Week 15 Fantasy Pitching Planner

The All-Star break guesswork doesn't end for another week now, but things are starting to become more clear with baseball's rotations to start the second half.

There are still aces in the minors (Tommy Hanson), aces who won't pitch this week (Josh Beckett), aces on the block (Roy Halladay), former aces about to sign (Pedro Martinez), potential future aces awaiting a call-up (Matt Latos), six-man rotations (Boston and soon Chicago and Detroit) and four-man staffs with a No. 5 TBD (Cubs, Marlins, Angels, Padres and Mariners).

Once we get through this weekend, the second half will be in full swing and projecting your Fantasy staff will be a whole lot more routine -- until September races, call-ups and spot starters garble it all up again, that is.

This is your Fantasy Week 15 (July 16-19) Pitching Planner, where there are no two-start pitchers, and your Fantasy Week 16 (July 20-26) Pitching Forecaster, where there are a slew of dangerous back-end starters going twice. The rotations are listed below according to subjective Fantasy rankings as we start the second half.

The pitchers who are projected to get a start in the short week that follows the All-Star break have their potential matchups listed after their name. The ones not getting the ball have nothing after them. As a bonus for waiting a few days from Sunday, we give you our subjective recommendation on whether to start (marked with an up arrow ) or sit them (marked with a down arrow ).

All of this is stated with the caveat: It's subject to change and we'll update this leading up to lineup deadlines on Thursday.

Arizona Diamondbacks

1. Dan Haren at STL Lohse
2. Max Scherzer
3. Doug Davis
4. Jon Garland at STL Carpenter
5. Yusmeiro Petit at STL Wainwright

Week 16 two-starter(s): Davis and Scherzer. Davis is a sleeper for deeper leagues, while Scherzer is likely an advisable option.
Starters on the DL: Brandon Webb (shoulder). He is hoping to be ready to return by September and says he is determined to. He wants to be sure he can go through a normal offseason, so proving healthy in the final month is as important to him as his Fantasy owners.
Starters to watch in the minors: Jarrod Parker. The 21-year-old might cap out at 125 or 140 innings this season, which makes a second-half call-up dicey at this point. He is up to 82 1/3 innings, posting 2.51 ERA and a .243 batting-average against between high Class A and Double-A.

Atlanta Braves

1. Derek Lowe vs NYM Perez
2. Javier Vazquez vs NYM Pelfrey
3. Jair Jurrjens vs NYM Nieve
4. Tommy Hanson
5. Kenshin Kawakami vs NYM Santana

Week 16 two-starter(s): Hanson and Lowe. They are at least advisable options, likely must-start options -- although Hanson needs to be recalled from the minor leagues.
Starters on the DL: Tim Hudson (elbow). He begins a rehab assignment July 19 and is targeting a return in August. Keep him stashed in any league where you have room at this point.
Starters to watch in the minors: None. The depth will come from a returning Hudson, Kris Medlen and/or Jo-Jo Reyes, if needed, later this season. We don't see the Braves needing rotation help, but Medlen and Reyes could be nice trade bait.

Baltimore Orioles

1. Jeremy Guthrie at CHW Danks
2. Brad Bergesen at CHW Contreras
3. Jason Berken at CHW Buehrle
4. David Hernandez
5. Rich J. Hill

Week 16 two-starter(s): Hernandez. He is a questionable option, especially since he needs to be recalled from the minor leagues to slot in the No. 4 starter's spot at this point.
Starters on the DL: Koji Uehara (shoulder) and Alfredo Simon (elbow, out for the season). Uehara has a partially torn flexor tendon that could still make him a surgical candidate. We don't see value in stashing him outside of the deepest of AL-only leagues at this point.
Starters to watch in the minors: Chris Tillman, Jake Arrieta, Brian Matusz, Troy Patton and Brandon Erbe. Tillman is a big-time second-half candidate, while the others are probably further behind. Matusz looks like the real deal in his first pro season, though.

