Week 22 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, Aug. 27.

Note: Rosters expand Sept. 1, which could lead to more lineup changes than usual this week, especially for non-contending teams. Determining who will be affected and to what extent is little more than a guessing game, so when in doubt, you're better off starting the more-established player than the trendy matchup play.

Arizona Diamondbacks
Schedule: SD3, HOU3
Heating Up: What has gotten into Stephen Drew all of a sudden? The 27-year-old shortstop who has mostly disappointed during his career, including this season, has had two monster games in a row, batting .667 (6 for 9) with three homers, three doubles, six RBI and four runs scored. At a weak position like shortstop, that's reason enough to get him active.
Cooling Off: Chris B. Young, who has emerged as a must-start with his four-category production this season, is batting .105 (2 for 19) over his last six games. Adam LaRoche has taken a break from his latest second-half surge to bat .160 (4 for 25) over his last seven games. Both should benefit from the return home this week, so you shouldn't necessarily look to bench them.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Diamondbacks face two left-handers this week, which means Gerardo Parra will likely sit twice for Rusty Ryal. Neither is a factor in mixed leagues.
Lineup Changes: None.

Atlanta Braves
Schedule: NYM4, @FLA3
Heating Up: Jason Heyward has continued to battle soreness in his thumb since returning from the disabled list July 15, but he might be feeling better now. He has multiple hits in four of his last five games, batting .550 (11 for 20) with two homers during that stretch. Omar Infante seems to like playing every day. He has hit safely in 26 of 27 games since entering the starting lineup for good July 29, batting .381 (45 for 118) during that stretch, and has even shown some power, homering four times in his last six games. If you have a need at any of the four positions he's eligible, look no further. Alex Gonzalez has a hit streak of his own, batting .400 (12 for 30) over his last eight games. His power potential makes him worth starting in all leagues when hot.
Cooling Off: Derrek Lee hasn't fared well since coming over from the Cubs, batting .125 (3 for 24) over his last six games. He says his back issues are behind him, so he could turn it around any moment. Still, he's less than a must-start at the deep first base position.
Injury Concerns: Troy Glaus began a rehab assignment for Triple-A Gwinnett on Monday, which means the inflammation in his left knee has subsided. He's playing third base, making him a potential fill-in for Chipper Jones, with Martin Prado moving back to second and Infante spending most of his time in the outfield. None of these changes would happen until Sept. 1, though, so you wouldn't want to activate Glaus outside of deeper NL-only leagues.
Platoon Possibilities: The Braves face four left-handers this week, which means Eric Hinske and Rick Ankiel won't get to play much. They typically sit in favor of Melky Cabrera and Matt Diaz against lefties.
Lineup Changes: None.

Baltimore Orioles
Schedule: BOS3, TB3
Heating Up: Felix Pie has hit safely in seven of his last eight games, batting .429 (12 for 28), but he hasn't hit for enough power during that stretch for you to activate him in mixed leagues.
Cooling Off: Adam Jones is 0 for 16 over his last six games and struggling with a shoulder injury. Two good reasons to bench him right there.
Injury Concerns: Jones missed a second straight game because of a left shoulder contusion Thursday, but he should be able to return over the weekend. Considering his recent performance, he would need to have a memorable return for you to activate him.
Platoon Possibilities: The Orioles face one left-hander this week, but they don't have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: None.

Boston Red Sox
Schedule: @BAL3, CHW3
Heating Up: Marco Scutaro has multiple hits in five of his last seven games, batting .407 (11 for 27) during that stretch. He's still the leadoff hitter in Boston, which helps make up for what he lacks in power and speed.
Cooling Off: Just when the Red Sox were forced to count on Ryan Kalish as an everyday player, he fell into a slump, batting .100 (3 for 30) over his last 10 games. He's still too unproven for mixed-league use. David Ortiz has been unable to benefit from the recent surplus of right-handers, batting .150 (3 for 20) over his last five games. His inconsistency makes him more of a platoon type than a must-start in Fantasy.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Red Sox face three left-handers this week, which means Jed Lowrie and Daniel Nava are in danger of sitting three times for Bill Hall and Darnell McDonald, but their playing time is already too spotty for mixed-league use.
Lineup Changes: Dustin Pedroia, who came back from a broken foot last week, played just two games before going back on the DL with renewed soreness in the foot. He's likely out for the season, creating the need for the Lowrie-Hall platoon at second base.

