Dream11 Fantasy Baseball: Cardinals at Brewers

St. Louis Cardinals (2-3) at Milwaukee Brewers (3-3)

Friday, July 31st, 2:10 PM EDT

Projected starters

RHP Jack Flaherty (1-0, 2.57 ERA) vs LHP Brett Anderson (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Game Preview

The Brewers and the Cardinals are two of the best teams in the NL Central, and they start a three-game series Friday. The Brewers are coming off a 2-1 series against the Pittsburgh Pirates, while the Cardinals are trending in the wrong direction after getting losing their last three contests, including both in a short two-game series against the Minnesota Twins. St. Louis might have an edge – at least on paper – in the pitching department, though, with Jack Flaherty facing Brett Anderson. Flaherty tossed seven strong innings of two-run ball against the Pirates, while this will be Anderson's first start of the campaign. The lefty started the regular season on the IL due to a blister on his left index finger.

Injuries

Milwaukee Brewers

Brett Anderson - 10-Day IL - Finger

7/28 3:12 PM EST - Anderson (finger) will start Friday against the Cardinals, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports. Anderson has dealt with a blister on his left index finger since being removed from an intrasquad matchup prior to the regular season, but manager Craig Counsell confirmed Tuesday that he'll be able to return from the injured list when he's first eligible Friday. The southpaw logged a 3.89 ERA and 1.31 WHIP over 176 innings across 31 starts with the A's last season.

Ray Black - 10-Day IL - Shoulder

7/22 9:10 AM EST - Manager Craig Counsell said Wednesday that he expects Black (shoulder) to head to the Brewers' alternate training site in Appleton next week to resume throwing, Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. Though Black was placed on the injured list Tuesday after being diagnosed with a strained right rotator cuff, Counsell said the reliever won't be in store for a "big shutdown." Black will likely be limited to playing catch off flat ground initially when he arrives at Appleton, but if his shoulder responds well to throwing, he could graduate to mound work soon after. Before the injury took him out of the mix for the Opening Day roster, Black was projected to work in middle relief for the Brewers.

Nathan Kirby - Day-To-Day - Neck

3/7 8:20 AM EST - Kirby (neck/rib) is throwing live batting practice sessions, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. Kirby missed all of the 2019 season after undergoing thoracic outlet surgery and then fracturing a rib, but he has been able to get up on the mound this spring. Injuries have been the name of the game for Kirby, who has appeared in just 32 minor-league games since being selected 40th overall in 2015. In an effort to keep him healthy, the Brewers will use Kirby exclusively as a reliever moving forward.

Caden Lemons - Out - Hip

8/21 6:47 PM EST - Lemons underwent right hip surgery earlier in August and will be out for the rest of the season, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports. Lemons never saw game action in 2019 but is expected to be ready to go come spring training. The 20-year-old has a 4.26 ERA, 1.48 WHIP and 28:14 K:BB through his first 13 games in rookie ball since being drafted 46th overall in the 2017 draft..

Josh Lindblom - Day-To-Day - Back

7/29 1:46 PM EST - Lindblom (back) is expected to make his next start on schedule, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports. Lindblom prematurely exited Tuesday's game against the Pirates after experiencing back spasms, but it doesn't sound like the issue will force him to miss his next turn in the rotation. Prior to exiting, the right-hander allowed two runs on three hits and three walks while recording five strikeouts in 3.2 innings.

Tristen Lutz - Out - Groin

7/9 2:58 PM EST - Lutz (groin) was added to Milwaukee's summer camp player pool Thursday, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports. While the Brewers have yet to provide an update on Lutz, who underwent sports hernia surgery over the offseason, he was expected to be back to full health by April. The 21-year-old doesn't figure to factor significantly into the big-league picture during the shortened 2020 season after spending the 2019 campaign with High-A Carolina, hitting .255/.335/.419 across 477 plate appearances.

Angel Perdomo - Out - Illness

7/11 5:22 PM EST - Perdomo (illness) was placed on the injured list Saturday, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports. While the Brewers didn't specify a reason for the transaction, Perdomo tested positive for COVID-19 prior to the start of camp, which is presumably related to this move. It's unclear when he's expected to get back on the field.

Manny Pina - Day-To-Day - Finger

7/29 1:36 PM EST - Manager Craig Counsell said the Brewers would like to avoid using Pina against the Pirates on Wednesday, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports. Pina apparently injured his finger on a foul tip Tuesday, and while the issue isn't thought to be anything serious, the team will try and stay away from him in Wednesday's series finale. Jacob Nottingham should serve as Milwaukee's backup catcher Wednesday.

Luis Urias - Covid-19 - Not Injury Related

7/25 8:28 AM EST - Urias (illness) has been cleared to work out at the Brewers' alternate training site, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports. Urias missed the entirety of summer camp after testing positive for COVID-19, but he'll now be able to work toward building up to game readiness. Manager Craig Counsell said Saturday that Urias is a "full go" but also said that it will still take some time before he's ready to return to regular-season action. After being acquired by the Padres via trade in November, Urias should compete with Brock Holt for the top utility infield job when he's healthy.

Freddy Zamora - Out - Knee

6/11 2:56 PM EST - The Brewers have selected Zamora (knee) with the 53rd overall pick in the 2020 first-year player draft. One of the best defensive shortstops in the class, Zamora has a well-rounded skill set, but he didn't play collegiately in 2020 after tearing his ACL. He hit .300 with an 11.3 percent walk rate and 9.3 percent strikeout rate at Miami, and he went from one home run as a freshman to six home runs as a sophomore. Zamora also put his above-average speed to work, going 33-for-40 (82.5 percent) on stolen-base attempts over 104 games. It's unclear if he will have the same burst and athleticism when he returns to action. If he maxes out, he could be an everyday shortstop that hits 15-20 home runs and steals 15-20 bases while making enough contact to hit around .270.

