The Fantasy Baseball Forecaster pitching grid has been updated as of Friday, Aug. 25, at 7:00 p.m. ET.
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Pitching scuttlebutt
The Baltimore Orioles used their Thursday off day to push Dylan Bundy back in their rotation, and gave Chris Tillman a spot start on Sunday to provide their other starters additional rest. Tillman is expected to make another start for the Orioles, so it appears the team will use a six-man rotation during Week 20.
Toronto Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said he hopes Joe Biagini, who threw seven innings for Triple-A Buffalo on Tuesday, will be ready to rejoin the big league rotation soon. Based upon that pitching schedule, Biagini seems like the most logical fill-in for Chris Rowley, who was demoted to Buffalo, on Aug. 27. The team has provided no timetables for either Aaron Sanchez (DL: blister) or Cesar Valdez (DL: shoulder).
The Chicago White Sox don't seem likely to get Reynaldo Lopez (DL: back) back during Week 20, so Lucas Giolito should make his second start on Aug. 27.
Ryan Merritt will make a spot start for the Cleveland Indians in place of Danny Salazar (DL: elbow) on Aug. 25, but it's expected to be a one-and-done.
The Detroit Tigers used their Thursday off day to push Matthew Boyd back in their rotation, though they announced that, despite their Monday off day, he would make his next start on Tuesday. Manager Brad Ausmus also said that the team would push back Anibal Sanchez's (DL: hamstring) spot in the rotation to Aug. 26 and Buck Farmer would fill in.
The Minnesota Twins needed a pair of spot starters when they played their second doubleheader in a five-day span on Monday. Dillon Gee and Tim Melville made those two starts, and Gee will get another turn on Aug. 26. Hector Santiago (DL: shoulder), Adalberto Mejia (DL: arm) and Dietrich Enns (DL: shoulder) are all on the mend but don't appear ready to return during Week 20.
Daniel Gossett joined the Oakland Athletics' rotation on Wednesday, bumping Sean Manaea to Aug. 26 and Chris Smith to the bullpen.
James Paxton (DL: pectoral) hopes to resume playing catch this weekend, but it's unclear whether he'll be ready to rejoin the Seattle Mariners' rotation before the conclusion of Week 20. Andrew Albers made another start in his place on Monday, but the team could use its Thursday off day to skip his place on Aug. 27, in which case Marco Gonzales would pick up a second start.
The Miami Marlins will have Odrisamer Despaigne make a spot start on Aug. 26, as the team needed a sixth/spot starter due to Tuesday's doubleheader.
With Steven Matz (DL: elbow) sidelined, Tommy Milone stepped into his spot in the New York Mets' rotation, with his next start scheduled for Aug. 27. The Mets will also need a spot starter for the other game of their Aug. 27 doubleheader, and will activate Seth Lugo (DL: shoulder) for that game. Matt Harvey (DL: shoulder) will make one more minor league rehabilitation start, so he wasn't an option.
Max Scherzer (DL: neck) is eligible to rejoin the Washington Nationals' rotation on Aug. 25, but he's now unlikely to return before Aug. 27 The Nationals will have A.J. Cole start on Aug. 25, and Erick Fedde would likely fill in on Aug. 27 if Scherzer isn't ready.
The Milwaukee Brewers optioned Brandon Woodruff to Triple-A Colorado Springs on Sunday and will go with a four-man rotation through Sept. 2.
Yu Darvish (DL: back) is expected to miss one turn in the Los Angeles Dodgers' rotation, but he is tentatively scheduled to return the next time his spot in the rotation arrives on Aug. 27. With Alex Wood (DL: AC joint) now sidelined, the Dodgers will have Ross Stripling fill in on Aug. 26.