Week 11 Fantasy Hitting Planner

The Fantasy Baseball Hitting Planner is the essential guide to setting your lineup for the upcoming week. Every week, we provide you with news and notes for each team, tracking hot and cold players, injuries and lineup changes.

All statistics are up to date as of Friday, June 11.

Interleague play continues this week, so any AL team that travels to the NL will lose a hitter, and any NL team that travels to the AL will gain one. The section labeled "Interleague Effect" offers a best guess as to which players will lose or gain at-bats as a result of playing in the opposite league.

Arizona Diamondbacks
Schedule: @BOS3, @DET3
Heating Up: Kelly Johnson, who was cold for much of May, seems to be heating up again in June, batting .407 (11 for 27) with four doubles and one homer over his last seven games. If you benched him for any reason, get him active again.
Cooling Off: Stephen Drew is hard to bench because he plays such a weak position, but he's batting just .149 (7 for 47) over his last 13 games. Mark Reynolds has been even worse, batting .091 (3 for 33) over his last 11. Adam LaRoche has been just as bad, batting .114 (5 for 44) over his last 13, but unlike Drew and Reynolds, he's just a fringe starter even when at his best.
Injury Concerns: Miguel Montero, who is working his way back from arthroscopic knee surgery, has already begun a rehab assignment and can return to the big leagues as soon as he proves capable of catching a full nine innings. The Diamondbacks embark on a road trip Tuesday, which would seemingly be the ideal time to activate him. He'll be a risky start this week, but if all the latest updates point to a Tuesday return, he'll be worth it because of his potential at the weak catcher position.
Platoon Possibilities: The Diamondbacks face one left-hander this week, but they don't have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: None.
Interleague Effect: The Diamondbacks will have the DH spot available for all six of their games this week, which makes the timing to activate Montero even more perfect. On the days Montero isn't DHing, Gerardo Parra is the most likely candidate to enter the starting lineup.

Atlanta Braves
Schedule: TB3, KC3
Heating Up: Brian McCann, who has struggled to keep his batting average over .250, seems to be coming around, batting .400 (8 for 20) with a home run over his last six games. Considering he's normally a .290-.300 hitter, he only figures to get better from here. Start him in all leagues.
Cooling Off: Chipper Jones is looking more and more likely to retire at the end of the season. He's batting .105 (2 for 19) over his last five games and is hardly worth using in Fantasy.
Injury Concerns: Nate McLouth hurt his head in a collision with Jason Heyward on Wednesday, and though the team still hasn't determined whether or not he suffered a concussion, he has a good chance of winding up on the DL. Considering his struggles this season, you shouldn't be starting him anyway.
Platoon Possibilities: The Braves face one left-handed pitcher this week. If McLouth goes on the DL, Melky Cabrera would become the everyday center fielder, making Omar Infante the most likely platoon partner for Eric Hinske.
Lineup Changes: Other than the changes to the outfield, none.

Baltimore Orioles
Schedule: @SF3, @SD3
Heating Up: Nobody is exceeding expectations right now.
Cooling Off: Ty Wigginton is batting .214 (15 for 70) over his last 20 games and is a recommended sit in mixed leagues. Matt Wieters is batting .147 (5 for 34) over his last nine games, lowering his season batting average to .241, but he's most likely the best catcher on your roster still. Corey Patterson is batting .143 (5 for 35) over his last nine games, but that's not far off the standard for him over the course of his career.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Orioles face three lefties this week, but their lineup changes so often that they don't have any clear lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: Nothing permanent. Scott Moore has begun to get more playing time at second base, but he isn't getting enough at-bats even for AL-only use.
Interleague Effect: The Orioles play all six of their games in NL parks, which means somebody has to go to the bench. If they want to keep their best hitters in the lineup, they'll move Wigginton to second base and stick Luke Scott at first.

