Major thanks to Brett Talley for filling in for me last week. Brett did a great job on short notice.

The starters ranked below are players I’d feel comfortable starting in mixed leagues of any size. The next group of players will be AL-/NL-only starters followed by starters you should bench for the next week.

1. Jordan Zimmermann – Tue vs. NYM, Sun vs. MIN
2. Felix Hernandez – Tue vs. CWS, Sun vs. NYY
3. Mike Minor – Tue vs. PIT, Sun at LAD
4. Anibal Sanchez – Tue vs. TB, Sun vs. CLE
5. A.J. Burnett – Mon at ATL, Sun at CHC
6. Alex Cobb – Tue at DET, Sun vs. BAL
7. Jake Peavy – Tue at SEA, Sun vs. OAK
8. Lance Lynn – Mon vs. ARI, Sat at CIN
9. Trevor Cahill – Mon at STL, Sat vs. SF
10. Kris Medlen – Mon vs. PIT, Sat at LAD
11. Michael Wacha – Tue vs. ARI, Sun at CIN
12. Justin Masterson – Mon at NYY, Sun at DET
13. David Phelps Tue vs. CLE, Sun at SEA
14. Andy Pettitte – Mon vs. CLE, Sat at SEA
15. Kyle Kendrick – Mon vs. MIA, Sat at MIL
16. A.J. Griffin – Tue at MIL, Sun at CWS
17. Marco Estrada – Mon vs. OAK, Sat vs. PHI
18. Brandon McCarthy – Tue at STL, Sun vs. SF
19. Chris Tillman – Tue at HOU, Sun at TB
20. Andrew Cashner – Tue at LAD, Sun at COL
21. Tommy Milone – Mon at MIL, Sat at CWS
22. Ted Lilly – Tue vs. SD, Sun vs. ATL

AL-/NL-only options

Bronson Arroyo – Mon vs. COL, Sun vs. STL

Chris Capuano– Mon vs. SD, Sat vs. ATL

Tyler Chatwood – Mon at CIN, Sat vs. SD

John Danks – Mon at SEA, Sat vs. OAK

R.A. Dickey – Tue at SF, Sun vs. TEX

Justin Grimm – Tue at BOS, Sun at TOR

Jeremy Hefner – Tue at WSH, Sun vs. MIA

Tom Koehler – Mon at PHI, Sun at NYM

Kyle Lohse – Tue vs. OAK, Sun vs. PHI

Jonathan Pettibone – Tue vs. MIA, Sun at MIL

Eric Stults – Mon at LAD, Sat at COL

Bench ’em

Erik Bedard – Mon at LAA, Sat at KC

Joe Blanton – Mon vs. HOU, Sun at BOS

Samuel Deduno – Tue at KC, Sun at WSH

Ryan Dempster – Tue vs. TEX, Sun vs. LAA

Lucas Harrell – Tue vs. BAL, Sun at KC

Tim Lincecum – TUe vs. TOR, Sun at ARI

Luis Mendoza – Tue vs. MIN, Sun vs. HOU

Juan Nicasio – Tue at CIN, Sun vs. SD

Joe Saunders – Mon vs. CWS, Sat vs. NYY

Top streaming options available in at least 50 percent of ESPN leagues

Miguel Gonzalez – Thursday at Houston – The Astros are well below average against right-handers and are striking out in over 26 percent of their plate appearances against them. Gonzalez has done very well in his last three starts, coming against the Angels, Blue Jays and Yankees; he’s struck out 17, walked just three and allowed six earned runs in 18.2 innings.

Freddy Garcia – Wednesday at Houston – Might as well double up, right? Garcia, another righty, doesn’t possess the strikeout ability that his teammate Gonzalez does, but he’s also been very effective in his last three starts, against Washington, Toronto and the Yankees. He only allowed three singles in his latest start, an eight-inning shutout of the Nats, and he’s only walked two batters in those three starts.

Jason Vargas – Wednesday vs. Chicago Cubs – Vargas has been on a roll lately, pitching at least seven innings in each of his last four starts, winning all of them. Seven of his last eight starts have been quality, and he’s allowing well under a hit an inning in those seven starts. The Cubs don’t fare well against lefties – their .291 OBP is tied for 26th and their 21.3 strikeout percentage is the 11th highest rate in the league. Their wOBA and wRC+ numbers against lefties also rate poorly.

Jarrod Parker – Friday vs. Chicago White Sox – Parker pitches against the White Sox Sunday, too, but in his last four starts he’s thrown a quality start in each one and has put up a 2.96 ERA. He’s still not pitching as well as he did last year, but the White Sox own the second worst wRC+ against righties, rank seventh worst in strikeout percentage against righties and fourth worst in walk percentage against righties.

Week 8 results (Griffin, Liriano, Fernandez) – 17.2 innings, 2.54 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 18 K, 3 BB, 2 W, 1 QS.