Roto Riteup: April 22, 2016

Some days are great. Some days you just have it, everything is clicking, and the weight of the world is lifted from your shoulders. Other days, life kicks your butt, and this is all you can muster.

RECAP: #Reds draw four walks vs. Cubs. pic.twitter.com/PSY5I3DyBB

— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) April 22, 2016

On the agenda:
1. Arrieta is unhittable again
2. Hamilton shelved for a few
3. Various News and Notes
4. Streaming Pitcher Options

Arrieta is unhittable again
Jake Arrieta threw the second no-hitter of his career last night. It was beautiful, from his hug with David Ross, to his wife’s reaction, to the realization that the Cubs haven’t lost in his last 17 starts, and that he only needed nine starts between no-nos…This was awesome.

The No. 3 pitcher off of boards at draft time and a top-20 draft pick overall is providing return on the investment. We now look in on one of his fantasy owners:

Hamilton shelved for a few
Those relying on Billy Hamilton for steals might have to look elsewhere for a few days. The Reds’ speedster is expected to miss a couple of games with a left thumb contusion, an injury that first occurred last week. The soft cast on his left hand apparently hasn’t been helping enough, and the fact that it’s lingered is cause for concern that Hamilton may eventually hit the DL. Truth be told, this might be the best thing for him, as he could still be available as a pinch hitter, according to Bryan Price. With a .162 average and .262 OBP, Hamilton’s actually probably more likely to get on base as a pinch runner than as a starter, though you can’t really deploy him in that role.

Scott Schebler will start in center in the meantime, but Jose Peraza remains the preferred long-term Hamilton replacement, whether in center or in the infield with a resultant juggling of positions.

Various News and Notes
Bryce Harper and Kris Bryant remain awesome. The former hit his sixth home run in eight games, the latter clocked a grand slam in support of Arrieta. Clayton Kershaw remains awesome, too, but he’s mixing it up more than the everyday-mashers.

Not surprisingly, Kershaw dominated the Braves to the tune of one run and 10 strikeouts in eight innings. The Braves are reportedly considering going to the union about the poor field conditions at Turner Field, but unless their gripe is that the walls are about 100 feet too far away from home plate, I’m not sure it’s going to help their offense much.

In stark contrast to Arrieta and Kershaw, a couple of top arms struggled Thursday. David Price was touched for eight earned runs to push his ERA to 7.06 on the year. This, despite entering his Red Sox career with a 1.95 ERA at Fenway Park. The strikeouts are still there, but his velocity his down precipitously, which is a red flag. Max Scherzer, meanwhile, gave up five runs over five innings but was mostly solid heading into this start. Dallas Keuchel was also shelled for six runs on 13 hits in six innings. He’s not in that same class, but Shelby Miller only made it through two innings due to command issues allegedly stemming from mechanical problem.

Back to the good: Rich Hill, Gerrit Cole, and Edinson Volquez all had nice starts. Yu Darvish threw 47 pitches of live batting practice yesterday and is slated for his first rehab start Tuesday. He’s being held in 88 percent of leagues, so you’re probably too late to pick him up, but those in weekly leagues will want to start paying his progress closer attention.

Keone Kela needs bone spurs removed from his right elbow and will miss three months, but at least it’s not Tommy John. Kela was probably third in line for saves in Texas, a position Jake Diekman may now assume.

Colby Rasmus got to talkin’ bout trucks twice, giving him five home runs and 11 RBI in just 45 at-bats through 16 games. Joey Rickard smacked three hits against the Jays and refuses to go away. The Rule 5 pick is hitting .350 at the top of Baltimore’s potent lineup, has a history of base-stealing in the minors, and is just 12-percent owned. He’ll probably turn into a pumpkin, but it’s cool to take these chances.

If you’re in need of cheap power, this guy might hit the waiver wire soon.

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

A pitcher for today: Aaron Nola @ MIL (Zachary Davies)
Miller Park isn’t the friendliest of confines and Aaron Nola has struggled some with the long-ball, but I think it’s worth the risk here. The Brewers aren’t hitting well, are striking out a ton, and Nola might be a little undervalued coming off of a really bad start opposite Washington.

A pitcher for tomorrow: Hector Santiago vs SEA (Hisashi Iwakuma)
Coming off of a seven-inning shutout with 10 strikeouts, Hector Santiago remains owned in less than half of leagues as he draws another decent start opposite the Mariners, owners of a 92 wRC+ and a decent strikeout rate. Santiago’s velocity is up more than two miles an hour, and he’s missing more bats as a result, at least right now.