Boston Red Sox
Schedule: ARI3, LAD3
Heating Up: Victor Martinez is just as hot to begin June as he was to end May, batting .486 (17 for 35) with a homer over his last nine games. He's an obvious must-start.
Cooling Off: David Ortiz has gone ice cold after his torrid May, batting .037 (1 for 27) over his last eight games, and is looking like one of those players who'll be in and out of your lineup all year. You pretty much have to keep Dustin Pedroia in your lineup even though he's batting .182 (10 for 55) over his last 13 games and .181 (15 for 83) over his last 20. Manager Terry Francona has suggested a sore knee has everything to do with the slump, so you'll want to keep an eye on that situation.
Injury Concerns: Kevin Youkilis left Thursday's game with back spasms, which is an unspecific symptom that sometimes comes with an actual injury. Sources say the symptoms are minor, though, so he'll probably be fine. As long as he returns over the weekend, you obviously want him active. Jeremy Hermida, who has been getting some starts in left field with Jacoby Ellsbury (ribs) on the DL, has missed some time recently with a rib injury of his own. He isn't hitting well enough to matter in Fantasy, though.
Platoon Possibilities: The Red Sox face two left-handers this week, which means Bill Hall will play at least twice, with either Hermida or Darnell McDonald starting the other games. Ortiz has been starting against both righties and lefties recently.
Lineup Changes: None.

Chicago Cubs
Schedule: OAK3, LAA3
Heating Up: As soon as Marlon Byrd's batting average dipped below .300, he took off again, batting .533 (16 for 30) with two homers over his last seven games. Clearly, he's streaky, so if you plan to use him at all this year, now's the time. Ryan Theriot seems to have gotten the message. After sitting on the bench for nearly a week, he has returned to go 8 for 20 (.400) with four steals over his last five games. If you need a stopgap shortstop, give him a look. Geovany Soto has three homers in his last six games, reminding everyone why he's a must-start catcher.
Cooling Off: Starlin Castro has fallen into his first rookie slump, batting .179 (5 for 28) over his last eight games. He plays a weak position, but he hasn't established himself enough for you to keep starting him when he's struggling.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Cubs face four lefties this week, which means Kosuke Fukudome figures to sit four times for Xavier Nady. Now isn't the time to use him in mixed leagues.
Lineup Changes: Aramis Ramirez recently went on the DL with a sore left thumb. Mike Fontenot will likely get most of the playing time at third base in his absence, with Jeff Baker stepping in from time to time. Fontenot has bounced back fairly well from a disappointing 2009 and deserves a look in NL-only leagues.

Chicago White Sox
Schedule: @PIT3, @WAS3
Heating Up: For the first time all year, Alexei Ramirez is doing something at the plate. The shortstop has hit safely in 11 of his last 12 games, batting .333 with three home runs during that stretch. You shouldn't mistake him for a must-start Fantasy option, but he's well worth using right now. So is Juan Pierre, who has gotten back on track over his last eight games, batting .333 (10 for 30) with four stolen bases. Paul Konerko is doing his best to reclaim the league lead in homers, batting .455 (15 for 33) with three long balls over his last 10 games. Hopefully you didn't make the mistake of benching him during his brief cold spell.
Cooling Off: Carlos Quentin has had some big moments lately, but he's still lacking consistency, batting .130 (7 for 54) over his last 15 games. Then again, how can you sit him with the good matchups he has this week?
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The White Sox face three left-handed pitchers this week. Andruw Jones, who has been sitting for Mark Kotsay against right-handers recently, would normally start those games, but with the team losing the DH during interleague play this week, he might not.
Lineup Changes: Omar Vizquel has taken over for the injured Mark Teahen (finger) at third base and has hit surprisingly well, but he has no power or speed at age 43 and is just a last resort in AL-only leagues.
Interleague Effect: The White Sox will spend the entire week in NL parks, forcing them to lose a batter for each of their six games. The Kotsay-Jones platoon is likely the odd man out, with Juan Pierre, Alex Rios and Quentin playing every day in the outfield.

Cincinnati Reds
Schedule: LAD3, @SEA3
Heating Up: Brandon Phillips is batting .441 (26 for 59) over his last 13 games, raising his batting average from .257 to .301. His combination of power and speed makes him a must-start regardless. Scott Rolen apparently thinks he hasn't made his point yet. He's batting .392 (20 for 51) with four homers over his last 14 games. If he's still unowned in your league, wake up already.
Cooling Off: Ramon Hernandez, who had gotten his batting average up over .300 with some hot hitting at the end of May, has come back down to earth recently, batting .200 (6 for 30) over his last 10 games. He doesn't hit for much power these days, making him more of an NL-only option.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Reds face two left-handed pitchers this week, but they don't have any strict lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: None.
Interleague Effect: The Reds will likely use their three games with the DH spot to give some of their aging infielders -- Rolen and Phillips -- time off from the field. Miguel Cairo could see an increase in at-bats, but not enough to make a huge impact in Fantasy.

