Description: Blue Jays right fielder Jose Bautista has cooled off after four straight multi-hit games, and he has had a tough go against CC Sabathia of the Yankees.
Insight: Bautista hasn't picked up a hit in his last two games. He's batting .250 with nine homers, and while we know he can go off at any time, Sunday likely won't be a big day. Sabathia has held him to a .087 average (2-for-23) with eight strikeouts.
Description: Blue Jays DH Adam Lind has taken just five at-bats this season against left-handers, but he might be in the lineup Sunday given his strong history against Yankees starter CC Sabathia.
Insight: Lind has gone 7-for-15 with four RBI against Sabathia. Lind only has started against righties this season and it has helped him to hit .286 with an .878 OPS and a 14/17 K/BB.
Description: Toronto starter Brandon Morrow allowed two two-run homers to Robinson Cano and five runs on eight hits overall in five innings Saturday against the Yankees.
Insight: Morrow hadn't started since May 5 due to back and neck tightness. After posting a strong 2.96 ERA in 124 2/3 innings last year, Morrow has regressed to a 5.16 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP in 45 1/3 innings.
Description: Toronto first baseman Edwin Encarnacion drove a solo homer to the opposite field in the eighth inning Saturday against the Yankees.
Insight: For the second straight season, Encarnacion's power numbers are fantastic. He has 12 homers and has driven in 31 runs. However, his average is .248 due to a .228 BABIP.
Description: The Blue Jays' goal for Josh Johnson (triceps) will start his rehab assignment Monday with High-A Dunedin, according to Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca.
Insight: Johnson is dealing with inflammation in his triceps and has been on the DL since the end of April. He'll pitch two or three games before rejoining the rotation.
Description: Toronto outfielder Colby Rasmus should be taken out of fantasy lineups based on his 3-for-24 (.125) history versus Yankees starter Hiroki Kuroda.
Insight: Rasmus continues to swing and miss at a stunning rate (57 times in 126 at-bats) and would probably be sitting a lot more often if Rajai Davis were healthy. He should not be in fantasy lineups.
Description: Blue Jays catcher J.P. Arencibia is 7-for-15 (.467) against Yankees right-hander Hiroki Kuroda with a 1.267 OPS.
Insight: Arencibia (.236, 10 HR, 20 RBI) is producing solid power numbers, but still hitting for a low average. This is a favorable matchup that should work to his advantage.
Description: Blue Jays DH Adam Lind went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer Wednesday against the Giants and is now hitting .286. He has three homers over his last six games.
Insight: Lind has played exclusively against right-handers this year, which has helped protect his numbers. The DH has an impressive 12/17 K/BB and an OBP over .400 in 29 games, but he hasn't accumulated the counting stats that would make him fantasy-worthy until recently.
Description: Toronto outfielder Melky Cabrera's MRI revealed irritation in his right quad and left hamstring, but he can play through it, according to Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca.
Insight: Cabrera went 4-for-5 at the plate Tuesday, so it can't be bothering him too much. He'll be able to play if he can tolerate the pain.
Description: Blue Jays starter R.A. Dickey walked two and allowed six hits, one homer and two earned runs while striking out 10 in six innings Tuesday against the Giants.
Insight: It's not quite Cy Dickey, but it's closer than the minor league level starter we have seen over the first six weeks of the season. Dickey is now 3-5 with a 4.83 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP. We'll continue to monitor him for signs of his 2012 self.
Description: Blue Jays right fielder Jose Bautista is red hot since being moved to the No. 2 hole three games ago.
Insight: With Brett Lawrie slumping and Rajai Davis on the DL, Blue Jays manager John Gibbons moved Melky Cabrera to leadoff and Bautista to second on May 11 against Boston. The slugger is 6-for-10 with two homers, three RBI, five runs and three walks in three games as the No. 2 hitter.
Description: Toronto outfielder Melky Cabrera is headed for an MRI on his tight hamstring Wednesday, but he started as the DH Tuesday and went 4-for-5 with a double, two RBI and two runs against the Giants.
Insight: Cabrera, of course, hit .346 in 459 at-bats for the Giants last season before being suspended 50 games for testosterone use. He raised his average to .278 Tuesday, but he has just nine extra-base hits in 162 at-bats.
Description: Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos says that right-hander Dustin McGowan is feeling "great" and will start a 30-day minor league rehab assignment Tuesday. SOURCE: John Lott, National Post
Insight: McGowan has thrown just 21 big league innings since 2008 due to three separate shoulder surgeries to repair a frayed labrum and torn rotator cuff. His best season was 2007, when he went 12-10 with a 4.08 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in 169 2/3 innings. He could join Toronto's rotation when his rehab assignment is over.
Description: Sportsnet's Shi Davidi reports that Toronto shortstop Jose Reyes (ankle) has shed his walking boot.
Insight: Reyes suffered a major ankle sprain on April 12 and was given a three-month timetable. He's about two months away from returning if everything goes well with his rehab.
Description: The Blue Jays' goal for Josh Johnson (triceps) will need one more long-toss session after Tuesday before he gets back on a mound, according to Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca.
Insight: Johnson is dealing with inflammation in his triceps. He long tossed Tuesday and could go out on a minor league rehab assignment if he feels good following his second session. He'll need two rehab starts before he can rejoin the big league club, however, so it's likely we won't see him back until the end of May at the earliest.
Description: Blue Jays reliever Sergio Santos will have surgery to remove bone chips and spurs from his right elbow, according to Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca.
Insight: Santos hasn't pitched since April 2012 due to shoulder and elbow issues. He was nearing a rehab assignment from his most recent injury, but he needs another procedure and will be out indefinitely. This won't end his season, according to Davidi.
Description: Toronto first baseman Edwin Encarnacion has faced Barry Zito just nine times, but he has collected four hits (two home runs) and two walks for a .667 OBP and a 2.095 OPS
Insight: Encarnacion is putting up excellent power numbers (11 HR and 27 RBI) but his subpar batting average (.231) isn't helping fantasy owners. This matchup may help.
Description: Toronto first baseman Edwin Encarnacion struggles versus Boston starter Ryan Dempster going just 1-for-14 in their matchups.
Insight: Encarnacion is putting up excellent power numbers (10 HR and 25 RBI) but he's killing fantasy owners with his subpar batting average (.218) and he is hitless in the current series with the Red Sox.
Description: Toronto righthander Brandon Morrow was originally scheduled to pitch Sunday versus Boston but instead he'll start Wednesday against the Giants.
Insight: He needs a few extra days to rest his sore neck. Chad Jenkins will make the spot start Sunday at Fenway Park. Sunday will be Jackson's season debut.
Description: Center fielder Rajai Davis has been placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained oblique..
Insight: Davis (.291, 13 runs, 8 SB) is expected to miss between two and three weeks. he was just starting to find his batting stroke, going 4-for-9 in the series against Tampa Bay.
Description: Blue Jays starter Brandon Morrow is unlikely to make his next scheduled start Sunday due to lingering stiffness in his neck. SOURCE: Shi Davidi, Sportsnet.ca
Insight: Morrow had his start pushed from Friday to Sunday after his back locked up Tuesday during a bullpen session. The spasm moved up to his neck later that night and is the primary concern at this point. The team won't decide if Morrow can pitch Sunday until that morning.
Description: Blue Jays DH Adam Lind is just a .111 hitter with 10 strikeouts in 27 career at-bats versus Boston left-hander Jon Lester.
Insight: The Blue Jays aren't playing Lind against any left-handers, so it's likely he won't be in the starting lineup. Even if he was, he shouldn't be in any fantasy lineups.
Description: In a matchup of reigning Cy Young Award winners, Blue Jays starter R.A. Dickey went six innings and allowed five hits and two earned runs while walking five and striking out five against the Rays on Thursday.
Insight: It's unclear how much of this can be blamed on Dickey's sore back/neck, but the knuckleballer just isn't right. He has walked 22 batters and allowed eight homers in 48 innings (5.06 ERA, 1.35 WHIP).
Description: The Blue Jays' goal for Josh Johnson (triceps) is a rehab start around May 21, according to Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com.
Insight: Johnson is dealing with inflammation in his triceps. Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos said that the right-hander will likely need two rehab starts before returning.
Description: In addition to a fracture behind his ear, Blue Jays starter J.A. Happ has a right knee sprain. It won't require surgery, but the left-hander still will miss 4-6 weeks, according to Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com.
Insight: Happ was hit by a line drive during Tuesday's start and had some bleeding from his ear. He didn't suffer a concussion and a CT scan showed no damage to his brain or spine, according to CBSSports.com. Happ also suffered the knee injury while falling after being struck by the ball.
Description: Blue Jays starter Brandon Morrow may be scratched from his next start after his back locked up during a side session Wednesday. SOURCE: MLB Network Radio
Insight: Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said that Morrow's start will probably be moved back from Friday to Sunday, and he could be skipped altogether if his back doesn't improve.
Description: Blue Jays catcher J.P. Arencibia won't be of use to any fantasy owners Thursday against Tampa Bay lefty David Price.
Insight: He's managed just one hit in 13 at bats versus the 2012 AL Cy Young winner. If possible, Arencibia (.252, 9 HR, 18 RBI) should be avoided on Thursday.
Description: Toronto lefthander Ricky Romero got demoted after his disastrous outing Wednesday versus the Rays.
Insight: Romero gave up four hits, two walks and three runs before manager John Gibbons finally gave him the hook with just one out in the first inning. Even an average game would have kept him in the rotation but now the Jays will have to delve into their minor league system to find replacements for Josh Johnson (injured triceps) and J.A. Happ (fractured skull).
Description: Toronto first baseman Edwin Encarnacion hammered his tenth home run of the season Wednesday in a loss to Tampa Bay.
Insight: Encarnacion is putting up excellent power numbers (10 HR and 24 RBI) but he's killing fantasy owners with his subpar batting average (.227). He's played in all 35 games for the Blue Jays this season.
Description: Blue Jays starter J.A. Happ has a small fracture behind his left ear, but the injury is "not serious or threatening," according to John Lott of the National Post.
Insight: Happ was hit by a line drive during Tuesday's start and had some bleeding from his ear. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday, but his injury is not close to the severity of Brandon McCarthy's situation last season. McCarthy suffered a skull fracture and an epidural hemorrhage after being hit in the head by a line drive.
Description: If the Blue Jays get tired of waiting for Adam Lind to return to the 25-35 home run hitter he was from 2009-11, they could always bring up hot-hitting Luis Jimenez from Triple-A Buffalo.
Insight: Jimenez is batting .381 with seven homers, 31 RBI and a 1.114 OPS. He's no youngster, turning 31-years-old on Tuesday, but he could provide some pop.
Description: Toronto outfielder Colby Rasmus is hitless in seven career at-bats versus Tampa Bay starter Matt Moore, including three strikeouts.
Insight: Rasmus has whiffed 47 times in 105 at-bats and is batting .248. Six homers and 14 RBI don't really offset his shortcomings, particularly in this unfavorable matchup. Rajai Davis is 4-for-10 against Moore with four stolen bases and may get the starting nod in center field Wednesday night.
Description: Blue Jays DH Adam Lind hit his first homer of the season Tuesday against Tampa Bay.
Insight: Lind (.246, four RBI) didn't have a single at-bat against a left-hander prior to Tuesday, but he doubled off reliever Jake McGee in the seventh inning before grounding into a double play in the eighth off Cesar Ramos. Facing only righties has allowed Lind to improve his plate discipline -- he has a 9/16 K/BB -- but it hasn't resulted in anything tangible for fantasy owners.
Description: Toronto outfielder Melky Cabrera picked up three hits, including two doubles, and one RBI in five at-bats Tuesday against the Rays.
Insight: Cabrera had just four extra-base hits in 33 games prior to Tuesday. He's yet to prove that his past two seasons weren't the results of being chemically enhanced.
Description: Center fielder Rajai Davis is a career .467 hitter (7-for-15) against Tampa Bay right-hander Roberto Hernandez.
Insight: Davis (.271, 11 runs, 6 SB) is seeing plenty of at-bats these days with Jose Bautista missing some time due to his back and Melky Cabrera not hitting up to expectations. This matchup is worth putting him in fantasy lineups.
Description: Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie is hitless in nine career at-bats versus Rays' hurler Jeremy Hellickson.
Insight: Lawrie had his first day off Sunday since return from a strained oblique which kept him sidelined for most of the spring. He's hitting .197 with three homers and seven RBI in 66 at-bats and fantasy owners should give him Monday off too.
Description: Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista is a career .364 hitter (4-for-11) when facing Tampa Bay right-hander Jeremy Hellickson with three extra base hits and a 1.326 OPS.
Insight: Bautista has hit safely in the past four games, but hasn't homered since April 27. He may still be struggling with a back problem that recently sidelined him.
Description: It took him seven starts but Toronto righthander Brandon Morrow finally got his first win of the season Sunday versus Seattle.
Insight: Fantasy owners could have done without the five walks, but aside from that, Sunday was a solid outing for Morrow (8 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 8 K's). Morrow will have a chance to capture his second win Friday night against Boston.
Description: Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie is getting his first day off Sunday since returning from the disabled list.
Insight: Lawrie hasn't even taken an inning off since he came back from a strained oblique. He's hitting .197 with three homers and seven RBI in 66 at-bats.
Description: Toronto starter R.A. Dickey had another disastrous outing Saturday against Seattle, allowing three homers and seven earned runs in six innings.
Insight: Dickey has walked 17 batters and allowed eight homers and 25 earned runs in 42 innings. We didn't expect him to match last season's Cy-Young-Award-winning numbers after moving to the American League, but we also didn't expect to see him struggle this much considering he had a 2.84 ERA in 2010 and a 3.28 ERA in 2011. The back and neck stifness he has dealt with all season could be the cause of his struggles.
Description: Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie is 0-for-5 with four strikeouts against Blue Jays starter Hisashi Iwakuma.
Insight: Although it's a very small sample size, it seems like it's saying he's not picking the ball up well. Lawrie missed all of spring training and the first few weeks of the regular season with a strained oblique and it shows in his production.
Description: Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie accounted for Toronto's sole run Thursday against Boston with a solo homer.
Insight: He has put together a seven-game hitting streak with three homers in that span after batting .125 in his first nine games. Lawrie missed all of spring training and the first few weeks of the regular season with a strained oblique, so he was likely getting his timing back during his first 10 days of play.
Description: The Blue Jays will recall Ricky Romero from High-A Dunedin to make a start Friday against the Mariners. SOURCE: Ben Nicholson-Smith, Sportsnet.ca
Insight: Romero walked 105 batters last season and couldn't find the plate again this spring so the Jays sent him to extended spring training to work out his issues. However, Josh Johnson's triceps injury has precipitated the need for Romero to return to the majors despite making just one start at High-A.
Description: The Blue Jays have placed Josh Johnson on the 15-day disabled list with a triceps injury.
Insight: Johnson's MRI showed no structural damage, only inflammation, according to John Lott of the National Post, but he felt discomfort while playing catch Wednesday. Ricky Romero will be recalled from High-A after making just one start down there.
Description: Jays DH/1B Edwin Encarnacion went 0-for-4 Wednesday against Clay Buchholz. He could be in for another tough night Thursday versus Sox righthander Ryan Dempster.
Insight: Encarnacion has had a bizarre season so far. Despite a terrible batting average (.229), he's tied with Mike Morse and Chris Davis for the most home runs in the American League (nine each). He's never had an extra base hit against Dempster (1-for-11).
Description: Toronto outfielder Colby Rasmus might be in for a disappointing night Thursday against Ryan Dempster. He's only recorded one hit in 11 previous at bats versus the Red Sox righthander.
Insight: Rasmus (.230, 4 HR, 10 RBI) has struck out 14 times in his last 10 games and 40 times in 27 games since the start of the year. Thursday should be another K-fest with Dempster (1-2, 3.30 ERA) getting the start for Boston.
Description: Toronto catcher J.P. Arencibia is hitless in 11 at-bats versus Boston right-hander Clay Buchholz.
Insight: This matchup should be avoided. Arencibia has hit eight homers this season, but he needs to be a bit more selective at the plate as his 37 strikeouts and two walks would indicate.
Description: Toronto DH Edwin Encarnacion is an ugly 1-for-15 in his matchups with Boston starter Clay Buchholz.
Insight: Encarnacion, who slugged two homers Tuesday against the Red Sox, hit seven homers over the final seven games to finish with nine for the month. That's actually one more homer than he hit last April, and he went on to hit a career-high 42 homers last season. This matchup, however, probably isn't going to get his May off to a good start.
