Murphy (glute muscle) and RF Bryce Harper (left thumb) sat o

Youve heard this story before -- another Thursday, another ugly slate.Only nine games are on the schedule, and outside of two or three names, cash pickings are slim, especially considering the days only elite option isnt eligible for the late slate. Nonetheless, well wade through the wasteland and do our best to make it work. Is it Friday yet?PitchingElite Its a one-man show in the elite tier on Thursday, with Stephen Strasburg leading the way with a home start against the Dodgers. Since returning from the disabled list, the right-hander has picked up where he left off, allowing just two runs over his last 21 2/3 innings. His 10.8 K/9 is top five in baseball, and his 24.4 hard-hit percentage is the fourth-lowest mark in the game. A matchup against the Dodgers isnt cake by any means, but Los Angeles has been middle of the road versus righties this year, so its not exactly an intimidating matchup, either. On a day where the pitching depth is thin, Strasburg stands out as a premium arm worth paying for. Keep in mind, though, that an afternoon start means hell be ineligible for late-slate contests.Solid It appears that vintage Adam Wainwright is back. Not only did the former Cy Young winner toss a three-hit shutout against Miami his last time out, he now owns a 2.30 ERA and 8.4 K/9 since the beginning of June, spanning eight starts. That dominance should continue with the Padres coming to town. San Diego just might be the most exploitable team in baseball versus right-handed pitching, with an 81 wRC+ and a 25 percent strikeout rate. With Strasburg and the Nationals having an early start time, Wainwright is one of the days top cash-game anchors for evening action.Going to Yankee Stadium to face the Yankees isnt what it used to be. What was once the most intimidating matchup in baseball is now a below-average lineup that does little damage at home and is one of the worst in the AL versus righty pitching. Enter Chris Tillman. The Orioles right-hander has delivered three straight seven-inning, one-run performances and should keep on rolling in this favorable spot. Although the Yankees arent a big strikeout team, its worth noting that Tillman whiffed a season-high nine batters in seven frames when he last faced the Bronx Bombers in June.Even on a short slate, Francisco Liriano cant be considered cash-game viable. He walks too many batters (5.7 BB/9), allows too many homers (hes on pace to allow 25 dingers after surrendering 15 all of last year) and gives up too much hard contact (36 percent). That said, he definitely warrants consideration in GPPs. The left-hander owns a career 9.2 K/9 and is squaring off a Brewers team thats below average against lefties and fans at a 24 percent clip.Sonny Gray is hard to trust in cash games. A 5.12 ERA will do that. However, the thin slate, combined with a prime home matchup against Tampa Bay, puts the As righty on the radar. The Rays have been one of the worst teams in baseball against right-handed pitching, mustering a .302 wOBA and 25 percent strikeout rate. Things have only gotten worse in July, with a .277 wOBA and 24 percent whiff rate. While Gray has struggled this year, he has posted quality starts in four of his last five outings, so hes at least showing positive signs. Its hard to get a matchup much better than this.Opposing Gray is Matt Moore, who draws an appealing road matchup against Oakland. The As are better against lefties than righties, but theyre still only league average, at best, and have really floundered so far in July (85 wRC+). Moore, meanwhile, sports a 2.51 ERA and 1.03 WHIP over his last seven starts. Dont expect a high strikeout total, as the As make tons of contact, but this is still a great spot for the left-hander to succeed.Streamers Theres not much confidence to be found among Thursdays streaming options, but Jerad Eickhoff looks like one of the days better bets. Available in 65 percent of ESPN.com leagues, Eickhoff draws a home start against a Marlins team thats merely average versus righty pitching and sports the second-lowest ISO (.133) in the National League. Take out his Coors Field start, and the Phillies righty owns a 2.34 ERA over his last eight outings.After Eickhoff, it might be best to just sit tight and wait for some safer streaming options to emerge Friday. Tom Koehler has a favorable matchup against a bad Phillies offense, but his 4.7 BB/9 is worrisome and he hasnt posted a quality start in over a month. Although the Orioles arent as dangerous as you might think against left-handed pitching (91 wRC+), CC Sabathia has a 7.94 ERA over his last five starts. It might be worth rolling the dice with James Shields, who has allowed two or fewer runs in each of his last four starts. Then again, a guy with homer problems facing the Tigers at U.S. Cellular Field, which greatly boosts both right- and left-handed power, carries a fair amount of blowup potential.Weve witnessed Julio Urias upside, but he has battled inconsistency and the Nationals hammer left-handed pitching. And even if you like what youve seen out of Mike Foltynewicz this season, you certainly arent going to run him out there in Coors Field.HittingFirst off, lets focus on the Coors Field game. The Braves lineup is as weak as they come, but its still a good idea to get some exposure against Chad Bettis, who has posted a 6.09 ERA at Coors this season. Freddie Freeman, who has five career homers at Coors in 14 games, is the most enticing option here.Squaring off against Bettis in the Coors game is Mike Foltynewicz. The right-hander has shown some good things this year, but left-handed swingers have still been a problem. In 72 career innings against them, he has surrendered a .396 wOBA. If you can afford them, Charlie Blackmon and Carlos Gonzalez are both prime plays.Saturdays road start against the Red Sox does not set up well for Tyler Duffey. The right-hander has trouble against right-handed hitters (.377 wOBA) and also has trouble keeping the ball in the park. Not only does Fenway Park inflate right-handed power, but the Red Sox have plenty of right-handed bats -- Mookie