Pretty big blow to Clayton Kershaw owners earlier this afternoon. The reigning NL Cy Young winner and presumed best pitcher on the planet isn't just going to miss one start during what was assumed to be a precautionary DL stint. He'll be limited to light throwing for the next 2-3 weeks, making him a good bet to miss all of April.
That's a significant amount of time -- the same amount that caused Cole Hamels and Hisashi Iwakuma to fall so far in drafts, in fact. And Kershaw's timetable isn't even as clear as theirs.
Of course, Hamels and Iwakuma, as good as they are, aren't presumed to be the best pitcher on the planet, so you'll find a higher percentage of Fantasy owners who would consider Kershaw worth the wait.
Still, having some idea how long we'll be without him, I decided to move him down in my rest-of-season rankings, dropping him to seventh among starting pitchers in Head-to-Head leagues and eighth in Rotisserie. That extra month Justin Verlander figures to contribute makes him the more valuable of the two in my eyes.
Of course, when that month is behind us and Kershaw is poised to return, he'll go back to being the top starting pitcher in Fantasy, so if you're going to shop him, now's the time. You wouldn't want to sell low on him, of course, but keep an open mind to other aces.