at their disposal than to turn to the All-Star who went just 0-1 with a 6.56 ERA in his five August starts.
Tyler Cloyd has a great matchup against the Houston Astros, but he is pitching on just three days rest due to a Sunday doubleheader. We don't anticipate him going too much longer than five innings in this one, leaving little room for error in terms of earning a win.
Hitter matchup ratings for September 14
| Overall | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | No game scheduled |  | No game scheduled | |||||||
 | No game scheduled | | 10 | 10 | 7 | 3 | ||||
| | 5 | 7 | 1 | 5 |  | No game scheduled | ||||
| | 7 | 4 | 9 | 4 | | 10 | 6 | 10 | 8 | |
 | No game scheduled | | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | ||||
| | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | | 5 | 7 | 2 | 7 | |
 | No game scheduled |  | No game scheduled | |||||||
| | 6 | 1 | 7 | 6 | | 5 | 5 | 4 | 6 | |
 | No game scheduled |  | No game scheduled | |||||||
| | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 |  | No game scheduled | ||||
| | 8 | 10 | 1 | 1 | | 9 | 10 | 6 | 4 | |
| | 10 | 6 | 10 | 6 | | 6 | 3 | 6 | 3 | |
| | 2 | 3 | 1 | 5 | | 10 | 10 | 10 | 6 | |
| | 6 | 9 | 2 | 1 | | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | |
 | 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.
• Matt Holliday is 7-for-17 (.412 BA) in his career against Thursday's starter Josh Beckett with three extra base hits.
• Thursday's starter Lance Lynn has struggled since the All-Star break, going 3-3 in eight starts with a 5.40 ERA. Batters are hitting .310 against Lynn with five home runs.
• Carlos Santana has hit well in his career when facing Derek Holland, going 5-for-13 (.385 BA) including 7 RBI.
• Chris Sale is 9-2 with a 1.72 ERA at home this year, compared to 7-4 with a 4.01 ERA on the road.
• Entering Wednesday, Mark Reynolds has 9 HRs, 17 RBIs and 11 runs scored in his past 11 games.
• Entering Wednesday, Pedro Ciriaco is 17-for-35 (.486 BA) with 11 runs scored against the Yankees this season.
J.J. Putz, P, Diamondbacks: Day-to-day with a stiff back. David Hernandez took over the closer role on Tuesday and could continue to get a few save chances as long as Putz can't go.
Adam Dunn, DH, White Sox: May be able to play on Wednesday and beyond after getting an injection to relieve pain in his oblique.
Michael Morse, OF, Nationals: Getting an MRI and X-rays on his left wrist in order to see if there is significant damage. He is day-to-day, pending results.
Jason Hammel, P, Orioles: May be done for the season if an MRI reveals further injury to the same knee that bothered him in July. At the very least, he likely misses his next start after leaving Tuesday's start due to pain.
Ryan Roberts, 3B, Rays: Underwent X-rays on his left forearm that came back negative. He left Tuesday's game early after straining his limb. Consider him to be day-to-day.
Asdrubal Cabrera, SS, Indians: May be out until at least Friday after missing several days with a sore right wrist. The team doctors say there's no further damage that can be done by playing, so it becomes an issue of pain tolerance.
Anthony Rizzo, 1B, Cubs: Collided with Houston's Brett Wallace on an errant throw in the field, and left Tuesday's game. His shoulder is sore, but he is not expected to miss too much time.
- AJ Mass is a fantasy football, baseball and college basketball analyst for ESPN.com.
- Author; How Fantasy Sports Explains the World.