Chicago Cubs
Schedule: PIT3, NYM3
Heating Up: Aramis Ramirez is back hitting the way he did right around the All-Star break, batting .481 (13 for 27) with three homers over his last seven games. He's banged up and no longer in his prime, but he's looking like a must-start right now. Alfonso Soriano has hit safely in eight of his last nine games. He's batting a relatively tame .297 (11 for 37) during that stretch, but with two homers, eight runs scored and seven RBI, he's showing he can still be a Fantasy force at age 34.
Cooling Off: Marlon Byrd is just 6 for 32 (.188) over his last nine games, and half of those hits came in one game. His lack of pop makes him less than a must-start even when going well, so you should probably avoid him now.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Cubs face three left-handers this week, but they don't have any clear lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: None.

Chicago White Sox
Schedule: @CLE3, @BOS3
Heating Up: Juan Pierre's hot hitting has gotten his batting average up over the .280 mark. He has hit safely in 29 of his last 31 games, batting .369 (48 for 130) with 15 stolen bases during that stretch. No matter how much your particular format values stolen bases, those are some impressive numbers. Paul Konerko is having arguably the best season of his career and is showing no signs of slowing down. He has multiple hits in six of his last seven games, batting .533 (16 for 30) during that stretch, and is clearly a must-start. A.J. Pierzynski has been on a pretty good run himself, batting .432 (19 for 44) over his last 11 games. With the White Sox facing all right-handers this week, he has some sleeper appeal.
Cooling Off: Nobody is significantly underachieving right now.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The White Sox don't face a single left-handed pitcher this week, but with Mark Teahen now in the mix, the platoon between Mark Kotsay and Andruw Jones isn't so clear. Chances are Jones won't be playing much.
Lineup Changes: None.

Cincinnati Reds
Schedule: MIL3, @STL3
Heating Up: Brandon Phillips is batting .405 (15 for 37) with two homers over his last eight games and looks like he dodged a serious injury Wednesday. Joey Votto is batting .455 (10 for 22) with three home runs over his last five games, but that's nothing out of the ordinary for the Triple Crown candidate.
Cooling Off: Chris Heisey, who got off to a hot start as a part-time performer, has hit a rookie wall, batting 1 for 22 (.045) over his last 11 games. He's just an AL-only option.
Injury Concerns: Phillips, who got hit by a pitch on the hand Wednesday, didn't break anything and should be available this weekend. You'll want to keep the possible 20-20 man active. Orlando Cabrera, who has been out since Aug. 2 with a strained left oblique, could return as early as Monday. He's just a borderline Fantasy option at this stage of his career, though, so you should wait until he's both healthy and effective to activate him.
Platoon Possibilities: The Reds face two left-handers this week, but they don't have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: Jim Edmonds had to go on the disabled list Tuesday with a strained right oblique, freeing up more playing time for Drew Stubbs and Heisey. Neither plays consistently enough to make a big impact in Fantasy, though.

Cleveland Indians
Schedule: CHW3, @SEA4
Heating Up: Michael Brantley has hit safely in eight of his last nine games, batting .342 (13 for 38) with a homer and two steals. He'll need to steal a few more bases than that to garner much Fantasy consideration, though.
Cooling Off: Asdrubal Cabrera has been up and down since returning from a fractured forearm July 20 and seems to be in one of his down stretches now, batting .130 (3 for 23) over his last six games. Because he isn't a huge source of power or speed, he's only worth starting when hot. Matt LaPorta has shown flashes of his potential, but consistency is an issue. He's batting just .109 (5 for 46) with one homer over his last 13 games. You can leave him for AL-only leagues.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Indians face two left-handers this week, but they don't have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: None.

Colorado Rockies
Schedule: @SF3, PHI1, @SD3
Heating Up: Eric Young and Dexter Fowler have settled in as the Rockies' 1-2 punch. Young is batting .353 (6 for 17) with three stolen bases over his last four games, and Fowler is batting .351 (13 for 37) over his last 10, hitting safely in nine of them. Both have some sleeper appeal this week.
Cooling Off: Miguel Olivo, who has a .999 OPS at home and a .570 OPS on the road, has struggled even at Coors Field lately, batting .139 (11 for 79) over his last 21 games. With the team playing six of seven games on the road this week, you wouldn't want to start him.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Rockies face four left-handers this week, which means Seth Smith, despite his recent power surge, is an inadvisable start in mixed leagues. He typically sits for Ryan Spilborghs against lefties.
Lineup Changes: Young has effectively replaced Clint Barmes as the starting second baseman, allowing Fowler to play every day in the outfield. Young and Fowler both have enough speed to contribute in deeper Rotisserie leagues.

