The Yankees starting rotation is a mess; Scott Cullen has notes on Michael Pineda, CC Sabathia, Matt Wieters, Brandon Belt, Adam

The Yankees starting rotation is a mess; Scott Cullen has notes on Michael Pineda, CC Sabathia, Matt Wieters, Brandon Belt, Adam LaRoche and more. Chris Bassitt Athletics Jersey . INJURIES - Good thing for the Yankees that their Japanese pitchers, Hiroki Kuroda and Masahiro Tanaka, have been able to stay healthy. The rest of the starting rotation has already hit the DL. With Ivan Nova alread out for the season, RHP Michael Pineda was suspended for that whole Pine Tar thing, then suffered a strined muscle in his side that will likely keep him out until some time in June. Adding to those troubles, LHP CC Sabathia found out that he has fluid on his knee, requiring him to go to the DL too. RHP David Phelps has already joined the rotation, delivering mediocre results (4.35 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 4 K, 10 1/3 IP) in a couple of starts. Journeyman RHP Alfredo Aceves (1.98 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 14 K, 13 2/3 IP at AAA) is a decent bet to get a chance as a starter and, checking out their other options at Triple-A, 24-year-old RHP Chase Whitley (3-2, 2.49 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 32 K, 25 1/3 IP) has been really good and might be ready for a look. - Orioles C Matt Wieters is out with a strained right elbow, opening up room for Steve Clevenger to see more action for the next couple weeks. Clevenger has a .778 OPS in 46 plate appearances this year, but his major league career consists of 1 HR, 23 RBI, .213 AVG (.578 OPS) in 268 AB. Not much to get excited about at this point. - Giants 1B Brandon Belt was off to a nice start (9 HR, 18 RBI, .264 AVG, 18 R, 3 SB, .820 OPS), but has suffered a broken thumb that will keep him out six weeks. With C Buster Posey available to play first, that leaves more playing time for C Hector Sanchez and veteran utility man Joaquin Arias. - Brewers 3B Aramis Ramirez has a strained hamstring, which is resulting in Mark Reynolds moving across the diamond to third, and Lyle Overbay taking over at first base for Reynolds. Since the start of 2013, Overbay has hit 15 home runs with a .240 batting average in 513 at-bats. - Rangers 2B Donnie Murphy has landed on the DL with a strained neck and with Jurickson Profar already out, top prospect Rougned Odor gets the call for Texas. Odor is just 20-years-old, so this may be just a chance to get a taste of the big leagues, but he has hit .293 with 12 home runs and an .825 OPS in 263 Double-A at-bats since getting promoted last season. Right now, hes just a player to watch. - Nationals 1B Adam LaRoche has gone on the DL with a strained quad, and the Nats have brought Tyler Moore back from the minors. Moore has shown some power (16 HR, 53 RBI, .236 AVG, .713 OPS) in 356 careerat-bats, and destroys Triple-A pitching (19 HR, 72 RBI, .306 AVG, .975 OPS, 281 AB), so the chance to play regularly could provide some decent results. GOOD ADDS (Available in at least 40% of TSN leagues) Alcides Escobar, SS, Kansas City - 2 HR, 15 RBI, .276 AVG, 18 R, 127 AB (Available: 51.4%) Jedd Gyorko, 2B, San Diego - 5 HR, 19 RBI, .262 AVG, 11 R, 136 AB (Available: 51.5%) Gerardo Parra, RF, Arizona - 4 HR, 13 RBI, .275 AVG, 24 R, 160 AB (Available: 81.8%) A.J. Pollock, CF, Arizona - 3 HR, 7 RBI, .278 AVG, 14 R, 5 SB, 108 AB (Available: 98.6%) Seth Smith, LF, San Diego - 3 HR, 14 RBI, .330 AVG, 14 R, 106 AB (Available: 93.0%) Dillon Gee, RHP, N.Y. Mets - 3-1, 2.73 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 33 K, 52 2/3 IP (Available: 41.8%) Josh Beckett, RHP, Los Angeles - 0-1, 2.80 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 34 K, 35 1/3 IP (Available: 73.2%) Tom Koehler, RHP, Miami - 3-2, 1.99 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 29 K, 45 1/3 IP (Available: 76.0%) CLOSER NOTES - Reds LHP Aroldis Chapman returned to action, with 100 MPH fastballs, to close out Colorado Sunday, so Jonathan Broxton returns to the eighth inning role for the Reds. - Indians RHP John Axford surrendered five earned runs in three innings over his last four appearances and hes been bumped from the closers role, with the Tribe turning to a committee approach. RHP Bryan Shaw and RHP Cody Allen are the best options, with perhaps a slight edge to Shaw right now. - Angels RHP Ernesto Frieri pitched well enough after losing the closers role that hes now eligible for ninth-inning work again, splitting save duties with Joe Smith. - RHP Jeurys Familia may be next in line to close for the New York Mets. Its been up in the air since Bobby Parnell was injured, but Familia may be able to usurp Kyle Farnsworth. Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. Oakland Athletics Shirts . He wants to seize that opportunity. The trouble is, Firus has had more bumps on the road to Sochi than most. Last year, Firus had the skate of a lifetime in the short program at the Canadian championships when he landed his first triple Axel in competition and finished third in a stacked field. Athletics Jerseys China . The time off didnt slow them down. Tyler Zeller scored a season-high 18 points and grabbed a career-best 15 rebounds, Kyrie Irving added 14 points and the Cavaliers pushed their winning streak to five games Tuesday night with a 114-85 victory over the skidding Philadelphia 76ers. https://www.cheapathleticsonline.com/ .com) - Mikko Korhonen carded a 5-under 67 on Thursday to claim medalist honors at the European Tours Final Qualifying Stage tournament.WASHINGTON -- By the time the 12th inning rolled around, the San Diego Padres were without third baseman Chase Headley -- his strained calf could send him to the disabled list -- and left fielder Seth Smith, who hurt a groin muscle. The Padres were on their way to using a total of 20 players, including seven pitchers. Well, seven on the mound, and one in left field. Andrew Cashner briefly filled in for Smith before manager Bud Black made a double-switch. So it was quite a relief when Xavier Nady delivered a tiebreaking RBI single off Craig Stammen in the top of the 12th to give San Diego a 4-3 victory over the Washington Nationals on Thursday night. "This was an interesting one, for sure," Black said. "This was one where you really had to be creative as it went along." Nady, who entered the game in right field in the ninth, bounced a 2-0 fastball up the middle off Stammen (0-1), who was working his third inning. "Im the last man standing. Whatever happens, happens. Ive got to live with it," Stammen said. "I left it up a little bit, but he put it in a good spot." Jedd Gyorko singled, stole second and got to third when catcher Jose Lobatons throw sailed into the outfield for an error, then scored on Nadys hit. "As soon as I threw the ball," Lobaton said, gritting his teeth, "I was like, Ah, that was a bad throw." Alex Torres (1-0) got two outs in the 11th for the win, and Houston Street worked around Bryce Harpers leadoff double in the 12th for his eighth save. The game ended when Lobaton lined out to shortstop Everth Cabrera, who flipped the ball to second base to double off Harper. "It was sort of ironic that we were sort of worried about Harper stealing third," Black explained, "and so we tried to keep Cabby a little bit tighter to Harper, and sure enough the ball was hit in the hole." The Nationals went 0 for 16 with runners in scoring position and left 14 men on base. The only 1-2-3 innings for Padres pitching were the second and 11th. "Theres just something in you, when your backs against the wall a little bit, youve got to reach back and really give your best shot and throw your bestt pitches," said Tim Stauffer, who threw 2 1-3 scoreless innings in relief of Eric Stults. Stitched Athletics Jerseys. "I think as a whole we were able to do that today." Nationals second baseman Danny Espinosa said: "Its easy to press. You want to come through for your team." He hit a solo homer in the sixth, and Adam LaRoche added one in the seventh to help Washington pull even after trailing 3-1. But the Padres never did let the Nationals go ahead from there. Headley left in the middle of the second inning, and Black said: "That looks as though thats probably going to be a DL." Smith departed in the 11th but the manager didnt think his problem will send him to the disabled list. In the top of the ninth, San Diegos Yonder Alonso walked, then tried to steal second and initially was ruled safe. But Nationals manager Matt Williams challenged the call, which was overruled on review; replays showed that Alonsos front leg was in the air as he slid and his foot didnt touch the bag before he was tagged. Nationals starter Jordan Zimmermann allowed three runs and five hits in six innings. Stults gave up 10 hits but only two runs in his 5 1-3 innings. "When I was done," Stults said, "it seemed like I kind of pitched yesterday." NOTES: Nationals LHP Gio Gonzalez felt "normal, after-a-start soreness" Thursday and would get plenty of treatment, Williams said. Gonzalez was pulled in the sixth inning after only 83 pitches Wednesday because his left shoulder felt tight. "Im not concerned about it. I dont think he is, either, really," Williams said. "We want to be careful, but we dont think theres any major concern there." ... Washington RHP Doug Fister, on the 15-day DL with a back muscle problem, threw 40 pitches in a bullpen session Thursday and is scheduled to make his first minor league rehab start Sunday, probably at Class-A Potomac. ... Padres LF Carlos Quentin, on the 15-day DL with a bone bruise in his left knee, is expected to report to extended spring training in Arizona this weekend. ... On Friday, Nationals RHP Stephen Strasburg (1-2, 5.33) will face Padres LHP Robbie Erlin (1-2, 4.15). ' ' '