Dream11 Fantasy Baseball: Rangers at Mariners

Texas Rangers (10-15) at Seattle Mariners (9-19)

Saturday, August 22nd, 9:10 PM EDT

Projected Starters

RHP Jordan Lyles (1-2, 7.52 ERA) vs LHP Justus Sheffield (1-2, 4.12 ERA)

Game Preview

All signs point towards a duel between two anemic offenses, as both the Rangers and the Mariners sit in the bottom three when it comes to runs produced per game in the American League – both franchises average under 4.0 runs per contest. The Mariners have had a few productive hitters while the Rangers seem to have an edge in the pitching department, so this one could really go either way. Speaking of pitching, the Rangers will send veteran Jordan Lyles and his 7.52 ERA to the mound, while the Mariners will counter with Justus Sheffield, who has been outstanding in his last two outings – going 1-0 with a 0.75 ERA and 10 hits in 12 innings against the Colorado Rockies and the Houston Astros. Sheffield has a 4.12 ERA this season, but he is on the right track.

Injuries

Seattle Mariners

Austin Adams - 60-Day IL - Knee

8/16 10:47 AM EST - Adams (knee) is throwing regularly at the Mariners' spring training facility in Peoria, Arizona, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports. The right-handed reliever is working out in Peoria instead of the team's alternate training site in Tacoma so as not to count against the 60-man player pool. Adams' recovery from October knee surgery could be nearing its end, considering it's been reported he's been close to activation in recent weeks. However, he'll likely need to transition to Tacoma and face live hitters before he's deemed ready to jump into game action.

Gerson Bautista - 60-Day IL - Elbow

7/23 8:49 AM EST - The Mariners placed Bautista (elbow) on the 45-day injured list Wednesday. While Bautista is expected to avoid surgery to address the strained right elbow he picked up during summer camp, the Mariners are preparing for him to miss extensive time. The move to the 45-day IL will keep him out of the mix for more than half of the 60-game season.

Chasen Bradford - Out - Elbow

6/10 11:01 AM EST - Bradford (elbow) announced Tuesday via his personal Twitter account that he has resumed throwing bullpen sessions. According to Bradford, Tuesday's workout marked the first time he's gotten back on a mound since undergoing Tommy John surgery last August. The right-hander was outrighted off Seattle's 40-man roster in October and isn't expected to return to competitive action until the 2021 season.

Brandon Brennan - 60-Day IL - Oblique

8/16 10:57 AM EST - Brennan (oblique) is throwing regularly at the Mariners' spring training facility in Peoria, Arizona, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports. Brennan isn't yet at the alternate training site in Tacoma so as not to count against the 60-man player pool. The right-hander still has plenty of time to eventually make his way there and face live hitters, considering he's not eligible for activation from the injured list until mid-September.

Sam Carlson - Day-To-Day - Elbow

2/21 11:18 PM EST - Carlson (elbow), who missed the last two seasons and underwent Tommy John surgery in July 2018, threw his first live batting practice since the procedure Friday, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports. The momentous occasion, which saw Carlson throw 20 pitches against fellow minor leaguers, marked the right-hander's first time facing hitters in 32 months. Carlson experienced several setbacks during the process, including a scare last August where the pitcher thought he may have torn his ulnar collateral ligament a second time. The 21-year-old has just three innings of AZL Rookie-level ball under his belt so far as a professional, and given his extended recovery, the organization will proceed with caution in terms of his activity level over the coming months.

Nestor Cortes - 10-Day IL - Elbow

8/15 2:56 PM EST - Cortes was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left elbow impingement Saturday. The injury could certainly help explain Cortes' awful start Friday against the Astros in which he allowed eight runs (seven earned) while recording just a single out. It's unclear when he's expected back. Taylor Guilbeau was recalled in a corresponding move.

Carl Edwards - 10-Day IL - Forearm

8/10 3:56 PM EST - Edwards (forearm) is only expected to miss a couple of weeks, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports. After Edwards was placed on the 10-day injured list Monday, manager Scott Servais said that he has a strain in his flexor mass in his elbow that isn't considered serious. The right-hander is only expected to miss a couple of weeks, but that absence will be more significant during the 60-game season in 2020. However, the team expects him to return before the end of the season.

