Player Notes

Luis Mendoza allowed just two runs on eight hits over six innings in his start Sunday against the Athletics.
Advice: Mendoza earned his first win earlier this week, and has put together three straight quality starts. He would have been in line for his second win, but the Royals' bullpen allowed a home run to Yoenis Cespedes in the eighth inning that cost him the game. Mendoza has a 5.50 ERA in seven appearances (six starts) this season and will continue to serve as Kansas City's No. 5 starter.

Tim Lincecum's trip to Coors Field went sour Saturday night, as he allowed six runs on seven hits over five innings in a 10-2 loss.
Advice: Lincecum struck out four, walked two and surrendered a two-run homer to Wilin Rosario. The veteran has been all over the place this season, making him impossible to trust in fantasy. He's allowed no runs in three of his nine starts, but four or more in five of them. The inconsistency bears out in his numbers: Lincecum is 3-3 with a 4.70 ERA and 1.42 WHIP.

Ryan Cook earned his first save of the season on Sunday against the Royals.
Advice: With both Grant Balfour and Sean Doolittle unavailable, Cook came out to close the ninth inning and nearly allowed the Royals back in the game with consecutive two-out singles before getting out of it. Balfour has converted his last 26 saves, so he isn't in danger of losing his job.

Twins activated RHP Cole De Vries from the 15-day disabled list, optioned him to Triple-A Rochester.
Advice: De Vries is over his forearm ailment, but the Twins aren't ready to add him to the rotation yet. However, with much of their starting five struggling, it might only be a matter of time before he gets a shot.

The Cubs are expected to designate RHP Michael Bowden for assignment on Tuesday.
Advice: The move will clear a spot for Matt Garza's return from the disabled list. Bowden has a 3.78 ERA in 14 appearances with the Cubs this season.

Bobby Parnell earned his sixth save of 2013 in the Mets' 4-3 win over the Cubs on Sunday.
Advice: Parnell struck out two of the three batters he faced in the ninth inning. The 28-year-old right-hander has an exceptional 0.93 ERA, 0.67 WHIP and 18/3 K/BB ratio in 19 1/3 innings this season to go along with his six saves. The Mets aren't going to win many games, but Parnell carries plenty of mixed league fantasy value.

Tommy Hunter hurled 2 2/3 scoreless innings in relief of Jair Jurrjens to record his first hold of 2013 in Baltimore's 10-6 loss Saturday.
Advice: Hunter finished with a 5.45 ERA in 2012 and a 4.68 ERA in 2011, mostly as a starter. He's a better bullpen fit, where he's posted a 1.54 ERA, 0.81 WHIP and 18/4 K/BB rate to go with a 3-1 record and a save over 23 1/3 innings. If Hunter keeps it up, Baltimore is likely to increase his usage to higher-leverage situations.

Eric Stults held the Nationals to one run over eight innings to pick up a win Saturday and move to 4-3 on the season.
Advice: Stults has been great over his last four starts, lowering his ERA from 5.67 to 4.05. On Saturday, he struck out five, walked two and scattered four hits. Stults gets the Diamondbacks on Friday night.

Ryan Pressly allowed a run over two mop-up innings in Saturday's 12-5 loss against the Red Sox.
Advice: The Twins plucked Pressly from the Red Sox with the fourth pick in last winter's Rule 5 Draft. He posted a 5.38 ERA in 103 2/3 innings last season between High- and Double-A, but has been a pleasant low-leverage surprise for the Twins thus far, logging a 1.83 ERA and 1.42 WHIP over 19 2/3 innings. His peripherals aren't good -- including a 13/10 K/BB rate -- and his ERA won't end anywhere close to where it is now, but owners in extremely deep AL-only leagues may want to take a look if they need an injury replacement in the 'pen.

Ervin Santana notched another quality start on Saturday but took the loss in Kansas City's 2-1 setback in Oakland.
Advice: Santana spun seven innings of two-run ball, striking out five and allowing four hits and three walks. He didn't surrender a home run, which has been perhaps the biggest reason he's turned around his career in Kansas City. After leading the league in long-balls allowed in 2012 with 39, Santana has given up just six thus far; and three of those were in his season debut. The resurgent right-hander is 3-2 with a 2.77 ERA and 1.08 WHIP over eight starts.

Craig Breslow picked up his first win of the season by tossing 1 2/3 scoreless relief innings against the Twins Saturday.
Advice: Breslow missed the first five weeks of the season with shoulder inflammation and has posted a 1.35 ERA over seven appearances since his activation. The 32-year-old Yale graduate has never finished a season with an ERA higher than 3.75 and boasts a 2.97 career number. Nerds don't often fool scouts, but Breslow has made it look easy.

Tommy Milone earned his first win since April 15 by pinning the Royals to one run over six innings Saturday.
Advice: He scattered five hits, striking out four and walking three. Milone won his first three starts and lost his next five. It wasn't all his fault -- Oakland's offense failed to show up for any of those games, averaging a little over a run per nine innings. Milone carries a 3.47 ERA and 1.19 WHIP into a tasty matchup against the Astros next week.