Detroit Tigers
Schedule: @MIN3, @KC3
Heating Up: Austin Jackson is on another one of those streaks that defies his high strikeout rate, batting .358 (19 for 53) with a homer and five steals over his last 12 games. Since he's not going to hit for much power, he's just a low-end sleeper in Fantasy. Ryan Raburn, on the other hand, is hitting home runs by the handful, batting .339 (19 for 56) with five homers over his last 14 games. He seems to be thriving with regular at-bats and is worth a look in all formats.
Cooling Off: Johnny Damon turned down a chance to go to Boston this week. The move could have only helped him. He's batting .179 (7 for 39) over his last 10 games and no longer offers enough power or speed to serve as more than a fringe option in mixed leagues.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Tigers face three left-handers this week, but they don't have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: None.

Florida Marlins
Schedule: WAS3, ATL3
Heating Up: Though he has yet to hit his first major-league homer, rookie Logan Morrison has proven major-league ready over his last 15 games, batting .393 (22 for 56) with six doubles and a triple. He has 14 walks compared to eight strikeouts during that stretch, making him worth activating in all formats where those statistics count for something. After getting off to a slow start in the second half, Hanley Ramirez is back performing like the top Fantasy shortstop, batting .538 (14 for 26) with a home run, four stolen bases and 10 runs scored over his last six games. Start him, obviously.
Cooling Off: Michael Stanton has just one hit in his last nine games, batting .031 (1 for 32) during that stretch. He has proven he can hit for power, but his high strikeout rate makes him woefully inconsistent, to the point you pretty much can't use him in Head-to-Head leagues.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Marlins face two left-handers this week, but they don't have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: The Marlins relinquished Cody Ross to the Giants via waivers on Sunday and called up ex-prospect (too soon for that distinction?) Cameron Maybin to take his place in center field. Maybin has disappointed every time he has gotten a chance in the majors, but his minor-league numbers were again impressive. He's worth owning in NL-only leagues just in case this is finally the time he puts it together. Ronny Paulino has to serve a 50-game suspension for violating baseball performance-enhancing drug policy. Brett Hayes takes over as the starting catcher, but he barely matters even in NL-only formats.

Houston Astros
Schedule: STL3, @ARI3
Heating Up: Michael Bourn, who had been a disaster since the All-Star break, has blown up over his last five games, batting .435 (10 for 23) with five stolen bases. He never lost must-start status in Rotisserie leagues, but right now, he might be worth using even in Head-to-Head formats.
Cooling Off: Prized prospect Brett Wallace has done nothing but disappoint so far in the big leagues, batting .063 (2 for 32) over his alst nine games. Jason Castro, another rookie, has been disappointing for even longer and is batting .175 (7 for 40) over his last 15 games. You can leave both for NL-only leagues.
Injury Concerns: Jeff Keppinger, who is on the DL with an inflammation at the ball of his foot, is healthy and ready to return when eligible Wednesday. Since he's just a borderline option even when he plays a full week, you wouldn't want to activate him for a partial week.
Platoon Possibilities: The Astros face two left-handers this week. Wallace will likely sit out those games in favor of Jason Michaels, with Carlos Lee moving from the outfield to first base.
Lineup Changes: None.

Kansas City Royals
Schedule: TEX3, DET3
Heating Up: Yuniesky Betancourt, who had never hit more than nine home runs in a season prior to this one, has six in the month of August alone. He's batting .355 (22 for 62) over his last 17 games. This kind of performance can't continue for much longer, but you wouldn't be wrong to take a flier on him while he's hot. Kila Ka'aihue is still batting just .183 (13 for 71) in 20 games since coming up from the minors, but he has homered in back-to-back games, showing a glimpse of what he might become. He's at least worth monitoring in AL-only leagues.
Cooling Off: Alex Gordon is flopping in what might be his last chance to play every day in the majors, batting .063 (1 for 16) over his last six games.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Royals face two left-handers this week, but they don't have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: None.