Boston Red Sox

1. Josh Beckett
2. Jon Lester at TOR Halladay
3. Clay Buchholz at TOR Romero
4. John Smoltz
5. Tim Wakefield
6. Brad Penny at TOR Tallet

Week 16 two-starter(s): Perhaps Smoltz. He is a questionable option, especially since he will face Texas and the Red Sox might stick with a six-man rotation for a few turns to start the second half. That is until they trade Penny for something small or Buchholz for something big-time (Halladay?). They only play six games in Fantasy Week 15 (July 20-26).
Starters on the DL: Daisuke Matsuzaka (shoulder). They are suggesting Dice-K will be out until Sept. 1, but that really is a function of the Red Sox's pitching depth in the majors and Triple-A right now. If the Red Sox really needed a starter, they would get Dice-K revved up for a return in a matter of weeks. Keep Dice-K stashed in all leagues right now.
Starters to watch in the minors: Michael Bowden and Junichi Tazawa. Buchholz's arrival signals a potential trade-deadline deal. A big trade for Halladay would also move Bowden or Tazawa, but it also makes Casey Kelly an intriguing prospect to track for 2010 now.

Chicago Cubs

1. Carlos Zambrano at WAS Olsen
2. Rich Harden at WAS Lannan
3. Ted Lilly at WAS Zimmermann
4. Randy Wells at WAS Mock
5. TBD

Week 16 two-starter(s): TBD perhaps. The Cubs don't have an announced No. 5 starter right now between Kevin Hart, Sean Marshall or Jeff Samardzija. Also, a Thursday off day could mean the Cubs choose to skip that No. 5 starter's turn over the weekend.
Starters on the DL: Ryan Dempster (toe). Dempster will be out until at least mid-August and perhaps into September at this point. Toe injuries are tricky for pitchers, because a bum foot can affect a pitcher's shoulder. That is dangerous. Keep him stashed.
Starters to watch in the minors: Hart. He is starting in Class A, awaiting a post-break return. That makes him more stretched out than the Pitch-22s, lefty Marshall or righty Samardzija. If you don't follow this column, Pitch-22 means: Good enough to start, but too valuable in relief. It is the Catch-22 of pitchers.

Chicago White Sox

1. Mark Buehrle vs BAL Berken
2. John Danks vs BAL Guthrie
3. Gavin Floyd
4. Jose A. Contreras vs BAL Bergesen
5. Clayton Richard

Week 16 two-starter(s): Floyd and Richard. The White Sox have eight games in Fantasy Week 16 (July 20-26), due to a Friday, July 24 doubleheader. Floyd is likely advisable, while Richard is a sleeper for deeper leagues.
Starters on the DL: Bartolo Colon (knee). He is working on a rehab assignment and targeting a return for one of those aforementioned doubleheader games. Stash him, especially in AL-only leagues. He could take Richard's rotation spot by Fantasy Week 17 (July 27-Aug. 2).
Starters to watch in the minors: None. If Richard or Colon fail, Aaron Poreda is the White Sox's go-to rotation replacement in the second half. He needs to get stretched out in relief, though.

Cincinnati Reds

1. Aaron Harang vs MIL Parra
2. Johnny Cueto
3. Bronson Arroyo vs MIL Suppan
4. Micah Owings
5. Homer Bailey vs MIL Looper

Week 16 two-starter(s): Owings. He figures to be a questionable option, especially since he starts at the L.A. Dodgers and Chicago Cubs.
Starters on the DL: Edinson Volquez (elbow). He is throwing again, but he will be brought back slowly. It might take until August. Keep him stashed.
Starters to watch in the minors: Matt Maloney. Maloney had his chance and might not get another one unless Bailey falters again and Volquez needs to be shut down.

Cleveland Indians

1. Cliff Lee vs SEA Olson
2. Carl Pavano
3. David Huff vs SEA Hernandez
4. Aaron Laffey vs SEA Bedard
5. Tomo Ohka vs SEA Washburn

Week 16 two-starter(s): Lee. A day off next Monday allows the Indians to slot their ace Lee a second time before Pavano gets to pitch. Consider Lee a must-start option.
Starters on the DL: Scott Lewis (elbow), Jake Westbrook (elbow) and Anthony Reyes (elbow, out for the season). Lewis and Westbrook tried to rehab and needed to be shut down, which makes them no better than August returnees at this point.
Starters to watch in the minors: Fausto Carmona, Charles Lofgren, Hector Rondon and Jeanmar Gomez. They have all been solid in the minors and are options for the second half. We could see them get the call in that order listed above.

Colorado Rockies

1. Aaron Cook at SD Gaudin
2. Ubaldo Jimenez at SD Geer
3. Jason Marquis at SD Stauffer
4. Jason Hammel at SD Correia
5. Jorge De La Rosa

Week 16 two-starter(s): De La Rosa. He is a questionable option, but his matchups vs. Arizona and San Francisco make him more useful than usual.
Starters on the DL: Jeff Francis (shoulder, out for the season).
Starters to watch in the minors: Jhoulys Chacin, Christian Friedrich, Greg Smith, Greg Reynolds (7-day DL). Franklin Morales is up in relief, so the rotation reinforcements will come from these others, perhaps.