Noah Zavolas - Day-To-Day - Undisclosed

8/15 1:02 PM EST - Zavolas was placed on the injured list for High-A Carolina retroactive to Aug. 14. It's not clear what landed Zavolas on the injured list, but he has not pitched in a week, and will miss more time due to his injury. Zavolas is throwing well in his first season in the Milwaukee organization, going 6-5 with a 2.98 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and 102:23 K:BB in 133 innings over 22 starts.

St. Louis Cardinals

John Brebbia - 60-Day IL - Elbow

6/28 12:23 PM EST - Brebbia (elbow) was placed on the 45-day injured list Sunday, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. It was announced this week that he 30-year-old underwent Tommy John surgery in early June, so his removal from the 40-man roster was only a matter of time. Brebbia will miss all of the 60 games in 2020 but could return during midseason 2021 if all goes well in his recovery.

Jordan Hicks - Out - Opt Out

7/20 6:35 AM EST - The Cardinals placed Hicks (elbow) on the restricted list last week after he informed the team that he was opting out of the 2020 season. The transaction removes Hicks from the Cardinals' 40-man roster, giving the team some more flexibility before it begins its season July 24. Per Mark Saxon of The Athletic, Hicks' choice to skip out on the 2020 season wasn't totally motivated by concerns about the health risks he may have faced pitching amid the COVID-19 pandemic as a Type 1 diabetic. Instead, the 23-year-old disclosed that he recently dealt with inflammation during his throwing program as he worked back from his June 2019 Tommy John procedure. The extra time off to rest should allow Hicks to report at full health for 2021 spring training, at which point he could re-emerge as the Cardinals' top closing candidate.

Miles Mikolas - 10-Day IL - Forearm

7/28 2:53 PM EST - Mikolas will undergo surgery on his right flexor tendon and will miss the remainder of the season, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. Mikolas' forearm issues date back to the end of last season, though he was able to throw throughout summer camp. Notably, the procedure he'll undergo is not Tommy John surgery, so he won't be forced to miss the entirety of the 2021 campaign as well. He's expected to be ready for the start of next season. Daniel Ponce de Leon will take his place in the rotation and will start Wednesday against the Twins.

Brad Miller - 10-Day IL - Ankle

7/28 10:56 PM EST - Miller (ankle) traveled with the Cardinals to Minnesota for the current series against the Twins instead of remaining at the team's alternate training site in Springfield, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports. The fact Miller is along for the road trip appears to bode well for his impending season debut. The veteran is eligible to come off the injured list as early as Friday, when the Cardinals will begin a three-game set against the Brewers, but president of baseball operations John Mozeliak noted Tuesday the team still wanted to see how Miller felt over the next few days before a decision on potential activation was made.

Andrew Morales - Out - Shoulder

2/25 8:23 AM EST - Morales (shoulder) is scheduled to undergo an MRI on Monday, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports. Morales was diagnosed with right shoulder discomfort following his spring debut Sunday versus the Nationals, during which he was touched up for three runs on three hits while recording only one out. The extent of Morales' injury isn't fully known, but the fact that he needs an MRI suggests his setback could be more than a day-to-day concern.

Ricardo Sanchez - Covid-19 - Illness

7/18 3:46 PM EST - Sanchez (illness) was placed on the injured list Saturday. The 23-year-old tested positive for COVID-19 in early July and produced a second positive result July 12, forcing him to remain under quarantine. Manager Mike Shildt indicated at that time Sanchez was asymptomatic, but he still needs to produce two negative test results before joining the team. The left-hander was never likely to make the season-opening roster after posting a 4.44 ERA and 1.34 WHIP at Double-A Arkansas last season.

Cardinals Expected Lineup

SP - Jack Flaherty

1. Tommy Edman

2. Matt Carpenter

3. Paul Goldschmidt

4. Paul DeJong

5. Yadier Molina

6. Tyler O'Neill

7. Dexter Fowler

8. Kolten Wong

9. Harrison Bader

Brewers Expected Lineup

SP - Brett Anderson

1. Eric Sogard

2. Christian Yelich

3. Keston Hiura

4. Justin Smoak

5. Ryan Braun

6. Avisail Garcia

7. Omar Narvaez

8. Lorenzo Cain

9. Orlando Arcia

Top Picks From Each Team

Christian Yelich, Brewers: Yelich has been a bonafide MVP contender in each of the last two seasons, but he got off to a slow start and is only hitting for .037. He has plated three runs, but his offensive woes have been well documented. That said, he is too good of a hitter to keep struggling for a long time. He is likely to bounce back sooner than later.

Paul Goldschmidt, Cardinals: The Cardinals have been struggling a bit offensively, but Goldschmidt is hitting a team-leading .316 average and should be a reliable presence in the middle of St. Louis' lineup. Plus, he has had success against Brett Anderson in the past – hitting for .583 with two homers and five RBI in 12 at-bats against him in his career.

Captaincy Options

1. Paul Goldschmidt
2. Christian Yelich
3. Yadier Molina
4. Tyler O'Neill

Dream11 Team

P – Jack Flaherty

C – Yadier Molina

IF – Paul Goldschmidt (C)

IF – Orlando Arcia

IF – Keston Hiura

IF – Matt Carpenter

OF – Tyler O'Neill

OF – Christian Yelich (VC)

OF – Ryan Braun