Description: Toronto DH Edwin Encarnacion slugged two homers Tuesday against the Red Sox.
Insight: Encarnacion hit seven homers over the final seven games to finish April with nine bombs. That's actually one more homer than he hit last April, and he went on to hit a career-high 42 homers last season.
Description: Blue Jays DH Adam Lind is a career .111 hitter (3-for-27) against Boston left-hander Jon Lester with 10 strikeouts.
Insight: Lind is only batting .250 on the year and has yet to homer. First basemen with a .722 OPS don't have much fantasy value, particularly when facing a historically bad matchup.
Description: Toronto starter R.A. Dickey says he's still pitching with pain in his neck and back and plans to have an MRI this week so the team can be more specific in its treatment, according to Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca.
Insight: Dickey allowed four hits (2 HR) and three earned runs over seven innings Sunday in a loss to the Yankees and has a 4.50 ERA and a 1.31 WHIP through 36 innings.
Description: Blue Jays center fielder Colby Rasmus hitless in nine at-bats versus Yankees right-hander Phil Hughes.
Insight: Rasmus (.224, 4 HR, 9 RBI) has struck out 36 times already this year and is 1-for-12 over the past four games. You should find him a seat on your bench for Sunday afternoon's game.
Description: Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista is a career .053 hitter (1-for-19) when matched up against Yankees lefty C.C. Sabathia.
Insight: Bautista has a pair of homers in his last three games, but is still batting just .185 with a .776 OPS. Four at-bats against Sabathia isn't likely to improve those numbers.
Description: Toronto catcher J.P. Arencibia is just 2-for-16 (.125) against Yankees left-hander C.C. Sabathia
Insight: Arencibia has hit eight homers this season, but he needs to be a bit more selective at the plate as his 36 strikeouts and two walks would indicate. This matchup should be avoided.
Description: Blue Jays center fielder Colby Rasmus hitless in six at-bats versus Yankees ace C.C. Sabathia, and struck out five times.
Insight: Rasmus (.227, 4 HR, 9 RBI) has struck out 35 times already this year. Saturday would be a good time for fantasy owners and the Blue Jays to sit Rasmus on the bench.
Description: Toronto DH Edwin Encarnacion bopped a couple of home runs Friday in a loss to New York.
Insight: Encarnacion still isn't hitting for a high average (just .225 for the season) but he has smashed five homers in his last four games. If he keeps this up, Encarnacion should be able to eclipse 30 homers for the second straight season.
Description: Toronto righthander Josh Johnson will have an MRI on his injured triceps. SOURCE: Shi Davidi, Sportsnet
Insight: The results should determine whether or not Johnson will need to go on the disabled list. Aaron Laffey will occupy Johnson's spot in the rotation until he's healthy again.
Description: Blue Jays starter Josh Johnson (0-1) has been scratched from Friday's start against the Yankees due to tightness in his right triceps.
Insight: Johnson has been ugly in his first four starts accumulating a 6.86 ERA and 1.88 WHIP. He's still averaging a strikeout an inning, but all his other peripherals are hurting fantasy owners.
Description: Toronto outfielder Melky Cabrera is 5-for-8 (.625) against Yankees right-hander Ivan Nova with a pair of homers and a stunning 2.167 OPS.
Insight: The change of leagues and the time off due to the 50-game PED suspension have clearly had an effect on his offensive production and fantasy value (.253, zero HR, 6 RBI through 23 games). Perhaps this favorable matchup will get him going, but long-term there is certainly a question as to whether he can perform at the level he showed us in 2011 and 2012.
Description: Blue Jays center fielder Colby Rasmus is 3-for-21 (.143) with nine strikeouts against Hiroki Kuroda of the New York Yankees.
Insight: Rasmus (.239, 4 HR) has struck out 32 times this year, tied for second-most in baseball with teammate J.P. Arencibia, and he has a tough matchup Thursday against Kuroda.
Description: Blue Jays DH Adam Lind isn't in Wednesday's starting lineup because he's away from the club for the birth of his child and will be placed on paternity leave.
Insight: Lind is only batting .244 on the year and has yet to homer. First basemen with a .713 OPS don't have much fantasy value.
Description: After allowing four runs and walking five in six innings Tuesday versus the Orioles, Toronto starter R.A. Dickey admitted that he's still feeling pain in his neck and back, according to John Lott of the National Post.
Insight: Dickey left his last start after experiencing soreness in his neck and back area but he was able to make his next scheduled start Tuesday. We'll see how it affects him his next time on the hill.
Description: Blue Jays DH Edwin Encarnacion jacked his third homer of the season Tuesday versus Baltimore.
Insight: Encarnacion came in batting .200 on the season but he went 1-for-2 with a three-run homer and two walks Tuesday. He has 10 walks in 21 games this season. Encarnacion is coming off a 42-homer season and should get a long leash from fantasy owners.
Description: Blue Jays center fielder Colby Rasmus is hitless in seven at-bats versus Baltimore starter Miguel Gonzalez with three strikeouts.
Insight: Rasmus is only batting .250 this season but he does have four homers in the first 19 games. The bad news is that he has struck out an alarming 27 times in 60 at-bats. Add this unfavorable matchup and Rasmus should get the day off.
Description: Toronto second baseman Maicer Izturis got the night off on Monday because of a tight hamstring. SOURCE: SportsNet
Insight: Izturis (.158, 2 HR, 2 RBI) hasn't been anything special this season, though his platoon mate Emilio Bonifacio (.189, 0 HR, 4 RBI) isn't exactly setting the world on fire either. Out of the two, Bonifacio is the more desireable fantasy option because of his speed (70 steals the past two seasons).
Description: Blue Jays' minor league second baseman Jim Negrych (Buffalo Bisons) is pounding International League pitching to the tune of a .488 batting average with a 1.324 OPS over his first 11 games.
Insight: With both Blue Jays' second basemen (Emilio Bonifacio and Macier Izturis) batting less than .200 it might not be long before Negrych gets his chance to shine.
Description: Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista is a career .444 hitter with a pair of homers and a 1.722 OPS when facing Baltimore right-hander Chris Tillman.
Insight: Bautista is on a five-game hitting streak yet batting .217 which shows just how bad his first couple of weeks were. We expect him to extend his hitting streak with at least one extra base hit in this favorable matchup.
Description: Toronto catcher J.P. Arencibia smashed his seventh home run of the season Sunday in a win over New York.
Insight: He's left the yard four times in his last seven games. Arencibia's 434-foot bomb Sunday tied him with Chris Davis and Mark Reynolds for the most in the American League.
Description: Blue Jays DH Adam Lind didn't record an official at-bat Sunday against the Yankees, as he walked four times.
Insight: Lind is only batting .222 on the year but he has walked nine times with just three strikeouts. His career K/BB is 2.76, so this is a surprising change in approach for the 29-year-old. We'll see if it leads to improved numbers at the plate.
Description: Toronto outfielder Melky Cabrera went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a walk Sunday against the Yankees.
Insight: Cabrera is 5-for-9 with three RBIs over the last two games after going 2-for-18 in his previous five. Just two of his 21 hits this season have gone for extra bases and he has zero homers.
Description: Blue Jays DH Edwin Encarnacion is only batting .209 on the year, but he has a .400 career average against Sunday's starter Ivan Nova of the Yankees.
Insight: Encarnacion is 6-for-14 with four RBIs and just one strikeout against Nova. It will only be a matter of time before Encarnacion busts out. He has a 26.4 percent line-drive rate but is only 1-for-18 with a home run on flyballs. He went 58-for-219 (.265) with 42 homers on flyballs last year.
Description: Toronto outfielder Melky Cabrera had two hits and two RBIs in five at-bats Saturday versus the Yankees.
Insight: Cabrera was 2-for-18 over his previous five games. He's hitting .254 with just two extra-base hits (0 HR). Cabrera has been tremendous over the past two years, but after getting caught for using PEDs last season, he has a lot to prove.
Description: Blue Jays center fielder Colby Rasmus should not be in fantasy lineups on Saturday as he's an ugly 2-for-18 with eight strikeouts against Yankees right-hander Kiroki Kuroda.
Insight: He has four homers in the first 16 games this season, but he has struck out an alarming 24 times. Let him have a rest day on Saturday.
Description: Blue Jays catcher J.P. Arencibia is 6-for-9 (.667) with three extra base hits against Yankees starter Hiroki Kuroda.
Insight: Arencibia is hitting .265 with six homers and 11 RBI in 16 games. He owns a solid .869 OPS, but needs to show a little more patience (one walk this season). He hit 23 home runs in 443 at-bats in 2011 and 18 in 347 at-bats last year.
Description: The ear infection is gone and so are Jose Bautista's back troubles. The Jays slugger is back in the lineup Friday against the Yankees.
Insight: Bautista has been missing in action for most of the past two weeks so it's good to see him back in uniform. Let's hope Bautista can improve upon his pitiful .200 average.
Description: Toronto right fielder Jose Bautista is a career 9-for-29 with a pair of homers and a 1.015 OPS versus Yankees lefty Andy Pettitte. He's battling an ear infection and back spasms and is doubtful for Friday's game against the Yankees.
Insight: Bautista hasn't appeared in a game since Sunday. If he gets on the field, he should be started.
Description: Center fielder Rajai Davis is a career .583 hitter (7-for-12) against Yankees veteran left-hander Andy Pettitte.
Insight: Davis played right field and leadoff in Thursday's game and did what he does best - steal bases. He has four this season and produced 46 steals in 2012.
Description: Blue Jays starter R.A. Dickey is expected to make his next start, according to John Lott of the National Post. Dickey left Thursday's start due to neck and back tightness.
Insight: Dickey has allowed just seven hits and one run over his last 12 innings after giving up 15 hits and 10 earned runs over his first 10 2/3. He lines up to start next week at Baltimore.
Description: Blue Jays starter R.A. Dickey left Thursday's game due to neck and back tightness, according to Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca. The team says his removal was precautionary.
Insight: Dickey had a two-hit shutout going through six innings on just 64 pitches, so this is unfortunate. The knuckleballer has allowed just seven hits and one run over his last 12 innings after giving up 15 hits and 10 earned runs over his first 10 2/3.
Description: Toronto right fielder Jose Bautista won't be in action Thursday night against Chicago. He's still battling an ear infection and back spasms.
Insight: Bautista hasn't appeared in a game since Sunday. He's already missed six games this season and even when Bautista has been healthy he hasn't hit the ball with the same authority that he has in past seasons (.200 AVG in 35 at bats).
Description: Toronto lefty J.A. Happ allowed five earned runs on six hits in 5 2/3 innings in a loss to the White Sox Wednesday.
Insight: Happ walked just one and struck out three, but he gave up a three-run homer in the second and a solo shot in the sixth. The lefty has a 5.06 ERA through three starts, though his 1.19 WHIP is solid.
Description: Blue Jays right fielder Jose Bautista (back, ear) is out of the lineup again Wednesday.
Insight: Bautista has missed the last three games and six games already this season. He's currently dealing with back spasms and an inner ear infection.
Description: Blue Jays starter Josh Johnson bounced back from the shortest outing of his career with seven strong innings Tuesday against the White Sox.
Insight: Johnson gave up seven hits and six runs in 1 1/3 innings his last time out and 16 hits over his first two starts, but he held Chicago to four hits and three runs, walked two and struck out eight Tuesday night.
Description: Blue Jays center fielder Colby Rasmus went 2-for-2 with a solo home run Tuesday against the White Sox.
Insight: Rasmus has gone through his hype and post-hype sleeper phases, and he's now 26 years old. He has four homers in the first 13 games this season, but he has struck out 19 times. Add him at your own risk.
Description: Blue Jays catcher J.P. Arencibia belted his fifth home run of the season Tuesday against the White Sox.
Insight: With a 19/1 K/BB, Arencibia is lucky to be hitting .269, but he has 25-homer pop. He hit 23 home runs in 443 at-bats in 2011 and 18 in 347 at-bats last year.
Description: Blue Jays manager John Gibbons revealed that outfielder Jose Bautista has been battling an inner ear infection in addition to his back spasms. SOURCE: Richard Griffin, Toronto Star
Insight: Bautista has missed the last two games and five games already this season. Brett Lawrie will return Tuesday, leaving Bautista three starts shy of gaining third-base eligibility. He's questionable for Wednesday.
Description: Blue Jays right fielder Jose Bautista (back) is not in Toronto's starting lineup Tuesday.
Insight: Bautista missed Monday's game due to back spasms. This will be his fifth absence of the season already. Brett Lawrie will return Tuesday, leaving Bautista three starts shy of gaining third-base eligibility.
Description: Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie has been activated from the disabled list.
Insight: We expect him to play third base although he did play a rehab game at second base. If Lawrie were to play second with Maicer Izturis at shortstop it would open up a chance for Jose Bautista to gain third base eligibility.
Description: Sportsnet's Shi Davidi reports that Toronto shortstop Jose Reyes won't need to have surgery on his sprained ankle.
Insight: The three-month timetable Reyes was given this weekend is still in effect. Munenori Kawasaki has been starting in his place but obviously he isn't the team's long-term solution. Maicer Izturis could see some time at short if GM Alex Anthopoulos is serious about moving Brett Lawrie to second base.
Description: Toronto right fielder Jose Bautista, a career .083 hitter (1-for-12) against White Sox right-hander Gavin Floyd, is not in Monday's starting lineup.
Insight: Bautista is batting just .194 this season although he does have three homers in eight games. The heart of the Blue Jays order, Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion, are struggling and with Jose Reyes and Brett Lawrie sidelined the Toronto offense (3.91 runs per game) isn't producing.
Description: Toronto right fielder Jose Bautista is a career .083 hitter (1-for-12) against White Sox right-hander Gavin Floyd.
Insight: Bautista is batting just .194 this season although he does have three homers in eight games. The heart of the Blue Jays order, Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion, are struggling and with Jose Reyes and Brett Lawrie sidelined the Toronto offense (3.91 runs per game) isn't producing.
Description: Blue Jays DH Edwin Encarnacion hit his second home run of the season Sunday against the Royals.
Insight: Encarnacion had poor career numbers against Santana so this could be a sign that he's snapping out of his funk. Encarnacion is hitting .133 in 45 at-bats this season.
Description: Blue Jays center fielder Colby Rasmus won't be of any use to fantasy owners with Ervin Santana pitching on Sunday.
Insight: Talk about a bad matchup. Rasmus has literally NEVER gotten a hit against the Royals righthander in 11 previous at bats. He shouldn't be started in any fantasy leagues on Sunday.
Description: Make sure Edwin Encarnacion is nowhere near your fantasy lineup on Sunday. He's batting just .154 in his career against Royals starter Ervin Santana.
Insight: Encarnacion (.119, 1 HR, 4 RBI) has been mired in a brutal slump since the start of the season. Expect it to continue Sunday with Santana on the mound for Kansas City.
Description: Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie played second base Saturday in a rehab game. SOURCE: Dunedin Blue Jays on Twitter
Insight: The implication is that Toronto is preparing to move Maicer Izturis to shortstop with Lawrie filling in at second base until Jose Reyes returns from the DL. The Blue Jays could then use Edwin Encarnacion or Jose Bautista at third base. Lawrie gaining second base eligibility would be a huge boost to his fantasy value.
Description: After two sub-par performances in a row to start the season, R.A. Dickey finally turned in a decent outing Saturday against Kansas City.
Insight: The 2012 NL Cy Young winner gave up just one run on five hits in 6 1/3 innings. Dickey lowered his ERA from 8.44 to 5.82 in the process. He's scheduled to take the mound again next Thursday versus the White Sox.
Description: TSN's Scott MacArthur is hearing that Jays shortstop Jose Reyes will need three months to recover from the sprained ankle he suffered Friday in Kansas City.
Insight: MacArthur heard that from GM Alex Anthopoulos. Munenori Kawasaki is starting at shortstop Saturday in K.C. He's a .192 career hitter and not a realistic replacement option for fantasy owners. If you put all your eggs in the Jose Reyes basket at the start of the year you might need to find a different plan of attack.
Description: Blue Jays shortstop Jose Reyes will be placed on the 15-day disabled list and is out indefinitely with a badly sprained left ankle.
Insight: Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos estimated Friday that Jose Reyes (ankle) could miss anywhere from 1-3 months, according to a report from writer Tony Ambrogio.
Description: The Blue Jays tweeted that shortstop Jose Reyes has a left ankle sprain. He'll undergo an MRI.