Detroit Tigers

1. Justin Verlander at NYY Sabathia
2. Edwin Jackson at NYY Chamberlain
3. Rick Porcello
4. Armando Galarraga
5. Luke French at NYY Burnett
6. TBD, due to doubleheader

Week 16 two-starter(s): Galarraga. He is a more of a questionable option at this point.
Starters on the DL: Dontrelle Willis (anxiety) and Jeremy Bonderman (shoulder). These guys figure to be given into August to prove capable of returning. We already saw enough to know we might not care when they are ready to return at this point.
Starters to watch in the minors: Brooks Brown, Chris Lambert and Alfredo Figaro. French has been good enough to hold down the No. 5 starter's spot at this point, but the Tigers have a doubleheader July 24 that will necessitate a six-man rotation with seven games in six days Tuesday, July 21, through Sunday, July 26. Figaro is the most likely option, but he would be a risky start vs. the White Sox.

Florida Marlins

1. Josh Johnson vs PHI Blanton
2. Ricky Nolasco vs PHI Hamels
3. Chris Volstad vs PHI Moyer
4. Andrew Miller vs PHI Happ
5. TBD (see below)

Week 16 two-starter(s): TBD No. 5 starter or Volstad. The Marlins have six games and a Thursday off day, so they could skip their No. 5 starter after he makes one start Monday at San Diego. Volstad would be an advisable two-start option in that event. He is an advisable one-start option, too.
Starters on the DL: Anibal Sanchez (shoulder). He was moved to the 60-day DL and knocked back to square one. We don't see a whole lot of value here at this point.
Starters to watch in the minors: Rick VandenHurk, Sean West, Ryan Tucker, Graham Taylor and Aaron Thompson. West struggled, was demoted and won't be ready to return from his 10-day option by the time the No. 5 starter's spot comes up Monday, July 20. VandenHurk (4-1, 2.96 in Triple-A) is the likely No. 5 TBD. Pick him up in NL-only formats.

Houston Astros

1. Roy Oswalt at LAD Billingsley
2. Wandy Rodriguez at LAD Wolf
3. Mike Hampton at LAD Kershaw
4. Russ Ortiz at LAD Kuroda
5. Brian Moehler

Week 16 two-starter(s): Moehler. You have to figure he will be a high-risk option best left for the deepest of NL-only leagues.
Starters on the DL: None.
Starters to watch in the minors: Bud Norris and Felipe Paulino. Norris is an elite prospect with great numbers in Triple-A. He has a 2.46 ERA and a .229 batting-average against. He is a must-stash in deeper NL-only and long-term keeper leagues right now. It might only be a few weeks more.

Kansas City Royals

1. Zack Greinke vs TB Shields
2. Gil Meche
3. Brian Bannister vs TB Garza
4. Luke Hochevar vs TB
5. Bruce Chen

Week 16 two-starter(s): Meche. He figures to be an advisable option in most leagues.
Starters on the DL: Sidney Ponson (elbow). The Royals likely will only bring Ponson off the DL as a long reliever at this point.
Starters to watch in the minors: Kyle Davies. Danny Cortes was dealt for Yuniesky Betancourt, but Davies (3-1, 1.88) is looking plenty capable of helping in the second half again.

Los Angeles Angels

1. John Lackey at OAK Anderson
2. Jered Weaver at OAK Mazzaro
3. Ervin Santana at OAK Braden
4. Joe Saunders at OAK Cahill
5. TBD

Week 16 two-starter(s): Santana and No. 5 starter TBD. With a solid outing Thursday, Santana could be an advisable option vs. Kansas City and Minnesota, while Sean O'Sullivan's uncertain return as the No. 5 starter makes him more of a questionable option.
Starters on the DL: Dustin Moseley (elbow). Moseley isn't likely to return as a starter, if he can return at all this season.
Starters to watch in the minors: O'Sullivan, Jordan Walden, Trevor Bell and Trevor Reckling. O'Sullivan has been better in the majors (2-0, 3.80) than the minors (6-5, .628). He could be recalled as a two-starter in Fantasy Week 16 (July 20-26), but these others are more likely to be trade bait before the deadline than help the Angels at this point.