Matt Festa - Out - Elbow

3/2 7:11 AM EST - Festa (elbow) will undergo Tommy John surgery and miss the 2020 season, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports. Festa reportedly felt some discomfort after a bullpen session early in spring training, and the team decided surgery was required, ending his 2020 campaign before it started. The right-hander made 20 appearances out of the major-league bullpen in 2019, posting a 5.64 ERA and 1.43 WHIP over 22.1 innings, but he'll now focus on recovery in hopes of returning in 2021.

Kendall Graveman - 10-Day IL - Neck

8/21 2:15 PM EST - Graveman (neck) is still hopeful he'll be able to pitch again this season despite the fact he's dealing with a benign tumor in his spine, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports. "He's still working through a few things," Mariners manager Scott Servais said Thursday. "He wants to see if there's a way he can still continue to try and pitch this year, whether in a shorter role out of the bullpen a couple innings here or there." Servais adds the veteran right-hander is highly regarded in the Mariners' clubhouse and has been a strong influence on the team's younger players, so there is certainly a willingness to have Graveman return if he's physically capable. That very much remains an open question, however, as surgery is currently not an option due to the location of the tumor yet doctors have also told him the situation won't worsen if he continues to pitch. Graveman was able to take the mound during an intrasquad game Monday at the team's alternate training site in Tacoma and reportedly displayed good velocity; therefore, there's a chance he could eventually reemerge, although it would most likely be as a relief option so as to prevent the fatigue that the tumor usually causes when Graveman's pitch count gets past a certain point.

Taylor Guilbeau - 10-Day IL - Shoulder

8/21 3:09 PM EST - Guilbeau was placed on the 10-day injured list with a strained left shoulder Saturday. The severity of the injury and Guilbeau's expected return date are not yet clear. The lefty owns a strong 1.17 ERA in 7.2 innings this season, but that's come with a 1.83 WHIP and a 3:6 K:BB.

Mitch Haniger - 60-Day IL - Back

7/8 4:50 PM EST - GM Jerry Dipoto said Wednesday that Haniger (back) hasn't resumed baseball activities and there's a possibility he doesn't play this season, Lauren Smith of The Tacoma News Tribune reports. The 29-year-old was placed on the 60-day injured list before the start of summer training last week, which was a solid indication he may not be taking the field anytime soon. Haniger first went down with a ruptured testicle last summer and required multiple surgeries, and he also had a procedure to fix a vertebrae in his lower back in February. The team is making sure the outfielder doesn't push things beyond his comfort zone during the recovery process, which makes sense given the myriad of issues he's returning from. The Mariners don't appear in a rush to put Haniger on the field for the shortened 2020 campaign, though he's yet to be officially ruled out.

Dylan Moore - Day-To-Day - Wrist

8/21 2:51 PM EST - Moore was scratched from the lineup for Friday's game against the Rangers due to a sore wrist, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports. Moore has gotten off to a surprisingly hot start, hitting .282/.364/.538 with five homers and six steals through his first 21 games. Austin Nola will move out from behind the plate to first base in his absence, with Joseph Odom entering the lineup as a catcher.

Tom Murphy - 60-Day IL - Foot

8/18 4:33 PM EST - Murphy (foot) was transferred to the 45-day injured list Tuesday. The 29-year-old recently had a setback while recovering from the broken bone in his left foot and won't be eligible to be activated until Sept. 4, according to Greg Johns of MLB.com. Austin Nola should continue handling primary catching duties for the Mariners.

Max Povse - Out - Shoulder

2/16 8:12 AM EST - Povse has been delayed in camp due to a sore shoulder, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports. Povse hasn't thrown yet in camp but is expected to do so in a few days. Assuming he's able to hit that timeline, he should still be ready to go by Opening Day, but he's unlikely to spend that day on the big-league roster, though, as he was designated for assignment in late January.