Insight: It looked much more serious than that. He suffered the injury when his left ankle got caught under his body on an awkward slide Friday night. The shortstop appeared to be weeping while being tended to by trainers and had to be carted off the field.
Description: Jays shortstop Jose Reyes left Friday's game with a left ankle injury.
Insight: He suffered the injury sliding into second base when his left ankle got caught under his body. The shortstop appeared to be weeping while being tended to by trainers and had to be carted off the field.
Description: Toronto third baseman Brett Lawrie (strained left oblique) will begin his minor league rehab assignment with Class-A Advanced Dunedin on Saturday.
Insight: Lawrie initially was supposed to miss approximately three weeks when he suffered the injury on March 7. He should be back with the big league club in a week or so.
Description: Blue Jays starter Josh Johnson gave up seven hits, two walks and six earned in just 1 1/3 innings Thursday against Detroit.
Insight: It was the shortest outing of his career. Johnson has allowed 16 hits in 7 1/3 innings through two starts and is clearly no longer the dominating presence he was back in 2009, 2010 and 2011. However, remember that he started off last season by allowing 47 hits and 23 runs in his first 31 1/3 innings (6.61 ERA), but gave up 133 hits and 58 runs in 160 innings (3.26 ERA) the rest of the way.
Description: Blue Jays DH Edwin Encarnacion has been ice cold this season. Don't expect Tigers starter Doug Fister to warm things up for him on Thursday.
Insight: Encarnacion is just for 2-for-12 in his career against Fister, which computes to a .167 batting average. Amazingly, that's actually better than he's been hitting up to this point in the season (.129 in eight games).
Description: Toronto first baseman Adam Lind shouldn't be in your fantasy plans Thursday against Detroit. He's hitting just .100 for his career against Tigers starter Doug Fister.
Insight: Truthfully, Lind shouldn't be in your fantasy plans on any day. He's 2-for-19 this season and has yet to drive in a run in seven games. Formerly a threat to hit 25-to-30 homers on an annual basis, Lind's best seasons are well in the past.
Description: Blue Jays catcher J.P. Arencibia had a go-ahead three-run double in the seventh inning Wednesday against the Tigers.
Insight: Arencibia went 2-for-5 in the game and is 10-for-32 with three homers, four doubles and seven RBIs. However, he also has a 13/1 K/BB and won't hit above .240 this season.
Description: Toronto third baseman Brett Lawrie (strained left oblique) has progressed to extended spring training games after getting through batting practice Wednesday, according to beat writer Shi Davidi.
Insight: Lawrie initially was supposed to miss approximately three weeks when he suffered the injury more than a month ago. After he gets through extended spring training games, Lawrie will need to get in handful of minor league rehab games since he essentially missed spring training.
Description: Blue Jays second-base Maicer Izturis is a career .615 hitter (8-for-13) against Tigers starter Rick Porcello with three extra base hits and a 1.720 OPS.
Insight: Izturis will likely share the job with Emilio Bonifacio, but should get the start on Wednesday despite batting just .222 this season because of the favorable matchup.
Description: Blue Jays lefty Ricky Romero will work on his mechanical issues in side sessions before actually returning to minor league games. He was optioned to Class-A Dunedin at the end of spring training. SOURCE: BlueJays.com
Insight: Romero walked 10 batters and had a 6.23 ERA in 13 innings this spring after posting a 5.77 ERA and 105 walks in 181 innings last season. He is currently doing his sessions at Toronto's minor league complex in Dunedin, Fla. He won't get into a game for Dunedin until he improves his mechanics.
Description: Toronto third baseman Brett Lawrie (strained left oblique) has resumed baseball activities, but there is still no timetable for his return to the big leagues, according to BlueJays.com.
Insight: Lawrie initially was supposed to miss approximately three weeks when he suffered the injury more than a month ago. He has been increasing the intensity of his workouts, so he should be able to start a minor league rehab assignment soon. Lawrie will need to get in handful of rehab games since he essentially missed spring training.
Description: Toronto right fielder Jose Bautista missed the entire weekend series, but is back in the lineup for Tuesday's game with Detroit, according to Tigers reporter Jason Beck.
Insight: Bautista's ankle injury didn't appear to be serious, but it seems it is worse than the team initially indicated as he missed three games. He has homered twice in the three games he did play this season.
Description: Toronto outfielder Melky Cabrera has a .533 career batting average (8-for-15) against Detroit starter Anibal Sanchez.
Insight: It's a deceptively "weak" .533 as all eight hits have been singles. After a good spring, Cabrera is off to a slow start, batting just .167 with one a single extra base hit in 24 at-bats.
Description: Blue Jays starter R.A. Dickey was blasted for eight runs (seven earned) on 10 hits in 4 2/3 innings Sunday against Boston. He walked two and gave up two longballs while striking out five.
Insight: Dickey's first AL East opponent didn't greet him very warmly. The knuckleballer has walked six batters and allowed three homers in 10 2/3 innings.
Description: Toronto right fielder Jose Bautista (ankle) is out of Sunday's lineup.
Insight: Bautista ankle injury didn't appear to be serious, but it seems it is worse than the team initially indicated. He has missed the entire weekend series against Boston. Toronto has Monday off.
Description: Blue Jays catcher J.P. Arencibia is 7-for-19 with six extra-base hits (3 HR) through five games, but he'll have an unfavorable matchup Sunday against Jon Lester.
Insight: Arencibia has 15 career homers and a .239 average in 213 at-bats against left-handers compared to .220 against righties but he has never been able to figure out Lester. He is 5-for-26 (.192) with 12 strikeouts against the Red Sox left-hander, though he does have two home runs and five RBIs off him.
Description: Toronto outfielder Colby Rasmus has three hits on the season, but two of them are homers.
Insight: Rasmus hit 23 home runs last season but also .223 with a .689 OPS. The breakout never came for the former first-round pick and it's unlikely to occur in 2013, though he will tempt fantasy owners with a few hot streaks.
Description: Toronto Blue Jays 1B Edwin Encarnacion is 0-for-9 over the last two games and 2-for-19 with six strikeouts on the year.
Insight: He does have one homer, three RBIs and three walks. The infielder is coming off his best pro season, in which he hit 42 homers with 110 RBIs and a 94/84 K/BB.
Description: Toronto lefty J.A. Happ limited Boston to one hit in 5 1/3 scoreless innings Saturday to earn his first win of the season. He struck out six and walked three.
Insight: Happ had a 4.79 ERA last season but his FIP was 4.01 and he improved both his K/9 and BB/9 from the season before. He'll get plenty of run support and should be a decent fantasy option in deep leagues.
Description: Toronto right fielder Jose Bautista (ankle) will not start Saturday, his second straight game on the bench, after suffering an ankle injury while sliding into second base Thursday night.
Insight: Bautista ankle injury didn't appear to be serious, but it seems it is worse than the team initially indicated. He had a pair of homers and four RBI in the opening series against Cleveland.
Description: Blue Jays 1B/DH Adam Lind owns Boston starter John Lackey with 14 hits in 26 career at-bats (.538).
Insight: Lind has gotten out of the box slowly, going hitless in the Blue Jays' first four games, but this matchup could be the one to jump start his season.
Description: Toronto right fielder Jose Bautista (ankle) will not start on Friday after suffering an ankle injury while sliding into second base Thursday night.
Insight: Bautista ankle injury doesn't appear to be serious and this may just be a preventative measure. He had a pair of homers and four RBI in the opening series against Cleveand.
Description: Toronto Blue Jays 1B Edwin Encarnacion is 5-for-9 (.556) against Boston starter Felix Doubront with a double and a homer for a 1.583 OPS.
Insight: Encarnacion hit his first homer of the season on Thursday night. Although his batting average is just .200 after the opening series, he's walked at least once in each game and his OBP is .429.
Description: Toronto right fielder Jose Bautista (twisted ankle) said after Thursday's game that he doesn't expect to miss any time, according to Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com.
Insight: Bautista suffered a twisted ankle on a slide into second base Thursday but it looks like he avoided a serious injury.
Description: Toronto right fielder Jose Bautista hit his second homer of the season Thursday but he later left with a twisted ankle.
Insight: Bautista is day-to-day, according to Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com, and it's likely he won't be in the lineup Friday when the Blue Jays host Boston.
Description: Blue Jays shortstop Jose Reyes had one hit and two walks and ended up stealing a base and scoring three runs Thursday against the Indians.
Insight: The potential explosiveness of Toronto's offense was on full display Thursday night, as the Blue Jays hit five homers and scored 10 runs. Reyes is 2-for-11 with three walks in three games.
Description: Blue Jays catcher J.P. Arencibia knocked two balls out of the park Thursday against Cleveland as part of a three-hit game. Both were solo shots.
Insight: Arencibia is 4-for-11 after three games. He started out 2-for-32 (.063) last April.
Description: Toronto outfielder Colby Rasmus should be avoided at all costs Thursday against Brett Myers.
Insight: Myers used to see Rasmus on a fairly regular basis when Rasmus was with the Cardinals and it usually didn't end well for Rasmus. He's collected just three hits in 17 career at bats against Myers.
Description: Toronto right fielder Jose Bautista blasted a game-tying solo homer in the bottom of the ninth Wednesday against Cleveland.
Insight: Unfortunately for fantasy owners, he went hitless in his other four at bats. He's crushed 40 homers in two of his last three seasons and it wouldn't surprise us one bit if Bautista reaches that threshold again in 2013.
Description: J.P. Arencibia won't be catching the next time R.A. Dickey pitches. SOURCE: Enrique Rojas, ESPN Deportes
Insight: That means that Henry Blanco will be the catcher Sunday against Boston. This fix might only be temporary as there's no guarantee that Blanco will be more successful at catching the knuckleball than Arencibia was on Tuesday (three passed balls).
Description: Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista is just a .077 hitter (1-for-13) when facing Cleveland starter Ubaldo Jimenez.
Insight: Bautista is completely over the wrist injury that put him out last season and six spring training homers proved the power is still there. He was 1-for-3 in the season opener on Tuesday.
Description: Blue Jays starter R.A. Dickey threw six innings and walked four batters, allowed five hits and gave up four runs (three earned) in his Toronto debut Tuesday versus Cleveland.
Insight: We don't think Dickey needs to prove that his 2.73 ERA last season wasn't a fluke since he had a 2.84 ERA in 2010 and a 3.28 in 2011, but it could be extremely difficult to duplicate a 230/54 K/BB in the American League East.
Description: Toronto third baseman Brett Lawrie (strained left oblique) will miss approximately two more weeks with his injury, according to MLB.com. He resumed throwing Monday after a prolonged layoff.
Insight: Lawrie is expected to resume hitting soon and will need to appear in multiple minor league games before he can return to the majors. The injury is healed to the point where he was hoping to return Saturday against the Red Sox, but the team is concerned that his last at-bats against live pitching came almost a month ago.
Description: Blue Jays catcher J.P. Arencibia is expected to catch R.A. Dickey - at least at the start of the season.
Insight: Originally, Arencibia was going to sit and backup Henry Blanco was going to catch Dickey every fifth day. Then Arencibia did well catching Dickey at the WBC and it now appears that he'll catch him in the regular season. More at-bats for Arencibia is a good thing for fantasy owners as Blanco has zero fantasy value.
Description: Toronto outfielder Melky Cabrera has a .524 career batting average (11-for-21) against Indians' starter Justin Masterson.
Insight: Cabrera hit .346 with 11 HR and 60 RBI in 113 games last year, but was suspended in mid-August after testing positive for performance enhancing drugs. The bat was still there in the spring, he batted .348, so put him in the lineup and hope he stays off the PEDs.
Description: Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista owns a .385 batting average (5-for-13) against Indians' starter Justin Masterson with a pair of homers and a 1.423 OPS.
Insight: Bautista is completely over the wrist injury that put him out last season and six spring training homers proves the power is still there. He's a must start.
Description: Toronto third baseman Brett Lawrie (ribs) will begin the season on the disabled list, retroactive to March 22, and hopefully will only miss a week or two of the season.
Insight: This injury isn't a good way to start a bounce back season. Lawrie exploded onto the fantasy landscape in the second half of 2011 (150 AB, .293, 9 HR, 25 RBI, 7 SB, .953 OPS), but last year's production was well below expectations.
Description: Toronto lefty J.A. Happ will assume the fifth spot in Toronto's rotation following Ricky Romero's demotion to High-A on Tuesday.
Insight: Happ had a 4.79 ERA last season but his FIP was 4.01 and he improved both his K/9 and BB/9 from the season before. He could be a decent fantasy option in deep leagues.
Description: The Blue Jays have optioned left-hander Ricky Romero to High-A to work out his issues.
Insight: Romero walked 10 batters and had a 6.23 ERA in 13 innings this spring after posting a 5.77 ERA and 105 walks in 181 innings last season. He shouldn't be owned in any fantasy leagues.
Description: Toronto third baseman Brett Lawrie will begin the season on the disabled list, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.
Insight: Lawrie and fantasy owners were hoping he'd be ready for Opening Day. Lawrie exploded onto the fantasy landscape in the second half of 2011 (150 AB, .293, 9 HR, 25 RBI, 7 SB, .953 OPS), but last year's production was well below expectations. This injury isn't a good way to start a bounce back season.
Description: Toronto manager John Gibbons said Toronto closer Casey Janssen (shoulder) will be ready for Opening Day.
Insight: Janssen is closing for one of the most improved lineups in either league and should be a top source for saves. Sergio Santos would handle closing duties if Janssen isn't ready for Opening Day.
Description: According to the Toronto Sun, Ricky Romero might not be a lock for the fifth spot in the Blue Jays' starting rotation.
Insight: He's been awful this spring (0-1, 7.27 ERA) and he's coming off of a tough season. If Romero gets bumped, J.A. Happ would move into the rotation.
Description: Toronto righty Dustin McGowan threw an inning in a minor league game Wednesday in his first appearance in a game since being shut down more than a year ago. SOURCE: MLB.com
Insight: McGowan has thrown just 21 big league innings since 2008 due to three separate shoulder surgeries to repair a frayed labrum and torn rotator cuff. His best season was 2007, when he went 12-10 with a 4.08 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in 169 2/3 innings.
Description: Toronto closer Casey Janssen (shoulder) threw an inning in a minor league game Wednesday, facing five batters, and reported no lingering effects from his surgically repaired right shoulder, according to Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com.
Insight: Janssen is scheduled to appear in Toronto's game Friday against Boston and could be ready for the start of the season. Sergio Santos would handle closing duties if Janssen isn't ready for Opening Day.
Description: Toronto third baseman Brett Lawrie has begun to throw the ball, the first baseball activity since a rib cage injury two weeks ago.
Insight: Lawrie and fantasy owners are still hoping he'll be ready for Opening Day, but everything will have to go right with no setbacks. Lawrie exploded onto the fantasy landscape in the second half of 2011 (150 AB, .293, 9 HR, 25 RBI, 7 SB, .953 OPS), but last year's production was well below expectations. This injury isn't a good way to start a bounce back season.
Description: Blue Jays first baseman Adam Lind is 13-for-28 (.464) in spring training.
Insight: Lind has never built on his 2009 season in which he hit .305 with 35 homers, 46 doubles, 114 RBIs and a .932 OPS. He has hit .246 with a .724 OPS over the last three seasons and shouldn't be drafted in most fantasy leagues.
Description: Toronto third baseman Brett Lawrie will be sidelined for the next few weeks because of a rib injury.
Insight: It looks like Team Canada needs a new third baseman. MLB.com's Gregor Chisholm says that Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos still believes Lawrie will be ready for Opening Day.
Description: Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie injured his side Wednesday in an exhibition game for Team Canada.
Insight: Lawrie went 0-for-1 before leaving the game. The injury shouldn't be an issue by the time the regular season starts in April but it does leave Lawrie's status in question for Friday's WBC opener against Italy.
Description: Blue Jays starter Kyle Drabek was placed on the 60-day disabled list Monday. He's trying to recover from right elbow surgery.
Insight: The son of Doug Drabek, Kyle was one of the key pieces in the deal that brought Roy Halladay to Philadelphia, but has yet to live up to the promised he showed in the minors. At this point he should not be expected to contribute to fantasy rosters this season.
Description: Toronto right-hander Casey Janssen is experiencing right shoulder discomfort and won't pitch for a few days, according to Ken Fidlin of the Toronto Sun.
