Mike Lowell of the Boston Red Sox was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a hip strain. His rehab looks good and the third baseman is expected to play again after the All-Star break.
Mike Lowell is batting .282 this season and has 30 runs, 10 home runs and 41 RBI.
Fantasy Impact: Mike Lowell is a player you want to own in deep mixed leagues and AL-only. Bear in mind that Lowell might get the occasional day off due to age once he returns. I doubt you’ll be able to find a replacement on waiver wire but Mark Teahen (KC) and Emilio Bonifacio (FLA) are probably the best available short-term fixes.
The Atlanta Braves put slumping second baseman Kelly Johnson on the 15-day disabled list because of tendonitis in his right wrist. Johnson is expected to return after the All-Star break.
Kelly Johnson went 1 for 20 in his last 10 games and is batting .214 on the season. He has 33 runs, 5 homers, 20 RBI and 4 stolen bases.
Fantasy Impact: Kelly Johnson lost his starting job to Martin Prado prior to his injury. Stash him if you have a DL spot available but it remains to be seen whether he returns as a starter. Possible replacements are Jose Lopez (SEA), Emilio Bonifacio (if eligible) and Placido Polanco (DET).
A strained right wrist got Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Kevin Slowey on the 15-day disabled list. A timetable for his return is still unknown. Anthony Swarzak was called up from the Minors to take over Slowey’s spot in the rotation.
Kevin Slowey saw his ERA rise from 3.97 to 4.86 in June. He has 10 wins in 16 starts and 75 Ks in 90.2 innings of work.
Fantasy Impact: Kevin Slowey should be stashed in deep mixed leagues and AL-only. Randy Wolf (LAD), Andy Pettitte (NYY), Jason Marquis and Aaron Cook (both COL) look more than adequate as replacements. Please check “Pitch Or Ditch” for more short-term fixes.
Starting pitcher Chien-Ming Wang landed on the 15-day disabled list for a second time this season. The New York Yankee suffers from a strained right shoulder and will miss at least a month.
Wang’s ERA improved from 34.50 to 9.64 since his return from his first stint on the DL, but he has not had a single quality start yet this season. Wang has a 1-6 record in 9 starts.
Fantasy Impact: It is hard to recommend keeping Wang, as there are roughly 149 better starting pitchers in the Majors right now, but feel free to stash him if you are in a very deep mixed league or AL-only.
Future Hall of Famer Randy Johnson of the San Francisco Giants went on the 15-day disabled list with a left shoulder strain. “Big Unit” will miss at least two or three starts.
The pitcher has 8 wins in 17 starts this season, a 4.81 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 80 Ks in 91.2 innings.
Fantasy Impact: Randy Johnson still has some appeal as 4th or 5th starter on a fantasy roster but should only be kept if you have a DL spot available.
Here are a few players who are expected to come off the DL soon:
Oliver Perez (NYM), Starting Pitcher, expected to return for July 8 start.
Erik Bedard (SEA), Starting Pitcher, expected to return for July 7 start.
this article is courtesy of novafantasysports.com
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