Cleveland Indians
Schedule: NYM3, @PIT3
Heating Up: Shin-Soo Choo has had a season of ups and downs, but he's doing fine now, batting .406 (13 for 32) over his last eight games. His five-category potential makes him a must-start. Austin Kearns went quiet after taking over the starting job in late April, but he seems to be coming around again, batting .423 (11 for 26) with two homers over his last seven games.
Cooling Off: Travis Hafner is batting .071 (4 for 42) over his last 13 games and is only going to suffer more from interleague play. You don't want him.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Indians face two left-handers this week, but with Mark Grudzielanek off the roster and Matt LaPorta back in the minors, they don't have any clear lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: None.
Interleague Effect: Hafner is pretty much useless in the field, so he's all but certain to go to the bench for the team's three-game series at Pittsburgh.

Colorado Rockies
Schedule: @MIN3, MIL3
Heating Up: Brad Hawpe had four straight multi-hit games before going hitless Thursday. He's batting .474 (9 for 19) over his last five.
Cooling Off: Ian Stewart continues to do more harm than good since homering the first two games of the season, batting .158 (3 for 19) over his last eight games. Todd Helton is getting worse before he gets better, batting .119 (5 for 42) over his last 13 games. At this point, you should know better than to start him.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Rockies face three left-handed pitchers this week, which is reason enough for you to sit Seth Smith. He often sits for Ryan Spilborghs against lefties.
Lineup Changes: The Rockies have been bouncing Helton around the lineup, trying to figure out where he'll do the least damage, but they haven't settled on anything yet. The bench might be the best spot for him.
Interleague Effect: Jason Giambi is the most likely candidate to start for the Rockies during their three-game series at Minnesota, though the team could instead use it as an opportunity to get both Miguel Olivo and Chris Iannetta in the lineup. Iannetta might be worth a gamble in NL-only leagues this week.

Detroit Tigers
Schedule: WAS3, ARI3
Heating Up: Brennan Boesch learned to stop swinging at first-pitch balls and has caught fire again as a result, batting .414 (12 for 29) with three home runs over his last eight games. He continues to disprove the skeptics and remains an excellent sleeper in mixed leagues. Carlos Guillen is getting more comfortable at the plate as he gets more comfortable at second base, batting .375 (9 for 24) with a homer over his last six games. If injuries weren't such a concern with him, he'd matter in mixed leagues.
Cooling Off: Austin Jackson is batting .077 (2 for 26) over his last six games. He made his first slump in mid-May a relatively short one, but you should probably bench him now. Gerald Laird is batting .125 (6 for 48) over his last 15 games, but what else is new?
Injury Concerns: Magglio Ordonez has a sore oblique and has sat out the last three games hoping to avoid a strain. The injury doesn't sound serious, so as long as he returns to the lineup over the weekend, you should keep him active.
Platoon Possibilities: The Tigers face just one left-hander this week. Ryan Raburn might start that game, but he won't get enough at-bats to make an impact in Fantasy.
Lineup Changes: None.

Florida Marlins
Schedule: TEX3, TB3
Heating Up: Chris Coghlan has a 10-game hitting streak during which he's batting .465 (20 for 43) with a homer and two steals. He has raised his season batting average from .216 to .265 during that stretch and is worth using again in mixed leagues. When he got hot like this last year, it lasted for the entire second half.
Cooling Off: Hanley Ramirez is batting .178 (8 for 45) over his last 12 games and under .300 for the season, but he's a must-start in Fantasy.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Marlins face two lefties this week, but they don't have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: The Marlins promoted top prospect Michael Stanton on Tuesday and will play him every day in right field. His power potential makes him worth a flier in all leagues right away. Cameron Maybin is the player most hurt by his arrival, sitting out the first two games, but the versatility of Chris Coghlan could allow Cody Ross and Gaby Sanchez to get some occasional time off as well.

Houston Astros
Schedule: @KC3, TEX3
Heating Up: Carlos N. Lee, who has been hitting under .200 just about all season, finally seems to be coming around. He has hit safely in 13 of his last 15 games, batting .311 (19 for 61) with four homers during that stretch. His overall numbers still look terrible, but considering his elite potential, you want to get him active.
Cooling Off: Hunter Pence, who recently had an 11-game stretch during which he hit .395 (17 for 43), is batting .136 (3 for 22) in seven games since. These cold streaks are exactly why he isn't a must-start.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Astros face two left-handers this week, but they don't have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: None.
Interleague Effect: The Astros have enough trouble filling out an eight-man lineup. Geoff Blum could get extra at-bats during the team's three-game series at Kansas City, but you wouldn't want him.

