Roto Riteup: May 31, 2016

What do you even try to do with something like this?

On the agenda:
1. Matt Harvey bounce-back alert
2. David Wright has herniated disc
3. Various News and Notes
4. Streaming Pitcher Options

Matt Harvey bounce-back alert
Matt Harvey retained enough market confidence to stay 95 percent owned. Unfortunately for some of those faithful owners, whether due to the holiday or wavering confidence, only 70 percent of them started the Mets hurler on Monday. Well, Harvey rewarded those, including the Mets, who stuck with him, tossing seven shutout innings against the White Sox, allowing just two hits and striking out six. Perhaps more importantly, his fastball averaged over 96 MPH and even touched 99, garnering six whiffs in the process. Considering his velocity decrease was a major concern during his extended slump, that’s really encouraging. It’s just one start, of course, but it’s a step in the right direction.

David Wright has herniated disc
For all the precaution Terry Collins took with his back, David Wright may still be headed to the DL. The Mets third baseman is suffering from a herniated disc in his neck and is set for further testing Tuesday. Wright has reported difficulty turning his head side-to-side but thinks he might be able to avoid time off with medication. Collins, meanwhile, conceded, “I’m concerned about it.” In 37 games, Wright is hitting .226/.350/.438 with seven home runs and three stolen bases. A DL stint would put many out a starter and would render the Mets woefully thin through the batting order, with no worthwhile replacements to soak up those plate appearances.

Various News and Notes
Byron Buxton is back for the Twins, getting the call after Danny Santana hit the DL. The former No. 2 overall pick struggled at the major-league level in April (.156/.208/.289 in 17 games) but found himself again at Triple-A (.333/.402/.605 in 28 games), and the hope is likely that the 24-percent owned 22-year-old plays well enough now that he won’t need to be sent back down.

The Nationals can breathe a sigh of relief, as Bryce Harper is OK after taking a pitch off the right knee. He’s day-to-day, like all of us.

Luis Severino will try to figure things out at Triple-A as he works his way back from a triceps strain, with the Yankees optioning him Monday. The Yankees also placed Dustin Ackley on the DL with a torn labrum, which doesn’t do much but thin out an already shaky New York’ roster. They’re 26th in the league with an 85 wRC+.

The Astros will activate Carlos Gomez today with hopes the time off for a bruised rib cage helped free him from quite the slump. Gomez posted a .486 OPS in 34 games before hitting the DL. Jake Marisnick won’t be sent down in an accompanying move, by the way, instead sliding into a bench role.

Nomar Mazara hit another moon shot yesterday, one that measured at 453 feet. The 21-year-old now has nine home runs in 43 games, is hitting .309, and owns a 125 wRC+. That’s one heck of a start to a career.

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: Jonathan Gray vs CIN (Jon Moscot)
Streaming Jonathan Gray has been a bit of an adventure so far this season, serving to keep his ownership at 12 percent despite a tasty 27-percent strikeout rate. Will the guy who handled the Red Sox and Giants show up, or the one who was lit up by the Cardinals and Dodgers? With the Reds on tap, they of the 78 wRC+ and 22.6-percent strikeout rate, here’s guessing this one lands as a positive for Gray.

A pitcher for tomorrow: Robbie Ray @ HOU (Mike Fiers)
This is a big dice roll on ceiling. Robbie Ray doesn’t have the tidiest line – a 4.67 ERA and 4.42 FIP – but he’s striking out nearly a quarter of batters he faces. In the Astros, he finds an opponent striking out more than all but one other team, with a slightly below-average offense, to boot. The Astros are a dangerous streaming option given their power, but the upside’s there, too.