Scott Cullen has injury updates on Sale, Trumbo, Lind, Hamilton and more, best fantasy adds and closer notes. Steve Fuller Jersey . INJURIES - White Sox ace LHP Chris Sale is on the DL with a strained flexor muscle. Though indications are favourable (ie. not requiring surgery), its also reasonable to expect that the White Sox will be cautious with any recovery timeline. Hes one of the best pitchers in the game and its not worth long-term trouble to have him come back a couple starts sooner. Anyway, the White Sox also have Felipe Paulino on the DL, so they have added Andre Rienzo and Charlie Leesman to the starting rotation. Rienzo had a 4.82 ERA and 1.48 WHIP in 10 starts last season and a 3.93 ERA in 24 career starts at Triple-A. Hes whiffed 132 in 133 2/3 IP at Triple-A, but his strikeout rate in the bigs (6.0 K/9) isnt as promising. Leesman, a 27-year-old lefty, has struggled, with a 9.00 ERA in 18 major-league innings after he had a 2.92 ERA in 45 starts at Triple-A. A terribly low strikeout rate (3.2 K/9) in the minors and not much velocity figure to be issues in the bigs. - 35-year-old Rockies RF Michael Cuddyer has a strained hamstring and gets a turn on the DL as a result, putting a break in a strong start (.317 AVG, .906 OPS) to the season. Cuddyers absence leaves more regular playing time for Charlie Blackmon, whose .410 batting average ought to be good enough for that, but he plays all three outfield spots for the Rockies. Brandon Barnes, hitting .317 with three steals in 49 plate appearances, gets some time in right field as well. - Diamondback LF Mark Trumbo was off to a great start (7 HR, 19 RBI), at least in terms of power, since his .210 batting average is no prize, but hes out with a stress fracture in his foot -- likely for an extended period -- leaving Cody Ross as the regular left fielder in Arizona. Ross is off to a tough (1-for-22) start, so Roger Kieschnick, a 27-year-old who has an .888 OPS in 174 games at Triple-A, might have an opportunity to play some too. - Blue Jays DH Adam Lind hits the DL with a strained lower back (hitting .324 with a .924 OPS in 32 plate appearances), which gives Juan Francisco a regular shot in the lineup. Francisco, 26, hasnt been able to stick as a major-league regular yet, but has 32 home runs in 790 career plate appearances. He has power. - The Angels in the outfield include a couple of new faces because both LF Josh Hamilton and RF Kole Calhoun are out. Hamilton suffered a thumb injury and is still at least a month away from returning. Calhouns ankle injury should have him out for 3-5 more weeks, so he and Hamilton are in the same ballpark for return time. In their absence, though, the Angels have turned to J. B. Shuck and Collin Cowgill as the primary corner outfielders. Shuck offers bit of speed and no power and has a .296 average in 832 Triple-A at-bats. In 571 career major-league at-bats, 26-year-old Shuck has hit .280 with four home runs and 10 stolen bases. Cowgill, 27, is a .241 career hitter in the major leagues, but has been a productive Triple-A hitter (.313 AVG, .873 OPS in 903 plate appearances). Neither has done enough to warrant fantasy consideration yet. - Its not a huge deal that the ace of the Houston Astros pitching staff is out but, credit where its due, RHP Scott Feldman has been great in his first four starts (2-1, 1.69 ERA, 0.94 WHIP), though Feldman has been the beneficiary of good fortune, with only nine strikeouts in 26 2/3 innings and a BABIP of .195. All that taken into account, hes still the de facto ace of a young Astros staff and is out with biceps tendinitis. In Feldmans absence, 26-year-old Collin McHugh -- who had nine career starts with the Rockies and Mets previously -- gets a look and his first start for the Astros, at Seattle, resulted in three hits and no walks allowed, along with 12 strikeouts. McHugh has a 3.64 ERA, with 166 strikeouts in 187 2/3 IP, in 35 career games at Triple-A, so he has some upside, but keep in mind that he wasnt considered good enough to make Houstons rotation out of spring training. - Cardinals RHP Joe Kelly is out with a strained hamstring, giving Tyler Lyons a chance in the Cardinals rotation. In 59 career major-league innings, Lyons has a 4.58 ERA and 1.27 WHIP, with 50 strikeouts. The 26-year-old has a 3.73 ERA and 1.11 WHIP in 35 Triple-A appearances (34 starts), so hes a viable addition in deeper leagues, pitching for a strong team and all. - Royals CF Lorenzo Cain, sidelined with a groin strain, was off to a decent start (.333 AVG, 2 SB in 12 GP) before getting hurt. Speedster Jarrod Dyson gets more regular playing time with Cain out. In 21 plate appearances this year, Dyson is hitting .368 and has stolen three bases. - Pirates LHP Wandy Rodriguez is dealing with a knee injury, resulting in a move to the DL, and 25-year-old RHP Brandon Cumpton has taken his spot in the rotation. Cumpton has a 2.15 ERA and 0.96 WHIP in seven major-league appearances. No, hes not that good, but in 24 Triple-A appearances (22 starts), he had a 3.06 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 101 strikeouts in 141 innings. - Mets CF Juan Lagares, off to a nice start (.314 AVG, .816 OPS) is out with a strained hamsring, giving Chris B. Young and Kirk Niewenhuis time in centre field. Young was once a power and speed guy, but has been a part-time player the past couple seasons, in part because his batting average is abysmal. Nieuwenhuis