This would seem to be an easy week to figure out pitching rotations, because there are regular-season games being played just Friday-Saturday, with a few games Thursday. But with at least three days off, teams will be readjusting their rotation to try to get their ace an additional start. However, some of those aces could be pitching in Tuesday’s All-Star game, which would push the start for their team possibly back to Saturday or Sunday. In addition, many teams haven’t indicated their pitching plans, so in some cases it’s a best guest as to which pitchers they might skip this week.
Figure it this way. If you have a fifth starter in your rotation, you shouldn’t be starting him anyway if you want to win your league title. We’ll try to indicate which starter would be No. 4 and likely to pitch for teams that are playing Thursday.
AL
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Bal
--- --- --- --- @CWS @CWS @CWS
--- --- --- --- Berken Guthrie Bergesen*
Bos
--- --- --- --- @Tor @Tor @Tor
--- --- --- --- Beckett** Lester Wakefield
CWS
--- --- --- --- Bal Bal Bal
--- --- --- --- Danks Floyd Buehrle-3*
Cle
--- --- --- Se Se Se Se
--- --- --- Lee Huff Ohka Laffey-4*
Det
--- --- --- --- @NYY @NYY @NYY
--- --- --- --- French Verlander-5* Jackson
KC
--- --- --- --- TB TB TB
--- --- --- --- Greinke Hochevar Bannister-6*
LAA
--- --- --- @Oak @Oak @Oak @Oak
--- --- --- Santana Saunders Weaver Lackey
Min
--- --- --- --- @Tex @Tex @Tex
--- --- --- --- Perkins Baker Liriano-7*
NYY
--- --- --- --- Det Det Det
--- --- --- --- Burnett Sabathia Chamberlain-8*
Oak
--- --- --- LAA LAA LAA LAA
--- --- --- Cahill Braden-9* Anderson Mazzaro
Se
--- --- --- @Cle @Cle @Cle @Cle
--- --- --- Olson-10* Hernandez Washburn Bedard
TB
--- --- --- --- @KC @KC @KC
--- --- --- --- Kazmir Garza Shields-11*
Tex
--- --- --- --- Min Min Min
--- --- --- --- Padilla Feldman Hunter-12*
Tor
--- --- --- --- Bos Bos Bos
--- --- --- --- Halladay Tallet Romero
*-The Orioles will skip LHP Rich Hill’s turn in the rotation.
**-The Red Sox could move RHP Josh Beckett and LHP Jon Lester, their two best starting pitchers, ahead in their rotation. The All-Star game could have an impact. Boston is likely to skip RHPs Brad Penny and John Smoltz for now.
3*-Expect the White Sox to bypass LHP Clayton Richard and RHP Jose Contreras this week.
4*-The Indians have indicated that they would skip RHP Carl Pavano.
5*-The Tigers are moving RHP Justin Verlander ahead of RHP Edwin Jackson, who is in the All-Star game.
6*-RHP Gil Meche is not slated to move ahead in the Royals’ rotation to pitch this week. He has said he’d exercise the no-trade clause in his contract to stay in Kansas City, but Meche’s 4-8 record isn’t exactly what small-market KC is paying him eight figures to do.
7*-The Twins are skipping RHP Nick Blackburn.
8*-The Yankees’ plan is to skip LHP Andy Pettitte.
9*-LHPs Dallas Braden and Brett Anderson will move ahead of RHP Vin Mazzaro in the Athletics’ rotation.
10*-The Mariners eliminated any controversy over their rotation by optioning RHP Brandon Morrow to Triple-A Tacoma.
11*-Rookie RHP Jeff Niemann and LHP David Price will watch from the bullpen because the Rays are going with their more experienced starters.
12*-The Rangers have moved RHP Kevin Millwood, their nominal ace back in the rotation, so he wouldn’t start this week.
