Dream11 Fantasy Baseball: Diamondbacks at Dodgers

Arizona Diamondbacks (14-21) at Los Angeles Dodgers (26-10)

Tuesday, September 1st, 9:40 PM EDT

Projected Starters

LHP Alex Young (1-1, 4.70 ERA) vs LHP Julio Urias (2-0, 3.67 ERA)

Game Preview

This Tuesday matchup will be a battle between two extremes, as the Diamondbacks currently sit in last place of the NL West and recently shipped away their best player, Starling Marte, to the Miami Marlins, while the Dodgers keep looking like the "team to beat" in the National League and are currently pacing their division by a comfortable margin. As if that wasn't enough, the Dodgers also have the edge in the pitching department since they will send Julio Urias to the mound, while the Diamondbacks will counter with Alex Young. Urias arrives into this game on six days of rest, and there's hope that could lead to increased velocity on his fastball.

Injuries

Arizona Diamondbacks

Jeremy Beasley - 10-Day IL - Shoulder

8/16 1:43 PM EST - The Diamondbacks placed Beasley on the 10-day injured list Sunday with a right shoulder strain, Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports. Beasley hasn't appeared out of the Arizona bullpen since making his MLB debut Tuesday in Colorado, when he retired one of the three hitters he faced before exiting. According to Piecoro, the right-hander showed lower-than-normal velocity in that outing, which was likely caused by the shoulder injury. Arizona recalled Joel Payamps to take Beasley's spot in the bullpen.

Seth Beer - Out - Face

7/15 9:08 PM EST - Beer was diagnosed with a contusion after being hit in the face with a one-hopper during Wednesday's intrasquad game, Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports. Manager Torey Lovullo said the 23-year-old didn't sustain a concussion, so he appears to have escaped the situation with only a bruise. Beer missed some time early in summer training after testing positive for COVID-19, and he may take it easy for a couple days after Wednesday's incident.

Silvino Bracho - 60-Day IL - Elbow

7/5 6:11 PM EST - Bracho (elbow) has tested positive for COVID-19, Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports. Bracho was already placed on the 60-day injured list Monday as he continues to recover from the Tommy John surgery he underwent in March of 2019. He suffered a setback in his recovery while play was suspended, so he might not be ready to play at any point in 2020. However, manager Torey Lovullo revealed Sunday that Bracho was one of three Diamondbacks to test positive for coronavirus, although he is asymptomatic.

Madison Bumgarner - 10-Day IL - Back

8/28 3:09 AM EST - Bumgarner (back) will throw a simulated game Saturday, Mark Faller of the Arizona Republic reports. Bumgarner had thrown two simulated games and a bullpen session, leading to speculation about a pending return Saturday, but the team is exercising caution. Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said Bumgarner is "extremely close" to returning and will sit down with the left-hander following the sim game to map out the plan for Bumgarner's return.

Jon Duplantier - Out - Elbow

8/29 2:31 AM EST - Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen said Duplantier (elbow) is not expected to join the team in 2020, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports. Duplantier has been dealing with elbow discomfort since April. The GM said the time needed for Duplantier and fellow injured pitcher Corbin Martin (elbow) to ramp up for an appearance would make pitching in 2020 unlikely.

Merrill Kelly - 10-Day IL - Shoulder

8/27 12:49 PM EST - Kelly underwent a procedure earlier in the week to dissolve a blood clot in his right shoulder. Kelly is expected to miss the remainder of the 2020 season following the procedure. Prior to getting injured, the right-hander notched a 2.59 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 29:5 K:BB across five appearances (31.1 innings).

Mike Leake - Out - Opt Out

6/29 11:08 AM EST - Leake will opt out of participating in the 2020 season, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports. He was included on the initial version of the Diamondbacks' 60-man roster and would have been fighting for a rotation spot in July. While Leake is the first known player to opt out of playing this year, this shouldn't come as much of a surprise, as Leake has made just shy of $95 million in his career and there are obviously health risks involved with playing during a pandemic. Alex Young now appears to be Arizona's sixth starter in case one of the top five guys gets injured. Leake says he looks forward to playing in 2021. Arizona will either pay him $18 million next season for the final year of his contract or buy him out for $5 million.

