Roto Riteup: July 23, 2016

Russell Martin got injured from staying in the sauna too long, getting light headed after a cold shower, and falling down. This ranks right up there with Clint Barmes and Joel Zumaya and serves as a nice reminder that no, you’re not very different from a professional athlete. You, too, could probably hurt your knee in the shower.

And you can swim, right?

On the agenda:
1. NL-to-AL rumblings
2. Teheran out of gas
3. Various News and Notes
4. Streaming Pitcher Options

NL-to-AL rumblings
If you’re in a single-league format, the next week-plus could be fairly stressful for you. There are a ton of trade rumors out there that could have a fantasy impact of some sort, but obviously the more actionable ones are when players change circuits. Interestingly, most of the rumors seem to focus on NL-to-AL moves, which could strip NL-only formats and be a boon to those in AL-only groups. The tough part becomes deciding when to use a waiver priority or FAAB bid if a deal happens before deadline day – I’m of the mind you use it once a name you like pops up, and if you miss out on someone later as a result, at least you got the first one (and aren’t left with your stack in your pocket).

In any case, here are the names rumored to potentially head to the American League on Friday: Andrew Cashner, Melvin Upton Jr., Anthony DeSclafani, Nick Markakis, almost literally everyone else.

Teheran out of gas
As if things haven’t gone poorly enough for the Braves this year, Julio Teheran had to leave his start Friday with right lat tightness. Initially it seemed like maybe a trade was brewing, but the team announced it as an injury, and their biggest trade chip may be in danger of coming off the table (or having his value diminished with increased risk). The Braves have been adamant they’re not moving Teheran, but the 25-year-old could fetch the kind of return that can help expedite the rebuilding process – he owns a 2.71 ERA, 3.75 FIP, four-to-one strikeout-to-walk ratio, and has proven himself a 200-inning arm over the last few seasons. He’s hoping to avoid the DL, for what his own take is worth.

Various News and Notes
Mookie Betts left Friday’s game with right knee soreness after just four innings and is considered day-to-day. His knees are probably sore from running through my mind all day. He’s the owner of a 129 wRC+ and already has 20 home runs and 16 stolen bases. Swoon.

That’s almost as many home runs as Trevor Story, who hit his 24th yesterday, tying the NL rookie shortstop record. It feels like he had 20 in the first two weeks of the season. The record-holder he tied? Troy Tulowitzki, the man he replaced and quite a stud in his own right.

Back to the trade front, rumors about Chris Sale continue to be quite warm. The Rangers, who seem to be in on just about everyone, have kicked the tires, though the asking price is reportedly (and justifiably) large. Maybe Jose Quintana proves a more affordable option for the AL West leader, or any other Sale suitor.

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: Robbie Ray @ CIN (Keyvius Sampson)
Any stream at Great American is risky, but the Reds have been fairly inept at the dish for some time now. Owners of an 82 wRC+ overall and just an average .171 ISO at home, they’re a good bet to stream against in any environment lately. Robbie Ray comes in with some risk – hence the 11-percent ownership tag – but has the strikeout profile and ground-ball rate to make for decent streaming here.

A pitcher for tomorrow: Blake Snell @ OAK (Jesse Hahn)
The 30-percent owned rookie is pretty steadily in the Rays’ rotation at this point, and back-to-back strong starts should have confident in his stuff increasing back to initial call-up levels. Blake Snell will have a chance to build more momentum Sunday as he visits the A’s, who own a paltry .140 ISO at home and a better-but-still-unthreatening 96 wRC+ against lefties. If he can keep the walks down – a pretty significant if right now – he should be in good shape.