Insight: Janssen is expected to begin the season as the team's closer after saving 22 games with a 2.54 ERA and 0.86 WHIP last season. However, is he's still hurting later this spring then fantasy owners will want to handcuff Sergio Santos who has proven he can also ably man the closer's role.
Description: Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said that the second-base job is "up for grabs" but admitted that Maicer Izturis "has probably got he edge" because he is a "regular middle infielder." SOURCE: NationalPost.com
Insight: Izturis has only totaled 400 at-bats once in his career. If he wins the job over Emilio Bonifacio, he could be a threat to steal 25-30 bases. Bonifacio would then serve as a super utility player capable of playing middle infield, third base and all three outfield spots.
Description: Blue Jays starter Ricky Romero told Sportsnet columnist Shi Davidi that his elbow feels "100 times better" than it did last season when he struggled to a 9-14 record and a career-worst 5.77 ERA.
Insight: Now that R.A. Dickey, Josh Johnson and Mark Buehrle are on board, there won't be as much pressure on Romero as there has been in past seasons. We're guessing the lefthander will rebound and put together a solid season in 2013. At the very least he should get plenty of run support from Toronto's new high-powered offense.
Description: Toronto right-hander Casey Janssen did his first mound work since November shoulder surgery, throwing a successful bullpen session Thursday afternoon. SOURCE: Shi Davidi, Sportsnet.ca
Insight: "I'm happy where I'm at and as long as I don't have a setback, I think I'm in a good spot," Janssen said, "Just stay the course." Janssen is expected to begin the season as the team's closer after saving 22 games with a 2.54 ERA and 0.86 WHIP last season. Toronto significantly upgraded its roster in the offseason and should provide plenty of save chances in 2013.
Description: Toronto right-hander Casey Janssen will begin the year as the Blue Jays closer, according to manager John Gibbons. Janssen saved 22 games with a 2.54 ERA and 0.864 WHIP in 62 appearances last season.
Insight: This is not unexpected news, just confirmation that Janssen, and not Sergio Santos, has the ninth inning job. Santos missed most of the 2012 season with a shoulder injury that required surgery after saving 30 ball games in 2011. If Santos is healthy it will give the Blue Jays a 1-2 punch in the bullpen.
Description: Lefthanded relief pitcher Darren Oliver has decided to return to the Blue Jays for at least one more season.
Insight: The 42-year-old asked for a trade earlier this offseason but in the end he decided to remain in Toronto. The 18-year veteran will make $3 million next season. Oliver (3-4, 2.06 ERA in 2012) will only be valuable in fantasy leagues that count holds as a statistic.
Description: Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista (wrist) said he is able to swing a bat at full strength without pain. SOURCE: Jim Bowden, ESPN and SiriusXM
Insight: Bautista said in December that he would be interested in playing in the 2013 World Baseball Classic. He should once again be a fantasy first-rounder after clubbing 27 homers in 92 games last season, especially since Toronto added Jose Reyes and Melky Cabrera to set the table.
Description: Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista, who had his 2012 season end early after wrist surgery, is feeling good and wants to play in the World Baseball Classic.
Insight: It's likely that the team will block him from playing, but just his excitment to get back on the field is encouraging for fantasy owners. Bautista hit 27 HR and knocked in 65 in 92 games. He had hit 97 homers in the previous two seasons and we expect a healthy Bautista can once again slug at least 40 long balls next season.
Description: The Toronto Blue Jays will use Edwin Encarnacion as their everyday first baseman, according to a nationalpost.com report.
Insight: Encarnacion spent most of the early portion of the season at DH and then moved to first after Adam Lind failed to live up to expectations. Edwin also played outfield three times and third base once. No matter where he plays, fantasy owners just want to see the same bat they saw last season when he hit .280 with 42 HR and 110 RBI.
Description: Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports is reporting the Blue Jays and R.A. Dickey have agreed to a two-year extension that will allow the Mets and Blue Jays to complete their deal.
Insight: The deal should be official soon. Catcher Josh Thole will join Dickey in Toronto while the Mets are expected to receive catchers John Buck and Travis d'Arnaud as well as starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard.
Description: ESPN Deportes is reporting that outfielder Melky Cabrera has signed a two-year, $16 million deal with Toronto.
Insight: Cabrera hit .346 with 11 HR and 60 RBI in 113 games this year, but was suspended in mid-August after testing positive for performance enhancing drugs. The Blue Jays are building a pretty good offensive club with Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion, Brett Lawrie, Colby Rasmus and now Cabrera.
Description: According to sources, the Marlins and Blue Jays have agreed on a blockbuster trade to send Jose Reyes, Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, Emilio Bonifacio and John Buck to Toronto for a package including Yunel Escobar, Adeiny Hechavarria, Justin Nicolino, Henderson Alvarez, Jacob Marisnick, Jeff Mathis and Anthony DeSclafani. SOURCE: Ken Rosenthal, FoxSports.com
Insight: Johnson had an up-and-down season amid trade rumors in 2012, going 8-14 with a 3.81 ERA and 165 strikeouts in 191 1/3 innings. While a power pitcher like Johnson can certainly succeed in going from the National League to the American League, his performance may hinge on whether or not he can reverse the decline of his average fastball velocity.
Description: According to sources, the Marlins and Blue Jays have agreed on a blockbuster trade to send Jose Reyes, Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, Emilio Bonifacio and John Buck to Toronto for a package including Yunel Escobar, Adeiny Hechavarria, Justin Nicolino, Henderson Alvarez, Jacob Marisnick, Jeff Mathis and Anthony DeSclafani. SOURCE: Ken Rosenthal, FoxSports.com
Insight: The deal concludes another Marlins fire sale, less than one year after the team uncharacteristically acquired several big ticket free agents prior to the opening of its new ballpark. Reyes hit .287 with 11 homers and 40 steals in 2012 and will undoubtedly get a boost in fantasy value moving to the top of a lineup that includes Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion.
Description: Center fielder Rajai Davis is coming back to the Blue Jays. He re-signed with Toronto Wednesday for one year and $2.5 million.
Insight: Davis is maddeningly inconsistent at the plate (.257, 8 HR, 43 RBI in 2012) but he'll always carry value as a base stealer (46 steals this past season).
Description: Toronto will shop shortstop Yunel Escobar over the winter according to Jon Heyman from CBS Sports.
Insight: Escobar won't be needed now that the Blue Jays have acquired infielder Mike Aviles from the Red Sox. Escobar's character issues (including a suspension last season that involved the use of a homophobic slur) might make him difficult to trade.
Description: The Red Sox have sent shortstop Mike Aviles to the Blue Jays in exchange for manager John Farrell.
Insight: It looks like the Red Sox have found their new skipper. Aviles (.250, 13 HR, 60 RBI) will compete with Yunel Escobar (.253, 9 HR, 51 RBI) for Toronto's starting shortstop job in spring training.
Description: Toronto righthander Brandon Morrow was dominant in his final start of the season. Morrow allowed just three hits and one run over eight innings of work.
Insight: Morrow walked three and finished with a season-high 11 strikeouts. He'll finish the year with a personal best 2.96 ERA in 21 starts.
Description: The Toronto Blue Jays will use Edwin Encarnacion as their everyday first baseman, according to a nationalpost.com report.
Insight: Encarnacion spent most of the early portion of the season at DH and then moved to first after Adam Lind failed to live up to expectations. Edwin also played outfield three times and third base once. No matter where he plays, fantasy owners just want to see the same bat they saw last season when he hit .280 with 42 HR and 110 RBI.
Description: Blue Jays right-hander Carlos Villanueva (fatigue) will not make his final start of the season Tuesday against Minnesota.
Insight: Villanueva was dealing with fatigue and discomfort in late September and has allowed 13 earned runs in his last seven innings, raising his ERA from 3.42 to 4.16.
Description: Blue Jays first baseman Adam Lind homered on Friday, but his Saturday matchup is unfavorable and he should not be started.
Insight: Lind is just 3-for-21 (.143) with eight strikeouts when facing Yankees lefty Andy Pettitte. Lind has had a rough season batting just .247 with 11 HR and 42 RBI and a stint in the minors.
Description: Blue Jays center fielder Colby Rasmus should not be started against Yankees right-hander Hiroki Kuroda with a career .067 batting average (1-for-15) and seven strikeouts.
Insight: Rasmus has 22 homers this season, but none since Sept 7th. His OPS for the monthis just .574 and he should be firmly planted on your bench.
Description: Blue Jays catcher J.P. Arencibia is 5-for-6 with two doubles, a homer, and a 2.500 OPS against Yankees starter Hiroki Kuroda.
Insight: Arencibia is hot, batting 9-for-13 over his last four games and is a must start on Friday. He has improved his batting average 20 points over last season, though the rest of his statistics are lower than 2011.
Description: Blue Jays starter Brandon Morrow won Thursday for the just the second time in seven starts since returning from the DL.
Insight: Morrow (3.09 ERA) missed most of June and August and all of July with an oblique strain. He improved to 9-7 on the season with a dominant effort Thursday against the Yankees, holding New York scoreless on four hits, walking three and striking out three over seven innings.
Description: Blue Jays right-hander Carlos Villanueva (fatigue) is "back to normal" and is expected to start Wednesday, according to the team's official website.
Insight: It was reported earlier this week that Villanueva was dealing with fatigue and discomfort. He allowed seven runs in 2 1/3 innings in his last start but it looks like he's feeling better so go ahead and start him Wednesday against the Orioles.
Description: Blue Jays left fielder Rajai Davis will get the day off Sunday against Tampa Bay.
Insight: Davis has been partially able to make up for his lack of offensive production (.243 average, .300 OBP) by stealing 45 bases. Only Mike Trout (46 SB) has more thefts than Davis in 2012.
Description: Blue Jays catcher J.P. Arencibia is taking a seat Saturday night against the Rays.
Insight: Arencibia is 1-for-26 with 12 strikeouts in his last eight games. Jeff Mathis (.217, 8 HR, 25 RBI) will handle things behind the plate tonight against Tampa Bay.
Description: Toronto shortstop Yunel Escobar has served his three-game suspension. He's back in the starting lineup and batting fifth Saturday against Tampa Bay.
Insight: Escobar was suspended for displaying a homophobic slur on his eye black last week during a game against the Red Sox. Escobar (.252, 9 HR, 49 RBI) apologized for the incident and has agreed to undergo sensitivity training.
Description: Blue Jays center fielder Colby Rasmus will be on the sidelines for Saturday's game against the Rays.
Insight: Rasmus had been one for his last 16 before his 2-for-4 effort Friday in the series opener. He hasn't homered for Toronto since September 7th, a span of 12 games without a round-tripper.
Description: Toronto second baseman Kelly Johnson won't start Saturday against Tampa Bay.
Insight: Johnson is hitting a dismal .189 since the All-Star break. Saturday he'll take a seat in favor of rookie Adeiny Hechavarria (.250, 2 HR, 11 RBI).
Description: Blue Jays second baseman Kelly Johnson is just 1-for-11 (.091) against Tampa starter James Shields with six strikeouts.
Insight: Johnson hasn't been a fantasy-worthy second baseman since about the end of May. He's batted just .204 since June 1 and his OPS has been no better than .645 over the past four months.
Description: Toronto DH/1B Edwin Encarnacion (toe) is back in the lineup Thursday.
Insight: Encarnacion (.279, 40 HR, 102 RBI) has been dealing with nagging toe and wrist injuries as of late. He's appeared in just one game since Sept. 13.
Description: Toronto DH/1B Edwin Encarnacion will miss the second game of Wednesday's doubleheader versus the Yankees because of a sore toe.
Insight: Encarnacion (.279, 40 HR, 102 RBI) hasn't been in the lineup since Saturday. Adam Lind (.242, 10 HR, 37 RBI) will be the DH tonight for the Blue Jays.
Description: Shortstop Yunel Escobar has been suspended three games by the Blue Jays for having a homophobic slur written on his eye black during Saturday's game against the Red Sox.
Insight: Escobar (.251, 9 HR, 49 RBI) won't appeal the ruling, so the suspension is effective immediately. He'll be eligible to return Saturday in Tampa Bay.
Description: Adam Lind should be avoided on Wednesday in the game against Yankees lefty Andy Pettitte. The Blue Jays first baseman is hitting just .158 (3-for-19) in their matchups with eight strikeouts.
Insight: Lind was awful in the first half, but has improved to mediocre after the break, batting .284 with 3 HR, 17 RBI and a .729 OPS in 30 games.
Description: Toronto outfielder Rajai Davis will be on the sidelines for Sunday's series finale against the Red Sox.
Insight: Davis is 1-for-10 in the series with five strikeouts. He's only a viable fantasy candidate if you're really desperate for stolen bases (43 steals in 127 games).
Description: Toronto DH/1B Edwin Encarnacion has been scratched from Sunday's lineup due to a sore wrist, according to John Lott of the National Post in Toronto.
Insight: Encarnacion is just 4-for-21 lifetime against Red Sox starter Jon Lester with five strikeouts so a big day Sunday was unlikely anyway.
Description: Adam Lind should be avoided in fantasy Sunday against Boston. The Blue Jays first baseman is hitting just .125 for his career versus Jon Lester.
Insight: Lind (.242, 10 HR, 37 RBI) has struck out 10 times in 25 lifetime at bats against Lester. Some owners might be tempted to start him because of his recent hot streak (five for his last 11) but we'd recommend sitting Lind on Sunday.
Description: Toronto DH/1B Edwin Encarnacion could be a liability Sunday against Boston's Jon Lester.
Insight: Encarnacion is just 4-for-21 lifetime against Lester with five strikeouts. He's had a terrfific year (40 HR, 102 RBI) but don't expect much from him today.
Description: Toronto third baseman Brett Lawrie has struggled during his career against Jon Lester. He's managed only two hits in 11 lifetime at bats versus the Boston lefthander.
Insight: We thought Lawrie would be destined for big things this year after his successful 2011 campaign (.293, 9 HR, 25 RBI in 43 games) but he's merely been average this season (.278, 9 HR, 43 RBI). Sit him today against Lester (9-11, 4.99 ERA).
Description: Blue Jays 1B/3B Edwin Encarnacion is not in the starting lineup for Friday's game against Boston. He's been dealing with a sore wrist after being hit with a pitch on Thursday night.
Insight: Encarnacion is having a career season with 40 homers and 102 RBI. This doesn't seem too serious and he should be back in the lineup soon.
Description: Adam Lind will face a difficult task when he steps into the batter's box against Red Sox right-hander Daisuke Matsuzaka. He's just 4-for-29 (.138) with nine strikeouts.
Insight: Lind has put together a respectable second half, batting .286 with three homers and 15 RBI in 27 games after disappointing fantasy owners in the first half. This matchup, however, must be avoided.
Description: Adam Lind will face a daunting task when he steps into the batter's box against Seattle righthander Felix Hernandez Thursday night at the Rogers Center. The Blue Jays first baseman is hitting .077 for his career versus the Mariners ace.
Insight: Lind has struggled to a .222 mark in the month of September after posting a solid .300 average in August.
Description: Toronto first baseman Adam Lind has rarely been able to figure out Seattle right-hander Kevin Millwood with just two hits in 19 official at-bats.
Insight: After a horrible first half and a trip to the minors, Lind has posted respectable second-half numbers, batting .270 with a pair of homers and 13 RBI in 24 games. However, this is a matchup to avoid.
Description: It's not a good idea starting Blue Jays DH Edwin Encarnacion against Clay Buchholz. He's just a .091 lifetime hitter versus the Boston righthander.
Insight: Despite his home run in the series opener Friday night, Encarnacion (.282, 38 HR, 97 RBI) has struggled recently, connecting on just two hits in his past 16 at bats. You'll want to sit him Sunday against Buchholz (11-5, 4.47 ERA).
Description: Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie will sit out Saturday's game against the Red Sox.
Insight: Lawrie (.281, 9 HR, 40 RBI) went 1-for-5 with a double Friday night in his return from the DL. You can expect to see him back in action Sunday for the series finale.
Description: Blue Jays lefthander J.A. Happ is out for the year with a broken foot.
Insight: Happ's 2012 campaign ends with 10 wins, 11 losses and a 4.73 ERA. He did slightly better in his stint with Toronto (3-2, 4.46) than he did earlier in the year with the Astros (7-9, 4.83).
Description: Toronto third baseman Brett Lawrie has been reinstated from the disabled list after struggling with an injured oblique for more than a month.
Insight: He'll bat leadoff in the series opener Friday night at Fenway Park.
Description: Toronto 1B/DH Edwin Encarnacion is a career .083 batting average (1-for-12) against Tampa starter Jeff Niemann.