Domingo Leyba - Out - Suspension

3/6 12:13 PM EST - Leyba received an 80-game suspension after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports. Leyba was called up for his major-league debut in September and made a quality first impression with a .280/.367/.440 slash line in 21 games, and he had a chance to begin the season in a utility role for the Diamondbacks. The 24-year-old will instead miss the first half of the season.

Corbin Martin - 10-Day IL - Elbow

8/29 2:28 AM EST - Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen said Martin (elbow) isn't expected to join the team in 2020, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports. Martin, who is working his way back from last July's Tommy John surgery, suffered an oblique strain earlier this month. The GM said the time needed for Martin and fellow injured pitcher Jon Duplantier (elbow) to ramp up for an appearance make pitching in 2020 unlikely.

Caleb Smith - Covid-19 - Not Injury Related

8/31 12:08 PM EST - Smith (COVID-19) was traded from the Marlins to the Diamondbacks on Monday along with Humberto Mejia and a player to be named later, with Starling Marte going the other way, Craig Mish of SportsGrid.com reports. Smith made just a single start this season before being caught up in the Marlins' COVID-19 outbreak. He's been cleared to throw since mid-August, however, and appears to be quite close to being ready to return. The lefty produced a passable 4.41 ERA over the previous two seasons, with a 26.3 percent strikeout rate generally being offset by a 9.6 percent walk rate and a 26.9 percent groundball rate.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Yadier Alvarez - Out - Shoulder

3/2 2:33 PM EST - Alvarez (shoulder) cleared waivers Monday and was outrighted to minor-league camp, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports. Alvarez was scratched from his scheduled start Friday against the Brewers after being unable to get loose. He's been sent for tests on his shoulder, the results of which aren't yet known. The shoulder scare was evidently enough to dissuade teams from taking a chance on him in waivers.

Pedro Baez - 10-Day IL - Groin

8/30 3:21 PM EST - Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Baez (groin) is "a ways away" from returning from the 10-day injured list, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports. Baez has been shut down since Aug. 19 with a right groin strain and doesn't look to have made any meaningful progress in the week and a half since he was placed on the IL. Until the veteran reliever resumes throwing off a mound, his potential return shouldn't be considered imminent.

Walker Buehler - 10-Day IL - Hand

8/30 1:23 PM EST - Buehler (hand) completed a 30-plus pitch bullpen session Saturday, Alanna Rizzo of Spectrum SportsNet LA reports. The 26-year-old landed on the injured list last week with a blister on his right hand, so the quick return to mound work is a good sign for his potential return. The Dodgers haven't indicated when Buehler is expected to be ready, but Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register speculates that the Dodgers could be targeting Thursday's series finale against the Diamondbacks for his return.

Joe Kelly - 10-Day IL - Shoulder

8/25 3:45 PM EST - Kelly (shoulder) hasn't thrown off a mound since landing on the injured list Aug. 10 and isn't close to being activated, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports. The 32-year-old remains without an official timeline for his return, and that's unlikely to change until he resumes mound work. Kelly will also need to serve a five-game suspension once activated before actually rejoining the team.

Jimmy Nelson - 60-Day IL - Back

7/21 10:31 AM EST - Nelson (back) landed on the 45-day injured list Tuesday, Eric Stephen of TrueBlueLA.com reports. The righty is set to undergo lumbar surgery, a procedure which will wipe out his 2020 season entirely. The move clears a spot on the 40-man roster for the Dodgers to add Jake McGee, who signed a major-league deal.

David Price - Out - Opt Out

7/4 1:48 PM EST - Price has elected not to play this season, he announced on his personal Twitter page Saturday. Price cited his health and his family's health as his reasons for sitting out the season during the coronavirus pandemic, becoming the highest-profile player thus far to opt out. He now won't be suiting up for his new team until the start of the 2021 season. His absence creates a hole in the Dodgers' rotation, with Dustin May looking like the most likely beneficiary.

Zach Reks - Out - Undisclosed

8/12 9:10 AM EST - Reks (undisclosed) has not yet joined the team at its alternate training site, Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times reports. Reks has been away from the team since July 8, though the Dodgers have yet to give a reason for the outfielder's absence. The 26-year-old was included on the 60-man roster after a strong spring in which he hit .368/.556/.684 and drew eight walks.