L.A. Angels
Schedule: @SEA3, @OAK3
Heating Up: Hideki Matsui, who most Fantasy owners have written off as washed up at age 36, is batting .486 (18 for 37) with two home runs during a 10-game hitting streak. He may not be the player he once was, but he's certainly worth using now. Howard Kendrick is suddenly looking like the hit machine he was in the minors, collecting multiple hits in five of his last seven games for a .533 (16 for 30) average. Get him active. Alberto Callaspo has pretty much been a non-factor since May, but he's beginning to turn it around, batting .439 (18 for 41) during an 11-game hitting streak. He's worth a flier if you need help at second or third base.
Cooling Off: Bobby Abreu, who got off to such a hot start in the leadoff spot, has gone cold all of a sudden, batting .111 (3 for 27) over his last seven games. Even if his batting average is down, he's still good enough in the other categories to remain active in Fantasy.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Angels face two left-handers this week, but they don't have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: Juan Rivera made back-to-back starts at first base Monday and Tuesday and will split time with Mike Napoli there for the rest of the season. The move can only hurt Napoli's value, but he'll likely get enough starts between catcher and first base to remain an advisable Fantasy option.

L.A. Dodgers
Schedule: PHI3, SF3
Heating Up: Casey Blake is the only Dodger who comes close. He's batting .333 (10 for 30) with a homer over his last eight games. He'll need to do more than that to deserve a starting spot in mixed leagues, though.
Cooling Off: James Loney is batting .120 (3 for 25) over his last seven games and hasn't homered since July 29. Surely, you can find a better first baseman to use right now.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Dodgers face two left-handers this week, but they don't have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: Manny Ramirez, who missed over a month with a calf injury, returned to the lineup Saturday, relegating Scott Podsednik to a reserve role. Podsednik's stolen bases make him using in Rotisserie leagues still, especially since Ramirez frequently needs days off, but in a part-time role, his Head-to-Head value is shot. The Dodgers acquired Rod Barajas from the Mets on Sunday and have made him their starting catcher. He'll hit the occasional home run, but he's not consistent enough to start in shallower leagues.

Milwaukee Brewers
Schedule: @CIN3, @PHI3
Heating Up: Ryan Braun is performing more like a Fantasy first-rounder in August, batting .397 (31 for 78) with two home runs for the month. He's most likely going to fall short of 30 homers for the first time in his career, but he's a top-10 Fantasy outfielder regardless.
Cooling Off: Lorenzo Cain, who made a big impression when he first came up from the minors in early August, is batting .143 (3 for 21) over his last six games. He has enough speed to make an impact in Rotisserie leagues still, but you should probably avoid him for now.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Brewers face two left-handers this week, but Cain seems to be the starter in center field no matter who's on the mound, making his platoon with Chris Dickerson a thing of the past.
Lineup Changes: None.

Minnesota Twins
Schedule: DET3, TEX3
Heating Up: Nobody is exceeding expectations right now.
Cooling Off: Delmon Young homered Thursday but has been relatively quiet otherwise, batting .133 (4 for 30) over his last eight games. He's still batting over .300 for the season, though, so he hasn't slumped to the point you should sit him during his breakout season. J.J. Hardy is still battling soreness in his left wrist, and it shows. He's batting .143 (3 for 21) over his last eight games and no longer has enough power for mixed-league use.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Twins face one left-hander this week, which is good news for Jason Kubel and Jim Thome. The team doesn't have any lefty-righty platoons, though.
Lineup Changes: None.

N.Y. Mets
Schedule: @ATL4, @CHC3
Heating Up: David Wright, who got off to a 2-for-33 (.061) start in August, is making up for it now, batting .425 (17 for 40) with four homers and two steals over his last 10 games. He's still one of the elite players at his position, even if his stock has dropped a little. The same goes for Jose Reyes, who's batting .383 (18 for 47) with five steals over his last 11 games.
Cooling Off: Carlos Beltran looked briefly like he was back on track after missing the first half recovering from knee surgery, but he has fallen on hard times again, batting .167 (4 for 24) over his last eight games. He'll need to hit more consistently to matter in mixed leagues.
Injury Concerns: Reyes aggravated his oblique injury Thursday and had to leave the game. The team considers him day to day, which is good news considering how hot he's been. Unless the prognosis gets worse over the weekend, you should keep him active.
Platoon Possibilities: The Mets face one left-hander this week, but they don't have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: The Mets traded Rod Barajas to the Dodgers earlier in the week, allowing Josh Thole to take over as the starting catcher. He doesn't have enough power for mixed-league use.

