Daily Dose: Going Greene

Drew Silva
Drew Silva discusses Shane Greene's rising fantasy stock and Carlos Carrasco's scare as part of Wednesday's Daily Dose

Shane Greene was a 15th-round pick of the Yankees in 2009 and never appeared on any sort of top prospects list, but the 26-year-old is beginning to look like a legitimate late-bloomer.


Greene posted an impressive 3.78 ERA with 81 strikeouts in 78 2/3 innings last season for New York and he’s off to a terrific start in Detroit, where he was traded this past winter as part of a three-team, four-player swap that sent shortstop Didi Gregorius to the Bronx.


The right-hander allowed just one unearned run over eight innings in his Tigers debut last week against the Twins and he was even sharper in his second turn through Detroit’s rotation on Tuesday night in Pittsburgh, holding the host Pirates to three hits over eight scoreless frames with a pitch count of 81. Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said after the game Tuesday that he would have let Greene go the distance, but a ninth-inning double from No. 8 hitter Jose Iglesias presented too intriguing of a run-scoring opportunity. Joakim Soria wound up working the bottom of the ninth and secured his third save. He’s another must-own right now in Detroit.


Greene is sporting a 2-0 record, 0.00 ERA, 0.50 WHIP, and 8/1 K/BB ratio through 16 innings this season. There will be bumps in the road, but the 6-foot-4 hurler works low in the zone with good velocity and movement, and he’s going to carry high potential for wins all year on a Tigers team that has opened with a record of 7-1.


Greene was drafted in only 3% of Yahoo leagues this spring. If he’s available, go grab him now.


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Cart Needed For Carrasco


Indians starter Carlos Carrasco had to be driven off the field on a trainer’s cart Tuesday night in Cleveland after taking a first-inning Melky Cabrera line drive off the left side of his face. He was able to slow the ball somewhat with his right wrist, but it still got him square in the left cheek and he laid face-down on the ground for a couple of minutes before being loaded for departure.


Carrasco never lost consciousness and late-night reports out of Cleveland say he avoided a major head injury, but it was a scary scene for a pitcher who became a breakout star in the second half of the 2014 season.


Carrasco, 28, posted a 1.69 ERA and 117 strikeouts over his final 112 innings last year and he struck out 10 batters across 6 1/3 scoreless frames in his 2015 debut last week in Houston. The right-hander figures to miss a turn or two in the Indians’ rotation, even if it’s confirmed that he only suffered a bruised jaw. Could it be Danny Salazar time?



Pedroia Powers Up Again


Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia went 3-for-4 with a home run Tuesday night at Fenway Park, helping Boston to an 8-7 victory over the visiting Nationals. Pedroia hit the homer -- a vintage solo drive over the Green Monster -- off Washington starter Stephen Strasburg in the bottom of the fourth inning. That’s now three home runs on the young season for Pedroia, who didn’t reach the three-homer mark until June 7 last season.


The 31-year-old looks healthy and well-positioned for a big bounceback campaign after batting just .278/.337/.376 with seven home runs and 53 RBI in 135 games last season. That home run total was a career low, and so too was his .712 OPS.


Pedroia boasts a .928 OPS through his first 43 plate appearances this year.



National League Quick Hits: Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco remains day-to-day with left hip discomfort … Giancarlo Stanton finished 3-for-3 with four RBI, two runs scored, and a stolen base Tuesday in the Marlins’ rout of the Braves … Mets third baseman David Wright is likely headed for the disabled list with a pulled right hamstring … Reds closer Aroldis Chapman picked up his third save of the year on Tuesday night against the Cubs … Chase Utley went 3-for-3 with a pair of home runs and a stolen base but the Phillies fell to the Mets on Tuesday … Dee Gordon went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases and two runs scored in the Marlins’ win over the Braves on Tuesday … Billy Hamilton is 8-for-8 in stolen base attempts … Christian Yelich was a late scratch from the Marlins’ lineup Tuesday due to back discomfort … Yasiel Puig was held out of the Dodgers’ starting lineup on Tuesday with lingering hamstring soreness but is expected to return Wednesday … Denard Span (abdomen) began a minor league rehab assignment Tuesday with Double-A Harrisburg … Anthony DeSclafani threw seven shutout innings, allowing just two hits, as the Reds edged the Cubs on Tuesday night at Wrigley Field … Mets reliever Bobby Parnell (elbow) began a minor league rehab assignment Tuesday with High-A St. Lucie … Matt Cain (forearm) is at least a week away from resuming playing catch … Buster Posey (neck, shoulder) will be back in the Giants’ lineup at first base on Wednesday … Mets outfielder Michael Cuddyer left Tuesday’s game against the Phillies with a bruised knuckle … Nationals outfielder Michael Taylor went 3-for-4 with a triple, a stolen base, and three RBI in Tuesday’s loss to the Red Sox … Brandon Phillips had to leave Tuesday's game against the Cubs due to lightheadedness … A.J. Burnett limited the Tigers to one run over 6 2/3 innings, but took the loss on Tuesday night.


American League Quick Hits: Angels outfielder Kole Calhoun is expected to be out until at least Friday with tightness in his right calf … Rougned Odor doubled, stole a base, and scored a run as the Rangers’ leadoff man Tuesday night against the Angels … Mariners ace Felix Hernandez (quad) is on track to start Saturday against the Rangers … Adam Jones slugged his fourth home run of the season on Tuesday night against the Yankees … Michael Brantley (back) is on track to return to the Indians’ starting lineup Friday … Orioles closer Zach Britton tallied his second save of the season on Tuesday night … Alex Rios is expected to miss at least six weeks with a non-displaced fracture of the fifth metacarpal in his left hand … Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner is day-to-day with a right wrist contusion … Rays outfielder Steven Souza finished 3-for-5 with a solo home run and a stolen base in Tuesday’s defeat of the Blue Jays … Anthony Ranaudo will be called up to start for the Rangers on Wednesday against the Angels … Rays lefty Drew Smyly (shoulder) threw three scoreless innings Tuesday in a minor league rehab start with High-A Charlotte … Rusney Castillo has been placed on the disabled list at Triple-A Pawtucket with shoulder inflammation … White Sox slugger Jose Abreu hit his second home run of the season on Tuesday against the Indians … Jhoulys Chacin signed a minor league contract with the Indians … Orioles catcher Matt Wieters (elbow) took seven at-bats at extended spring training on Tuesday afternoon … Pablo Sandoval left Tuesday's game against the Nationals with a bruised left foot … Rangers starter Nick Martinez improved to 2-0 after limiting the Angels to one unearned run in seven innings on Tuesday … Justin Verlander (triceps) could join the Tigers' rotation after his simulated game Wednesday … Red Sox closer Koji Uehara earned his first save in Tuesday’s defeat of the Nationals … David Robertson struck out the side against the Indians to earn his second save of the season on Tuesday … An MRI on Xander Bogaerts' sore right knee came back negative and he could return to action Wednesday.