Insight: Encarnacion is having the best season of his eight-year career, batting .288 with 82 runs scored, 35 HR, 90 RBI, 13 SB and a .950 OPS, but you should avoid today's matchup.
Description: Toronto has placed first baseman Adam Lind "owns" Tampa Bay starter Jeff Niemann, batting .448 (13-for-29) with three homers, nine RBI and a 1.412 OPS.
Insight: Lind is 6-for-20 (.300) with ahomer since returning from the disabled list. He's had a disappointing season for fantasy owners, but he's a must start on Saturday.
Description: Blue Jays outfielder needs season-ending wrist surgery, according to Shi Davidi of sportsnet.ca.
Insight: Bautista aggravated his wrist injury Saturday after returning from a five-week absence Friday. Bautista should be good to go for the start of next season, so draft him as you normally would and keep him in dynasty leagues.
Description: Toronto 1B/DH Edwin Encarnacion is a career .400 batting average (8-for-20) with a 1.179 OPS against Yankees right-hander Phil Hughes.
Insight: Encarnacion is having the best season of his eight-year career, batting .290 with 78 runs scored, 34 HR, 88 RBI, 13 SB and a 9.53 OPS. Every one of those statistics listed above are career highs.
Description: Toronto outfielder Colby Rasmus is on the bench again Sunday against the Orioles.
Insight: Rasmus is 0-for-8 in the series with seven strikeouts. Mike McCoy (.229, 1 HR, 6 RBI) is getting the start in center field Sunday in Rasmus' place.
Description: After just two games back in the lineup, Toronto outfielder Jose Bautista has been sent back to the DL with the same wrist injury that has bothered him for the past month.
Insight: With the Blue Jays way behind in the division and the Wild Card race, it's possible that Bautista will be shut down for the remainder of the season.
Description: Toronto infielder Yunel Escobar is back from the paternity list. He'll start at shortstop and bat sixth Saturday night versus the Orioles.
Insight: You might want to wait a few days before slotting Escobar back into your fantasy starting lineup. He's hitting .147 against Baltimore this year with just two extra base hits in 34 at bats.
Description: Blue Jays outfielder Colby Rasmus won't be on the field for Saturday's tilt against the Orioles.
Insight: Rasmus is cold as ice right now. He's 1-for-25 over the last week and since the All-Star break he's batting just .169 with 41 strikeouts in 130 trips to the plate. Sit the struggling outfielder until further notice.
Description: Toronto's Jose Bautista is batting third and starting in right field Friday night against the Orioles. Bautista, who was activated from the disabled list earlier in the day, hasn't played in a game for the Blue Jays since injuring his wrist in a game versus the Yankees on July 16th.
Insight: Bautista enters tonight's action with 27 HR and 65 RBI in 91 games. He's hitting just .161 against Baltimore this season with no home runs or RBI in 31 at bats.
Description: Toronto right fielder Jose Bautista (wrist) is expected to be activated from the 15-day disabled list for Friday's game against Baltimore.
Insight: Bautista last played on July 16. He's batting just .244 this season, but hitting the long ball as expected with 27 HR and 65 RBI in 90 games. Get him back in your lineup.
Description: Toronto 1B/DH Edwin Encarnacion is having a career year but he doesn't have a favorable matchup Thursday.
Insight: Encarnacion and the Blue Jays will face Tigers ace Justin Verlander. Encarnacion has just one hit in 12 at-bats against Verlander, and even though the one hit was a home run you might want to avoid this matchup Thursday.
Description: Toronto center fielder Colby Rasmus is 0-for-26 in his last six games.
Insight: Rasmus' average dropped to .235 with his latest hitless performance Wednesday. The outfielder was clearly benefitting from hitting in front of Jose Bautista; in 27 games since Bautista went down with wrist inflammation, Rasmus is hitting .190 with a 31/4 K/BB ratio. As the team's primary No. 2 hitter in front of Bautista, Rasmus hit .276 with 14 homers, 39 RBIs, 33 runs scored and an .897 OPS in 44 games from May 26 to July 16.
Description: Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie (oblique) is out indefinitely after feeling renewed soreness in his ribcage Monday.
Insight: Lawrie hasn't played since the first week of August and may not return until September now, which is disappointing for fantasy owners expecting to get the third baseman back this week.
Description: Blue Jays shortstop Yunel Escobar likes seeing Detroit starter Max Scherzer take to the hill as he's a career .478 hitter (11-for-23) with four extra base hits and a 1.258 OPS in their matchups.
Insight: Escobar's numbers have significantly dropped from last season when he was a viable low-end fantasy option. Batting just .245 with a .620 OPS and little-to-no-speed has led to disappointment from fantasy owners, but Tuesday could be a good day for the Blue Jays shortstop.
Description: Toronto center fielder Colby Rasmus went 0-for-5 Saturday and is now 0-for-14 with five strikeouts in his last three games.
Insight: Rasmus' average dropped to .242 with his latest hitless performance. The outfielder was clearly benefitting from hitting in front of Jose Bautista; in 24 games since Bautista went down with wrist inflammation, Rasmus is hitting .215 with a 27/3 K/BB ratio. As the team's primary No. 2 hitter in front of Bautista, Rasmus hit .276 with 14 homers, 39 RBIs, 33 runs scored and an .897 OPS in 44 games from May 26 to July 16.
Description: Toronto right fielder Jose Bautista (wrist) could be activated for next weekend's series against Baltimore, according to Shi Davidi of sportsnet.ca.
Insight: Bautista took pre-game batting practice Saturday and he'll do that again Sunday before starting a minor league rehab assignment Monday.
Description: Toronto center fielder Colby Rasmus is not in the lineup for Friday night's tilt against Texas.
Insight: Rasmus (.245, 20 HR, 66 RBI) is 0-for-9 since his return from a groin injury Wednesday so perhaps he isn't fully recovered yet. Rasmus shouldn't be in any fantasy lineups right now.
Description: Toronto 1B/DH Edwin Encarnacion will start Friday night's game against the Rangers. Encarnacion sat out Thursday's game with forearm soreness.
Insight: He has already set career-highs in home runs (30) and RBI (80) this season and if he can maintain his current .293 batting average, that will be a new career-high as well. Encarnacion is a must-start.
Description: Blue Jays rookie Moises Sierra has started off his major league career 14-for-39 (.359) with two homers and four RBIs.
Insight: Sierra has been getting plenty of playing time with Jose Bautista out of the lineup. The outfielder has some pop, hitting .289 with 16 doubles and 17 homers in 100 games with Triple-A Las Vegas this season. He's worth a look in AL-only leagues.
Description: Blue Jays DH Edwin Encarnacion has been scratched from the lineup Thursday due to soreness in his left shoulder and forearm suffered during a dive Wednesday night, according to Shi Davidi of sportsnet.ca.
Insight: Encarnacion has experienced a breakout season in 2012, hitting 30 jacks, driving in 80 runs, stealing 13 bags and posting a .950 OPS. Expect the corner infielder to return by the weekend.
Description: Blue Jays starter Brandon Morrow (oblique) struck out six in 4 2/3 scoreless innings in a rehab start with Double-A New Hampshire Tuesday.
Insight: Morrow is expected to make one more rehab start before rejoining the rotation. Before the injury, Morrow was having a career year, going 7-4 with a 3.01 ERA in 13 starts.
Description: Blue Jays right-hander Carlos Villanueva has been excellent since joining the rotation in late June. In eight starts, Villanueva is 4-2 with a 3.04 ERA and a 50/14 K/BB in 47 1/3 innings.
Insight: Villanueva was in line for his seventh win of the season after throwing seven innings of one-run ball Monday against the White Sox but Blue Jays closer Casey Janssen allowed a game-tying solo homer to Adam Dunn in the ninth inning. The Toronto right-hander is worth a look in deeper mixed leagues.
Description: Toronto right fielder Jose Bautista (wrist) will resume swinging a bat Monday, according to Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com.
Insight: Bautista has shown improvement in his wrist but he's still dealing with some inflammation in one spot. The outfielder remains without a timetable but we should know more following his brief session Monday.
Description: Blue Jays outfielder Colby Rasmus remains sidelined with an injured groin.
Insight: He'll miss Toronto's series opener Monday night against the White Sox. Rasmus (.248, 20 HR, 66 RBI) hasn't appeared in the lineup since Friday. It remains to be seen whether or not this injury is severe enough to land Rasmus on the DL.
Description: Toronto outfielder Colby Rasmus is out again Sunday. He's struggling with tightness in his right groin.
Insight: With Rasmus and Jose Bautista still out, the Blue Jays will employ a patchwork outfield of Rajai Davis, Anthony Gose and Moises Sierra on Sunday.
Description: Toronto second baseman Kelly Johnson is out of the lineup Sunday with a groin injury.
Insight: Johnson (.235, 13 HR, 43 RBI) homered Friday in the series opener but today he'll move over for Mike McCoy (.375, 0 HR, 2 RBI) who is making his first start of the year at second base for the Blue Jays. Don't expect Johnson to miss much time with this injury.
Description: X-rays on Yunel Escobar's left elbow came back negative. The Toronto shortstop injured his elbow on a hit by pitch Saturday against the Yankees.
Insight: Escobar (.251, 7 HR, 37 RBI) is considered day-to-day but he's likely to sit out Sunday's series finale as a precaution.
Description: Toronto outfielder Colby Rasmus hit his 20th homer of the season Tuesday against the Rays and also collected his fourth straight multi-hit game.
Insight: The inconsistent Rasmus hit .191 with four homers in July after hitting .291 with eight jacks and 25 RBIs in June, but he's started off August with eight hits in 17 at-bats. He should see his numbers improve when Jose Bautista returns as he'll receive better pitches in the two-hole, but Bautista is out indefinitely with wrist inflammation.
Description: Toronto right fielder Jose Bautista will visit a hand specialist since he is still feeling pain in a specific part of his left wrist, according to Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca.
Insight: The news regarding Bautista's wrist injury was positive at first but he has hit a wall in his recovery and experienced soreness after swinging a bat at the end of July. There is really nothing fantasy owners can do besides wait for the slugger to return or try to sell him off at an extreme discount.
Description: Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie is out of Tuesday's lineup with an oblique injury.
Insight: Lawrie aggravated an oblique strain Friday and hasn't played since. Don't be surprised if he ends up on the DL if he doesn't experience improvement in the next few days.
Description: Blue Jays second baseman Kelly Johnson is just 1-for-8 (.125) against Rays starter James Shields with five strikeouts.
Insight: Johnson has become a low average guy (.233), but he will still give you double-digit homers and steals and maintains a consistent fantasy value. Tuesday, however, is not a day to start him.
Description: Toronto outfielder Colby Rasmus is not in the starting lineup for Saturday's game against Oakland with a strained groin.
Insight: Rasmus initially stayed in the game, but later was pulled, so we think this isn't a serious, disabled list type injury. Colby is having a nice season with 19 HR and 65 RBI.
Description: Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie is not in the starting lineup for Saturday's game against Oakland with tightness in rib cage.
Insight: Lawrie is nowhere near as productive as he was last season with an OPS more than 200 points lower. He's also been caught stealing a league-leading eight times to further erode his value in "net steal" leagues.
Description: Toronto outfielder Colby Rasmus is questionable for Saturday's game against Oakland with a strained groin.
Insight: Rasmus initially stayed in the game, but later was pulled, so we think this isn't a serious, disabled list type injury. Colby is having a nice season with 19 HR and 65 RBI.
Description: Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie is questionable for Saturday's game against Oakland with tightness in rib cage.
Insight: Lawrie is nowhere near as productive as he was last season with an OPS more than 200 points lower. He's also been caught stealing a league-leading eight times to further erode his value in "net steal" leagues.
Description: Blue Jays DH Edwin Encarnacion is going head-to-head with Oakland's Bartolo Colon on Thursday, a pitcher he has struggled against in the past (2-for-12, four strikeouts).
Insight: Encarnacion (.290, 28 HRs, 72 RBIs) went 0-for-11 in his last series against the Mariners while struggling with a sore heel. It might be best to sit him for a few days until he finds his stroke again.
Description: Blue Jays shortstop Yunel Escobar is a must-start Thursday against the Athletics. That's because he'll be facing Bartolo Colon, who Escobar is hitting .400 against in his career.
Insight: Escobar (.253, 7 HRs, 35 RBIs) lost his nine-game hitting streak Wednesday night versus the Mariners but he should be able to start a new one pretty easily today with Colon (7-8, 3.78 ERA) on the hill for Oakland.
Description: Toronto DH Edwin Encarnacion is 5-for-13 (.385) with two homers, five RBIs and four walks in his career against Mariners starter Jason Vargas.
Insight: Encarnacion has a .322 average and nine homers in 90 at-bats against left-handed pitching this season, and he's hit Vargas well in his career so Tuesday could be a big night.
Description: Toronto has placed first baseman Adam Lind on the disabled list. Lind had missed the Blue Jays' past three games because of back stiffness.
Insight: Expect Edwin Encarnacion (.299, 28 HRs, 72 RBIs) to get most of the reps at first base while Lind (.227, 8 HRs, 27 RBIs) is sidelined.
Description: Blue Jays first baseman Adam Lind is out again with a back injury.
Insight: Lind (.227, 8 HRs, 27 RBIs) hasn't appeared in a game for Toronto since Wednesday and it wouldn't be a surprise if the Blue Jays decide to place him on the disabled list soon.
Description: Blue Jays left fielder Rajai Davis should be a very worthwhile fantasy play Sunday against Detroit's Doug Fister. Davis is hitting .409 in 22 career at bats against the Tigers righthander.
Insight: Davis (.253, 5 HRs, 25 RBIs) was only 1-for-5 at the plate Saturday but he was still able to reward fantasy owners by collecting a pair of stolen bases.
Description: Toronto outfielder Colby Rasmus went 2-for-3 with a homer and three RBIs Saturday as the Blue Jays prevailed 5-1 over Detroit.
Insight: Rasmus' production has tailed off a bit this month (.207, 4 HRs, 17 RBIs) after a gargantuan effort in June (.291, 8 HRs, 25 RBIs) but he's still on pace to finish the season with 100 RBIs and close to 30 homers. Both of those would be career-highs for the 25-year-old.
Description: Toronto right fielder Jose Bautista took swings on Saturday. It's the first time Bautista has been able to do that since going on the disabled list July 17 with an injured wrist.
Insight: The Blue Jays have already said that Bautista (.244, 27 HRs, 65 RBIs) won't be activated from the DL Wednesday when he's first eligible but it might not be too long after that. Bautista will either go on a rehab assignment or play in simulated games before returning to the Jays' lineup early next month.
Description: Toronto outfielder Colby Rasmus is just 1-for-8 (.125) in his career against newly acquired Tigers starter Anibal Sanchez, including five strikeouts.
Insight: Rasmus is hitting just .190 over the past four weeks with no power. Rasmus has a good June, but July is another weak effort. Perhaps when Jose Bautista returns, he'll start getting pitches to hit again.
Description: Toronto left fielder Rajai Davis isn't starting Friday night's series opener against the Tigers.
Insight: Despite collecting five hits in his last 12 at bats, Davis (.255, 5 HRs, 25 RBIs, 25 SBs) is still hitting just .207 in 58 at bats this month.
Description: Blue Jays second baseman Kelly Johnson smashed his 11th bomb of the season Thursday against the Athletics. He also added an RBI double in the eighth inning.
Insight: The homer was Johnson's first since July 8 and Thursday was also Johnson's first multi-hit effort since going 2-for-3 June 30 against the Angels. We'll see if Johnson (.240, 11 HRs, 39 RBIs) can keep the momentum going Friday when Toronto opens its series against Detroit.
Description: Toronto DH Edwin Encarnacion launched his 27th home run of the season Thursday in a 10-4 win over Oakland. Encarnacion, who also chipped in with a single in the eighth inning, was one of five Blue Jays hitters to finish the afternoon with multiple hits.
Insight: Those who thought Encarnacion (.299, 27 HRs, 70 RBIs) would struggle without Jose Bautista in the lineup were dead wrong. The 29-year-old slugger is hitting .344 for the month with five homers and 15 RBIs.
Description: Blue Jays starter Ricky Romero bottomed out Wednesday against the Athletics, giving up eight runs in 1 1/3 innings (4 H, 6 BB).
Insight: Romero has been an utter disaster this season despite what his 8-7 record suggests. Just four of his last 16 starts have been quality, and he's walked 68 batters in 123 2/3 innings. It's time to cut him if you haven't done so already.