NL
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Ari
--- --- --- --- @StL @StL @StL
--- --- --- --- Garland Haren* Davis
Atl
--- --- --- NYM NYM NYM NYM
--- --- --- Vazquez-2* Kawakami Lowe Jurrjens
ChC
--- --- --- @Was @Was @Was @Was
--- --- --- Harden Lilly Zambrano Wells-3*
Cin
--- --- --- Mil Mil Mil Mil
--- --- --- Bailey Arroyo Harang-4* Cueto
Col
--- --- --- @SD @SD @SD @SD
--- --- --- DeLaRosa Cook Jimenez Marquis
Fla
--- --- --- Phi Phi Phi Phi
--- --- --- Volstad Miller Nolasco Johnson-5*
Ho
--- --- --- @LAD @LAD @LAD @LAD
--- --- --- Rodriguez Oswalt Hampton Ortiz-6*
LAD
--- --- --- Ho Ho Ho Ho
--- --- --- Kuroda Wolf Billingsley Kershaw-7*
Mil
--- --- --- @Cin @Cin @Cin @Cin
--- --- --- Looper Suppan Gallardo Burns-8*
NYM
--- --- --- @Atl @Atl @Atl @Atl
--- --- --- Perez Hernandez Santana-9* Pelfrey
Phi
--- --- --- @Fla @Fla @Fla @Fla
--- --- --- Moyer Blanton Hamels Happ
Pit
--- --- --- --- SF SF SF
--- --- --- --- Maholm Morton Duke-10*
SrL
--- --- --- --- Ari Ari Ari
--- --- --- --- Pineiro Carpenter-11* Wainwright
SD
--- --- --- Col Col Col Col
--- --- --- Gaudin Geer Banks Correia
SF
--- --- --- --- @Pit @Pit @Pit
--- --- --- --- Lincecum-12* Cain Sanchez
Was
--- --- --- ChC ChC ChC ChC
--- --- --- Detwiler Lannan Olsen Zimmerman-13*
*-Diamondbacks RHP Dan Haren, who is in the All-Star game, probably wouldn’t start before Saturday. Arizona will skip RHP Max Scherzer’s turn this week.
**-RHP Javier Vazquez is likely to return to the Braves’ rotation Thursday. RHP Kris Medlen started today in place of Vazquez, who was suffering from an abdominal strain. Atlanta put its fifth starter, rookie RHP Tommy Hanson, on the high Class A Myrtle Beach roster.
3*-The Cubs’ current pitching has been determined because RHP Ryan Dempster (broken right big toe) went on the disabled list.
4*-The Reds are moving RHP Aaron Harang ahead of RHP Johnny Cueto, and skipping RHP Micah Owings for now.
5*-When the Marlins optioned LHP Sean West to Double-A Jacksonville, that left them with four starters.
6*-The odd man out of the Astros’ rotation is RHP Brian Moehler.
7*-The Dodgers are likely to skip over their fifth starter, RHP Jeff Weaver.
8*-Expect RHP Yovani Gallardo to move ahead of RHP Mike Burns in the Brewers’ rotation. RHP Seth McClung or newly recalled LHP Manny Parra could take Burns’ place Sunday.
9*-The Mets could skip LHP Oliver Perez instead of RHP Fernando Nieve, and could move LHP Johan Santana ahead in the rotation if he doesn’t pitch much in the All-Star game.
10*-The Pirates are skipping their fourth starter, RHP Ross Ohlendorf.
11*-With RHP Joel Pineiro pitching well, the Cardinals are likely to skip RHP Todd Wellemeyer. RHP Chris Carpenter’s start could move ahead or back a day, depending on whether he pitches in the All-Star game.
12*-The Giants have questions in their rotation. RHP Tim Lincecum could move back if he pitches in the All-Star game, and RHP Tim Cain might not be able to pitch in Ss. Louis Tuesday or make a start this week because a line drive hit him during Saturday’s start. San Francisco has LHP Barry Zito available to fill in.
13*-The Nationals would push RHP Craig Stammen’s next start back to next week.
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