McDonald continued his impressive run in 2012 by holding the Reds to one earned run Saturday in securing his second victory. In 36 2/3 IP, he’s allowed 27 hits and 13 walks, while striking out 31 and posting a 2.70 ERA and 1.09 WHIP. McDonald has been a model of consistency so far, allowing more than two earned runs only twice in his first six starts. On Monday, he racked up 10 Ks in a gem against the Braves — the majors’ top-scoring team. It’s time for doubters to give McDonald a second look in mixed formats.

After all the drama that Walden brings to the table, how soothing was it for LA to see Downs toss a 1-2-3 ninth Saturday to bag his first save? No one knows how temporary this gig is for Downs, but one thing we all know is that this dude is hard to hit. Who cares that as a soft-tossing lefty he doesn’t fit the closer profile? Downs gets people out and that’s what you need in the role.

We’ve always been big believers in rostering players returning from the DL earlier rather than later whenever possible. It’s a long season and if you have the bench space, saving some of that FAAB cash can be a prudent move. You can pay the piper now or pay him later, but the second option is surely going to be a more expensive one, often substantially more costly. This week we also examine the return to prominence of several veterans who should immediately grab your attention, so without further ado, let’s get to it.

After a horrible spring in which he struggled to find the form he demonstrated down the stretch in 2011, Delgado stepped it up in his season debut. In five innings, he held Houston to two earned runs while allowing five hits and two walks and striking out six. Degaldo is looking at a two-start week coming up (against the Mets and Diamondbacks) and is an intriguing option in both H2H and and NL-only formats.

Rodriguez earned his first save Saturday with three punchouts in the ninth and the radar gun was being stressed to its limits as he brought that triple-digit heat into play. Rodriguez’s high walk rate will be cause for some concern, but his outstanding strikeout rate will provide value even after the return of Storen.