Kansas City Royals
Schedule: HOU3, @ATL3
Heating Up: David DeJesus' hot streak has ventured into the ridiculous. He has hit safely in 21 of his last 22 games, batting .391 (34 for 87) during that stretch. He lacks power and speed, making him normally not worth your time in mixed leagues, but he's a worthy stopgap now. The ever-streaky Jose Guillen has begun to find his form again, batting .421 (8 for 19) with a double, a triple and a homer over his last five games. He might be worth a flier as well.
Cooling Off: Alberto Callaspo, who was so hot when he first took over for Alex Gordon at third base, has been equally cold recently, batting .175 (11 for 63) over his last 16 games. He doesn't deserve to start in mixed leagues right now. Billy Butler hasn't played up to his usual standard, batting .176 (6 for 34) over his last nine games, but he's still batting well over .300 on the year. Keep him active.
Injury Concerns: Rick Ankiel is on a Triple-A rehab assignment as he works his way back from a quadriceps injury. The Royals have yet to give a timetable for his return, but his inconsistency makes him at best an AL-only option anyway.
Platoon Possibilities: The Royals don't face a single left-handed pitcher this week, but they don't have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: None.
Interleague Effect: The Royals won't shy away from using Guillen, their usual designated hitter, in the outfield during their three-game series at Atlanta, with light-hitting Mitch Maier likely moving to the bench.

L.A. Angels
Schedule: MIL3, @CHC3
Heating Up: Erick Aybar seems to be growing into the leadoff role, batting .432 (19 for 44) with four stolen bases over his last 11 games. As long as he continues to steal bases, he has some low-end appeal in mixed leagues. Juan L. Rivera is batting a relatively tame .286 (10 for 35) over his last 10 games, but he has three home runs during that stretch. If he gets hot enough, he could make an impact in mixed leagues.
Cooling Off: Bobby Abreu is batting .087 (2 for 23) over his last seven games and .232 (33 for 142) since the beginning of May. This is unlike him, which makes you wonder if he might finally be on the decline at age 36. Still, you wouldn't want to bench the five-category stud just yet.
Injury Concerns: Jeff Mathis, who hasn't played since April 19 because of a fractured wrist, could come off the DL as soon as Saturday. His return mostly just means Mike Napoli would play more first base than catcher. Mathis doesn't have much Fantasy value on his own.
Platoon Possibilities: The Angels face three left-handed pitchers this week, which means Kevin Frandsen could get three starts at third base. Maicer Izturis could move elsewhere on the diamond for those games, though.
Lineup Changes: None.
Interleague Effect: Hideki Matsui might get a start or two in the outfield during the team's three-game series at the Cubs, so don't let the interleague factor be the reason you bench him.

L.A. Dodgers
Schedule: @CIN3, @BOS3
Heating Up: Rafael Furcal, who wasn't doing much when he first came off the DL in late May, seems to be back in form, batting .360 (9 for 25) with a homer, a triple, a double and a stolen base over his last six games. If you need help at shortstop, why isn't he starting for you yet? Blake DeWitt is quietly having a productive first season as an everyday second baseman, batting .429 (9 for 21) with eight RBI over his last six games. His lack of pop makes him more of an NL-only option, though.
Cooling Off: Russell Martin is proving to be the same hitter who disappointed Fantasy owners last year, batting .208 (11 for 53) with just two extra-base hits over his last 16 games. Still, who else are you going to start at catcher?
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Dodgers don't face a single left-handed pitcher this week, not that they have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: None.
Interleague Effect: The Dodgers will likely use their three games with a DH to give three different starters a day off from the field. No one player stands to see a significant increase in at-bats.