Betts, Dustin Pedroia, Xander Bogaerts, Hanley Ramirez -- that can do damage.With Mike Pelfrey taking the mound for the Tigers on Saturday, feel free to load up on White Sox bats. Pelfrey has been pounded by lefty hitters this season (.390 wOBA), but righty hitters have hit him hard, too, (.368 wOBA), so you dont need to focus only on batters that carry the platoon advantage.Andrew Cashner could be in for a long night against St. Louis, which sports the best offense in the NL against right-handed pitching (117 wRC+). Cashner has been drilled by right-handed bats this season (.395 wOBA), and he has had trouble with lefty bats in the past (.383 wOBA against lefty hitters in 2015). He also has been a powder keg away from Petco Park this season, sporting a 7.83 ERA. All Cardinals bats are in play here regardless of platoon advantage, making this a nice stacking opportunity if you have the funds.Most likely to go yard: Carlos GonzalezGonzalez mashes righties. Foltynewicz struggles against lefty hitters. Coors Field is the venue. Mix it all together and chances are well see Cargo go deep on Thursday.Most likely to swipe a bag: Ian KinslerJames Shields has not been good at holding runners on this season, so the Tigers will be looking to take advantage. Kinsler, who has nine swipes on the year, will test the veteran right-hander if he gets the chance. Fake Nike Shoes . - NASCAR announced a 33-race schedule for the 2014 Nationwide Series with virtually no changes from this years slate. Wholesake Fake Nike Air Force 1 . - Levi Browns tenure at left tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers is over before it even began. https://www.fakeshoes.net/wholesake-fake-air-jordan-1-f139.html . U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield in Manhattan agreed that lawyers on both sides could make their formal requests by Nov. 8. A hearing is scheduled for a day earlier. Jordan Siev, a lawyer for Rodriguez, wrote in a joint letter to the judge from lawyers on both sides that MLB lawyers planned to ask that the lawsuit be dismissed. Cheap Fake Shoes . -- Matt Ryan needed one of the best games of his career to lead the Falcons and their depleted offence out of their three-game losing streak last week. Fake Shoes For Sale .com) - Richie Incognito has reportedly been admitted to a psychiatric care unit in Arizona. WASHINGTON -- Jean Seguras bid to break the Arizona Diamondbacks record for most hits in a season was slowed by a cramp.The second baseman left Arizonas 5-3 loss to the Washington Nationals on Thursday in the seventh inning, leaving him at 201 hits after getting a single in the third.His hit total is the second-highest by a player for a franchise that first played in 1998. Luis Gonzalez finished the following season with 206 hits.Segura said he was bothered by a cramp in his rib area on a drizzly day.Maybe the weather, maybe (being) that late in the year, Segura said. I think its going to be OK.He now has three games at home against the San Diego Padres to try to catch -- or surpass -- Gonzalez. Seguras previous career best was 173 hits, as an NL All-Star for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2013.He didnt feel like it was anything of a pull, Arizona manager Chip Hale said. He just felt like he had kind of a cramp under his ribs. The trainers feel like hes OK, but well see tomorrow. You never know until you wake up tomorrow. But were hoping hes OK so he can continue his quest for Gonzos record.The Diamondbacks, last in the NL West and with nothing to play for other than individual statistics, had an even odder injury issue Thursday: Right fielder Yasmany Tomas was a late scratch from the starting lineup because of a stiff neck.Same kind of thing weve dealt with kind of all year on the road, Hale explained. Sometimes the hotel pillows get him.Wilmer Difo hit his first major league homer, and Pedro Severino his second, helping the injury-depleted NL East champion Nationals move closer to clinching home-field advantage in the Division Series.Second baseman Difo and catcher Severino, both rookies, were in the lineup instead of Daniel Murphy (last started 12 days ago) and Wilson Ramos (out for the season), respectively.Nationals starter Joe Ross, working his way back from a stay on the disabled list with right shoulder inflammation, allowwed one run in four innings, throwing 90 pitches.dddddddddddd Washington wants to stretch him out to be able to start at some point in the playoffs.Reliever Reynaldo Lopez (5-3) was credited with the win. He pitched 3 2/3 innings, letting up Socrates Britos two-run homer in the ninth before being lifted.Mark Melancon got the last two outs for his 45th save.RAY WRAPS UPArizona RHP Robbie Ray (8-15) allowed five runs in 4 2/3 innings, including solo shots by Severino in the third and Difo in the fifth, along with Michael A. Taylors two-run single in the fourth. Not the way you want to finish a year, Ray said, but I feel like I made some pretty big strides this year with my breaking ball and I threw some really good changeups today, too.TRAINERS ROOMNationals: 2B Murphy (glute muscle) and RF Bryce Harper (left thumb) sat out again. Manager Dusty Baker said he expects to get Murphy back in the starting lineup for Game 1 of the NLDS against the Dodgers on Oct. 7. Murphy last began a game on Sept. 17.Harper, meanwhile, was out of the lineup for a fourth consecutive day, but mainly as a precaution on a wet day. Im still a little afraid. If he hits the ball solid, its not going to hurt. But if he gets rattled or hits one on the end or gets jammed on one, its going to send electric shocks through his body, Baker said.UP NEXTDiamondbacks: Open a season-closing, three-game home series against the San Diego Padres, with RHP Braden Shipley (4-5, 5.26 ERA) starting for Arizona on Friday. The Diamondbacks and Padres are two of the four worst teams in the NL.Nationals: Their final regular-season series begins Friday against the visiting Miami Marlins. RHP A.J. Cole (1-2, 5.09) is slated to pitch for Washington, but he is waiting to hear the outcome of his appeal of a five-game suspension for throwing at a batter. ' ' '