Los Angeles Dodgers

1. Chad Billingsley vs HOU Oswalt
2. Clayton Kershaw vs HOU Hampton
3. Randy Wolf vs HOU Rodriguez
4. Hiroki Kuroda vs HOU Ortiz
5. Jeff Weaver

Week 16 two-starter(s): Weaver or perhaps Wolf. The Dodgers could skip Weaver off his second start to keep Wolf on regular rest. That would make Wolf an advisable two-start pitcher.
Starters on the DL: Eric Milton (shoulder) and Jason Schmidt (shoulder). They are not close at this point and will get well into August to prove healthy and worthy of being activated.
Starters to watch in the minors: Joshua Lindblom and Eric Stults. James McDonald is up working in relief. It is more likely the Dodgers add a veteran before the trade deadline than trust Lindblom or Stults at this point.

Milwaukee Brewers

1. Yovani Gallardo at CIN Cueto
2. Jeff Suppan at CIN Arroyo
3. Braden Looper at CIN Bailey
4. Manny Parra at CIN Harang
5. TBD, either Mike Burns or Dave Bush

Week 16 two-starter(s): Likely Bush. He is targeting a July 20 return, which would put him in place for a two-start week. Burns is a fallback option, but he wouldn't get two starts since a Thursday off day would allow the Brewers to skip that No. 5 turn that following weekend.
Starters on the DL: Bush (shoulder). He is working on a rehab assignment to return next Monday at Pittsburgh. That matchup makes him a risk worth taking in deeper leagues.
Starters to watch in the minors: None. The Brewers are more likely to add someone at the trade deadline than most teams. They are a team built to win, with a rotation less than capable.

Minnesota Twins

1. Scott Baker at TEX Feldman
2. Francisco Liriano at TEX Hunter
3. Nick Blackburn
4. Glen Perkins at TEX Padilla
5. Anthony Swarzak

Week 16 two-starter(s): Blackburn and Swarzak or Slowey. Blackburn is an advisable option, while there is uncertainty whether it will be Slowey or Swarzak in the No. 5 spot.
Starters on the DL: Kevin Slowey (side) and Boof Bonser (shoulder, out for the season). Slowey was targeting a return July 21 in time for a two-start week. Keep tabs on him.
Starters to watch in the minors: Kevin Mulvey. He had shown flashes in Triple-A, but he is not ready and equally not quite needed in Minnesota right now.

New York Mets

1. Johan Santana at ATL Kawakami
2. Mike Pelfrey at ATL Jurrjens
3. Oliver Perez at ATL Lowe
4. Livan Hernandez
5. Fernando Nieve at ATL Vazquez

Week 16 two-starter(s): Hernandez. He is a risky option amid his struggles, even with the Nationals and Astros on tap.
Starters on the DL: John Maine (shoulder). The Mets now say he is no better than a last week of July returnee. Keep him stashed.
Starters to watch in the minors: Jon Niese, Brad Holt and Tobi Stoner. Niese is scorching right now, going 3-2, 2.43 in June and 1-0, 0.60 in July, but the Mets are determined to get longer looks at Hernandez and Nieve before Maine can return. Holt and Stoner are more likely trade bait than potential contributors this season at this point.

New York Yankees

1. CC Sabathia vs DET Verlander
2. A.J. Burnett vs DET French
3. Andy Pettitte
4. Joba Chamberlain vs DET Jackson
5. TBD, Sergio Mitre or Alfredo Aceves

Week 16 two-starter(s): Pettitte and No. 5 starter TBD. They could both be advisable options if we could be sure who the No. 5 starter is.
Starters on the DL: Chien-Ming Wang (shoulder). He won't be a candidate to return until September at this point. Keep him stashed.
Starters to watch in the minors: Ian Kennedy (shoulder, 7-day DL) and Kei Igawa. Phil Hughes is moving closer to being a setup option than a replacement for Wang in the No. 5 spot at this point. Kennedy is throwing but not yet ready to pitch after surgery. Igawa (7-3, 3.65 in Triple-A) might never get a real shot with the Yankees again, no matter how well he pitches.

Oakland Athletics

1. Dallas Braden vs LAA Santana
2. Trevor Cahill vs LAA Saunders
3. Vin Mazzaro vs LAA Weaver
4. Brett Anderson vs LAA Lackey
5. Gio Gonzalez

Week 16 two-starter(s): Gonzalez and Braden. Gonzalez is high-risk at this point, while Braden could prove to be advisable after he opens up the second half for the A's on Thursday.
Starters on the DL: Justin Duchscherer (elbow) and Josh Outman (elbow, out for the season). The Duke will need a lengthy rehab assignment if he even projects to return as a starter in the second half. Keep him stashed.
Starters to watch in the minors: James J. Simmons. His past two starts have been unimpressive, but his long-term prospects are still there.