N.Y. Yankees
Schedule: OAK4, TOR3
Heating Up: Mark Teixeira is gearing up for another second-half surge, batting .379 (11 for 29) with two home runs over his last eight games. He's a must-start whether he hits .250 or .350. Robinson Cano, who was slumping at the beginning of August, seems to be back on track now, batting .324 (11 for 34) with four homers over his last nine games.
Cooling Off: We're almost to September, and Derek Jeter is batting just .275. With a .196 (9 for 46) batting average over his last 12 games, he seems destined to hit under .290 for the first time in his career. Still, you have to keep him active at the weak shortstop position. Brett Gardner is batting .213 (23 for 108) since the All-Star break and is looking like strictly a Rotisserie-league option.
Injury Concerns: Nick Swisher, who fouled a ball off his left knee Tuesday and was out of the lineup Wednesday, should return Friday, but the Yankees don't have any reason to rush him back. He hasn't been particularly hot in August, so if there's any doubts about him going into the week, you should probably reserve him. Lance Berkman is expected to return from the DL when eligible Wednesday, but since he was platooning before the injury, you wouldn't want to activate him in mixed leagues.
Platoon Possibilities: The Yankees face four lefties this week. Curtis Granderson has gotten to start against more lefties recently but is always at risk of sitting against them. So is Berkman when he returns from the disabled list Wednesday. Even Gardner, given his performance recently, isn't a sure bet to start against lefties. Austin Kearns and Marcus Thames have some low-end appeal in AL-only leagues this week.
Lineup Changes: None.

Oakland Athletics
Schedule: @NYY4, LAA3
Heating Up: Coco Crisp has slowed down a little recently, but he's still batting .351 (26 for 74) with three homers and eight steals over his last 18 games. Hard to look past those numbers if you're scrounging the waiver wire for some kind of sleeper. Daric Barton is batting .406 (13 for 32) during a nine-game hitting streak, but his lack of pop pretty much makes him just an AL-only option.
Cooling Off: Kurt Suzuki has hit safely in only one of his last 11 games, batting .059 (2 for 34) during that stretch. His batting average has dropped from .266 to .238 since the beginning of August. Unless you want to carry two catchers, though, you pretty much have to stick with him. When he comes around, he'll be a must-start again.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Athletics face two left-handers this week, but they don't have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: Conor Jackson, who just returned from a hamstring injury Aug. 16, went back on the disabled list with a sports hernia Aug. 20. He's expected to miss the rest of the season. Gabe Gross is starting in his place but has minimal appeal even in AL-only leagues.

Philadelphia Phillies
Schedule: @LAD3, @COL1, MIL3
Heating Up: Jayson Werth is the only Phillie who even comes close. He's batting .342 (25 for 73) with two homers over his last 20 games and deserves to be starting in all leagues.
Cooling Off: Chase Utley hasn't done much since returning from a thumb injury Aug. 17, batting .235 (8 for 34) in nine games. Placido Polanco hasn't hit any better lately, batting .182 (6 for 33) over his last nine games. Even Ryan Howard isn't doing anything productive, batting .081 (3 for 37) over his last 10 games. The only one of those three you'd consider sitting is Polanco, and only if you had an especially good backup.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Phillies face two lefties this week, but they don't have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: None.

Pittsburgh Pirates
Schedule: @CHC3, WAS3
Heating Up: Jose Tabata has been about the only Pirate hitting well lately and looks plenty capable of holding down the leadoff spot at age 22. He has hit safely in eight of his last nine games, batting .467 (14 for 30) with two stolen bases during that stretch. He's worth a flier in Rotisserie leagues, if nothing else.
Cooling Off: Ryan Doumit has struggled since coming back from a concussion Aug. 7, batting .188 (9 for 48) in 15 games. Because he's a catcher-eligible player getting everyday at-bats, he's still worth using in Fantasy, but he's not beyond sitting either. Pedro Alvarez is batting .074 (2 for 27) with 12 strikeouts over his last eight games, but that's what happens to free-swinging rookies.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Pirates face two left-handers this week, but they don't have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: None.