Julio Rodriguez - Out - Wrist

8/12 3:05 PM EST - Rodriguez (wrist) had his hard cast removed Tuesday and transitioned to a soft cast. The 19-year-old was limited to one-handed swings since sustaining the hairline fracture in mid-July, and he'll continue working to regain the strength in his left wrist. Rodriguez was initially given a 4-to-6 week recovery timeline, so he's unlikely to gain full clearance until the latter stages of August.

Erik Swanson - 10-Day IL - Forearm

8/20 2:53 PM EST - Swanson was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right forearm strain, retroactive to Aug. 17. Swanson has labored through his past two appearances as he's given up six runs on four hits while hitting two batters and striking out two over one inning. His injury could help provide an explanation behind his back-to-back losing efforts. The exact severity of the issue isn't known, and it's unclear how much time he'll miss as a result of the injury.

Dom Thompson-Williams - Out - Achilles

2/24 1:19 PM EST - Thompson-Williams underwent surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles and will miss the entire 2020 season, Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com reports. This is a tough break for Thompson-Williams, who was acquired from the Yankees in the James Paxton deal in 2018. The 24-year-old outfielder spent all of the 2019 season with Double-A Arkansas, slashing .234/.298/.391 with 12 home runs and 15 stolen bases in 115 games.

Evan White - Day-To-Day - Knee

8/21 2:16 PM EST - White (knee) is not starting Friday against Texas. Previous reports indicated that White was hopeful that he could play Friday after fouling a ball off his knee in Wednesday's contest and sitting out Thursday's game, but if he winds up playing, it will be in a bench role. Dylan Moore will get the start at first base.

Texas Rangers

Elvis Andrus - 10-Day IL - Back

8/20 3:53 PM EST - Andrus (back) was placed on the 10-day injured list Thursday. Andrus has dealt with a lower-back strain in recent days that has kept him out of the starting lineup for four consecutive games. He appeared as a defensive replacement Wednesday, but he won't be available for at least 10 days while he recovers. Yadiel Rivera was recalled in a corresponding move, and he should serve as depth behind Isiah Kiner-Falefa at shortstop while Andrus is sidelined.

Brock Burke - 60-Day IL - Shoulder

6/28 3:33 PM EST - Burke (shoulder) was placed on the 45-day injured list Sunday. He had already been ruled out for the season after undergoing surgery to repair his left labrum in February. Burke may be able to participate in next year's spring training.

Matt Bush - Out - Elbow

12/16 1:55 PM EST - Bush (elbow) signed a two-year, minor-league deal with the Rangers on Monday. Bush has been battling elbow issues since June of 2018. He made it back on the mound for rehab action in the first half of the 2019 season before being shut down for Tommy John surgery. He'll miss most or all of the 2020 campaign.

Willie Calhoun - 10-Day IL - Hamstring

8/20 3:57 PM EST - Calhoun (hamstring) was placed on the 10-day injured list Thursday. As expected, Calhoun will head to the injured list after suffering a strained left hamstring during Wednesday's extra-inning loss to the Padres. The outfielder will be out a minimum of three weeks, according to Levi Weaver of The Athletic. Nick Solak is starting in left field in place of Calhoun on Thursday, while Yadiel Rivera was promoted from the team's alternate training site to take his place on the roster.

Robinson Chirinos - 10-Day IL - Ankle

8/14 1:26 PM EST - Chirinos was placed on the 10-day injured list with a sprained right ankle Friday. The move was made retroactive to Tuesday, so Chirinos could return as soon as next Friday, though it's not yet clear whether or not he's expected to do so. Jose Trevino was recalled in a corresponding move and will back up Jeff Mathis, who starts behind the plate Friday.

Shin-Soo Choo - Day-To-Day - Calf

8/22 5:46 AM EST - Texas manager Chris Woodward said Choo is dealing with a calf injury, T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports. Choo sat out a second straight game Friday with what was originally thought to be rest, but the manager spilled the beans. "Mainly a calf issue," Woodward said. "He's got some other issues he'd been playing through. We both feel it's best for him to heal up because if he keeps playing through it, something is going to give, and then we're going to lose him for the rest of the year." With Choo out of the lineup, Woodward has rotated others at the DH spot. Thursday it was Derek Dietrich and Friday it was Joey Gallo.