Philadelphia Phillies

1. Cole Hamels at FLA Nolasco
2. Joe Blanton at FLA Johnson
3. Jamie Moyer at FLA Volstad
4. J.A. Happ at FLA Miller
5. Rodrigo Lopez

Week 16 two-starter(s): Lopez and Moyer. They are questionable options at this point, but Moyer could prove to be advisable if he has a quality start to open his second half at Florida.
Starters on the DL: Antonio Bastardo (shoulder) and Brett Myers (hip, out for the season). Bastardo will need at least a month, but we don't see the Phillies calling upon him in their rotation once healthy. The signing of Pedro Martinez would necessitate a couple of weeks of starts in the minors before he would be activated to the Phillies' rotation in late July or early August.
Starters to watch in the minors: Kyle Kendrick, Carlos Carrasco, Joe Savery, Kyle Drabek and Andrew Carpenter. Drabek was impressive in the Futures Game, but the Phillies are going to go with veteran options down the stretch. Drabek is a decent stashee if you want to take a shot on an under-the-radar guy, though.

Pittsburgh Pirates

1. Zach Duke vs SF Cain
2. Paul Maholm vs SF Lincecum
3. Charlie Morton vs SF Zito
4. Ross Ohlendorf
5. Virgil Vasquez

Week 16 two-starter(s): Ohlendorf and Vasquez. They are at best questionable options better left for the deepest of NL-only leagues.
Starters on the DL: Phil Dumatrait (shoulder). It is more likely he returns in long relief than the rotation at this point.
Starters to watch in the minors: Ian Snell, Tom Gorzelanny, Brad Lincoln, Bryan Morris and Daniel McCutchen. Jeff Karstens is working in long relief, but Snell and Gorzelanny are trying to remake their careers back on the farm. They are the more likely rotation reinforcements in the second half.

San Diego Padres

1. Kevin Correia vs COL Hammel
2. Chad Gaudin vs COL Cook
3. Josh Geer vs COL Jimenez
4. Tim Stauffer vs COL Marquis
5. TBD

Week 16 two-starter(s): TBD and Gaudin. They are questionable options at this point. The Padres are reportedly considering their top prospect in the minor leagues for Sunday, which would move Stauffer back a day for a two-start week. Track this development up until your roster deadline for the short Fantasy Week 15 (July 16-19) that follows the All-Star break.
Starters on the DL: Jake Peavy (ankle), Chris R. Young (shoulder), Cha Seung Baek (elbow) and Shawn Hill (elbow, out for the season). Peavy and Young won't be back before September at this point, while Baek has already started a rehab assignment and could be a return candidate by late July.
Starters to watch in the minors: Matt Latos, Cesar Carrillo, Nick Schmidt, Wade LeBlanc, Will Inman and perhaps Mark Prior. Latos reportedly will be recalled to start Sunday. With his dominance in the minors to date, you will want to take that prospect flier immediately. You might even want to start him vs. the Rockies in his debut.

San Francisco Giants

1. Tim Lincecum at PIT Maholm
2. Matt Cain at PIT Duke
3. Barry Zito at PIT Morton
4. Jonathan O. Sanchez
5. Ryan Sadowski

Week 16 two-starter(s): Sanchez and Sadowski. Their recent starts make them advisable in deeper leagues, but we tend to think you should look elsewhere for someone less dangerous in mixed formats.
Starters on the DL: Randy Johnson (shoulder) and Noah Lowry (shoulder, out for the season). Johnson will need six-to-eight weeks, which is September or bust for the future Hall of Famer.
Starters to watch in the minors: Madison Bumgarner, Timothy Alderson and Kevin Pucetas. Sadowski will be returning from the minors in time to slot as the No. 5 starter, but if he or no-hit sensation Sanchez disappoint, one of these prospects could get a second-half call-up. Bumgarner is the most deserving, but he is still just a teenager.

