Transaction Analysis: Colon Follows Cabrera to the Doghouse

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Updated on August 24, 2012 11:34AM EST

Here's a look at the transactions this week that had the most significant fantasy impact.

Athletics

Seth Smith, OF - activated from the 15-day DL
Jordan Norberto, LHP - placed on the 15-day DL (left shoulder)
Jemile Weeks, 2B - optioned to Triple-A Sacramento
Stephen Drew, SS - acquired from Arizona for IF Sean Jamieson

Impact: Smith missed almost three weeks with a strained left hamstring. He should receive regular at-bats either as a designated hitter or corner outfielder and returns to a .237 average, 11 home runs and 39 RBI over 92 games. Norberto has pitched well in relief for the A's this year, going 4-1 with a 2.77 ERA over 39 relief appearances. He should miss only a couple of weeks as he recovers from tendinitis in his left shoulder. Weeks fell victim to a sophomore slump this year, as his numbers took a nosedive. In 113 games as Oakland's second baseman, he managed a lousy .607 OPS after posting a .761 mark in 2011. Drew missed almost a year due to a fractured right ankle and managed to hit just .193 with two home runs and 12 RBI in 40 games with Arizona this season. He'll serve as Oakland's regular shortstop and should see an improvement in his numbers over the remainder of the season. Cliff Pennington will now share time at second base with Adam Rosales, though neither player is a recommended fantasy option. Jamieson has yet to play above Single-A

Here's a look at the transactions this week that had the most significant fantasy impact.

Athletics

Seth Smith, OF - activated from the 15-day DL
Jordan Norberto, LHP - placed on the 15-day DL (left shoulder)
Jemile Weeks, 2B - optioned to Triple-A Sacramento
Stephen Drew, SS - acquired from Arizona for IF Sean Jamieson

Impact: Anderson made his first start of the 2012 season Tuesday after undergoing Tommy John surgery. He pitched well in that start against the Twins, going seven strong innings in which he gave up just one earned run on four hits and no walks. Anderson's health is always a concern, but he generally pitches quite well when he's healthy, so fantasy owners will want to give him a chance. Colon became the second player in about a week to test positive for Testosterone use, costing him the remaining 40 games of this season and 10 additional games (either in the 2012 postseason or in 2013). He finishes the year 10-9, with a 3.43 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 91 strikeouts in 152.1 innings. Straily pitched well in his three starts with Oakland, going 1-0 with a 3.18 ERA. Ross returns to an ugly 2-8 record and 6.35 ERA through 12 starts and should be replaced once Straily becomes eligible to be recalled.

Cardinals

Jaime Garcia, LHP - activated from the 60-day DL
Trevor Rosenthal, RHP - optioned to Triple-A Memphis

Impact: Garcia missed two-and-a-half months with a strained left shoulder, but showed no lingering effects of the injury during his start Sunday against the Pirates. In his first start since June 5, the 26-year-old lefty pitched eight shutout innings, giving up just five hits and no walks while striking out 10 batters. He entered the 2012 season with a career record of 27-16 with a 3.27 ERA and should be owned in most fantasy leagues. Rosenthal made five relief appearances with the Cards, going 0-1 with a 3.86 ERA over 4.2 innings.

Marlins

Emilio Bonifacio, OF - activated from (and then placed on) the 15-day DL (right knee)

Impact: Bonifacio's return from a thumb injury was short-lived, as he managed to get into just three games before landing back on the DL with a sprained right knee. He had already missed almost two months earlier in the year due to the thumb injury, and landed back on the 15-day DL almost a month later when he aggravated it. It appears that he'll miss more than the minimum 15 days this time, and manager Ozzie Guillen said there's a possibility that he may not play again this season. Gorkys Hernandez should now see regular playing time as the Marlins center fielder, hough he has yet to do anything to make him worth owning in even the deepest fantasy leagues.

Mets

Johan Santana, LHP - placed on the 15-day DL (lower back)
Collin McHugh, RHP - called up from Triple-A Buffalo

Impact: Santana has been shut down for the remainder of the season due to inflammation in his lower back. The veteran left-hander threw the first no-hitter in Mets franchise history June 1, but has been largely ineffective otherwise this year. He will finish the year 6-9 with a 4.85 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 111 strikeouts over 117 innings. McHugh will replace Santana in the Mets rotation. He is a 25-year-old righty who was a combined 7-9 with a 2.88 ERA and 132 strikeouts over 142.2 innings between Double-A and Triple-A this season. While it's possible that he could have some value in deeper leagues, his youth and inexperience make him a risky fantasy pick.

Red Sox

Carl Crawford, OF - placed on the 15-day DL (left elbow)
Daniel Nava, OF - activated from the 15-day DL

Impact: Crawford's season has ended early, as he will undergo Tommy John surgery on his ailing left elbow. The speedy left fielder missed the entire first half of the season due to issues with his left wrist and his left elbow and didn't get into his first major league game of the season until just after the All-Star break. He finishes the year with a .282 average, three home runs, 23 runs, 19 RBI and five stolen bases in 31 games. Nava and Scott Podsednik should share the left-field duties over the remainder of the season, and both players have enough pop to be worth a look in most AL-only leagues.

Rockies

Michael Cuddyer, OF - placed on the 15-day DL (right oblique)
Andrew Brown, OF - recalled from Triple-A Colorado Springs

Impact: After missing a couple of weeks with a strained right oblique muscle, Cuddyer returned to the Rockies lineup only to aggravate the injury after appearing in just three games. He could now miss the rest of the season, as the injury appears to be more serious now than it was the first time he landed on the DL a few weeks ago. Tyler Colvin should now be assured of regular at-bats as Colorado's primary first baseman. He has helped out his fantasy owners with a .288 average, 13 home runs and 51 RBI at the time of Cuddyer's placement on the DL on Sunday. Brown should receive plenty of at-bats due to the injuries to Cuddyer and Eric Young Jr., but is probably not worth taking a chance on in most leagues.

White Sox

Alejandro De Aza, OF - placed on the 15-day DL (left ribs)
Jordan Danks, OF - recalled from Triple-A Charlotte

Impact: The White Sox leadoff hitter will miss at least a couple of weeks as he recovers from bruising the left side of his ribs. De Aza is hitting .281 with 73 runs scored and 21 stolen bases over 111 games in his first full season as a regular. DeWayne Wise should get most of the playing time in center field for now, with Danks serving as a backup. Wise has swung a decent bat so far this year, while racking up stolen bases. He's definitely worthy of consideration in AL-only leagues.