If you’re a baseball junkie, you’ve got to love Saturdays. You can get your fix, real-life and fantasy, for at least 11 hours – from 1pm ET in the Bronx, until midnight ET in the Pacific Northwest.
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at New York Yankees 1:05pm ET
Yankees RF Nick Swisher ($89K) is a career .304 hitter (7-for-23) with a home run and team-high six RBIs against Angels SP C.J. Wilson ($293K). 3B Alex Rodriguez ($98K) clubbed his first home run of the season Friday, but he might not be a great play Saturday. He is just 1-for-13 (.077) with three strikeouts in his career against Wilson. Angels 2B Howie Kendrick ($82K) is just 1-for-8 (.125) in his career against Yankees SP Phil Hughes ($216K).
Chicago Cubs at St. Louis Cardinals 1:05pm ET
Cubs SP Chris Volstad ($168K) has not fared well in his career against the current assortment of Cardinals hitter. LF Matt Holliday ($102K) has been especially dangerous, going 6-for-11 (.545) with two doubles in his career against Volstad. SS Rafael Furcal ($99K) is batting .400 (4-for-10) with two RBIs against the former Marlins hurler, while C Yadier Molina ($80K) is 4-for-11 (.364) in his career against Volstad. However, 1B Lance Berkman ($98K) is the only player to take Volstad deep, and he has a team-high five RBIs.
Texas Rangers at Minnesota Twins 1:10pm ET
Rangers SP Yu Darvish ($251K) got off to a difficult start in his MLB debut against the Mariners, but he settled down, hung around and earned a win. Now, he’ll make his first career road start. 2B Ian Kinsler ($121K) has been red hot, homering for the fourth time this season Friday night. He has eight or more fantasy points in six of his eight games. 2B Michael Young ($96K) has two or more hits in three straight games. Twins LF Josh Willingham ($91K) has hit safely in each of his first seven games.
New York Mets at Philadelphia Phillies 4:05pm ET
Phillies CF Shane Victorino ($107K) has hit safely in six consecutive games, although he took a goose egg Friday after striking out twice. Mets 3B David Wright ($101K) has missed three straight games due to a fractured pinkie, and he still cannot grip a bat. He is extremely doubtful to play Saturday, and is likely to hit the 15-day disabled list. Look for 2B Daniel Murphy ($82K) to slide over to the hot corner in his stead. 1B Ike Davis ($90K) has been atrocious, posting one or fewer fantasy points in each of his first seven games.
Cincinnati Reds at Washington Nationals 4:05pm ET
Reds 2B Brandon Phillips (hamstring) was able to appear as a pinch hitter Friday night, and the chances are improving that he’ll play Saturday. However, you might want to see him play one full game before rolling the dice and spending $90K. Nationals 1B Adam LaRoche ($90K) has three multi-hit games this season. CF Rick Ankiel (quadriceps) is due back from the 15-day disabled list Saturday, and the team designated CF Brett Carroll ($60K) for assignment.
Tampa Bay Rays at Boston Red Sox 4:05pm ET
The current assortment of Rays players is a collective .237 against Red Sox SP Clay Buchholz ($227K). 1B Carlos Pena ($87K) has just two career hits in 15 at-bats against Buchholz, while LF Luke Scott ($85K) is just 3-for-19 (.158) with four strikeouts. 3B Evan Longoria ($113K) has a team-high six strikeouts while going 5-for-20 (.250) against Buchholz all-time. Red Sox CF Jacoby Ellsbury ($113K) might have suffered a subluxation or dislocation of his shoulder Friday, and could be sidelined at least six weeks. Look for LF Cody Ross ($68K) to shift over to center field.
Baltimore Orioles at Toronto Blue Jays 4:07pm ET
Orioles SP Jason Hammel ($184K) was amazing in his team debut Sunday against the Twins, allowing just one earned run and two hits over eight innings for 29 fantasy points. Blue Jays RF Jose Bautista ($112K) snapped an 0-for-11 skid with a single and run scored Friday, but he hasn’t had an extra-base hit in six games dating back to opening day in Cleveland. Orioles RF Nick Markakis ($88K) had 12 fantasy points in the series opener Friday, his best total since last Saturday.