Milwaukee Brewers
Schedule: @LAA3, @COL3
Heating Up: Corey C. Hart looked like he was finally beginning to cool off after hitting 11 homers during a 17-game stretch at the end of May, but apparently, he's not done yet. He homered for the second time in three games Thursday and is batting .300 (6 for 20) over his last six.
Cooling Off: Ryan J. Braun is just 3 for 24 (.125) over his last six games and has only three homers over his last 177 at-bats. Still, he's a potential five-category player and a must-start in Fantasy. George Kottaras is just 1 for 17 (.059) over his last five games, potentially opening the door for rookie Jonathan LuCroy to get more at-bats.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Brewers face two left-handed pitchers this week. Jim Edmonds and Carlos Gomez have gone back to platooning, so you have to figure Edmonds will sit twice for Gomez.
Lineup Changes: Other than the adjustment in center field, none.
Interleague Effect: Edmonds and Gomez might both get to start during the team's three-game series at the Angels, especially if Prince Fielder moves over to DH, allowing Edmonds to step in at first base.

Minnesota Twins
Schedule: COL3, @PHI3
Heating Up: Long-time disappointment Delmon Young is actually having a halfway respectable season. He's batting .333 (14 for 42) with three homers over his last 11 games. He'll have to do more than that to matter in mixed leagues, though. Jason Kubel has homered twice in his last three games, but he's also pretty far down in the rankings still.
Cooling Off: Nobody is significantly underachieving right now.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Twins face just one left-hander this week, but they don't have any clear lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: Orlando Hudson and J.J. Hardy both had to go on the DL with wrist injuries, forcing Matt Tolbert and Nick Punto to start up the middle. The Twins did call up Danny Valencia to step in and play third base, though, and he has enough upside to deserve a look in AL-only leagues.
Interleague Effect: The Twins will have to divide at-bats between Kubel and Young during their three-game series at Philadelphia. Unfortunately, they're the team's two hottest hitters, but you probably wouldn't be using them in mixed leagues anyway.

N.Y. Mets
Schedule: @CLE3, @NYY3
Heating Up: Jeff Francoeur is back swinging the bat the way he did at the beginning of the season, batting .474 (18 for 38) with a homer over his last 11 games. You should know better than to think it'll last, but he's a decent sleeper right now. David Wright is batting .429 (15 for 35) with two homers and three steals over his last 10 games, but he's a must-start regardless.
Cooling Off: Jason Bay, who was finally playing up to an All-Star level, is back trending in the wrong direction, batting .212 (7 for 33) over his last eight games.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Mets face one left-hander this week, but they don't have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: Luis Castillo went on the DL with a bruised left foot, opening the door for Ruben Tejada and Alex Cora to split starts at second base. Neither has any mixed-league appeal. Angel Pagan has moved up to second in the lineup because of the injury, meaning he'll get more at-bats and score more runs.
Interleague Effect: The Mets have to find a way to fill the DH slot for all six of their games this week. Chris C. Carter and Fernando Tatis will probably split time there, not that either has the upside to make a significant impact in Fantasy.

N.Y. Yankees
Schedule: PHI3, NYM3
Heating Up: Robinson Cano isn't ready to slow down yet. He has three hits in three of his last four games, batting .667 (10 for 15) during that stretch and .492 (30 for 61) over his last 15 games. Start him.
Cooling Off: Curtis Granderson has still been nothing more than a marginal offensive player for the Yankees, batting .167 (3 for 18) with a homer and a steal over his last six games, but because of his power and speed potential, you wouldn't want to sit him. You certainly wouldn't want to sit Jorge Posada even though he's batting .050 over his last six games.
Injury Concerns: Alex Rodriguez left Thursday's game with a groin injury that has been bothered him for a few games. His visit to the doctor Friday will determine his status for the upcoming week. Keep a close eye on this story. Obviously, if he's starting, you want him active. Brett Gardner hasn't played since leaving Tuesday's game with a sore right thumb. He's unavailable to hit and could wind up on the DL depending on the result of Friday's MRI. Unless he returns to the starting lineup over the weekend, you should avoid using him.
Platoon Possibilities: The Yankees face three left-handed pitchers this week, but they don't have any clear lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: Kevin Russo and Marcus Thames would likely split time in left field if Gardner has to go on the DL. If Thames gets the majority of the at-bats, his power potential would make him useful in AL-only leagues. Both of them might end up playing every day if Rodriguez misses time since Russo is also able to play third base.

