Week Ahead: NL Sleepers
In a week where the two-start list for the National League includes such household names as Max Scherzer, Clayton Kershaw, Madison Bumgarner and Johnny Cueto, we're a little more intrigued by the mid-tier sleeper options who may actually be available in your league. For instance...
* The Brewers have been struggling, but Jimmy Nelson hasn't. The 25-year-old righty has posted a 1.35 ERA through three starts with only 10 hits allowed in 20 innings. He's in line for two starts on the road, but merits a look nonetheless.
* Starting in an official game for the first time since undergoing elbow surgery last September, Homer Bailey looked shaky against the Cardinals last weekend, coughing up five runs on nine hits and three walks with zero strikeouts. He showed some improvement in his next turn at Milwaukee, and he'll draw those same Brewers at home in the first of two starts this week.
* Jason Hammel has a 5.19 ERA through three starts, but his outstanding 16-to-1 K/BB ratio suggests that rapid improvement is in store. He draws a pair of favorable match-ups at home and is available in about 50 percent of leagues.
* He was very solid as a rookie last year and is off to an excellent start this year, but still Chase Anderson is owned in only 2 percent of Yahoo! leagues. He starts off with a home outing against the Rockies then follows with a tougher assignment at Los Angeles.
* My favorite mid-tier options on the AL side: Joe Kelly, J.A. Happ, Roberto Hernandez, Ubaldo Jimenez.
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Going Twice...
American League
Strong Plays
Sonny Gray: LAA, @TEX
Collin McHugh: @SD, SEA
Corey Kluber: KC, TOR
Jeff Samardzija: @BAL, @MIN
Chris Sale: @BAL, @MIN
David Price: @MIN, @KC
Anibal Sanchez: @MIN, @KC
Carlos Carrasco: KC, TOR
Decent Plays
Nick Martinez: SEA, OAK
J.A. Happ: @TEX, @HOU
Tommy Milone: DET, CWS
Jered Weaver: @OAK, @SF
Roberto Hernandez: @SD, SEA
Joe Kelly: TOR, NYY
Ubaldo Jimenez: CWS, TB
Yordano Ventura: @CLE, DET
At Your Own Risk
Drew Hutchison: @BOS, @CLE
Aaron Sanchez: @BOS, @CLE
Nate Karns: @NYY, @BAL
Taijuan Walker: @TEX, @HOU
Mike Pelfrey: DET, CWS
Adam Warren: TB, @BOS
Jeremy Guthrie: @CLE, DET
National League
Strong Plays
Doug Fister: @STL, @NYM
Max Scherzer: @ATL, @NYM
John Lackey: PHI, PIT
Michael Wacha: PHI, PIT
James Shields: HOU, COL
Madison Bumgarner: @LAD, LAA
Cole Hamels: @STL, @MIA
Clayton Kershaw: SF, ARI
Johnny Cueto: MIL, @ATL
Julio Teheran: WAS, CIN
Decent Plays
Vance Worley: @CHC, @STL
Dillon Gee: @MIA, WAS
Jimmy Nelson: @CIN, @CHC
Jarred Cosart: NYM, PHI
Jason Hammel: PIT, MIL
Chase Anderson: COL, @LAD
Homer Bailey: MIL, @ATL
At Your Own Risk
Dustin McGowan: @STL, @MIA
Kyle Kendrick: @ARI, @SD
Eric Stults: WAS, CIN
Streamer City
The following pitchers are generally available in over 50 percent of fantasy leagues and have favorable match-ups this week:
American League
Wednesday, April 29: Trevor May vs. CWS
May offers the potential for strikeouts and overall good results at home against a White Sox offense that hasn't done much early on.
Tuesday, April 28: Yovani Gallardo vs. SEA
Gallardo has a 21-to-5 K/BB ratio through his first 20 2/3 innings of work. The Mariners are averaging only 3.8 runs per game.
Friday, May 1: Wei-Yin Chen vs. TB
The usually steady Chen has a 3.07 ERA thus far and looked sharp in his only start at home against the Yankees.
National League
Tuesday, April 28: Kyle Hendricks vs. PIT
Hendricks has 13 strikeouts and one walk through his first three starts. The Pirates have the third-worst team OPS in the National League.
Wednesday, April 29: Josh Collmenter vs. COL
Coming off his first career shutout in San Francisco, Collmenter returns home to face a Rockies team that has unsurprisingly hit significantly worse away from Coors.
Friday, May 1: Tom Koehler vs. PHI
Outside of one horrible inning against the Mets, Koehler has pitched pretty well this year. Give him a try at home against the woeful Phillies.
Total Games
American League
6: BAL, BOS, LAA, NYY, OAK, TB, TEX
7: CLE, CWS, DET, HOU, KC, MIN, SEA, TOR
National League
6: ARI, CHC, COL, LAD, MIA, MIL, PIT, SF, SD
7: ATL, CIN, NYM, PHI, STL, WAS
The Infirmary
You can get a full listing of injured players at Rotoworld's Injury Page but here's the latest on a few prominent players who have been out of action:
Jake Lamb: Out indefinitely (foot)
Jonathan Schoop: Out indefinitely (knee)
Mike Olt: Out until June (wrist)
Jacob Turner: Out until June (elbow)
LaTroy Hawkins: Out indefinitely (biceps)
Joe Nathan: Out for the season (elbow)
Greg Holland: Out until early May (pecs)
Cory Rasmus: Out indefinitely (abdomen)
Scooter Gennett: Out until early May (hand)
Sean O'Sullivan: Out indefinitely (knee)
Jake Peavy: Out until mid-May (back)
Dioner Navarro: Out until mid-May (hamstring)