Seattle Mariners

1. Felix Hernandez at CLE Huff
2. Erik Bedard at CLE Laffey
3. Jarrod Washburn at CLE Ohka
4. Garrett Olson at CLE Lee
5. TBD

Week 16 two-starter(s): Olson. The Mariners are going with a four-man rotation for the time being and Olson is tentatively to go Tuesday-Sunday of next week. Consider him a high-risk option even in deeper AL-only leagues.
Starters on the DL: Carlos Silva (shoulder) and Ryan Feierabend (elbow, out for the season). Silva is where he belongs: in limbo and off Fantasy rosters.
Starters to watch in the minors: Brandon Morrow, Jason M. Vargas and Ryan Rowland-Smith. Unlike many demotees, Morrow was sent down with no guarantee he will be back the next time the Mariners need a No. 5 starter July 25. We have confidence Morrow will be back, especially since we have no confidence in Vargas and Rowland-Smith -- or Olson for that matter.

St. Louis Cardinals

1. Chris Carpenter vs ARI Garland
2. Adam Wainwright vs ARI Petit
3. Kyle Lohse vs ARI Haren
4. Joel Pineiro
5. Todd Wellemeyer

Week 16 two-starter(s): Pineiro and Wellemeyer. Pineiro is likely advisable, while Wellemeyer is a bit more dangerous to trust in mixed leagues.
Starters on the DL: Jaime Garcia (elbow, out for the season).
Starters to watch in the minors: Mitchell Boggs and Clayton Mortensen. Brad Thompson and P.J. Walters are working in long relief and the Cardinals are more likely to add a starter via trade than trust one of these guys in a pennant race at this point.

Tampa Bay Rays

1. James Shields at KC Greinke
2. Scott Kazmir at KC Hochevar
3. Matt Garza at KC Bannister
4. David Price
5. Jeff Niemann

Week 16 two-starter(s): Price and Niemann. They are likely advisable options in deeper leagues, albeit with some risk.
Starters on the DL: None.
Starters to watch in the minors: Andy Sonnanstine and Wade Davis. They are solid depth, but they are more likely to be trade bait than arrive in the Rays rotation this season. Sonnastine has been quality in his Triple-A starts.

Texas Rangers

1. Kevin Millwood
2. Vicente Padilla vs MIN Perkins
3. Scott Feldman vs MIN Baker
4. Tommy Hunter vs MIN Liriano
5. Derek Holland or Dustin Nippert

Week 16 two-starter(s): Millwood. He figures to be advisable, but he has a tough first matchup vs. the Red Sox.
Starters on the DL: Matt Harrison (shoulder), Brandon McCarthy (shoulder) and Eric Hurley (shoulder, out for the season). Harrison could be closer than McCarthy, who might be out for the season. Harrison isn't close, though.
Starters to watch in the minors: Neftali Feliz, Michael Main and Kasey Kiker. The Rangers are another team with postseason chances that are more likely to get help via the trade market than call upon someone from the minor leagues in the second half. Feliz was intriguing, but he is coming up as a reliever now.

Toronto Blue Jays

1. Roy Halladay vs BOS Lester
2. Ricky Romero vs BOS Buchholz
3. Brian Tallet vs BOS Penny
4. Marc Rzepczynski
5. Brett Cecil

Week 16 two-starter(s): Cecil or Rzepczynski. The Blue Jays could go with a four-man rotation intially. If they do, Rzepczynski is more intriuging. Cecil is tentatively slated to go next Tuesday, though. Consider him high-risk in AL-only formats.
Starters on the DL: Shaun Marcum (elbow), Scott Richmond (shoulder), Casey Janssen (shoulder), Bobby Ray (shoulder), Dustin McGowan (shoulder) and Jesse Litsch (elbow, out for the season). So far, so good for Marcum through two rehab starts. He will need a full five or six starts coming off Tommy John surgery. Richmond is the most likely of the others to come back sooner at this point.
Starters to watch in the minors: Brad Mills and David Purcey. The Blue Jays could call on these guys, especially if they deal Halladay, but it is more likely they lean on injury returnees or trade-deadline acquisitions at this point.

Washington Nationals

1. John Lannan vs CHC Harden
2. Scott Olsen vs CHC Zambrano
3. Jordan Zimmermann vs CHC Lilly
4. Garrett Mock vs CHC Wells
5. Craig Stammen

Week 16 two-starter(s): Stammen and Lannan. We see Stammen as high-risk and Lannan potentially advisable if he delivers a quality start in a tough matchup Thursday coming out of the break.
Starters on the DL: None.
Starters to watch in the minors: Shairon Martis, Ross Detwiler and Stephen Strasburg (still unsigned). Martis will be back, but we might not see Detwiler or Strasburg in the majors before the end of the season. They are young arms with expected innings limits. Strasburg has been idle for too long to be a real candidate to pitch again this season. He is more likely a candidate for the Arizona Fall League or the Instructional League now ... if he even signs.

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