Oakland Athletics
Schedule: @CHC3, @STL3
Heating Up: Kevin Kouzmanoff's poor plate discipline makes him streaky, but that streakiness is paying off now. He's batting .405 (17 for 42) with three homers over his last 11 games, making him a worthwhile stopgap in mixed leagues. Jack Cust is batting .360 (9 for 25) with two home runs over his last six games, but he's too streaky for mixed-league play. Kurt Suzuki is batting .364 (16 for 44) with four home runs so far in June, reaffirming his must-start status. He'll be on bereavement leave this weekend, but he'll return in time for the upcoming scoring period.
Cooling Off: Cliff Pennington went 2 for 3 Thursday, but he's still batting .102 (5 for 49) without a single extra-base hit over his last 15 games. Don't use him.
Injury Concerns: Eric Chavez, whose career looked like it might be over when he went on the DL with neck spasms, is set to begin a rehab assignment and could return sometime this week. He hasn't made a Fantasy impact in years, but his power potential still gives him some low-end appeal in AL-only leagues. Rajai Davis missed his third straight game Thursday with a hamstring injury, but he should return over the weekend. His base-stealing ability makes him worth using in all Rotisserie leagues.
Platoon Possibilities: The Athletics face one left-handed pitcher this week, so Cust should lose only one start to Jake Fox.
Lineup Changes: None.
Interleague Effect: The Athletics will spend all week in NL parks, but Eric Patterson is more likely to lose at-bats than the Cust-Fox platoon.

Philadelphia Phillies
Schedule: @NYY3, MIN3
Heating Up: Shane Victorino, who was awesome in May, has been just as productive in June, batting .375 (9 for 24) with two homers and two steals over his last six games. He doesn't excel in any one category, but he's a must-start because of his across-the-board performance. Placido Polanco is back swinging the bat the way he did at the beginning of the season, batting .405 (15 for 37) over his last nine games. Get him active if he isn't already.
Cooling Off: Jayson Werth's crippling slump just won't end. He's batting .073 (3 for 41) over his last 12 games, but you can't afford to sit someone with his potential. Same goes for Chase Utley, whose batting .143 (8 for 56) over his last 15 games.
Injury Concerns: Jimmy Rollins, on the DL for the second time with a calf injury, will begin a rehab assignment Monday and could return before the end of the week. Since he'll play half a week at best, though, you should keep him reserved in mixed leagues.
Platoon Possibilities: The Phillies face two left-handers this week, but they don't have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: None.
Interleague Effect: Greg Dobbs and Ben Francisco are the most likely candidates to man DH during the team's three-game series at the Yankees to begin the week. Neither will see enough extra at-bats to matter in Fantasy.

Pittsburgh Pirates
Schedule: CHW3, CLE3
Heating Up: Neil Walker is settling in as the team's starting second baseman, batting .322 (19 for 59) with five doubles, a triple, a homer and two stolen bases through his first 15 games. He has the potential to make an impact in mixed leagues, though you might want to see just a little bit more from him before you add him.
Cooling Off: Andrew McCutchen has been relatively quiet over his last five games, batting just .105 (2 for 19), but the five-category threat remains a must-start in Fantasy. Andy LaRoche is anything but a must-start, batting just .152 (5 for 33) over his last 11 games.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Pirates face two left-handers this week, but they don't have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: The Pirates recently called up speedy prospect Jose Tabata to play left field every day. To accommodate him, Lastings Milledge will move from left to right, and Garrett Jones will move from right to first base. The Pirates also optioned Jeff Clement, who was previously starting at first base, to the minors. Tabata obviously sees the biggest increase in value from these moves. His base-stealing ability makes him worth a flier in all Rotisserie leagues, especially if he continues to bat leadoff.

San Diego Padres
Schedule: TOR3, BAL3
Heating Up: Chase Headley is performing more like he was at the beginning of the season, batting .357 (15 for 42) over his last 10 games. He still isn't hitting for enough power to matter in mixed leagues. Nick Hundley lacks upside, but he is reinstating his usefulness in NL-only leagues, batting .419 (13 for 31) with two homers over his last 10 games.
Cooling Off: Will Venable isn't giving the Padres much reason to get his bat in the lineup, batting just .125 (3 for 24) over his last nine games. Another NL-only option, Jerry Hairston, is batting .139 (5 for 36) over his last nine games, likely causing the Padres to count down the days until Everth Cabrera's return.
Injury Concerns: Cabrera, who is recovering from a strained hamstring, has been running, hitting and fielding, but he has yet to begin a rehab assignment. He won't get a full week of at-bats, so you should keep him reserved even in NL-only leagues. Kyle Blanks (elbow) is on a rehab assignment, but he's struggling at Class A Elsinore and won't return to the big leagues until his bat comes around.
Platoon Possibilities: The Padres face three left-handers this week, which means Scott Hairston will make at least three starts. His power potential gives him some low-end appeal in NL-only leagues. Oscar Salazar will likely also get three starts, with Venable and Tony K. Gwynn moving to the bench.
Lineup Changes: None.