Description: Toronto catcher J.P. Arencibia left Wednesday's game with a fractured right hand and is expected to miss six weeks.
Insight: Arencibia fractured his hand on a foul tip. The catcher has been red hot, hitting .321 with six homers in July, including a round-tripper in each of the last three games. He won't be back until September.
Description: Toronto reliever Sergio Santos underwent season-ending shoulder surgery Tuesday, according to the Blue Jays official website.
Insight: Santos went on the DL in April with shoulder inflammation, but he was only projected to be out for a few weeks. Weeks turned to months and now Santos is out for the year. Casey Janssen will continue to handle closing duties in Toronto.
Description: Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista could start hitting off a tee by the end of the week, according to the National Post.
Insight: Bautista (.244, 27 HRs, 65 RBIs) is progressing quickly from the wrist inflammation he went down with last week. The outfielder should be able to return in early August if he can avoid a setback.
Description: Blue Jays starter Brandon Morrow (oblique) is expected to begin a minor league rehab assignment Sunday, according to Shi Davidi of SportsNet.ca.
Insight: Before Morrow suffered a severe oblique injury in mid-June, he was in the midst of a career year, going 7-4 with a 3.01 ERA while slashing his walk rate by nearly one per nine innings. The rehab assignment is not guaranteed to begin Sunday, however, as Morrow still has to get through a live batting practice session Wednesday without any setbacks.
Description: Blue Jays outfielder Travis Snider hit his first homer of the season Sunday against Boston as part of a 2-for-4, three-RBI game.
Insight: Snider, a former first-round draft pick, has had myriad chances to produce at the big league level but he's never been able to sustain success. Still, he hit .335 with 13 homers in 56 games with Triple-A Las Vegas this season and has started off 4-for-11 with a double and a homer since he was recalled so keep him on your radar while Jose Bautista is sidelined.
Description: Blue Jays outfielder Rajai Davis overcame a poor history against Red Sox starter Jon Lester to go 3-for-4 with a homer, two RBIs and three runs scored Sunday.
Insight: Davis has been one of the better speed men in fantasy baseball, stealing 25 bags in 32 attempts, and anytime he can add a little power to the mix it's much appreciated.
Description: Toronto catcher J.P. Arencibia went 1-for-4 Sunday against Boston, but his one hit was a three-run homer. He also added an RBI groundout.
Insight: Arencibia (.238, 15 HR, 49 RBIs) is right around where we expected him to be at this time, posting solid power numbers and a low batting average.
Description: Blue Jays right fielder and reigning American League home run champ Jose Bautista is ahead of schedule in his recovery from a left wrist injury.
Insight: Joey Bats (.244, 27 HRs, 65 RBIs) could be ready to return as soon he's first eligible to come off the disabled list on August 1.
Description: Blue Jays first baseman Adam Lind is not in the lineup for Sunday's tilt against the Red Sox.
Insight: Edwin Encarnacion (.296, 26 HRs, 65 RBIs) is starting at first base in Lind's absence with J.P. Arencibia (.238, 14 HRs, 45 RBIs) sliding into the DH slot for a day.
Description: It might be wise to leave Toronto first baseman Adam Lind on your bench Sunday against the Red Sox. He's only a .124 hitter against Boston lefty Jon Lester.
Insight: In 24 at bats versus Lester, Lind (.233, 8 HRs, 27 RBIs) has struck out 10 times with only one extra base hit. Hopefully Lind isn't your fantasy team's only first base option on Sunday.
Description: Blue Jays DH Edwin Encarnacion is just 3-20 (.150) lifetime against Red Sox lefthander Jon Lester.
Insight: Encarnacion (.296) blasted his 26th home run of the season in Saturday night's 7-3 victory over Boston but we doubt he hits No. 27 Sunday against Lester.
Description: Blue Jays outfielder Rajai Davis has never fared well against Red Sox starter Jon Lester. In 19 career at bats versus the Boston lefthander, Davis has recorded just three hits.
Insight: He has also struck out eight times in that span. With Lester (5-7, 4.80 ERA) on the mound for Sunday's series finale, today is not a good day to start Davis (.249, 4 HRs, 23 RBIs, 25 SBs).
Description: Blue Jays right-hander Carlos Villanueva improved to 5-0 with another quality start Saturday against Boston.
Insight: Villanueva started 13 games for Toronto last season and went an uninspiring 5-3 with a 5.15 ERA, but he's 3-0 with a 2.31 ERA and a 26/8 K/BB in 23 1/3 innings over four starts this season. He's worth a look in deeper leagues even though that ERA will most certainly rise.
Description: Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie drove in three runs Saturday against Boston.
Insight: Lawrie carried a 2-for-22 post-break stretch into Saturday's game but he finally was able to contribute something to fantasy owners with a two-RBI single and sacrifice fly.
Description: Blue Jays second baseman Kelly Johnson should be sitting on Saturday with his ugly 1-for-14 history against Boston starter Aaron Cook.
Insight: Johnson (.239, 10 HR, 37 RBI, 10 SB) still has a chance for a 20-20 season, but he's never been able to repeat his 2010 season totals. Fantasy owners are going to have to lower expectations.
Description: Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie's bruised calf will keep him out of Friday night's contest against the Red Sox but he says his leg is feeling better and the hope is that he'll be able to play in Saturday's game.
Insight: Lawrie injured his leg Wednesday against the Yankees while leaping for a popup in foul territory. He began the second half at .291 but after a 2-22 slump, Lawrie's average has dipped to .278.
Description: Toronto outfielder Rajai Davis is not in the starting lineup for Friday's game against Boston. Just a day of rest.
Insight: The Blue Jays left fielder is good for one thing - stolen bases. If you can afford the hit to your other catagories, he'll certainly help you with 24 steals in 31 attempts.
Description: Blue Jays reliever Brandon Lyon should play the setup role for closer Casey Janssen. Lyon was 0-2 with a 3.25 ERA and 1.333 WHIP in 37 appearances.
Insight: Lyon is not a threat to Janssen owners despite 78 career saves. Janssen's numbers are clearly better and he's the strikeout-type closer that managers want in the role.
Description: Newly acquired J.A. Happ will begin his Blue Jays career out of the bullpen.
Insight: Happ is 7-9 with a 4.83 ERA and 1.447 WHIP. Neither is a great fantasy number, but he's expected to return to the starting rotation by the end of the month. Either Aaron Laffey, Carlos Villanueva or Brett Cecil will drop out when the change occurs.
Description: Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie injured his leg leaping over a rail in foul territory Wednesday against the Yankees but he's hopeful he'll be back in the lineup for Friday's series opener against the Red Sox.
Insight: Lawrie owners are probably thrilled to hear this news. They're probably not quite as thrilled to hear that the young third baseman is just 2-for-22 (.091) to start the second half and hitless in his past 14 at bats.
Description: Toronto third baseman Brett Lawrie left Wednesday afternoon's game in the bottom of the third inning after injuring himself trying to catch a foul popup into the stands.
Insight: X-rays on Lawrie's right calf are negative and he's currently listed as day-to-day. Lawrie's big June (.310, 4 HR, 12 RBI, .884 OPS) has been followed by a weak July. He's batting just .200 in his last 12 games with no homers and one RBI.
Description: Blue Jays shortstop Yunel Escobar is not in Wednesday's lineup against the Yankees. Not surprising as he's just 1-for-9 against New York starter Hiroki Kuroda.
Insight: Omar Vizquel is starting in his place at shortstop, but has no fantasy value.
Description: Blue Jays starter Ricky Romero has a nice overall 8-5 record, but his last three starts have been less than satisfactory, going 0-3 with a 5.50 ERA and 1.61 WHIP.
Insight: Romero has actually lost his last four consecutive outings and yielded three earned runs or more in eight of his last 10 starts. Avoid starting him today versus the high-scoring Yankees.
Description: Toronto outfielder Colby Rasmus is just 1-for-12 (.083) in his career against Yankees right-hander Hiroki Kuroda. He can barely put the bat on the ball in these matchups, having struck out seven times.
Insight: Rasmus is hitting just .143 over his last nine games and the loss of slugger Jose Bautista to injury, his protection in the lineup, won't help the situation. Sit him on Wednesday.
Description: Toronto catcher J.P. Arencibia won't be participating in Tuesday night's game against the Yankees.
Insight: Arencibia (.233, 13 HRs, 43 RBIs) has fared dreadfully against New York lefthander CC Sabathia in the past (.125 career average in 16 at bats) so Jeff Mathis (.247, 5 HRs, 8 RBIs) will get the start at catcher tonight in the Bronx.
Description: Toronto Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista has been placed on the 15-day disabled list with a left wrist injury.
Insight: Bautista left Monday's game against the Yankees after hitting a foul ball and grabbing his wrist in pain. The results of the MRI have not been released. Bautista has been putting on another power display this season with 27 HR and 65 RBI. His OPS of .894, however, is 162 points less than his 2011 OPS.
Description: Toronto Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista has seen almost no success versus Yankees ace C.C. Sabathia, going 1-for-19 in their career matchups.
Insight: Bautista left Monday's game against the Yankees with a left wrist injury. This would be an excellent time for manager John Farrell to give him the night off.
Description: Blue Jays catcher J.P. Arencibia is just 2-for-16 in his career against Yankees lefty C.C. Sabathia.
Insight: Arencibia is producing power numbers similar to last season and even raised his average from .219 in 2011 to .233 so far this season. If he can get it over the .250 mark, his power would be useful without the penalty of his batting average. Tuesday, however, is not a favorable matchup.
Description: Blue Jays prospect Anthony Gose will be called up if Jose Bautista goes on the DL, according to Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca. Bautista left Monday's game with a left wrist injury.
Insight: The 21-year-old Gose would have immediate mixed league value due to his speed. He's legged out 10 triples and stolen 29 bases in 91 games with Triple-A Las Vegas this season.
Description: Toronto outfielder Colby Rasmus has started off the second half ice cold. Monday's 0-for-5 drops him to 1-for-17 in four post-break games.
Insight: Rasmus hit .291 with eight homers in June and blasted three more homers prior to the break, so there's a chance he just needs to get back into a rhythm. However, Jose Bautista's absence would have a direct influence on Rasmus' production, as Rasmus has thrived while batting second in front of Bautista. Bautista left Monday's game with a left wrist injury.
Description: Toronto 1B/DH Adam Lind has five homers and 15 RBIs in 17 games since he returned from his one month exile in the minors.
Insight: Lind is also batting .327 in 55 at-bats in that span. The 6-foot-1 slugger hit his eighth homer of the season Monday against New York. Give him a try if you need corner infield help.
Description: Blue Jays starter Brandon Morrow tossed a 40-pitch bullpen session Sunday, according to the team's official website. Morrow (7-4, 3.01 ERA) has been on the disabled list with a strained left oblique muscle since June 12.
Insight: Morrow isn't expected to return until mid-to-late August, but he was able to get through a pain-free bullpen session Sunday, throwing all of his pitches with no ill effects, so at least he's on schedule.
Description: Toronto DH Edwin Encarnacion is a career .214 hitter (3-for-14) versus Yankees right-hander Phil Hughes with six strikeouts in 14 at-bats.
Insight: Encarnacion has been hot over the past four weeks, batting .347 with seven homers, 16 RBI and a 1.135 OPS. Hopefully, one bad matchup won't slow him down.
Description: Toronto first baseman Adam Lind is just 4-for-22 (.182) against Yankees starter Phil Hughes with 10 strikeouts.
Insight: Since returning from his one month exile in the minors, Lind is batting .327 with four homers and 14 RBI in 16 games. Tuesday, however, is a bad matchup.
Description: Blue Jays right-hander Carlos Villanueva tossed his second straight scoreless start Sunday against Cleveland.
Insight: Villanueva started 13 games for Toronto last season and went an uninspiring 5-3 with a 5.15 ERA, but he's 2-0 with a 1.59 ERA and a 21/6 K/BB in 17 innings over three starts this season so he has some upside.
Description: Toronto outfielder Rajai Davis is not a part of the Blue Jays' starting lineup on Sunday.
Insight: The Blue Jays left fielder hasn't had a base hit since the 4th of July and is 0-23 over his last seven games. Davis (.243, 4 HRs, 23 RBIs) has found his way on to some fantasy rosters because of his speed (23 steals in 73 games this season) but that speed is pretty tough to utilize when you can't even get on base.
Description: Toronto first baseman Adam Lind smacked four hits for the Blue Jays on Saturday. Lind also finished the afternoon with four RBIs.
Insight: Well, would you look at that. It appears Lind (.232, 7 HRs, 24 RBIs) might be fantasy relevant after all. He has six hits in eight at bats to begin the second half.
Description: Toronto DH Edwin Encarnacion cracked a pair of homers Saturday in an 11-9 win over Cleveland. The blasts were Encarnacion's 24th and 25th home runs of the season.
Insight: Encarnacion's fine performance comes on the heels of a new $27 million contract extension that he signed earlier in the week. Encarnacion (.295, 25 HRs, 61 RBIs) is now just one homer shy of matching his career-high set as a Red back in 2008.
Description: Toronto Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista is hitless in 12 at-bats against Cleveland right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez. He's struck out four times.
Insight: Bautista hit a league-leading 27 homers in the first half, but his OPS is still running 170 points below last year's level. Today is an unfavorable matchup.
Description: Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie is probable for Friday's game against Cleveland. He's dealing with a tight lower back.
Insight: Lawrie tweaked his back last Saturday and was forced to come out in the eighth inning. He didn't play on Sunday. Lawrie finished the season's first half with a .291 batting average, eight homers, 33 RBIs and 11 stolen bases.
Description: The Blue Jays and DH Edwin Encarnacion have come to an agreement on a new three-year, $27 million contract extension.
Insight: Nine million a year might be a bargain for the way Encarnacion has played this season. Encarnacion is hitting .295 and should be able to easily eclipse his previous career highs of 26 homers and 76 RBIs later in the second half.
Description: Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista may have led the majors in homers in the first half this season, but he came in second to Prince Fielder at the 2012 Home Run Derby Monday night at Kansas City.
Insight: Bautista hit 27 homers in the first half and belted 22 Monday night, but he dropped the final round 12-7 to Fielder. Look for Bautista to continue to be one of the premier home run hitters in fantasy baseball in the second half.
Description: Speedy Blue Jays outfielder Rajai Davis wasn't able to record a hit in Sunday's win over the White Sox but he was able to steal three bases, giving him 23 for the season.
Insight: Only Mike Trout (26 SBs) has more steals than Davis among American League base stealers and only Dee Gordon (30), Michael Bourn (25) and Tony Campana (25) are ahead of Davis if you include both leagues. Unfortunately Davis hits for a low average (.253) and he doesn't have much power (four homers in 71 games) so he's pretty much a one-category player in fantasy.
Description: Toronto defeated the White Sox Sunday on the strength of a 2-4, three-RBI effort from outfielder Colby Rasmus.
Insight: Rasmus was able to knock out his 17th home run of the season on Sunday. He's on pace to hit 32 homers this year, nine more than his career-high of 23 set as a member of the Cardinals back in 2010.
Description: Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie was not in the lineup Sunday for Toronto's game against the White Sox. He's dealing with a tight lower back.
Insight: Lawrie tweaked his back Saturday and was forced to come out in the eighth inning. The Blue Jays don't play again until Friday so Lawrie will have plenty of time to rest his ailing back over the All-Star break. Lawrie finished the season's first half with a .291 batting average, eight homers, 33 RBIs and 11 stolen bases.
Description: Blue Jays starter Ricky Romero allowed less than four runs in a start for the first time since May 18 Saturday against the White Sox, but he lost his third straight start anyway.
Insight: Romero (8-4, 5.22) held Chicago to two runs on four hits, but he walked three batters in six innings and now has 58 walks in 110 1/3 innings this season. Until the Blue Jays lefty displays some more consistent control, he's not safe to start.
Description: Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie left Saturday's game due to lower back tightness, according to Scott Merkin of MLB.com.
Insight: Lawrie left for precautionary reasons, so hopefully this isn't too serious. While the third baseman has an underwhelming .759 OPS this season, he's found a way to contribute in other areas, batting .291 with eight homers, 33 RBIs, 51 runs and 11 steals.
Description: Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista has just one hit in nine at-bats against White Sox hurler Gavin Floyd.
Insight: Bautista put together a huge June with 14 HR and 30 RBI, but Saturday's matchup doesn't appear to be in his favor. He hasn't homered since July 2.