San Diego Padres
Schedule: @ARI3, COL3
Heating Up: Adrian Gonzalez has hit safely in eight straight games, batting .355 (11 for 31) with five homers during that stretch. He may not be as consistent as most elite players, but when he gets hot, he's not shy about it. Will Venable is working on an eight-game hitting streak of his own, batting .345 (10 for 29) with a home run and five stolen bases during that stretch. If he didn't sit against left-handers, he'd be a nice little sleeper for NL-only leagues.
Cooling Off: Ryan Ludwick is batting .133 (4 for 30) over his last nine games. He has had one brief hot streak since joining the Padres and clearly isn't worth using in mixed leagues right now.
Injury Concerns: Chris Denorfia, who has taken over as an everyday player with Tony Gwynn sidelined by a broken right hand, needed help off the field after injuring his hamstring in the ninth inning Thursday, but it was reportedly just a cramp. With his combination of power and speed, he's a definite sleeper in NL-only leagues.
Platoon Possibilities: The Padres face two left-handers this week, which means Venable will sit twice for Scott Hairston. Both are just NL-only options.
Lineup Changes: David Eckstein recently returned from a calf injury and will split time with Jerry Hairston at second base, pretty much ruining whatever little mixed-league appeal Hairston had.

San Francisco Giants
Schedule: COL3, @LAD3
Heating Up: The entire Giants lineup is hot after scoring 38 runs in a three-game series against the Reds. Andres Torres and Aubrey Huff have both bounced back from mid-August slumps, with Torres batting .400 (6 for 15) with eight RBI and six runs scored over his last three games and Huff batting .474 (9 for 19) with two homers over his last five. Freddy Sanchez has put a stop to his platoon with Mike Fontenot with a .519 (14 for 27) batting average over his last seven games. Pablo Sandoval has had perhaps the most encouraging performance of anyone. He's batting .625 (10 for 16) over his last three games and has five homers over his last 13, for once looking like the player who emerged as a Fantasy stud last year.
Cooling Off: Pat Burrell is about the only Giant trending the wrong direction, batting .175 (7 for 40) over his last 11 games. Knowing how streaky he can be, you should avoid him for now.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Giants face three left-handers this week. Cody Ross could start those games, but the team has yet to settle on a platoon partner for him. Jose Guillen was the first to take a seat Tuesday, but Torres could lose some at-bats as well.
Lineup Changes: The Giants claimed Ross off waivers from the Marlins on Sunday, but now that he's just a platoon player, he's not worth using outside of NL-only leagues.

Seattle Mariners
Schedule: LAA3, CLE4
Heating Up: Russell Branyan, who has been known to hit half his homers in a span of two weeks, has four homers in his last six games. If you're looking to make up ground in the power categories, now might be a good time to use him. Ichiro Suzuki has hit safely in nine straight games, batting .333 (13 for 39) with two homers and three steals during that stretch. In years past, those numbers would have been par for the course for him, but he's a little behind pace this year.
Cooling Off: Chone Figgins, who got off to a hot start in August, is batting .192 (10 for 52) over his last 13 games. His season doesn't seem to be getting better, and it's getting to the point where he might not be worth the trouble in Head-to-Head leagues.
Injury Concerns: Michael Saunders, who has played only once since Aug. 16 because of a shoulder injury, was set to have an MRI on Thursday. He offers little more than power at this stage of his career, so the results should only matter to AL-only leagues.
Platoon Possibilities: The Mariners don't face a single left-handed pitcher this week, which doesn't mean much since they don't have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: None.