San Francisco Giants
Schedule: BAL3, @TOR3
Heating Up: Aubrey Huff has suddenly become a hot commodity in mixed leagues, batting .404 (19 for 47) with four homers over his last 14 games. He's only a year removed from that 32-homer performance with the Orioles. Buster Posey has lived up to his top-prospect billing right away and has emerged as a must-start at the weak catcher position, batting .444 (20 for 45). Andres Torres, who looked like he had finally begun to regress to the mean, has come back around this week, batting .400 (10 for 25) with six walks over his last six games. He's an excellent sleeper this week.
Cooling Off: Bengie Molina has begun to get a few more hits lately, but he's still batting just .121 (7 for 58) over his last 17 games. Still, he's more of a sleeper than a bust candidate given the team's good matchups this week.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Giants don't face a single left-handed pitcher this week, not that they have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: The Giants signed Pat Burrell to a minor-league deal at the end of May and called him up last weekend. They've been working him into the lineup whenever possible, usually in place of Aaron Rowand. Though he has hit well, his uncertain role -- not to mention his struggles with the Rays earlier this year -- limit his appeal to NL-only leagues.
Interleague Effect: The three-game series at Toronto to end the week gives the Giants a perfect opportunity to play all four of their outfielders at once, making Burrell, Huff and Torres even more intriguing as sleepers this week.

Seattle Mariners
Schedule: @STL3, CIN3
Heating Up: Josh Wilson continues to swing a hot bat since taking over as the starting shortstop, batting .319 (15 for 47) over his last 12 games. He doesn't have the upside to make an impact in mixed leagues, though.
Cooling Off: Milton Bradley has been a disappointment at the plate all season and hasn't gotten any better lately, batting .140 (6 for 43) over his last 11 games. Avoid him.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Mariners don't face a single left-handed pitcher this week, not that they have any strict lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: The Mariners promoted Mike Carp from the minors on Monday and have been starting him at first base in place of Casey Kotchman. Carp has demonstrated both power and patience in the minors and deserves a flier in AL-only leagues. Also, prospect Michael Saunders has been getting regular time in left field with Mike Sweeney (back) going on the DL and Bradley moving over to DH. He could become a viable mixed-league option someday, but he has yet to find consistency at the major-league level.
Interleague Effect: Saunders would be the most likely candidate to go to the bench for the team's three-game series at St. Louis, making him not worth using even in AL-only leagues right now.

St. Louis Cardinals
Schedule: SEA3, OAK3
Heating Up: Ryan Ludwick has been hitting fifth instead of second, meaning he loses the protection of Albert Pujols, but it hasn't fazed him in the slightest. He's batting .339 (19 for 56) with four home runs over his last 14 games and is on one of those hot streaks that make him practically impossible to sit in Fantasy. If you can't find reason to use him now, you probably never will.
Cooling Off: Yadier Molina's numbers took a tumble in May and have only continued to plummet in June. He's batting .180 (16 for 89) over his last 26 games. He won't stay this bad forever, but surely you can do better than him right now in one-catcher leagues.
Injury Concerns: Colby Rasmus (calf) and David Freese (ankle) have each missed a handful of games this week, but both figure to return to the starting lineup Friday. The Cardinals are a little more sure about Rasmus than Freese, so be sure to check back over the weekend. Neither is a must-start in Fantasy, but both have some mixed-league appeal when hot.
Platoon Possibilities: The Cardinals face three left-handed pitchers this week, which hurts Rasmus' chances of contributing. His OPS is more than 100 points lower against lefties, which might not be so bad if he was assured of playing against them. Unfortunately, he often doesn't.
Lineup Changes: The Cardinals signed Randy Winn, who was recently designated for assignment by the Yankees. Though he could fare better in the NL, he won't get enough at-bats to matter outside of deeper NL-only Rotisserie leagues.

