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Diamondbacks outfielder Justin Upton left Tuesday night's game due to an undisclosed injury, as he was injured running the bases in the Diamondbacks 5 run first inning.
Red Sox outfielder Carl Crawford has elected to have Tommy John surgery on Thursday, and will miss the rest of the season. Scott Podsednk took his spot in left field last night, batting ninth, so he is one of the candidates to replace Crawford in the Red Sox lineup. Another possible replacement candidate is Ryan Kalish, currently in AAA, who could see some time once rosters expand in September.
Brewers starter Marco Estrada was dominant last night, as he shut out the Cubs on 2 hits, a walk and 9 strikeouts in 6 innings to earn his first win of the season. He has pitched pretty well in his 16 starts this season, as he owns a 4.23 ERA, a solid 1.18 WHIP, and a 96-20 strikeout to walk ratio in 95.2 innings of work this season.
The Diamondbacks waived starter Joe Saunders after he go knocked around on Monday night for 9 runs on 12 hits, with all 9 runs coming in the 4th inning. Saunders move allows AAA starter, and Top 20 prospect, Tyler Skaggs to move into the rotation. Skaggs was 4-2 in 9 AAA starts this season, with a 2.91 ERA, 3.45 FIP, and a 45-16 strikeout to walk ratio in 52.2 innings. Before his promotion to AAA, Skaggs made 13 starts for AA Mobile, going 5-4 with a 2.84 ERA, 3.60 FIP and a 71-21 K-BB rate in 69.2 innings. Skaggs strikeout rate dropped a bit with the move to AAA, but the walk rate stayed relatively constant. I wouldn't expect much from him this season, but he is rosterable in keeper leagues.
More Roto Roundup after the jump:
Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg limited the Braves to just one run on 4 hits, a walk and 10 strikeouts in 6 innings last night to earn his 15th win of the season. He is now 15-5 with a 2.85 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and a 183-43 strikeout to walk ratio in 145.1 innings pitched this season. He has given up 2 runs or less in 17 of his 25 starts this season. He will be shut down at some point in September, as he is approaching the innings limit that the Nationals have placed on him this season. Strasburg has thrown over 100 pitches in just 10 of his 25 starts this season, with a high of 119 pitches on June 8th and a low of 65 on July 31st. In comparison, Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw has thrown over 100 pitches in all but 6 of his 26 starts this season. Adam Wainwright, who is also coming off Tommy John surgery, has thrown over 100 pitches in 12 of his 25 starts this season. Seems to me that Strasburg has been limited if you look strictly at pitches thrown.
Speaking of Wainwright, he threw a complete game shutout last night, limiting the Astros to just 5 hits and a walk, while striking out 12 to win his 12th game of the season. He is now 12-10 with a 3.65 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and a 154-38 strikeout to walk rate in 160.1 innings pitched. A year after his TJS, he is striking out more batters than he ever has in his career, while also inducing ground balls at a 53.2% clip. Wainwright is all the way back from his surgery, and should be drafted like the ace that he is in 2013 drafts.
Making his first start since early May, Rockies starter Jhoulys Chacin limited the Mets to just one run on 4 hits, while striking out 2, in 6 innings last night. Chacin returned from a pectoral muscle injury, which takes a long time to heal, to earn his first win of the season. I wouldn't run to my league waiver wire to pick him up as he struggled last season, and I would want to see him make a few more starts before adding him to my roster.
Royals starter Luke Hochevar tossed his best game of the season, shutting out the red-hot Rays on just one hit in 8 innings of work last night. He walked 3 and struck out 10, but did not factor in the decision. Hochevar is 7-11 on the season, with a 4.95 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and a 110-46 strikeout to walk ratio in 145.1 innings.
Athletics starter Brett Anderson made his first start of the season, returning from Tommy John surgery, and he limited the Twins to just one run on 4 hits, no walks and 6 strikeouts in 7 innings of work. Quite an impressive start for the young starter. I own him in my AL-only league at $2 through 2014, with the chance to extend him long term after the 2013 season. If he can pitch like he did in 2010, I will gladly raise him heading into the 2014 season.