Daily Fantasy News & MLB Recap of April 21st: Don't Set Sale

 

MLB Roundup & Fantasy News & Analysis from April 21st Action

The White Sox announced Monday that starter Chris Sale would be placed on the disabled list with a flexor muscle strain in his left arm. The lanky lefty is built like a twig and I recall just last week commenting to a colleague on how  surprised I was that he's been so durable with such a dainty build. You're welcome Sale owners, I jinxed the hell out of you.

I own absolutely zero shares in Sale so this affects me not. That's right, I will admit, I have no pity when it comes to fantasy dominance.

Sale recently tossed a whopping 127 pitches over 7 innings, luckily though an MRI showed no ligament damage. Hopefully for the Sale owners out there the first career trip to the DL will be the minimum stay and he will bounce back with gusto.

For now Andre Rienzo will fill the void in the Sox rotation, though he probably won't carry much value outside deep mixed leagues.

 

Injury Notes:

Ivan Nova was diagnosed with a UCL tear on Sunday. The Yankees haven't said the magic words yet, but they will. Tommy John Surgery.

Shin Soo Choo was removed after tweaking his ankle late in the game vs. the Athletics but it didn't appear serious.

Yoenis Cespedes appeared as a pinch hitter and stayed in the game. He is nursing a sore heal.

Clayton Kershaw (back) is scheduled to make a minor league rehab start Friday.

Michael Cuddyer was placed on the 15-day DL with a hamstring strain. This should open up more time for the scorching hot Charlie Blackmon and Corey Dickerson might start to see some steady playing time as well.

 

AL Notes:

John Axford got his AL leading 7th save with a perfect seven pitch ninth inning on Monday.

Raul Ibanez has 15 RBi despite riding a .161 BA for the Angels.

John Danks tossed 6.1 IP to improve to a 2.84 ERA and 2-0 record.

Jason Kipnis was 2-for-4 with a 2B and a 2 run homer on Monday.

Michael Brantley is showing some improved pop in 2014 as he has homered in 3 of his last 5 games. He now has 4 homers, 18 RBI and a .282 BA.

Tommy Hunter nailed down his 5th save to help Wei-Yin Chen earn his 3rd win.

Dallas Keuchel outdid Felix Hernandez in Seattle with 8K over 6 very strong innings of work to improve to 2-1 on the season. Marc Krauss and Matt Dominguez homered in support of Keuchel.

Miguel Cabrera went 0-for-4 dropping his average to a measly .206 over 63 ABs thus far.

 

NL Notes:

Francisco Rodriguez notched his Major League leading 8th save Monday. His leash grows with every clean 9th inning.

Devin Mesoraco was 3-for-4 improving his season average to .541 (20-37). Meso could go 0-for-23 over the next few days and still be hitting .300.

Ike Davis hit his second grand slam of the season, this time in a Pirates uniform, and became the first player ever to hit a grand slam on two different teams in the month of April. Andrew McCutchen also homered in a win for the Buccos.

Evan Gattis played the hero by swatting a walk off 2-run bomb for the Braves in the 10th inning. Craig Kimbrel continues to show reason to worry as he blew a save.

Jenrry Mejia earned a win by tossing 6.2 scoreless innings versus the Cardinals Monday while striking out 7 and issuing 3 walks. He's got a sparkling 1.99 ERA on the year with a 25:14 K/BB over 22 2/3 IP. Kyle Farnsworth earned his first save of the season after supplanting Jose Valverde.

Travis Wood single handedly defeated the Diamondbacks with 9 K's over 7 innings of one-run ball. Wood also delivered the thunder from the plate homering and driving in 4 RBI on the day. Mark Trumbo hit a solo homer, his seventh on the season.

Cliff Lee dominated the Dodgers to the tune of 8 scoreless innings and 10 strikeouts while allowing just 4 hits and zero walks and he now has an insane 38:2 K:BB ratio. Carlos Ruiz hit cleanup and drove in 4 with a homer and a double. Ryan Howard homered out of the five spot and is surprisingly hitting .271 with 5 HR and 12 RBI over 70 at-bats.