Tampa Bay Rays
Schedule: @ATL3, @FLA3
Heating Up: B.J. Upton and Carlos Pena, who have been the team's two coldest players all season, have woken up at the same time. Upton has multiple hits in three of his last four games, batting .571 (8 for 14) during that stretch, and Pena, in typical Pena fashion, has five homers in his last four games. Time to get both active again. Sean Rodriguez's uncertain role makes him less than a mixed-league option, but he has also woken up, batting .395 (15 for 38) with two homers during an 11-game hitting streak.
Cooling Off: Carl Crawford is batting just .152 (5 for 33) over his last eight games, dropping his season batting average below .300. He remains a must-start, though.
Injury Concerns: Jason Bartlett, who is on the DL with a strained right hamstring, is set to return when eligible Tuesday, meaning he should play a full week. He's still at risk of a setback, though, and was batting only .231 before the injury. You might want to give him a week to prove his health.
Platoon Possibilities: The Rays don't face a single left-hander this week, but since they won't have the DH spot available to them, they don't have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: None.
Interleague Effect: The Rays play all six of their games in NL parks this week, meaning someone has to sit for each. Hank Blalock and Willy Aybar are the two players who most often start at DH. Neither figures to see much playing time this week.

Texas Rangers
Schedule: @FLA3, @HOU3
Heating Up: Justin Smoak is finally living up to his top-prospect billing, batting .389 (14 for 36) with two homers over his last 12 games. His plate discipline gives him a good chance of sustaining this streak. Julio Borbon, who was a decent prospect in his own right, has also righted the ship, batting .542 (13 for 24) over his last seven games. Josh Hamilton has only verified his must-start status, batting .436 (17 for 39) with four homers over his last 10 games.
Cooling Off: Nobody is significantly underachieving right now.
Injury Concerns: Nelson R. Cruz suffered a setback while working his way back from a hamstring injury, needing a cortisone shot to reduce swelling Thursday, and now might not return at all this week. Clearly, he's too risky to start.
Platoon Possibilities: The Rangers face two left-handers this week, but Borbon got to start against the last one. Perhaps he doesn't have to worry about sitting for Craig Gentry anymore.
Lineup Changes: None.
Interleague Effect: As the usual DH, Vladimir Guerrero might have trouble getting into the lineup during the Rangers' six games in NL parks this week. The team has said he won't play more than every other day in the outfield. He's normally a must-start, but he might not be worth the trouble in mixed leagues this week.

Toronto Blue Jays
Schedule: @SD3, SF3
Heating Up: Nobody is exceeding expectations right now.
Cooling Off: Jose A. Bautista has gone hitless in his last five games, spanning 16 at-bats. Still, he leads all of baseball with 18 homers, so how can you sit him? Edwin Encarnacion had that three-homer game soon after coming off the DL in late May, but he's batting just .116 (5 for 43) over his last 14 games. No way you'd use him in mixed leagues right now. Fred Lewis has cooled off after a strong finish in May, batting .074 (2 for 27) over his last six games.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Blue Jays face two left-handers this week, but they don't have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: None.
Interleague Effect: Lewis is the most obvious candidate to sit for the three-game series at San Diego to begin the week. Adam Lind will likely play no matter what, so continue to use him as you normally would.

Washington Nationals
Schedule: @DET3, CHW3
Heating Up: Adam Dunn has homered in three straight games and is batting .364 (12 for 33) over his last eight games. Safe to say he's on the right side of streaky, not that you'd sit him either way. Josh Willingham has yet to endure a lengthy cold streak this season and is still worth starting in mixed leagues, batting .360 (9 for 25) with two homers over his last seven games.
Cooling Off: Nyjer Morgan showed some promise when the Nationals first moved him out of the leadoff spot, but he has gone back to struggling, batting .200 (5 for 25) over his last seven games. Don't start him unless you desperately need steals in a Rotisserie league.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Nationals face one lefty this week, which means Roger Bernadina will sit once in favor of Mike Morse.
Lineup Changes: Ivan Rodriguez has returned from his lower back strain, forcing Wil Nieves back to the bench. Rodriguez has some appeal in mixed leagues, but you can't expect him to maintain a batting average over .300 all year.
Interleague Effect: The Nationals will probably use their three games at Detroit to spell Adam Dunn or Josh Willingham in the field, replacing them with Adam Kennedy or Willie Harris. Nobody will see a big enough increase in at-bats to gain any Fantasy appeal.

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