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News: Mets starting pitcher Johan Santana looked like an ace again on Saturday afternoon against the Padres. Santana pitched a complete-game shutout to beat the Padres and improve to 2-2 on the year. Santana struck out seven batters as he went the distance and allowed only four base hits. Santana needed only 96 pitches and 74 went for strikes. He lowered his ERA to 2.75 on the year. Mets manager Terry Collins did say before the game, that the team is considering ways to get Santana some days off in the future to preserve him, reports MLB.com.
Analysis: Santana has pitched shutouts twice before this season but Saturday was his first complete-game shutout since Aug. 12, 2010 against Colorado. Santana has been mostly solid of late and looked like the ace of old on Saturday afternoon. He's got an excellent ERA and WHIP and is now at 60 strikeouts over 59 innings pitched. Santana can officially be active in just about all mixed Fantasy formats again. His next scheduled start comes Friday on the first of June against the Cardinals.
News: Minnesota will once again turn to Francisco Liriano for a struggling rotation, reports ESPN.com on Saturday. Liriano is set to start on Wednesday against Oakland in Week 9 (May 28-June 3). Liriano was removed from the rotation in early May after he posted a 9.45 ERA over a stretch of six starts with 19 walks and 37 hits allowed over just 26 2/3 innings. Liriano is taking over the rotation spot of Anthony Swarzak.
Analysis: Liriano was terrible the first time in the rotation, but the Twins know he has the experience to regroup. "We liked the way he was handling himself out there, and he needs to get back out there," manager Ron Gardenhire said. "We need him in our rotation. We can't just keep bouncing around from guy to guy to guy to guy. We just need Frankie. We said we were going to give him a few shots out of the bullpen, let him calm down a little bit. Now we'll put him back out there and see if we got that pitcher going." Liriano is just an AL-only Fantasy option until he proves himself as more.
News: Cleveland backstop Carlos Santana, who was removed from Friday's game against the White Sox in the eighth inning after getting hit in the mask by a foul ball, has officially landed on the disabled list, reports MLB.com Saturday. Indians manager Manny Acta said Saturday that Santana has a "slight" concussion and has been placed on the 7-day DL. "They're going to have to put him through those Major League tests," Acta added. "He's going to have to pass them before he comes back."
Analysis: Santana has struggled at the plate recently as he's gone just 4 for 25 (.160) over his last seven games with one RBI. Now, he'll have this time on the DL to get healthy and possibly inject some life into his swing. When healthy, he has more than enough power to be considered an everyday option in most mixed Fantasy formats. The Indians will use Lou Marson and Luke Carlin behind the plate until Santana can return.
News: White Sox outfielder Dayan Viciedo finished 3 for 5 with a home run and a career-high five RBI during Chicago's 14-7 rout over Cleveland on Saturday. Viciedo's two-run blast off Indians starter Derek Lowe in the third inning gave him a homer in three consecutive games and helped boost his batting average to .264 on the season. He also added two singles to finish with multiple hits for the third straight outing.
Analysis: Viciedo has been one of the most added players in CBSSports.com standard Fantasy formats, and for good reason. The 23-year-old has overcome a slow start to pull into eighth place in the American League with 10 total homers this season, seven of which have come since May 14. He has also driven in a staggering 18 runs during that stretch. Fantasy owners should look to him as an emerging power hitter in most formats.
News: Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez said Saturday that outfielder Martin Prado could move from left field to third base while Chipper Jones (bruised left calf) is on the disabled list, MLB.com reports. Gonzalez stressed that Prado would play only one position and not alternate in the field. "I'm not going to go back and forth, he said. "I'm not going to do that to him. Martin is a guy that likes routines. He's a routine-oriented guy. And I'm not saying that's the whole thing there, but I'm thinking that's [part of it]."
Analysis: Gonzalez probably doesn't want to mess with a good thing as Prado has returned to being one of the team's top hitters after an injury-riddled 2011 campaign. He is hitting .333 -- eighth best in the National League -- this season while serving primarily as the Braves' left fielder. He extended his hitting streak to five games with a single during Saturday's loss to Washington. Fantasy owners should monitor his status, but a position switch is unlikely to affect Prado's sterling production at the plate early this season.
