Roto Riteup — Presented by DraftKings: June 25, 2014

Unlike some popular sports stars, the Roto Riteup’s bark is way worse than its bite.

On today’s agenda:
1. Marco Gonzales to debut for Cardinals
2. Brandon Workman keeps rotation spot
3. Tyler Skaggs to return Saturday
4. The Fainéant Five

Marco Gonzales to debut for Cardinals
With Michael Wacha, Jaime Garcia, Joe Kelly, and Tyler Lyons on the DL in St. Louis, some youngins are getting a chance to strut their stuff at the big league level. It’s Gonzales’ turn to give the majors the try just 12 months after being drafted. Here’s a completely appropriate scouting report from our own Marc Hulet’s preseason Cardinals Top-10:

“Gonzales doesn’t have a huge ceiling but he’s expected to be a quick mover through the system. The southpaw’s best pitch is a plus changeup that works off his fringe-average fastball in the 87-91 mph range. He also has both a curveball and slider — which project as average offerings.”

Despite what could be described as nondescript stuff, Gonzales has been excellent in Double-A this year, striking out 46 batters in 38.2 innings over seven starts. He also walked a mere 10 batters while allowing ten homers. Gonzales could be able to perform well in Busch Stadium, but he’s pitching Colorado today, so that’s not as much fun. Dynasty owners should consider Gonzales as a long-term option in the Cardinals rotation.

Brandon Workman keeps rotation spot
Felix Doubront’s time in the Red Sox rotation is about over, as Boston has stated that Brandon Workman will take his place in the rotation. Doubront will start next week against the Cubs, but that’s just a temporary role, as Workman will take the permanent spot.

Workman hasn’t been as sharp as he was last season, but he’s still managed a 2.88 ERA and 3.35 FIP over 34 innings this season. Workman should be a fringe candidate in standard leagues, but a must-have in AL-only formats.

Tyler Skaggs to return Saturday
Skaggs has been out since earlier this month with a right hamstring strain, but he’s now set to rejoin the Angels and retake his spot in the rotation. As I wrote Monday, the odd man out for now will be Hector Santiago, with the dazzling Matt Shoemaker remaining in the rotation. Skaggs has been solid but unspectacular in his first season back with the Angels, which is ultimately where his career may be headed from a fantasy perspective.

---

The Fainéant Five
SP: Mat Latos | $9,200 | @CHC
SP: Hisashi Iwakuma | $9,300 | vBOS
C: Travis d’Arnaud | $2,600 | vOAK (Brad Mills)
3B: Nick Castellanos | $3,300 | @TEX (Joe Saunders)
OF: Austin Jackson | $3,800 | @TEX (Joe Saunders)

The bargain bin for starting pitchers today is filled with poo, so you won’t want to go diving in there. I wish there were more right-handed Mets’ hitters I liked, but TDA is worth a flyer against Mills while saving some bucks.

---

This post, covering one of the leading sites for daily fantasy, is sponsored and made possible by the generous support of DraftKings. FanGraphs maintains complete editorial control of the postings, and brings you these posts in a continued desire to provide the best analytical information on the latest in baseball.