Mason Englert - Out - Elbow

4/14 12:24 PM EST - Englert underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery Friday, Levi Weaver of The Athletic reports. Given the year-plus recovery timeline associated with Tommy John procedures, Englert likely will miss a decent chunk -- if not all -- of the 2020 season as well. A fourth-round selection in the 2018 first-year player draft, Englert has yet to debut in affiliated ball.

Luke Farrell - Covid-19 - Not Injury Related

8/11 4:14 PM EST - Farrell was placed on the injured list Tuesday after coming in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, though he has tested negative to this point, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports. Farrell was optioned to the Rangers' alternate training site Thursday, but he'll now be sidelined while continuing to undergo testing. The right-hander gave up five runs on five hits and four walks over 3.1 innings to begin the season.

Ian Gibaut - Suspension - Suspension

8/19 6:04 PM EST - Gibaut dropped his appeal and will begin serving a two-game suspension Wednesday in San Diego. The 26-year-old was originally handed a three-game ban for throwing behind Manny Machado on Monday, but it was reduced to two games with him dropping the appeal. Gibaut will be able to rejoin the Rangers for Friday's series opener against the Mariners, while the team plays a man down for the next two days.

Nick Goody - 10-Day IL - Back

8/12 4:46 PM EST - Goody was placed on the 10-day injured list Wednesday with back spasms. The 29-year-old was unavailable over the weekend with what the team called lower-back tightness, and the injury has now been reclassified as back spasms. It's unclear how long Goody is expected to be sidelined.

James Jones - Out - Kneecap

4/2 11:14 AM EST - Jones tore his right patellar tendon while at home Monday in Arizona and has been ruled out for the 2020 season, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports. According to Grant, Jones suffered the injury while tripping over one of his son's toys. The outfielder-turned-lefty pitcher had been attending Rangers camp as a non-roster invitee and was expected to open the season at Triple-A Nashville before the injury surfaced. He underwent surgery Wednesday and will turn his focus to rehabbing his knee before returning to the mound for the start of spring training in 2021.

Corey Kluber - 60-Day IL - Shoulder

7/28 1:49 PM EST - Kluber (shoulder) was placed on the 45-day injured list Tuesday. The move isn't much of a surprise, as Kluber will be shut down for at least four weeks after being diagnosed with a Grade 2 tear of the teres major muscle in his right shoulder Monday. If he's able to return at all this season, it will likely be very late in the year and in a relief role.

Jose Leclerc - 60-Day IL - Shoulder

7/30 3:10 PM EST - Leclerc was placed on the 45-day injured list Thursday with a Grade 2 strain of his teres major, Levi Weaver of The Athletic reports. The injury is similar to the one teammate Corey Kluber (shoulder) is dealing with, though it's apparently a little less serious. Either way, he's set to receive a PRP injection before being shut down for around four weeks. The hope is that Leclerc will be able to return for the end of the season. It's unclear who will step in as the Rangers' closer in his absence, though Nick Goody picked up the save in his place Wednesday. Brett Martin, Jesse Chavez and Jonathan Hernandez are also options, along with Joely Rodriguez (lat) and Rafael Montero (elbow) once healthy.

Brett Martin - 10-Day IL - Shoulder

8/16 11:25 AM EST - The Rangers placed Martin on the 10-day injured list Sunday with left rotator cuff inflammation, T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports. Martin has been a key piece in the Rangers' bridge to the ninth inning, giving up one run over five appearances while notching two holds. Assuming that Martin moves past his battle with shoulder inflammation quickly and is able to resume a throwing program within the next few days, he could be ready to return from the IL when first eligible Aug. 23.

Juan Nicasio - Out - Personal

8/18 2:46 PM EST - Nicasio was placed on the restricted list for personal reasons Tuesday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports. Nicasio is travelling home to be with his family in the Dominican Republic, though he reportedly isn't opting out of the season. It's not clear when he's expected to return. Luis Garcia will join the Rangers' bullpen in a corresponding move.

