Fantasy Headlines: Donaldson (calf) returns, Jones (oblique) update and Price bumped
Toronto Blue Jays
After a calf injury scare earlier this week, Josh Donaldson returned to the lineup Friday. Though he will DH instead of play 3B.
Kevin Pillar only has four hits in his first 18 at bats this season as he tries to lockdown the leadoff role. He has picked up a SB, too.
The Blue Jays’ hitters lead MLB in strikeouts with 46 in four games.
Marcus Stroman, Aaron Sanchez and J.A. Happ all picked up quality starts as they lasted six, seven and eight innings respectively. Sanchez shutdown the Rays for seven innings allowing only a solo HR, walking none and striking out eight. He’s available in 40 percent of leagues.
Down on the farm, it only took one game in the minor league season for the Jays’ front office to squeal. Top organization prospect Anthony Alford had to leave the Dunedin Blue Jays (Class A – Advanced) with a leg injury. The good news is the injury is reportedly not too serious. Alford hit .298/.398/.421 with 27 stolen bases in 107 games last season.
Also, eager to follow Vlad Guerrero Jr. and 20-year-old Richard Urena’s fourth year of minor league prep. Urena hit a homer in game one yesterday for Dunedin.
Boston Red Sox
Bad news for those fantasy baseball owners in weekly leagues looking for two-start juice from David Price as Red Sox vs. Indians' second wash out pushed his scheduled Sunday start back a day to Monday. He’ll start in Boston’s home opener instead. Price struck out 10 Indians in his first start.
Thanks to the blustery conditions in Cleveland, Travis Shaw only has two games under his belt. He’s picked up three singles and two runs as he tries to keep Pablo Sandoval on the bench.
Down on the farm, all eyes are on Yoan Moncada. As they team considers whether or not their fifth MLB outfielder, Rusney Castillo, needs some minor league marination, the 20-year-old Moncada picked up two hits and two walks with two runs and a stolen base in his Salem Red Sox debut. Moncada signed for $31.5-million last season. Castillo inked a seven-year $72.5-million deal in 2014.
Also, keep an eye on 2015 first-round MLB Amateur Draft pick Andrew Benintendi. Dude hit 11 HR in 54 games last season in the Sally and NY-Penn leagues. He went 4-5, a home run shy of the cycle with three RBI and two runs, in his Salem debut.
Baltimore Orioles
Adam Jones hopes to return to the Orioles’ lineup this weekend. He’s dealing with a rib/oblique injury. Jones has started the season 2-10 with four strikeouts.
Buck Showalter plans to work Hyun-soo Kim into the starting lineup this weekend. At $7-million, that’s an expensive time-out chair Kim’s sitting on.
The Joey Rickard dice roll is paying off thus far. He’s 5-11 with a double and homer on the resume. He’s available in 97 percent of leagues. Nolan Reimold picked up two hits in his 2016 debut as the platoon, mixing and matching outfielders has produce in the early going.
Dylan Bundy pitched an inning out of the bullpen and hasn’t been placed on the DL. So, there is progress. Kevin Gausman is scheduled to get some rehab game action this weekend as he works his way back from shoulder tendonitis.
Down on farm, Hunter Harvey is the guy to watch. He’s been injured a good part of the last year-plus and strained his groin at the end of spring training. He should start his minor league campaign in a week or so. The 21-year-old pitcher was the 21st overall selection in the 2013 Draft. In 17 starts two seasons ago, his K/9 was 10.88 (A-Ball).
New York Yankees
Nathan Eovaldi and Michael Pineda both got rocked by the Astros to the tune of 11 earned runs in 10 innings pitched.
Sometimes change is good. Starlin Castro joins Jean Segura as two middle infielders happy to be playing for different teams in 2016. Castro has started off on fire with two doubles, two homers and eight RBI in 12 at bats. He ranked as 2B-14 during draft season.
Down on farm, several players to keep an eye on …
At Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Aaron Judge banged out a double, while future catcher Gary Sanchez was held hitless in three at bats in their first minor league game of the season.
Tampa Bay Rays
Although he only hit .225 for the Rays last season, Steven Souza did smack 16 homers in 110 games. He’s off to a hot start with three homers in 15 at bats. New guy, Corey Dickerson, has two hits – both are homers.
Jake Odorizzi and Chris Archer struck out 22 hitters combined in their first starts of the season – neither finished with a win or quality start because they didn’t reach six innings pitched. After a strong showing in spring training, the Blue Jays hit Matt Moore around in his regular season debut. He allowed three earned runs on five hits, two walks, but did strike out five
Down on farm, we could see Blake Snell – No. 1 Rays prospect – in the bigs this year. In his first start for Triple-A Durham, he lasted five innings (75 pitches), allowing two earned runs on five hits and a walk, while punching out five. His 2015 K/9 rate was well over 10.00 and looked sharp in MLB Future's game.
> Continue Reading More Fantasy Baseball Divisional Notebooks
