Roto Riteup: April 15, 2015

Today’s Roto Riteup was written while I watched highlights of the opening leg of the UEFA Champions quarterfinal fixtures.

On today’s agenda:
1. Terrifying moment for Carlos Carrasco
2. David Wright likely to the disabled list
3. Denard Span begins rehab assignment
4. Streaming Pitching Options

Terrifying moment for Carlos Carrasco
Carrasco was struck in the face on a come-back line drive off of Melky Cabrera’s bat in the first inning of yesterday afternoon’s game. Carrasco was able to get his pitching hand and part of his glove on the ball, but all of the best thoughts are with him and his. August Fagerstrom reports the X-rays came back negative on Carrasco and no signs of a concussion, however he is still being treated for a jaw contusion.

David Wright likely to the disabled list
A left hamstring injury will apparently force the New York Mets to place Wright on the 15-day DL. He was removed from the game in the eighth inning in the wake of an off-balance slide into second base. Manager Terry Collins spoke on the injury and said “It’s a major problem.” No official word on how long Wright will be on the shelf, however seeking a replacement third baseman would be a prudent move for your fantasy team. Jonathan Schoop has shown his power potential already this season, but his rate stats are sub-par. Brock Holt would be a better option for batting average and on-base percentage and both Schoop and Holt should be largely available.

Denard Span begins rehab assignment
For those looking for speed in the coming days, Span has started his rehab at Double-A Harrisburg. The Washington Nationals didn’t announce a specific timetable for Span’s return, though the Nats are expected to work him back to full nine inning games before activating him. Look for Span to join the team next week, so make sure to grab him this weekend before weekly leagues rosters lock. Span is owned in 62% of CBS formats but just 50% and 29% of Yahoo! and ESPN leagues respectively.

If Span isn’t available and you’re still in need of speed, the Kansas City Royals placed Alex Rios on the 15-day DL with a broken hand and appear to be ready to call up Terrance Gore. If Gore is the man picked to get some big league action, he’s worth a speculative add for his legs alone. He’s nabbed over 50 steals in both 2013 and 2014 and had two bags in Double-A already this season. That he has managed 50+ steals without being caught more than eight times is a testament to his speed.

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Streaming Pitching Options
If you enjoy streaming pitchers, tune into the Roto Riteup for recommendations each and every day.

A pitcher for today: Travis Wood vs CIN (Jason Marquis)
The (very) early stats show the Reds have struggled making contact against left-handers, posting a 22.7% K% against them and a measly 5.3% walk rate. It’s a night game, so the ball shouldn’t carry too much against Wood and his fly bally tendencies. For someone who should miss bats and has a good chance at a win, Wood is available to grab in over 90% of the three major sites.

A pitcher for tomorrow: Aaron Sanchez, vs TB (Chris Archer)
I’m the conductor of the Sanchez hype train, and no, we didn’t get derailed in his previous start, just a hiccup. Look for him to bounce back against the Rays and use his sinker to generate plenty of ground balls. Sanchez is owned in about half of CBS formats and 70% of ESPN leagues, though Yahoo! owners have been hesitant with a 15% ownership rate there.