News: White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko went 4 for 4 with three doubles and a walk during Chicago's 14-7 win over Cleveland on Saturday. Konerko, who also scored three runs, lifted his batting average to .396 on the season and extended his hitting streak to 12 games. He has recorded multiple hits in seven of those outings while also producing four of his 10 home runs this season. Konerko now has 29 RBI in 44 games.
Analysis: Konerko just wants to trust his instincts every time he steps to the plate. The way he's stinging the ball, why wouldn't he? "I feel like I'm going to go to work when I go up there," he said. "That's all I feel. I feel like I'm going to work when I'm up there. I try to trust what I'm doing, but that could change." With Konerko returning to his superstar form after some injury concern, Fantasy owners should continue to roll with him in all formats.
News: Houston starting pitcher Bud Norris (5-1) surrendered three runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings during the Astros' matchup at the Dodgers on Saturday night. Norris' four-game winning streak was halted as he earned a no-decision for the fourth time in 10 starts. He struck out four batters and walked four while throwing 116 pitches (74 strikes), one off his season high he posted two starts ago against Milwaukee on May 16.
Analysis: Norris was in line for only his second loss of the season before the Astros scored the tying run in the eighth inning and keeping the right-hander off the hook. He faltered a bit with his command as he matched his previous season high with four walks against Los Angeles' patient lineup. Norris continues to serve as one of the top strikeout artists in the National League and is averaging a strikeout per inning this year. His next start is projected for Thursday at Colorado, a tough site for the hard-throwing Norris. Fantasy owners should consider him a viable option in most formats as he is sporting a 2.57 ERA against the Rockies this year.
News: Dodgers starter Chad Billingsley did not factor into the decision during Saturday night's contest against the Astros. Billingsley, who was making his 10th start of the year, allowed two runs on five hits over five innings in the contest. The right-hander surrendered a run in each of the first two innings, but was able to keep Houston off the scoreboard over his final three frames of work. Billingsley was pulled after throwing 99 pitches and finished with eight strikeouts and three walks, while earning the no-decision.
Analysis: Billingsley is now winless over his last eight starts as he has really struggled to find his grove on the mound. The right-hander has failed to pitch past the sixth inning in two of his 10 starts thus far, but at least he was able to rack up the strikeouts against Houston. Still, Fantasy owners are looking for a win at this point and Billingsley will look to try and get back on the winning side of things when he makes his next start, which is scheduled for Friday against the Brewers. The 27-year-old earned a no-decision in his lone start against Milwaukee this season, allowing two runs over six innings back on April 17. Fantasy owners should consider Billingsley more of a low-end option at this point.
News: Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira went 4 for 5 and clubbed two homers during New York's 9-2 victory at Oakland on Saturday. Teixeira hit a two-run homer and a solo shot among his career high-tying four hits to give him three home runs in the past two games. He improved his batting average to .248 and has now gone deep eight times this season. "I'm glad I'm seeing some results. Just being real aggressive with my swings and trying to let it go, which I've done my whole career," said Teixeira, whose five RBI represented a career high. "I am who I am."
Analysis: Teixeira is no longer dealing with the bothersome coughing and bronchial illness he experienced early in the season -- and his increased strength of late sure shows in his power swing. Yankees manager Joe Girardi said before the game he believes Teixeira is getting back to his former slugging self. "I just go up and try to see the ball and hit it really hard," Teixeira said. "You're clearing your head, swinging hard and hoping for the best. That's what I've always done." Fantasy owners should be encouraged by the power display and keep Teixeira active in all formats.
News: Milwaukee starting pitcher Zack Greinke (5-2) was roughed up for seven runs and 10 hits in only 2 1/3 innings during the Brewers' 8-5 loss at Arizona on Saturday night. Greinke, whose outing was his shortest of the season by more than an inning, faced a staggering 19 batters en route to his first loss since April 12. He registered three strikeouts -- his second-lowest total in 10 starts this year -- and also walked three batters.
Analysis: Greinke entered Saturday's outing having yielded just one run total in his previous three starts, but was done quickly as the Diamondbacks tagged him for multiple runs in two of the three innings he pitched. The right-hander has had some difficulty escaping long innings as his hits allowed total represented a season high. Despite the rugged performance, Fantasy owners should continue to view Greinke as one of the top pitchers in the NL. His next start is slated for Thursday at the Dodgers; he allowed two runs in seven innings during his previous start against them this year.
