David Phelps -- With Ivan Nova hitting the DL and potentially done for the year, the Yankees are apparently leaning towards giving rotation spot to David Phelps. Phelps has some control issues, but he also knows how to strike batters out, posting an 8.6 K/9 in his MLB career (split between the rotation and the bullpen). Phelps will make for a good spot start candidate in medium-depth mixed leagues and is worth an immediate pickup in anything deeper.
Jackie Bradley Jr. -- Despite a .220/.339/.280 triple-slash this season, Jackie Bradley Jr. is expected to remain the Red Sox' starting center fielder when Shane Victorino returns this week, pushing Daniel Nava to the minors. While Bradley's performance at the plate has left much to be desired, his defense has convinced Boston to keep him around for a while longer. He has the pedigree and the upside to become a productive fantasy player, but for the time being he's only worth owning in very deep mixed and AL-only leagues.
Robbie Ross -- Despite an 8/0 K/BB rate, Robbie Ross allowed 7 runs (4 earned) on 7 hits in 5.1 innings against the White Sox yesterday. Ross won a rotation spot this spring and held a 1.00 ERA in three starts entering today, so one might consider him a buy-low candidate given that K/BB rate in today's implosion. I'm not convinced, though. Ross is essentially a two-pitch southpaw, throwing a four-seam fastball and a slider. The slider is a good pitch to get out lefties, but he doesn't have many options to get out righties--the majority of batters he'll face as a starter. He's a fine flier in deep leagues to see if he can get by with what he has or if he can improve either his little-used change-up or curveball to the point of being able to use it more frequently against righties, but I have my doubts.
Billy Butler -- Butler was dropped from the cleanup spot to the six hole last week, but word has it that Butler will return to batting fourth today against Cleveland. Butler has started the season very slow with a .193/.273/.211 triple-slash, but he's picked up the pace since the drop in the lineup (and should be expected to continue doing so), and apparently Ned Yost hasn't liked what he's seen out of Salvador Perez in the cleanup spot. Despite just a single batter occupying the space between the two spots, there is an enormous value difference between batting fourth and sixth, so the return to the former spot will help Butler's value.
Feel free to shoot questions or comments my way on Twitter (@DerekCarty).
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