Description: Toronto first baseman Adam Lind is 6-for-13 (.462) in his career against White Sox hurler Gavin Floyd.
Insight: Since returning from a stint in the minors, Lind is batting a respectable .286 with a .999 OPS. That's a lot better than the .186 he hit for the first 34 games. He's a good play on Saturday.
Description: Jamie Moyer's tenure with the Blue Jays is over. He was released on Friday.
Insight: It wasn't a short stay for Moyer, who was dropped after a pair of unsuccessful outings with Toronto's Triple-A club, the Las Vegas 51s. We're not sure what the future holds for Moyer but it probably won't include a return to fantasy relevance.
Description: Toronto starter Aaron Laffey has been solid in his first two tries in a starting role for the Blue Jays, going six innings in each outing and yielding a total of seven hits and two earned runs. He's not a big strikeout guy, but that appears to be his only weakness.
Insight: Laffey will get a big test on Friday, facing a solid hitting Chicago White Sox squad. If he passes, you should consider him for a roster spot.
Description: Blue Jays right-hander Carlos Villanueva shut out Kansas City over six four-hit innings Wednesday to earn his third win of the season. Villanueva struck out seven with no walks in his second start of the year.
Insight: Villanueva started 13 games for Toronto last season and went 5-3 with a 5.15 ERA. He's worth a look in AL-only leagues but mixed leaguers can stay away from him.
Description: Blue Jays catcher J.P. Arencibia won't start Tuesday night against the Royals.
Insight: If you're able to withstand his low batting average (.221), Arencibia has the potential to be a strong play at catcher because of his above average power numbers (11 HRs, 38 RBIs).
Description: Blue Jays second baseman Kelly Johnson will watch Sunday's game against the Angels from the bench.
Insight: Johnson (.245, 9 HRs, 34 RBIs) hasn't homered since May and he only hit .227 during June. Even playing half of his games at the hitter-friendly Rogers Centre hasn't helped much: Johnson is batting only .255 with 43 strikeouts in 141 at bats at home this season.
Description: Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie was very productive at the plate Saturday in Toronto's 11-2 victory over the Angels. Lawrie finished the game 3-4 with a home run and three RBIs.
Insight: He went 0-5 in Friday night's contest so fantasy owners must be relieved to see Lawrie bounce back like this. The 22-year-old is at .293 with eight homers and 33 RBIs on the season. Lawrie also has 11 stolen bases for the Jays.
Description: Blue Jays outfielder Rajai Davis came into Friday 1-for-14 in his career against Angels starter Ervin Santana, but he finished the night 2-for-4 with two stolen bases.
Insight: Davis should be one of the top free agent targets for those in search of speed. The outfielder has 20 thefts to go along with a .280 batting average this season.
Description: Toronto first baseman Adam Lind blasted a pair of homers Friday night against the Angels.
Insight: Lind hit a three-run shot in the fourth and a solo bomb in the eighth. The first baseman is 4-for-11 since he was recalled after spending five weeks at Triple-A. Lind hit .392 with eight homers and 29 RBIs in 32 games with Triple-A Las Vegas, so perhaps he's figured something out that will allow him to have extended success at the plate.
Description: It's a small sampling size but Blue Jays outfielder Colby Rasmus has never gotten a hit against Angels righty Ervin Santana in eight career at bats.
Insight: Rasmus (.262, 14 HRs, 45 RBIs) has been on fire this month (.308, 8 HRs, 24 RBIs in 107 at bats) but facing Santana on Friday could be a challenge for the talented 25-year-old.
Description: Blue Jays outfielder Rajai Davis should not be in your fantasy starting lineup on Friday. He's 1-14 (.071) with six strikeouts in his career against Angels starter Ervin Santana.
Insight: Davis (.274, 4 HRs, 20 RBIs, 18 SBs) is always a threat to steal when he gets on base but he might have a hard time reaching against Santana Friday night at the Rogers Centre.
Description: Blue Jays DH Edwin Encarnacion has been a beast this season but don't expect the Toronto slugger to have much success against Los Angeles starter Ervin Santana on Friday. Encarnacion has just one hit in 11 lifetime at bats versus the Angels righthander.
Insight: Encarnacion (.285, 22 HRs, 54 RBIs) does have five homers over his last 10 games but he's never hit one against Santana and we're guessing that trend will continue on Friday.
Description: Toronto second baseman Kelly Johnson isn't a strong fantasy play for Friday night's game against the Angels. He's just 1-10 against Ervin Santana, who will be making the start Friday for Los Angeles.
Insight: The one hit was a solo home run but the odds will still be heavily in Santana's favor on Friday.
Description: Make sure Blue Jays shortstop Yunel Escobar is in your lineup on Friday. He's a .357 hitter in 14 lifetime at bats against Angels righthander Ervin Santana.
Insight: Left fielder Eric Thames (.364) is the only hitter on Toronto's roster with a better career batting average against Santana than Escobar's .357 mark. Escobar is hitting .248 with four homers and 23 RBIs this season.
Description: Blue Jays DH Edwin Encarnacion could be the biggest prize at this season's trade deadline according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
Insight: Encarnacion (.285, 22 HRs, 54 RBIs) has been raking this season but there's no doubt that his incredible statline has been aided tremendously by the prescence of Jose Bautista (.237, 26 HRs, 61 RBIs) in the Toronto lineup. It would be interesting to see if Encarnacion would have similar success playing in a lineup without a superstar like Bautista hitting in front of him.
Description: Another day and another homer for Blue Jays right fielder Jose Bautista. He left the yard again Thursday in a 9-7 loss to Los Angeles.
Insight: Bautista (.237, 26 HRs, 61 RBIs) has now homered seven times in his last 10 contests. He's on pace for 55 jacks in 2012, which would establish a new career high for the Toronto slugger.
Description: Blue Jays catcher J.P. Arencibia is not in the starting lineup for Thursday night's game versus the Angels.
Insight: Arencibia (.223) is tied with Baltimore's Matt Wieters for fourth among American League catchers in home runs this season (10). Chicago's A.J. Pierzynski is the only A.L. catcher with more RBIs than Arencibia's 37.
Description: Toronto second baseman Kelly Johnson is hitless in his last four games (0-for-12), but has a nice matchup against Dan Haren. He's a .455 hitter (5-for-11) with four extra base hits versus the Angels right-hander.
Insight: Johnson is struggling, but he does have fantasy value because he can be a 20-20 guy at the second base position.
Description: Blue Jays starter Ricky Romero continued a long string of poor outings Wednesday afternoon against the Red Sox. Romero served up nine runs (eight earned) on seven hits and six walks in three innings.
Insight: Romero (8-2, 4.94) has given up 35 earned runs in his last nine starts. His BB/9 is up from 3.20 last season to 4.34 this year, and his K/9 is below 7.0 for the first time in his major league career. He has a history of success in a tough division, but hasn't pitched well all season so if you can find a better option on the free agent list Romero is droppable.
Description: Toronto second baseman Kelly Johnson has a double whammy against him on Wednesday. He's never gotten a hit against Boston lefty Jon Lester (0-for-8) and he's currently mired in a 4-for-32 (.125) slump over his last nine games.
Insight: Johnson does have fantasy value because he can be a 20-20 guy at the weak second base position, but for now, he should be on your bench.
Description: Toronto first baseman Adam Lind, who was just recently called up from Triple-A Las Vegas, is just 3-for-24 (.125) against Boston starter Jon Lester.
Insight: Lind had a similar history against last night's pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka and found a way to scratch out two hits on the night, so perhaps the time at Triple-A Las Vegas did him good. However, the numbers make it tough to start him om Wednesday.
Description: Blue Jays DH Edwin Encarnacion is just a .118 hitter (2-for-17) against Boston lefty Jon Lester with five strikeouts.
Insight: Encarnacion has hit half as many homers as he did in April and May, but he's batted .319 in June with a solid .965 OPS. His 21 HR and 52 RBI make him one of the best DHs in the league and he's also eligible at first base. This is just a one-day bump in the road to be avoided.
Description: Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista is a career .190 batter (8-for-46) versus Boston starter Jon Lester. He has touched him for three homers.
Insight: Bautista is having a solid month of June with 12 HR, 25 RBI and a 1.118 OPS. His batting average still sits under the .250 mark, but that shouldn't bother fantasy owners as long as he keeps hitting them out of the park.
Description: Blue Jays starter Henderson Alvarez (elbow) will undergo an MRI Tuesday, according to Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca.
Insight: Alvarez left his start Monday against Boston with elbow pain after his 96th pitch of the night, though the pain dissipated 30 minutes later. Toronto has placed three pitchers -- Brandon Morrow, Kyle Drabek, Drew Hutchison -- on the disabled list in the last two weeks, though it doesn't look like Alvarez will need to join them after initial tests came back positive.
Description: Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista is just 2-for-16 (.125) in his career against Boston starter Daisuke Matsuzaka.
Insight: Bautista hit his league-leading 24th home run on Monday night and his 12th long ball of the month. His batting average continues to hover around the .240 mark, but fantasy owners can't complain about his power numbers. Tuesday is not a favorable matchup.
Description: Toronto first baseman Adam Lind, who was just recently called up from Triple-A Las Vegas, is just 3-for-26 (.115) against Boston starter Daisuke Matsuzaka.
Insight: Lind found his batting stroke in the minors batting .395 with 8 HR, 29 RBI over 31 games. Hopefully it will translate to the major league level, but Tuesday's matchup is to be avoided.
Description: Toronto second baseman Adam Lind has been called up from Triple-A Las Vegas.
Insight: Lind struggled mightily at the major league level earlier in the year (.186, 3 HRs, 11 RBIs) but he was unstoppable in 31 games at Triple-A (.395, 8 HRs, 29 RBIs). Lind is only one season removed from a 26 HR/87 RBI campaign so perhaps he can return to fantasy relevance as the season nears it's halfway point.
Description: Toronto outfielder Colby Rasmus went 2-for-5 with a grand slam Saturday against the Marlins.
Insight: Rasmus went 0-for-4 with an RBI groundout last night before starting out 0-for-3 today, but he salvaged his day with a single in the eighth and the big homer in the ninth. The outfielder is hitting .306 with seven blasts and 20 RBIs in 20 games this month. Based on his immense potential, Rasmus should be grabbed in all formats, but keep in mind he's never been able to sustain success for more than a few weeks at a time in his career.
Description: Blue Jays starter Brett Cecil allowed one run in six innings Saturday against the Marlins. He took a no decision against Josh Johnson.
Insight: Cecil picked up a win in his first start back in the big leagues. Toronto recently lost three starting pitchers to injuries of varying severity, so Cecil will likely get an extended chance in the Blue Jays' rotation.
Description: Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista tied Adam Dunn for the major league lead with his 23rd home run of the season Friday night at Miami. Bautista went 2-for-3 with three RBIs and three runs scored.
Insight: Bautista has an impressive 11 home runs in 19 June games after hitting nine in May. The slugger remains one of the better fantasy players even if his batting average remains low due to his run production and category carrying power.
Description: Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie (knee) started at third base Friday and went 3-for-5 with a triple, a walk a stolen base and four runs scored. He came in questionable with a sore knee but that didn't appear to be an issue Friday.
Insight: Lawrie has had a strong June after a lackluster first two months. The third baseman is hitting .316 with five doubles, three homers, 17 runs and three steals this month.
Description: Toronto starter Drew Hutchison (elbow) has opted for rehab over having surgery to repair his strained UCL, according to John Lott of the National Post. He's been shut down for 4-6 weeks.
Insight: Hutchison (5-3, 4.66 ERA) may eventually have to get Tommy John surgery if the elbow doesn't heal or gets worse with rehab. It will be surprising if he makes it back this season.
Description: Blue Jays starter Henderson Alvarez has had his start pushed back a day to Monday against Boston. He was slated to start Sunday against Miami.
Insight: Facing Miami would have been a lot better for the contact pitcher, but he'll have to go at Boston next Monday. The right-hander does have a 2-1 record and a 3.63 ERA in six road starts this season, but we wouldn't recommend starting him against the Red Sox. Alvarez has allowed four earned runs or more in five of his last six starts.
Description: Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie is questionable for Friday's game against Miami with a sore right knee.
Insight: Lawrie made a huge splash as a midseason call up last year. He's produced solid, though unspectacular numbers this season (.287, 37 runs scored, 7 HR, 29 RBI, 9 SB). Two underperforming areas, his OPS is 200 points below 2011 and he's been caught stealing eight times.
Description: Toronto outfielder Colby Rasmus may be one of the hottest hitters in the league at the moment, but he's just 1-for-6 versus Miami starter Anibal Sanchez in his career with five strikeouts.
Insight: Rasmus is batting .323 over the past four weeks with nine homers, 21 RBI and a 1.035 OPS. Friday, however, is not a good matchup.
Description: Blue Jays shortstop Yunel Escobar is not in the starting lineup for Wednesday's game against Milwaukee.
Insight: Escobar's statistics (.250, 4 HR, 21 RBI, .636 OPS) are down from a year ago, but there is still hope as his career OPS after the All-Star break is 71 points higher than before the Summer Classic (.795 vs. .724).
Description: Toronto catcher J.P. Arencibia is not in the starting lineup for Wednesday's game against Milwaukee. Just a day of rest after a night game.
Insight: Arencibia is never going to be a high average guy, but usually makes up for the weakness with long ball power. He's batting .225 this season with nine homers and 33 RBI.
Description: Toronto starter Drew Hutchison (elbow) is likely headed for surgery, according to Richard Griffin of the Toronto Star.
Insight: Hutchison (5-3, 4.66 ERA) has a sprained ulnar collateral ligament, which could get better with rehab, but it can also become worse and require surgery down the road. For that reason, Hutchison may opt for surgery now. Either way, he won't be pitching for awhile.
Description: Toronto second baseman Kelly Johnson is getting the night off Monday against the Brewers.
Insight: Johnson (.258, 9 HRs, 30 RBIs) is still getting hits but he seems to have forgotten how to hit home runs. After smacking five homers in May, Johnson has yet to leave the yard in June.
Description: Blue Jays DH Edwin Encarnacion has two strikes going against him in Monday's game at Milwaukee. There is no DH in a National League city and he's just 1-for-11 (.091) against Brewers lefty Randy Wolf with five strikeouts.
Insight: Although Encarnacion is having an excellent season (.277, 17 HR, 44 RBI) he's just 2-for-17 (.118) over the past five games. Sit him on Monday
Description: Toronto outfielder Colby Rasmus had three hits, including a homer, and three RBIs in four at-bats Sunday against Philadelphia.
Insight: Rasmus has been a major tease to fantasy owners, as just when he looks like he's getting hot he goes into an extended slump. He does have a .313 batting average and four homers in June, so give him a shot if you're lacking outfielders, though you should know the risks associated with owning him by now.
Description: Blue Jays shortstop Yunel Escobar shouldn't be anywhere near your starting lineup on Sunday. He's hitting .063 in 16 at bats against Phillies righthander Kyle Kendrick.
Insight: Escobar (.251, 4 HRs, 20 RBIs) had a good game Saturday (3-4 with a home run) but he won't be much help in fantasy Sunday going up against Kendrick.
Description: Blue Jays reliever Carlos Villanueva is likely to move into the starting rotation while Brandon Morrow, Kyle Drabek and Drew Hutchison are out with injuries.
Insight: Villanueva started 13 games for Toronto last season and seems like a decent enough replacement for the injured trio of Morrow, Drabek and Hutchison. He has pitched well in 21 appearances out of the bullpen this season (2-0, 3.48 ERA) and could be a nice low-risk, high-reward starting pitching option in deeper fantasy formats.
Description: Blue Jays starter Drew Hutchison left Friday's game against Philadelphia with an elbow injury.
Insight: Hutchison (5-3, 4.66) has had an up-and-down season. He left Friday's game after just nine pitches. The right-hander is the third Toronto hurler to leave a start early this week, as Brandon Morrow and Kyle Drabek exited with injuries.
Description: Blue Jays starter Kyle Drabek has been diagnosed with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament.
Insight: He's been put on the disabled list. It looks like it will be a while until he returns, but he wasn't pitching at a fantasy-worthy level anyway (4-7, 4.67 ERA, 1.60 WHIP).
Description: Blue Jays starter Brandon Morrow has officially been moved to the 15-day disabled list with a left oblique strain.