St. Louis Cardinals
Schedule: @HOU3, CIN3
Heating Up: Pedro Feliz is off to a good start with his new team, hitting safely in seven straight games for a .355 (11 for 31) batting average. Still, his lack of upside limits him to NL-only use. Yadier Molina is doing his best to re-enter the mixed-league discussion, batting .400 (10 for 25) over his last six games. As regularly as he plays, he's worth a look. Albert Pujols is batting .419 (36 for 86) with 10 home runs in August, making a push for the Triple Crown, but those kinds of numbers aren't necessarily surprising from him. That's why you drafted him first overall.
Cooling Off: Nobody is significantly underachieving right now.
Injury Concerns: Colby Rasmus was out of the starting lineup for a ninth straight game with a strained right calf Thursday, though he did appear as a pinch hitter. He expects to return sometime over the weekend, but with three left-handers on the schedule, he'd need to get hot right away for you to justify activating him in standard formats.
Platoon Possibilities: The Cardinals face three left-handers this week, which means Jon Jay will likely sit three times for Allen Craig. Jay has put up some surprisingly big numbers, but you can leave him for NL-only leagues this week.
Lineup Changes: Feliz has indeed taken over as the team's starting third baseman, though instead of replacing Felipe Lopez, he has forced him to other positions, namely second base and shortstop. That's bad news for Skip Schumaker and Brendan Ryan, but neither had any mixed-league appeal anyway.

Tampa Bay Rays
Schedule: TOR3, @BAL3
Heating Up: Evan Longoria, who had a bit of a power drought in June and July, has come around recently, batting .400 (14 for 35) with four home runs over his last nine games. He's an obvious must-start.
Cooling Off: B.J. Upton isn't any closer to cracking the combination to his talent. He's batting .095 (2 for 21) over his last six games and isn't beyond sitting in shallower leagues. Reid Brignac is batting .128 (5 for 39) over his last 15 games, but the Rays have gotten healthy enough that he no longer has to play much.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Rays face three left-handers this week. Dan Johnson will likely sit out those games for Willy Aybar, and Matt Joyce will likely sit them out for Sean Rodriguez, with Ben Zobrist moving to the outfield.
Lineup Changes: None.

Texas Rangers
Schedule: @KC3, @MIN3
Heating Up: Vladimir Guerrero, who went the first 17 games of August without hitting a homer, has gone deep in three of his last five games, batting .400 (8 for 20) during that stretch. The 35-year-old has shown he has plenty of life left and deserves to be starting in all leagues. Josh Hamilton has four homers over his last six games and is batting .370 (10 for 27) over his last seven. By now, you've gotten used to those numbers from him, so you can just keep running him out there.
Cooling Off: This might be Bengie Molina's last year as a starter. His performance in Texas has been abysmal and hasn't gotten any better over his last six games, during which he's batting .136 (3 for 22).
Injury Concerns: Nelson Cruz, out with a hamstring injury, has started a rehab assignment and will likely return when eligible Monday. He was running the whole time he was out and likely wouldn't have gone on the DL if the division race was closer, so you can trust him to return at the beginning of the week. Get him active for his five-category potential.
Platoon Possibilities: The Rangers face one left-hander this week, so Jorge Cantu won't get much playing time. He typically replaces either Julio Borbon or Mitch Moreland against lefties.
Lineup Changes: None.

Toronto Blue Jays
Schedule: @TB3, @NYY3
Heating Up: Vernon Wells, who has had a relatively quiet last two months, is batting .400 (10 for 25) with a homer over his last six games. He's due for a season-ending hot streak, so you should make sure you have him active. Jose Bautista is experiencing yet another power surge, batting .375 (9 for 24) with four homers over his last seven games. He's an obvious must-start.
Cooling Off: Lyle Overbay, who recently had three homers in two games, is batting .071 (1 for 14) in five games since, so you can go back to ignoring him in mixed leagues. Yunel Escobar is suddenly doing for the Blue Jays about what he did for the Braves, batting .130 (3 for 23) over his last six games. If you have viable alternatives, they're worth using now. Aaron Hill's miserable season isn't getting any better. He has just one hit in his last 24 at-bats (.042).
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Blue Jays face one left-hander this week, but they don't have any lefty-righty platoons.
Lineup Changes: None.

Washington Nationals
Schedule: @FLA3, @PIT3
Heating Up: Ian Desmond hasn't completely cooled off yet, collecting four hits in Thursday's game. He's batting .378 (37 for 98) with three homers and six steals over his last 28 games, making him an intriguing sleeper at the weak shortstop position.
Cooling Off: Adam Dunn is batting .100 (3 for 30) over his last 10 games, but those kinds of slumps are nothing new for him. He's capable of going off for four homers any given week, so you have to keep him active.
Injury Concerns: None.
Platoon Possibilities: The Nationals face two left-handers this week. Adam Kennedy will sit out those games in favor of Alberto Gonzalez.
Lineup Changes: None.

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