Transaction Analysis: Shakeup in San Diego

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

Blue Jays

Adam Lind, 1B - optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas
Yan Gomes, C - contract purchased from Triple-A Las Vegas

Impact: The Jays sent their struggling first baseman to Triple-A after he hit just .186 with three home runs and 11 RBI in 118 at-bats. After a great 2009 season in which he hit .305 with 35 home runs and 114 RBI, Lind failed to come close to those numbers during the 2010 and 2011 seasons. Over those two years, he hit for a combined .243 average, while averaging just 24.5 home runs and 79.5 RBI a season. Gomes will become the first Brazilian-born player to appear in a major league game. He could see time at the corner-infield spots in addition to behind the plate. Edwin Encarnacion had been serving as the Jays designated hitter, but should act as their regular first baseman while Lind tries to work his way back onto the major league roster. Ben Francisco and Rajai Davis could see an increase in playing time as a result of Lind's demotion.

Cardinals

Lance Berkman, 1B - activated from the 15-day DL
Shane Robinson, OF - optioned to and then recalled from Triple-A Memphis
Jon Jay, OF - placed on the 15-day DL (right shoulder)

Impact: Berkman finally returned to action last Sunday after missing almost a month with a strained left calf. He put up some big numbers last year with St. Louis, hitting .301 with 31 home runs, 90 runs scored and 94 RBI in 145 games. Shortly after getting Berkman back from the DL, the Cards lost another regular when Jon Jay was shelved with soreness in his right shoulder. Jay is hitting an impressive .343 with a couple of home runs and four stolen bases in 27 games this season. The hot-hitting Allen Craig should continue to get regular at-bats, moving from first base to fill the void in the outfield. Robinson will serve in a backup capacity.

Dodgers

Matt Kemp, OF - placed on the 15-day DL (left hamstring)
Jerry Sands, OF - recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque

Impact: The Dodgers offence took a huge blow Monday after it lost the team's best hitter to a strained left hamstring. Kemp was probably the most valuable player in the majority of fantasy leagues last season, as he hit .324 with 39 home runs, 115 runs scored, 126 RBI and 40 steals. All he's done so far to follow that this season is launch 12 bombs in only 34 games while hitting a healthy .359. His injury is not serious, so it's quite possible that he'll only miss the minimum 15 days. In the meantime, it opens the door for Scott Van Slyke and Jerry Sands to get some at-bats, and both players have the potential to put up solid numbers if given the chance to play based on their past minor league numbers. Tony Gwynn Jr. could also see an increase in playing time, though he has done very little with the bat over his career.

Nationals

Wilson Ramos, C - placed on the 15-day DL (right knee)
Sandy Leon, C - contract selected from Double-A Harrisburg, then placed on the 60-day DL (right ankle)
Carlos Maldonado, C - contract selected from Triple-A Syracuse

Impact: The Nationals lost their starting catcher for the rest of the season after he tore the ACL in his right knee. Ramos had a nice offensive season in 2011, hitting .267 with 15 home runs and 52 RBI in just 389 at-bats. He finishes the 2012 season with a .265 average, three home runs and 10 RBI. His injury will give extra at-bats to Jesus Flores, who has produced decent enough numbers for a backstop over his career. Flores came into this season with a career batting average of .253 and 17 home runs in 660 at-bats and could be worth a look in NL-only leagues or deep mixed leagues. Leon struck out in his only at-bat before spraining his right ankle during a collision at home plate. Maldonado will now serve as the team's backup catcher and isn't likely to be much help to a fantasy team.

Padres

Tim Stauffer, RHP - activated from the 15-day DL
Josh Spence, LHP - optioned to Triple-A Tucson

Impact: Stauffer made his season debut Monday after missing a month and a half with a strained right elbow. In his first full season as a starter last year, he went 9-12 with a 3.73 ERA over 31 starts. While he isn't likely to rack up high strikeout numbers, he has the potential to help a fantasy team in ERA and WHIP due to his pitcher-friendly home ballpark. He takes the rotation spot that was left vacant when Joe Wieland went on the DL last week with an elbow injury. Spence worked in relief for the Padres and was 0-1 with a 4.35 ERA in 11 appearances.

