Roto Riteup: September 10, 2012

You probably won’t be reading today’s Roto Riteup, as you’re probably perusing a football roundup instead.

• The much maligned John Lackey threw batting practice on Saturday on his way back from Tommy John surgery. Lackey pitched through the end of last season, undergoing his surgery in the offseason. While Lackey’s velocity never dropped as a member of the Red Sox, the right-hander was still ineffective in 2010 and 2011. Nevertheless, a healthy Lackey playing for a team that plans to compete is going to be tempting. Follow his progress if you’re planning to play in deep leagues and feel like taking a chance on a veteran.

• Nick Markakis is going to miss the rest of the regular season after breaking his thumb, courtesy of one C.C. Sabathia. Markakis’ .298 average and 13 homers are right in line with what he has done over his seven year career, further cementing his role as one of the most consistent fantasy options in the league today. Markakis has hit lower than .290 just once during his career, and the 28-year-old has never hit single-digit homers, either.

• Replacing Markakis will be a combination of Lew Ford and Nate McLouth. McLouth has been playing pretty much every day, anyway, but now Lew Ford will get an extended look in his return to the big leagues. Ford had a good season with the Twins in 2004, but he hasn’t had a big league impact since. Wilson Betemit may also see extra time if the Orioles decide to give Chris Davis some starts in the outfield.

• Troy Tulowitzki will be back with the Rockies today barring an unexpected setback. If you’re in the playoffs and have Tulo sitting on your DL, that’s a heck of a boost that you won’t be able to find on the free agent market. Josh Rutledge will continue to receive extended time in Colorado, but it will be at second base.

For those of you who play daily fantasy games like FanGraphs: The Game, or just like to stream players, here are a couple matchups you may be able to exploit.

A Pitcher for Today: Collin McHugh vs WAS
A limited slate of games hurts your options.

A Pitcher for Tomorrow: Jhoulys Chacin vs SFG
Chacin may be at home, but he’ll still throw a decent start.

A Hitter for Today: Brett Wallace vs CHC (Chris Volstad)
Wallace has some pop in his bat, and Volstad has a tendency to groove pitches.