is a .234 career hitter, with 11 home runs in 394 at-bats. - Yankees LHP Ivan Nova is the latest in a long line of starting pitchers headed for Tommy John surgery. He had an 8.27 ERA through four starts and it looks like Vidal Nuno (3.68 ERA in 29 1/3 career IP) is first up to fill in for Nova in the Yankees rotation. BEST ADDS (Players available in at least 40% of TSN leagues) Adam Dunn, DH, Chicago White Sox - 5 HR, 11 RBI, .266 AVG, 11 R, 64 AB (Available: 86.5%) David Murphy, RF, Cleveland - 2 HR, 17 RBI, .290 AVG, 9 R, 62 AB (Available: 82.2%) Dayan Viciedo, RF, Chicago White Sox - 1 HR, 9 RBI, .377 AVG, 9 R, 69 AB (Available: 82.1%) Lucas Duda, 1B, N.Y. Mets - 4 HR, 10 RBI, .254 AVG, 10 R, 636 AB (Available: 91.1%) Scooter Gennett, 2B, Milwaukee - 1 HR, 7 RBI, .317 AVG, 5 R, 2 SB, 63 AB (Available: 95.9%) Jenrry Mejia, RHP, N.Y. Mets - 3-0, 1.99 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 25 K, 22 2/3 IP (Available: 80.4%) Alfredo Simon, RHP, Cincinnati - 3-0, 1.30 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 17 K, 27 2/3 IP (Available: 50.9%) Wily Peralta, RHP, Milwaukee - 3-0, 2.19 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 19 K, 24 2/3 IP (Available: 71.0%) Zach McAllister, RHP, Cleveland - 3-0, 2.28 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 17 K, 23 2/3 IP (Available: 79.8%) CLOSER NOTES - As the Reds wait for LHP Aroldis Chapman to return, RHP Jonathan Broxton has four saves in five appearances. Early indications are that Broxtons velocity is down and hes throwing more sliders than ever before. - Its not as if holding the closer title in Houston is a particularly valuable designation. Despite allowing a walk-off three-run home run in his last appearance, Josh Fields seems to have the edge on Chad Qualls. - In Oakland, the As have said that Jim Johnson is back in consideration for ninth-inning work after some early-season struggles. Luke Gregerson and Sean Doolittle are the other options to consider if Johnson falters again. - Trying to find a solution with Bobby Parnell done for the year, the Mets have turned to veteran Kyle Farnsworth, ahead of Jose Valverde. Daisuke Matsuzaka is also a possibility and hes been effective (1.69 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 5 1/3 IP) out of the bullpen so far. - With control issues plaguing Pedro Strop and Jose Veras unable to get anyone out, the Cubs closer role could be going to Hector Rondon, the 26-year-old who has been their most effective reliever (0.79 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 11 K, 11 1/3 IP) this season. Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. Dan Fortmann Jersey . Smiths former Atlanta teammates were glad to hang on for an ugly win. Kyle Orton Jersey . The 18-year-old centre was the Senators first-round pick (17th overall) in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. The six-foot 196-pound native of Salmon Arm, B. http://www.custombearsjersey.com/custom-cody-whitehair-jersey-large-2936t.html .com) - Jimmy Butler made four key free throws down the stretch to lift the Chicago Bulls over the Boston Celtics, 109-102, on Friday.The Formations Knowing he would be facing one of the premier teams in MLS, Vancouver Whitecaps head coach Carl Robinson elected to revert back to his 4-2-3-1 formation for their away match with Real Salt Lake. Jonny Leveron replaced skipper Jay Demerit in defence, while Kekuta Manneh replaced Pedro Morales; both Demerit and Morales were rested for the match, and stayed behind in Vancouver. Real Salt Lake head coach Jeff Cassar made one change to the team that defeated the Portland Timbers 1-0 the week previous. Joao Plata replaced Olmes Garcia up front, where the diminutive Ecuadorian partnered RSLs top goalscorer, Alvaro Saborio. The Game To suggest the Whitecaps were flat in the opening 45 minutes would be an understatement – they were very poor. They did not make effective use of the space that was available to them (which was in wide areas) and they were half a step slow and half a step late defensively. The result was that the Whitecaps trailed 2-0 after just nine minutes, with RSL getting goals from both Plata and Saborio. RSL very nearly went in at the break up 3-0, but David Ousted did well to deny Plata a second goal just before the halftime whistle. The opening half was a perfect exhibit of the challenge faced when fielding a very young lineup - those players dont yet have the experience to figure out how to fix things when they go wrong on the pitch. Of the six attacking players who started the match, only Kenny Miller (34) can be classified as an experienced player. Matias Laba (22), Gershon Koffie (22), Russell Teibert (21), Kekuta Manneh (19) and Darren Mattocks (23) are young, talented professionals – but when things go wrong, they cannot rely on previous experience to help them turn things around. In the first half, the movement of RSLs midfield caused problems for the Whitecaps. Despite having a numerical advantage, Vancouver struggled to put pressure on the ball. When the Whitecaps did manage to regain possession, they were too often wasteful, giving the ball straight back to RSL, as Teibert did on the opening goal. Offensively, they were never able to use their speed in transition to maximum effect. In Darren Mattocks and Kekuta Manneh, Vancouver had the two quickest players on the pitch. However, neither player was able to