Joe Palumbo - 10-Day IL - Abdomen

8/7 5:32 PM EST - Palumbo was placed on the 10-day injured list Friday due to an ulcerative colitis flare-up. Palumbo hadn't made any appearances out of the bullpen since Aug. 1, and Friday's transaction provides an explanation for his lack of usage. The move is retroactive to Aug. 4, so he'll be able to return as early as next weekend. The southpaw allowed three runs on three hits and three walks while striking out five over 2.1 innings across two appearances to begin the season. Once he returns, Palumbo should continue to pitch mainly in low-leverage situations.

Cole Ragans - Out - Elbow

5/14 6:20 PM EST - Ragans (elbow) will require another Tommy John surgery Wednesday after recently tearing the graft in his left elbow, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports. Ragans was more than a year into the rehab process after undergoing Tommy John surgery in March 2018, so this is devastating setback for the 2016 first-round pick. The 21-year-old will now likely be sidelined until the middle of the 2020 season, at the very least.

Blake Swihart - Out - Thumb

7/18 4:47 PM EST - Swihart was scratched from the lineup ahead of Saturday's intrasquad game due to left thumb soreness. It doesn't sound as if the issue is too serious, though it's not yet clear when Swihart is expected to return to action. Even if healthy, Swihart is unlikely to fill a major role for the Rangers this season, as he's hit just .243/.301/.355 over parts of five big-league seasons.

Edinson Volquez - 60-Day IL - Oblique

8/13 3:40 PM EST - Volquez was placed on the 45-day injured list Thursday with a right oblique strain. Volquez was relatively effective out of the Rangers' bullpen to begin the season, but he should miss the rest of the regular season as a result of his oblique injury. It's certainly a devastating blow for the 37-year-old, who also missed most of the 2019 campaign with an elbow injury. He had initially intended to retire following the 2019 season, so it's safe to wonder if Volquez will take the mound in the majors again.

Owen White - Out - Elbow

5/1 9:22 AM EST - White will undergo Tommy John surgery Wednesday, Adam J. Morris of Lonestarball.com reports. White, a second-round pick in 2018, has not yet thrown in a professional game. This will knock him out for all of 2019 and the first half of 2020.

Eli White - Out - Oblique

7/13 1:04 PM EST - White's oblique strain is fairly serious and will keep him out a while, T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports. Manager Chris Woodward didn't provide many specifics, but it doesn't sound as if the Rangers expect White to play a role early in the season. Whether he's expected to play a role even if healthy this season remains to be seen, as he hit a mediocre .253/.337/.418 in 499 plate appearances for Triple-A Nashville last season, good for an 84 wRC+.

Mariners Expected Lineup

SP - Justus Sheffield

1. J.P. Crawford

2. Dylan Moore

3. Kyle Lewis

4. Kyle Seager

5. Austin Nola

6. Tim Lopes

7. Shed Long

8. Evan White

9. Dee Gordon

Rangers Expected Lineup

SP - Jordan Lyles

1. Shin-Soo Choo

2. Danny Santana

3. Nick Solak

4. Todd Frazier

5. Joey Gallo

6. Isiah Kiner-Falefa

7. Rougned Odor

8. Rob Refsnyder

9. Jose Trevino

Top Picks From Each Team

Kyle Seager, Mariners: Seager has five homers with 22 RBI this season and is hitting .292 with a .917 OPS – those are very solid numbers across the board. Kyle Lewis also has a .985 OPS and could be an excellent alternative as well.

Joey Gallo, Rangers: Gallo might only be hitting .220 this season, but he is leading the team in both home runs (seven) and RBI (16) while posting a .884 OPS that has its foundation mainly in his power numbers and his slugging percentage of .524. Either way, he appears to be the best run-production threat in an anemic Rangers offense.

Captaincy Options

1. Kyle Seager
2. Joey Gallo
3. Dylan Moore
4. Kyle Lewis

Dream11 Team

P – Justus Sheffield

C – Austin Nola

IF – Dylan Moore

IF – Kyle Seager (C)

IF – J.P. Crawford

OF – Kyle Lewis (VC)

OF – Shin-Soo Choo

OF – Joey Gallo

OF – Danny Santana