The Blue Jays have released former closer B.J. Ryan with approximately $15 million left on his contract. During Ryan's struggles, I've always viewed Scott Downs as the Jays' closer until Ryan got straightened out, since most teams will try to find a big role for a guy making that much money. With Ryan gone, Downs is clearly the man, and he should be owned in every single FOXSports.com league, instead of in the current 30 percent.

Since the start of the 2007 season, Downs has a 1.98 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP in 156 innings, and has allowed just seven home runs. He's whiffed more than eight batters per nine innings over that span, and induced about twice as many ground balls as fly balls. Next spring, he's very likely to be ranked among the top 10 fantasy closers. If you can still get Downs, do it right now.

Who's off: Orioles, Tigers, A's, Angels, Pirates, Cubs

First pitch: The Jays and Rays start the AL slate at the odd time of 12:08 p.m. ET, while the Cards and Brewers get NL action underway at 2:05. Here's the full schedule.

Pitcher to start: Yesterday was a mixed bag, as we had a good outing from Max Scherzer, and a not-so-good one from Hiroki Kuroda. The picks are now 50-51.

With a dearth of good options tonight, we'll take our friend John Lannan (4.4 percent owned) against the Astros. Lannan has allowed three runs or less in seven consecutive starts.

On to the news:

• Angels OF Torii Hunter might be headed for the disabled list with a strained groin muscle. The injury doesn't sound too serious, and with the Angels off today, we should know Hunter's status by tomorrow.
• Hunter's teammate, Vlad Guerrero, sat out last night with a knee injury, and his status for the weekend is also TBD. On Friday, the Angels should pick one lucky fan out of the stands 15 minutes before the first pitch, and let him/her play right field and bat cleanup.
• Marlins SS Hanley Ramirez missed his fourth straight game last night, and he's not sure when he'll be back in the lineup. My advice is to bench him until you know he's playing.
• So much for Geovany Soto's recent resurgence. The Cubs' backstop has a strained oblique muscle, and might be placed on the DL. Those oblique strains tend to linger, too. We should know more today.
• How do you think the Dodgers feel about Andruw Jones hitting three homers last night, giving him 14 on the season? Maybe they're thinking, "Thanks for being a fat, worhtless, lazy slob after we signed you to a $36 million contract, and thanks even more for putting up big numbers for another team while we're still paying you! $#@! you!" That's probably what I'd think.
• Tigers OF Magglio Ordonez is now on the short end of a right field platoon with rookie Clete Thomas. Ugh.
• Braves 3B Chipper Jones hopes to be back in the lineup tonight. I'll believe it when I see it.
• Oliver Perez returned to the mound for the Mets last night after two months away ... and walked seven batters in five innings. I guess getting your knee healthy doesn't mean you lose a lifelong habit of not knowing how to throw strikes.
• Twins SP Glen Perkins was scratched last night with a fever, which caused the team to juggle its rotation. Anthony Swarzak started last night, Francisco Liriano will go today, and Nick Blackburn might take the mound Friday to give Perkins a little extra rest. Act accordingly if you're in a daily transaction league.
• Manny Parra gets the start today for the Brewers after a brief stint in the minors that saw him post a 2.92 ERA in four starts.
• This story suggests that even when OF Carlos Quentin returns to the White Sox after the All-Star break, the caution the team will take with his foot injury will limit his playing time.
• SP Bartolo Colon is scheduled for a minor-league rehab start tonight in Charlotte, and I most certainly will not be in attendance. If you want to fall off your chair laughing, click on the link and read Ozzie Guillen's quotes about Colon. In one place, he suggested that Colon missed his flight to Charlotte because he was too engrossed in watching Michael Jackson's funeral.
• The Mariners are promoting 1B Chris Shelton to be a part-time 1B/DH, and Yuniesky Betancourt is spending his rehab time in the minors learning how to play second base.
• The Pirates sent backup 1B Steve Pearce to the minors.
• It sounds like the Phillies are now hoping to get OF Raul Ibanez back on Saturday.
• The Dodgers have put rookie reliever Ronald Belisario on the DL.
• Luke French is a superstar! OK, not really, but the Tigers rookie did win last night.
• The Orioles' Web site reports that SS Cesar Izturis will return to the lineup Friday after missing a month following an appendectomy.

See you tomorrow.