use that speed to their advantage, as Vancouver never found their passing rhythm. Both fullbacks, Jordan Harvey and Steven Beitashour, were cautious in their approach when Vancouver had the ball. This was entirely understandable, given Real Salt Lakes formidable home record and their early 2-0 lead. The result was that far too often Vancouver failed to use the only space that RSL conceded to them, which was out wide. This played into RSLs hands perfectly, as their two wide midfielders, Ned Grabavoy and Jake Mulholland, simply dropped slightly deeper to sit alongside Kyle Beckerman when Vancouver tried to build in midfield. The RSL defenders, who compressed the space between lines, supported this tight midfield unit. This meant that there was very little space in which Vancouver could play. Real Salt Lake controlled virtually the entire first half. Robinson and his coaching staff showed their worth once they could sit the players down at the break. There, the coaches were able to correct the mistakes that were being made and give their young players renewed belief in their abilities. The result was a completely different performance from Vancouver in the second half. The Whitecaps aggressively closed space in midfield, pressured the RSL defenders and midfielders into conceding possession, and denied both Plata and Saborio a sight at goal. While Saborio struck the bar with a header in the 80th minute after a quickly taken free kick, the home side appeared content to defend their 2-0 lead. Vancouver showed better control of the ball and much better use of space in wide areas in the second half. Ed Healey Jersey. . There was a confidence in the Whitecaps team that wasnt present in the opening forty-five minutes – a belief that they could not only compete with RSL, but also get something out of the game. Robinson again used his substitutes effectively, bringing Erik Hurtado, Nicolas Mezquida and Sebastian Fernandez into the game. And it was the two Uruguayans – Mezquida and Fernandez – who clawed back a point for Vancouver. Mezquida scored Vancouvers first goal in the 86th minute, knocking home a poor rebound from RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando after great work from Darren Mattocks. Fernandez scored the equalizer deep into stoppage time, ripping a strike from 35 yards past a flat-footed Rimando. The RSL goalkeeper – along with his teammates – will be left to ponder just how they managed to throw away two points after failing to extend their dominant first half performance into the second. The Positives The second half performance from Vancouver was exactly what their fans want to see – positive, confident, attacking play. The pace in Vancouvers team is frightening; Mattocks, Manneh and Hurtado are all likely in the leagues top 10, if not the top 5, in sprint speed. It is really about finding a way for these players to use their assets to maximum effect, which Vancouver did really well in the second half. Good performances from all three substitutes will give Robinson and his coaching staff some decisions to make in choosing their starting lineup for their next match at home on May 3rd against the San Jose Earthquakes (TSN2, 6:30pm ET, 3:30pm PT). It is an enviable problem to have, as every coach much prefers to have too many good players from which to choose than not enough. Real Salt Lake put on the best forty-five minutes of football that I have seen from a team so far this season in the opening half. The concern for Jeff Cassar is finding a way to extend that performance over the course of the game. While they havent found the secret to this yet, RSL is still unbeaten this season. The Negatives Poor performances all around for Vancouver in the opening half, but the silver lining is that this can be used as a teaching moment. With such a young squad of players, the biggest challenge for Robinson is to develop his promising youngsters into seasoned professionals who can solve problems on the pitch, without always requiring the intervention of the coaching staff. This isnt a job that will happen overnight, and the players will now be expected to reflect on what they did differently in the second half that they werent doing in the first. As long as the players are able to learn from their mistakes, the opening forty-five minutes can be looked back on as a valuable lesson. Nick Rimando has been sensational for Real Salt Lake this season, so he can be forgiven for having a 10-minute spell to forget at the end of the game. He should have prevented both of Vancouver goals, and on any other day would likely have done so. The Star Man This was the best performance I have seen from Erik Hurtado. The youngster has incredible speed, but is still learning how to best utilize his prized asset. He made a big impact coming off the bench in last weeks 2-2 come-from-behind draw with the Los Angeles Galaxy, and while he didnt score in that game or against Real Salt Lake, he made a very meaningful contribution on Saturday. His willingness to run in behind stretched the RSL back line and created space for his midfielders to operate, effectively changing the game. He is still very raw and has a great deal of learning to do, so it will be important for him to seek out the coaching staff to carry on that education. But he is certainly showing exciting potential at this moment in time as a second half substitute that can change the game. ' ' '