Edwin Rios - 10-Day IL - Hamstring

8/30 9:12 AM EST - Rios (hamstring) will likely be activated off the injured list Tuesday or Wednesday, David Vassegh of AM 570 LA Sports reports. Rios was placed on the 10-day IL due to a strained left hamstring Aug. 17. He was initially expected to rejoin the active roster when first eligible, but the team instead opted to give him extra time to recover. The 26-year-old now appears ready to return to his reserve role for the first-place Dodgers.

Cody Thomas - Out - Undisclosed

8/12 9:15 AM EST - Thomas (undisclosed) still isn't with the Dodgers at their alternate training site, Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times reports. Thomas was included in the team's 60-man player pool after smashing five home runs during spring training, However, the outfielder missed most of summer camp, and the team has thus far withheld the reason for his absence.

Andrew Toles - Out - Personal

6/26 11:43 PM EST - Toles was arrested in Florida on Monday on a misdemeanor trespassing charge after he was found sleeping behind Key West International Airport and refused to leave, Gwen Filosa of the Miami Herald reports. In terms of baseball news, this incident furthers the belief that Toles is unlikely to return to the sport during the 2020 season. However, Toles' need for help clearly extends beyond baseball, and any hope of seeing him in a Dodgers uniform again should be superseded by the hope that he simply gets well. The 28-year-old has a documented history of dealing with anxiety and depression, and he essentially disappeared from baseball after leaving spring training last May to deal with a personal matter.

Justin Turner - Day-To-Day - Hamstring

8/30 10:52 AM EST - Manager Dave Roberts said the "best-case scenario" is to have Turner (hamstring) serve as the designated hitter Tuesday against the Diamondbacks, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports. The veteran third baseman hasn't seen game action since exiting Friday's game against the Rangers with a hamstring injury. Given Roberts' description, it wouldn't be surprising to see the team play it safe and hold Turner out of the lineup again Tuesday if he isn't 100 percent.

Edwin Uceta - Suspension - Not Injury Related

8/22 11:16 AM EST - Uceta broke security protocol and was suspended by the Dodgers, Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times reports. Uceta had been working at the Dodgers' alternate training site, but he was recently sent home to the Dominican Republic and suspended by the team. Given travel restrictions amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it's unclear whether the right-hander will return to the team at any point in 2020. If he does, he's likely to remain with the alternate squad.

Alex Wood - 10-Day IL - Shoulder

8/25 4:11 PM EST - Wood (shoulder) won't be activated for the upcoming weekend series at Texas, Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times reports. Manager Dave Roberts said previously the team was targeting this weekend for the left-hander's return, but he apparently won't be ready to be activated. According to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com, Roberts said Wood's simulated game Monday was "positive, but not overwhelmingly positive," so it appears there was something the team didn't like. Regardless, the 29-year-old will be spending at least another week on the injured list.

Dodgers Expected Lineup

SP - Julio Urias

1. Mookie Betts

2. Max Muncy

3. Justin Turner

4. Cody Bellinger

5. A.J. Pollock

6. Corey Seager

7. Chris Taylor

8. Enrique Hernandez

9. Will Smith

Diamondbacks Expected Lineup

SP - Alex Young

1. Tim Locastro

2. Ketel Marte

3. Christian Walker

4. David Peralta

5. Eduardo Escobar

6. Nick Ahmed

7. Andy Young

8. Carson Kelly

9. Daulton Varsho

Top Picks From Each Team

Mookie Betts, Dodgers: Betts has hit safely in six of the Dodgers' last seven games, and he has posted a .346/.455/.615 slash line during that stretch. The star outfielder has delivered all season long for the Dodgers, however, hitting .298 with a .991 OPS, 11 homers and 26 RBI in 34 games.

Christian Walker, Diamondbacks: Following Starling Marte's departure to the Marlins, Walker should be Arizona's main threat in the lineup on an everyday basis. The first baseman recently saw a six-game hitting streak come to an end, and he hit .290 with a .848 OPS and four home runs during August.

Captaincy Options

1. Mookie Betts
2. Justin Turner
3. Christian Walker
4. Ketel Marte

Dream11 Team

P – Julio Urias

C – Austin Barnes

IF – Justin Turner (VC)

IF – Max Muncy

IF – Ketel Marte

IF – Christian Walker

IF – Enrique Hernandez

OF – Mookie Betts (C)

OF – Josh VanMeter