Orlando Hudson, 2B - released
Alexi Amarista, IF - recalled from Triple-A Tucson
Jason Bartlett, SS - placed on the 15-day DL (right knee)
Everth Cabrera, SS - recalled from Triple-A Tucson

Impact: The Padres shook up their infield Thursday, as they requested unconditional release waivers for their regular second baseman while placing their starting shortstop on the DL. Hudson's offence has been slipping since 2008, and he managed to hit just .211 with one home run and 11 RBI in 123 at-bats for San Diego this season. Bartlett has done even worse with the bat this season, hitting a paltry .133 with no home runs and four RBI in 83 at-bats. Amarista and Cabrera now become the regulars at second base and shortstop, respectively. Amarista was acquired from the Angels earlier this month for reliever Ernesto Frieri. He is a speedster who has hit for a good batting average over his minor league career, but has next to no power. He hit just .154 in 52 at-bats last season and will now play in a pitcher-friendly home ballpark, which does not bode well. Cabrera enters the season with a career batting average of .236 with three home runs in 597 at-bats and is best avoided in most fantasy leagues.

Phillies

Vance Worley, RHP - placed on the 15-day DL (right elbow)
Joe Savery, LHP - recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley

Impact: Worley is suffering from some inflammation in his right elbow, so he'll be shut down for a couple of weeks. After an impressive 2011 season in which he went 11-3 with a 3.01 ERA, he has continued to pitch well this year, going 3-2 with a 3.07 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 44 innings. Kyle Kendrick will move back to the rotation while Worley recovers, and Savery will replace Kendrick in the bullpen. Kendrick does have the potential for fantasy value in NL-only leagues, though his low strikeout rate makes him a risky option.

Rays

Jeff Niemann, RHP - placed on the 15-day DL, then moved to the 60-day DL (right leg)
Josh Lueke, RHP - recalled from Triple-A Durham

Impact: Niemann had been pitching well this season before he fractured his right fibula during his last start Monday against Toronto. The 6-foot-9 righty was 2-3 with a 3.38 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 34.2 innings over seven starts. The most likely candidates to be called up to fill his rotation spot are Alex Cobb and Chris Archer. Cobb has some major league experience under his belt, as he went 3-2 in nine starts with the Rays last season, posting a 3.42 ERA in 52.2 innings. Archer is about a year younger than Cobb, but has had serious issues with his control over his minor league career. Cobb could help out a fantasy team if he gets the call, but Archer appears a more risky option at this point. Lueke will work out of the bullpen and shouldn't have any fantasy value.

Royals

Danny Duffy, LHP - placed on the 15-day DL (left elbow)
Nate Adcock, RHP - recalled from Triple-A Omaha, then optioned to Triple-A Omaha

Impact: Duffy is likely done for the season after suffering a torn UCL during his last start Sunday. The 23-year-old left-hander is 2-2 with a 3.90 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 27.2 innings through six starts. He struggled with control, posting a walk ratio of 5.86 BB/9 this season and 4.67 BB/9 over his young career. With Vin Mazzaro getting optioned to Triple-A Omaha, that leaves the Royals with two empty spots in their rotation. Luis Mendoza will fill one of those spots, though he's not likely to offer much in terms of fantasy value. Everett Teaford could fill the other spot if he's not needed in the bullpen, with minor leaguer Ryan Verdugo also an option. Whoever gets the nod, they are probably best avoided in most fantasy leagues.

Twins

Justin Morneau, DH - activated from the 15-dayDL
Chris Parmelee, 1B - optioned to Triple-A Rochester

Impact: Morneau missed just 15 days with soreness in his left wrist and returned to the lineup Wednesday. He had been serving as the Twins' regular designated hitter before his DL stint, but is expected to be used primarily at first base now. He returns to a .231 average, four home runs and nine RBI and isn't the most attractive fantasy option at first base at the moment. Parmelee was the regular first baseman in Minnesota, but couldn't get anything going with the bat through 27 games. He hit just .179 with no home runs and three RBI, but at 24 he has plenty of time to prove himself.

Yankees

Andy Pettitte, LHP - contract purchased from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre
Cody Eppley, RHP - optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre

Impact: After a year out of baseball, Pettitte announced that he was coming out of retirement prior to the start of the 2012 season. After getting some innings in at the minor league level, he finally worked his way onto the Yankees' active roster and started against the Mariners on Sunday. He looked rusty in that start, giving up four earned runs in 6.1 innings, but he should be fine once he gets some more innings under his belt. Pettitte's return moves David Phelps back to the bullpen. Phelps is 0-1 with a 3.08 ERA in eight games (two starts) through Sunday. Eppley pitched decently in six relief appearances with the Yankees, posting an ERA of 3.68 with five strikeouts in 7.1 innings.