Detroit Tigers at Chicago White Sox 4:10pm ET
Tigers 3B Miguel Cabrera ($126K) is hitless over his past seven at-bats with zero total fantasy points in his last two games. White Sox CF Alejandro De Aza ($89K) has averaged 12 fantasy points per game over his past three starts, and he has scored two runs in each of the outings. White Sox SP Gavin Floyd ($242K) was 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA over 18 innings in three starts against the Tigers last season.
Cleveland Indians at Kansas City Royals 7:10pm ET
Indians SP Jeanmar Gomez ($187K) had his first start rained out, so he was used out of the bullpen in his first appearance of the season. Gomez was 1-1 with a 5.59 ERA over 9 2/3 innings over two starts against the Royals last season. Avoid. RF Shin-Soo Choo ($92K) collected a season-high 11 fantasy points in Friday’s series opener, posting his first two RBIs over the season. Choo has scored a run in each of the past four games. After going hitless in his first 17 at-bats in the first five games, Royals LF Alex Gordon ($92K) has two hits in each of the past two games, and he is averaging 10 fantasy points per contest.
Milwaukee Brewers at Atlanta Braves 7:10pm ET
Brewers RF Corey Hart ($104K) belted his fourth homer, and he tied his season-high with three RBIs, in Friday’s series opener. Braves C Brian McCann ($82K) returned from a day of rest with a season-high 24 fantasy points Friday, thanks to two singles, a double, homer and four RBIs. In his first five games, McCann had a total of 16 fantasy points. Brewers CF Nyjer Morgan ($73K) has struggled all season, posting a total of six fantasy points through eight games.
Houston Astros at Miami Marlins 7:10pm ET
Astros LF J.D. Martinez, a Miami native, because a trivia answer Friday when he swatted the first-ever home run at Marlins Park. He’ll set you back $88K. CF Jordan Schafer ($78K) stole two more bases Friday, giving him five thefts over the past three games. He is averaging 7.5 fantasy points per game over his past six outings. Marlins SS Hanley Ramirez ($102K) is just 4-for-30 (.133) this season, and he was hitless in five at-bats with two strikeouts in the series opener.
Arizona Diamondbacks at Colorado Rockies 8:10pm ET
Diamondbacks SP Josh Collmenter ($189K) and SP Jhoulys Chacin ($188K) each struggled mightily in their first outings of the season. Diamondbacks 2B Aaron Hill ($82K) is 3-for-5 with a double and RBI over his past two games. Diamondbacks CF Chris Young ($102K) is off to a hot start, posting 10 or more fantasy points in four of his first seven games. Rockies LF Carlos Gonzalez ($108K) has no RBIs in six of his seven games this season, although he has picked it up lately. He is averaging 12.3 fantasy points per game over the past three.
Pittsburgh Pirates at San Francisco Giants 9:05pm ET
The Pirates picked up just one hit Friday in the series opener. Bucs 2B Neil Walker ($78K) is just 1-for-21 (.048) this season, posting a total of minus-2 fantasy points. Hey, at least he isn’t striking out, as he has only four strikeouts. Giants RF Melky Cabrera ($90K) has hit safely in each of his seven games this season, and he has a streak of four straight multi-hit contests. 3B Pablo Sandoval ($102K) has at least one hit in each of his first seven games, and he is averaging 8.1 fantasy points per game during the span.
San Diego Padres at Los Angeles Dodgers 9:10pm ET
Padres SP Joe Wieland ($151K) will make his major league debut. Look for Dodgers CF Matt Kemp ($100K) to introduce himself to the rookie early and often. Kemp has six or more fantasy points in seven of his first eight games, driving in a total of 11 runs. Padres 3B Chase Headley ($73K) has eight RBIs this season, but seven of those RBIs have come in two games, including three Friday night.
Oakland Athletics at Seattle Mariners 9:10pm ET
The Mariners were blanked by the Athletics in their home opener Friday night. After hitting three homers in his first four games, Athletics CF Yoenis Cespedes ($88K) is 2-for-13 over his past four outings. Cespedes has struck out 13 times in 26 at-bats. Mariners RF Ichiro ($89K) got off to a quick start, but he is just 2-for-15 over his past four games, totaling four fantasy points during the span. Mariners C Jesus Montero ($91K) has hit safely in seven straight games, but he has no extra-base hits in eight outings this season.
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