The Arizona Diamondbacks lost another starting pitcher in their rotation with Daniel Hudson done for the season and facing Tommy John surgery. For now the team is moving Josh Collmenter into the rotation but that could just be short-term coverage until the All-Star break. I would look at grabbing Tyler Skaggs as a play for the second half of the season. Skaggs has a 2.84 ERA at Double-A in 69 2/3 innings with 71 strikeouts and a .241 batting average against. I don’t see Skaggs with mixed league value if he is recalled but he should be good for NL-only leagues.
The New York Yankees lost both CC Sabathia and Andy Pettitte to injury over the last two days and will now turn to Triple-A for new starting pitching. Adam Warren is expected to be called up to start Friday against the Chicago White Sox. A fourth round pick in the 2009 draft, Warren had a 3.86 ERA in 86 1/3 innings with 59 strikeouts and a .288 batting average against. If you are desperate for wins, maybe you grab him in an AL-only format, but his lack of strikeouts and how easy he has been to hit this season leaves him with little value.
The Texas Rangers promoted pitching prospect Martin Perez to the major leagues, but he is expected to serve in a relief role with Scott Feldman replacing Colby Lewis in the rotation. Perez has been a highly touted prospect for several seasons, but his performance has not matched up to the hype in the minor leagues so far. Perez had a 4.59 ERA at Triple-A in 84 1/3 innings with 38 walks and 49 strikeouts and a .249 batting average against. He has no value at this time and I wouldn’t be holding on to him in dynasty formats either as I think there are better pitching prospects out there.
Those fantasy owners that had been holding onto catcher Travis d’Arnaud in one year leagues can go ahead and drop him after d’Arnaud tore his posterior cruciate knee ligament. He will not need surgery but is expected to miss up to six-to-eight weeks of action which puts him in line for a September return.
Starting pitcher Tyler Cloyd has made some nice improvements in the Philadelphia Phillies farm system over the last two seasons and now is one step away from joining the major league rotation. Cloyd has posted a 2.07 ERA between two levels this year and has struck out 67 in 95 2/3 innings with a .214 batting average against. While he is a little old for Triple-A at 25, his low walk rate (18 this year, 22 in 146 innings last season) should help his WHIP ratio in the majors.
