Player Notes

Donald Lutz logged his first career multi-hit game in Saturday's 10-0 demolition of the Phillies.
Advice: Lutz went 2-for-5 with a double, an RBI and a run scored. He's batting .290 with a .419 slugging percentage through 31 at-bats, but Lutz has yet to take a walk. Lutz had 20-plus home runs in two straight minor league seasons and has displayed NL-only upside when given an opportunity, knocking in six runs, jacking a home run and stealing a pair of bases. He'll likely have to wait until 2014, at least, to become fantasy relevant.

Dexter Fowler had a monster night in Saturday's 10-2 romp over the Giants, going 3-for-5 with a double, a steal, two RBI and three runs scored.
Advice: Fowler began May in a 5-of-39 funk, failing to steal a base or hit a home run. In his last three games, he's 6-for-15 with two steals, an extra-base hit and five runs. Right hip flexor soreness hobbled Fowler earlier this month. If Saturday's speed is any indication, he's feeling a lot better.

Julio Borbon has stolen three bases since he joined the Cubs last month.
Advice: Borbon hasn't been playing enough to warrant an update over the past month (he's logged more than two at-bats in a game just twice since the Cubs claimed him off waivers from the Rangers on April 19). If he can secure some playing time over the summer, Borbon will be useful in NL-only formats in the batting average and steals departments. Chicago has displayed no willingness to exercise their atrophying 27-year-old outfielder, however.

Matt Carpenter has hit safely in all but two May games.
Advice: The young infielder is third in the NL with 33 runs scored. Carpenter's slash line of .263/.333/.442 in April was solid, but he's really turned up the heat in May, batting .375/.470/.482. If Carpenter can convert some of his doubles (14) into home runs (three), he'll eradicate a fantasy weakness to this point. Despite his hot stick, Carpenter has driven in only 14 runs. He's not a threat to run, either.

Since May 2, Ryan Raburn is batting an anemic .172/.273/.241 over 33 plate appearances.
Advice: Raburn lived a charmed life in April, slashing .320/.370/.620 in the season's opening month. The wheels have come off since he went 4-for-5 against the Phillies on May 1. Since that time, he's seen his OPS deflate from 1.061 to .871 with no signs of slowing. Raburn began losing playing time when Michael Bourne returned, but there was hope he'd grab some playing time following the demotion of Lonnie Chisenhall. ESPN Fantasy reports that Raburn has been dropped from 35.6% of baseball leagues over the past week. He's now owned in just 32.1%, a number that's still too high.

Jackie Bradley went 1-for-3 with a triple in his return from the disabled list Friday with Triple-A Pawtucket.
Advice: He added a walk and was hit by a pitch. It was Bradley's first game in two weeks. He's now batting .304/.418/.391 in 12 games at the Triple-A level this season.
More: WEEI.com

Delmon Young finished 0-for-4 with a strikeout in the Phillies' loss to the Reds on Saturday.
Advice: Young is now batting .208/.286/.333 with 11 strikeouts in 15 games with Philly. He has good raw power, but the 27-year-old isn't worth the trouble in most mixed leagues.

Mark Trumbo slugged his 10th home run of the season Saturday in the Angels' 12-9 win over the White Sox.
Advice: Trumbo's solo shot in the bottom of the fourth inning completely threw off White Sox starter Hector Santiago, who had been on a roll. Trumbo then added a run-scoring double in the fifth against White Sox reliever Nate Jones. Trumbo is currently on pace for 38 homers and 109 RBI, and he's talented enough to come at least somewhat close to those totals.

Angels designated OF Scott Cousins for assignment.
Advice: The Angels claimed Chris Nelson off waivers, so it's just a move to open a spot on the 40-man roster. Cousins should go through waivers unclaimed and remain in the organization.

Adam Jones tallied three RBI but the Orioles lost to the Rays on Saturday at Camden Yards.
Advice: Jones hit a two-run homer in Baltimore's four-run first inning and drove in his third run in the fourth inning on a fielder's choice ground ball. The 27-year-old is on track for another sensational season.

Gerardo Parra hit a leadoff (but game-winning) home run against the Marlins on Saturday night.
Advice: Parra took Tom Koehler deep on the first pitch of the game, and it turned out to be all the scoring either team would do. The homer was Parra's only hit of the night, and he's now batting .327/.394/.506 on the year. The outfielder has often been the odd-man out in the Diamondbacks outfield -- Arizona expected Jason Kubel and Adam Eaton to be starting at this point -- but it's hard to see how the club will bench him when he's performing like this.

Orioles optioned INF Ryan Flaherty to Triple-A Norfolk.
Advice: A corresponding move will come on Sunday. Flaherty was hitting .133/.228/.233 in 90 at-bats this year.

Matt Joyce finished 3-for-5 with a homer and five RBI in Saturday's 10-6 victory over the Orioles.
Advice: Joyce cranked a two-run homer in the top of the third inning and then drove in another two runs with a double as the Rays staged an impressive comeback in the top of the ninth. The 28-year-old remains a fringe outfielder in standard mixed fantasy leagues.