Insight: Morrow (7-4, 3.01 ERA) will be replaced in the starting rotation by Jesse Chavez, who has never made a major league start before (he has appeared out of the bullpen 144 times).
Description: Blue Jays starter Kyle Drabek left the game in the fifth inning after he said he felt a "popping sensation" in the right elbow.
Insight: Drabek had a 4.43 ERA and 1.57 WHIP overall, including 45 walks in 67 innings, entering today's game and has yet to show Toronto fans and fantasy owners the talent that made him the centerpiece of the Roy Halladay trade. Until he turns it around he'll have little to no fantasy value.
Description: Blue Jays starter Kyle Drabek left the game in the fifth inning with an undisclosed injury.
Insight: Drabek had a 4.43 ERA and 1.57 WHIP overall, including 45 walks in 67 innings, entering today's game and has yet to show Toronto fans and fantasy owners the talent that made him the centerpiece of the Roy Halladay trade. Until he turns it around he'll have little to no fantasy value.
Description: Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista went 2-for-2 with his 18th homer of the season Tuesday against Washington.
Insight: The homer was Bautista's sixth in his past 10 games, but the multi-hit game was his first since May 26. Bautista raised his average to .235 with the performance.
Description: Blue Jays starter Kyle Drabek, owned in 11 percent of Yahoo! leagues, is a solid streaming option Wednesday against Washington. Drabek has dominated opponents at home.
Insight: Drabek has a 4.43 ERA and 1.57 WHIP overall, including 45 walks in 67 innings, but he's 3-2 with a 1.95 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and just 14 walks in 32 1/3 innings over five home starts this season. He's risky due to his command issues, but tomorrow would be one of the better days to stream him.
Description: Toronto righthander Brandon Morrow is expected to go on the disabled list with a strained oblique, Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos said.
Insight: Morrow left his start without recording an out Monday against Washington after suffering the injury. Morrow is in the midst of a career year, going 7-4 with a 3.01 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in 13 starts, but he may take awhile to recover from this injury.
Description: The Toronto Blue Jays have decided against calling up Vladimir Guerrero and have granted him his release.
Insight: Guerrero batted .303 with with Triple-A Las Vegas, but on Monday requested to be called up to the majors or released. No word on whether Guerrero will continue to look for work, but as a fantasy option it looks like it's over for 2012.
Description: Toronto righthander Brandon Morrow is expected to miss his next scheduled start with a strained left oblique.
Insight: At 7-4 with a 3.01 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP Morrow was playing at an All-Star level. This injury, however, frequently takes a long time to heal correctly and we expect he'll be placed on the disabled list.
Description: Toronto righthander Brandon Morrow was only able to make it through nine pitches Monday night against the Nationals before exiting the game with an oblique injury.
Insight: Morrow faced only two batters before his departure. At 7-3 with a 3.01 ERA in 13 starts, this has clearly been Morrow's best season with the Blue Jays but who knows what will happen if this injury ends up being serious.
Description: Blue Jays DH Edwin Encarnacion could play left field when the team goes to a National League park during interleague play.
Insight: Encarnacion is currently eligible at 1B and DH in most leagues and has started one game at third and once in the outfield. Obviously, if he becomes eligible at 3B or OF he'll be that much more valuable. He's batting .290 this season with 17 HR and 44 RBI.
Description: Toronto outfielder Colby Rasmus is a career .600 hitter (6-for-10) versus Washington starter Edwin Jackson with four extra base hits.
Insight: In three and a half big league seasons the 25-year-old Rasmus has consistently disappointed fantasy owners and fans. He came into the league with much fanfare, but is a career .250 hitter with a .754 OPS. He's hit better than that over the past month and is a solid matchup on Monday.
Description: Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie went 2-for-5 with a homer and three RBIs Sunday against Atlanta.
Insight: Lawrie went 0-for-11 over his last three games after collecting a hit in four straight. That kind of inconsistency is what has prevented him from taking off this season.
Description: Blue Jays DH Edwin Encarnacion (hand) will likely return to the lineup Friday against Atlanta, Toronto's official website reports.
Insight: Encarnacion swung a bat Thursday for the first time since he was hit on the right hand by a pitch from Boston's Daniel Bard Sunday. The slugger will take over first base duties at Turner Field, a National League park.
Description: According to the Blue Jays' official website, Toronto closer Sergio Santos is easing his way back from shoulder inflammation. Santos threw off a mound Wednesday for the third time since suffering the injury in late April.
Insight: Toronto will determine whether Santos pitches to live batters or throws another bullpen session next time, Blue Jays manager John Farrell said. The right-hander has thrown 25-30 pitches with increasing intensity each time out, though he's yet to resume throwing his slider.
Description: Blue Jays starter Henderson Alvarez will start at U.S. Cellular Field against the White Sox Thursday. Alvarez is owned in just 13 percent of Yahoo! leagues.
Insight: Alvarez' ERA has risen by more than a run over his last three starts as he's given up 14 earned runs in 17 innings. However, the right-hander is 2-1 with a 2.20 ERA in four road starts this season after going 1-2 with a 2.42 ERA in four road starts last season, so he's someone to target as a streaming option tomorrow.
Description: Blue Jays DH Edwin Encarnacion (.279, 17 HR, 43 RBI, 6 SB) is doubtful for Wednesday's game against Chicago with a bruised right hand after being hit with a pitch by Daniel Bard.
Insight: Encarnacion's x-rays came back negative, but he's still uncomfortable holding a bat. He has been one of this season's best fantasy bargains.
Description: Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie will bat leadoff Tuesday for the first time in his major league career.
Insight: The Blue Jays are tinkering with their lineup with primary DH Edwin Encarnacion out with a bruised right hand. Kelly Johnson will move to cleanup, Colby Rasmus will hit second and Yunel Escobar will drop down to fifth. Lawrie has maintained reasonable value this year due to his eight stolen bases, but his four homers and .700 OPS are a major disappointment.
Description: Blue Jays DH Edwin Encarnacion (.279, 17 HRs, 43 RBIs) is questionable for Tuesday's game against Chicago with a bruised right hand. He exited Sunday's game against the Red Sox after getting hit with a pitch in the second inning.
Insight: Encarnacion's x-rays came back negative and a huge sigh of relief could be heard from fantasy owners everywhere. Encarnacion has been one of this season's best bargains.
Description: Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista went 1-for-3 with a homer, four RBIs and a walk against the Red Sox on Sunday.
Insight: Bautista greeted Boston starter Daniel Bard with a three-run blast in the first inning. The round-tripper was Bautista's 14th of the season. The .302 batting average last season may have been an aberration, but the power is clearly real. As long as Bautista hits plenty of homers, fantasy owners won't mind the low batting average.
Description: Brandon Morrow felt fine during his bullpen session on Sunday and will be on the mound for his scheduled start Wednesday against the White Sox. Morrow was struck in the shin by a line drive in his last start Wednesday against the Orioles.
Insight: Morrow (6-3, 3.28 ERA, .206 BAA) is off to a great start for the Blue Jays and now that he's been cleared to play again, he's a must-start in all formats.
Description: Vladimir Guerrero has been promoted to Triple-A Las Vegas after a very successful stint in Single-A and appears close to returning to the major leagues.
Insight: Guerrero batted .450 with 4 HRs and 8 RBIs in four games for Advanced-A Dunedin and so far he's 1-5 with a double since getting called up to Triple-A. It seems like only a matter of time before the future Hall of Famer is back in the bigs again.
Description: Blue Jays DH Edwin Encarnacion exited Sunday's game against the Red Sox after getting hit in the right hand by a pitch in the second inning.
Insight: Encarnacion (.279, 17 HRs, 43 RBIs) has been one of fantasy's biggest bargains this year and it would be a shame if he had to go on the DL. We'll know more on Encarnacion's status after his X-rays come back.
Description: Blue Jays starter Kyle Drabek has had his season come undone in his past two outings. After allowing nine runs on eight hits in three innings against Texas on May 27, Drabek gave up five runs (four earned) on six hits and four walks in 6 2/3 innings against Boston on Saturday.
Insight: Drabek's ERA has skyrocketed from 3.27 to 4.65 in that span. The young right-hander is still struggling with his command, as evidenced by his 41 walks -- second most in baseball -- in 62 innings.
Description: Brandon Morrow (shin) is expected to make his next start Wednesday against the White Sox, according to Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com.
Insight: Morrow was hit by a comebacker in the seventh inning on Wednesday, which caused him to exit the game. The right-hander is having a career year, holding a 6-3 record with a 3.28 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 68 2/3 innings.
Description: Toronto second baseman Kelly Johnson will return to the Blue Jays' lineup on Friday against Boston after missing Wednesday's game to rest his hamstring.
Insight: Johnson has been an underrated fantasy force this season, hitting nine blasts and stealing five bases to rank 76th overall in Yahoo! leagues through Thursday.
Description: Toronto catcher J.P. Arencibia has yet to produce a hit in eight at-bats against Boston starter Clay Buchholz.
Insight: Friday would be a good day to rest him. Arencibia is never going to be a high average guy, but makes up for the weakness with long ball power. He's batting .240 this season with nine homers and 29 RBI.
Description: Anthony Gose has been a menace on the base paths this season in the Pacific Coast League. The Las Vegas 51 outfielder leads all Triple-A base stealers with 24 stolen bases in 29 attempts.
Insight: Gose is also hitting .294 with 3 HRs and 26 RBIs in 52 games for the 51s and is hoping to get his first taste of major league experience with the Blue Jays later this season. Gose, a former second-round pick of the Phillies in 2008, accumulated a league-leading 70 stolen bases in 137 games with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats last year in Double-A.
Description: Edwin Encarnacion went deep for his 17th homer of the season on Wednesday night.
Insight: He also added a single in the 2-4 outing. We didn't know Encarnacion had it in him but he is putting up some pretty prolific power numbers this season. Josh Hamilton is the only hitter in the American League with more homers and RBIs than Encarnacion through the season's first two months.
Description: Brandon Morrow exited the game in the seventh inning of Wednesday night's game against the Orioles after getting hit in the right leg by a line drive. X-rays came back negative so it appears to be just a bruised shin.
Insight: Morrow had been having a solid night before the injury, logging 6.1 innings of four-hit, one-run baseball. He also had eight strikeouts at the time of his departure. We're not sure yet if Morrow will be able to make his next scheduled start next Wednesday against the White Sox.
Description: Kelly Johnson is not listed in the starting lineup for Wednesday's tilt with the Orioles.
Insight: Johnson has been battling a sore hamstring lately and also missed Sunday's game. Despite all the bumps and bruises, Johnson has put up some respectable power numbers this season, especially for a second baseman (.256, 9 HRs, 26 RBIs).
Description: Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie went 3-for-4 with a double and three RBIs against the Orioles on Tuesday.
Insight: As much as Lawrie has underwhelmed this season, he still has a .283 batting average and seven stolen bases, so there is still hope that the 22-year-old can come close to the lofty expectations fantasy owners had for him in the preseason.
Description: Toronto outfielder Colby Rasmus is hitting .353 (12-for-34) with four doubles, one triple, two homers and six RBIs since May 20.
Insight: The 25-year-old Rasmus has tantilized fantasy owners in the past before underwhelming, so let him prove this isn't a fluke before making an investment.
Description: Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista is 0-for-8 against Baltimore starter Jake Arrieta.
Insight: Bautista has pounded out 12 homers this season despite his .224 batting average, but a weak .774 OPS is almost 300 points lower than last year. He's hitless in his last 10 at-bats and a bad matchup should have you expecting very little today from the Blue Jays slugger.
Description: While you may be tempted to start Toronto catcher J.P. Arencibia after his two-home run performance on Sunday, he's just 1-for-12 lifetime against Baltimore starter Tommy Hunter.
Insight: His batting average isn't anything special (.245) but you've got to respect Arencibia's power numbers. Amongst major league catchers, only Milwaukee's Jonathan Lucroy (30) and the White Sox's A.J. Pierzynski (32) have driven in more runs than Arencibia has in 2012 (29).
Description: Blue Jays shortstop Yunel Escobar is questionable with tightness in his left groin, but should he be in the starting lineup he has a favorable matchup with Baltimore starter Tommy Hunter.
Insight: Escobar is a lifetime .412 batter versus Hunter with a 1.353 OPS. he's scoring runs, but is lacking in most other fantasy categories. Monday night, however, is an excellent matchup.
Description: J.P. Arencibia left the yard twice Sunday in Toronto's 12-6 loss to the Rangers.
Insight: The two homers were Arencibia's eighth and ninth jacks of the year. His batting average isn't anything special (.245) but you've got to respect Arencibia's power numbers. Amongst major league catchers, only Milwaukee's Jonathan Lucroy (30) and the White Sox's A.J. Pierzynski (32) have driven in more runs than Arencibia has in 2012 (29).
Description: Yunel Escobar left Sunday's game against the Rangers after feeling some tightness in his left groin.
Insight: Escobar hasn't had the kind of season fantasy owners were hoping for when they drafted him back in March (.259, 2 HRs, 15 RBIs). Consider the Toronto shortstop day-to-day.
Description: Blue Jays second baseman Kelly Johnson is not in the starting lineup for Sunday's game against Texas.
Insight: Johnson has been in and out of the lineup over the past few days dealing with a hamstring injury. He's only batting .251, but with eight homers, 23 RBI and 29 runs scored, he's a valuable fantasy asset.
Description: Henderson Alvarez was ejected from Saturday's game against the Rangers after throwing behind Texas second baseman Ian Kinsler.
Insight: Alvarez had allowed three consecutive homers to Nelson Cruz, Yorvit Torrealba and Mitch Moreland prior to the ejection. Overall, the Rangers scored five runs (four earned) and collected nine hits off of Alvarez in 5.2 innings. It was the 22-year-old's second shaky outing in a row.
Description: Brandon Morrow hit the showers early on Friday night, as the Texas Rangers sent him packing in the first inning. Morrow lasted 2/3 of an inning while giving up six runs on five hits and three walks.
Insight: Morrow stuck around exactly 8 1/3 innings less than his last start, when he threw a three-hit shutout against the Mets. The Blue Jays righty has given up six earned runs in two of his last three starts. Like Max Scherzer of the Detroit Tigers, when Morrow doesn't have his best stuff he seems to get walloped, but when he's on he is basically unhittable.
Description: According to Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com, Kelly Johnson's MRI on his strained left hamstring came back normal.
Insight: Johnson will be in the Blue Jays' lineup on Friday, but he'll have his workload monitored going forward. The Blue Jays second baseman is currently the No. 61 overall player in Yahoo! leagues due to his eight homers and five steals.
Description: Blue Jays second baseman Kelly Johnson is questionable for Friday's game against Texas with a strained left hamstring.
Insight: Johnson had a down year in 2011, splitting time between Arizona and Toronto, but has shown power again in 2012 with eight homers and 23 RBI. He's got low-end starter value, particularly if he continues to steal bases (5).
Description: Edwin Encarnacion has been battling through a back injury recently.
Insight: Perhaps that's why Encarnacion is hitting just .189 in May compared to the .322 clip he was hitting at during the month of April. Unless his condition gets dramatically worse, you can expect to see Encarnacion in the lineup every day.
Description: Toronto shortstop Yunel Escobar is just 1-for-10 lifetime against Rays starter Jeremy Hellickson.
Insight: Escobar had posted three consecutive multi-hit games until Sunday's 0-for-3, but Monday's matchup doesn't look like it will help him restart the string. Give him the day off.
Description: Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista has a .500 batting average against Tampa Bay starter Jeremy Hellickson including three extra base hits in just eight at-bats.
Insight: Bautista may still only be batting .217 for the season, but he's starting to heat up. Over the past two weeks he's batting .256 (.965 OPS) with five homers and eight RBI. The combination of a hot bat and a favorable matchup makes Bautista a must-start on Monday.
Description: Jose Bautista cracked his 11th homer of the season en route to a 3-5 performance Sunday in Toronto's 6-5 loss to the Mets.
Insight: Bautista has swatted six homers in last 10 games and his batting average has jumped up 31 points in that span. Don't let that weak opening month fool you (.181, 3 HRs, 10 RBIs). Joey Bats is still one of the most dominant home run hitters in the game. Pitchers beware.
Description: Henderson Alvarez gave up six runs on nine hits in five innings against the Mets on Sunday.
Insight: Alvarez came into the game with a 2.62 ERA, but with 15 strikeouts in 55 innings and the fourth lowest swing-and-miss percentage in baseball at eight percent. There's just no way he can sustain an ERA in the twos with batters making that much contact against him.
