Dream11 Fantasy Baseball: Diamondbacks at Giants

Arizona Diamondbacks (15-24) at San Francisco Giants (18-21)

Saturday, September 5th, 9:15 PM EDT

Projected Starters

LHP Madison Bumgarner (0-3, 9.35 ERA) vs RHP Trevor Cahill (0-0, 2.51 ERA)

Game Preview

The Giants and the Diamondbacks are both unlikely to make the playoffs but San Francisco remains slightly alive in that race, as they've been hovering around the .500 mark all season long and didn't make extreme moves during the trade deadline. Such wasn't the case with the Diamondbacks, though, as they parted ways with Starling Marte and seem set to stick at the bottom of the NL West standings for the foreseeable future. The pitching matchup for this contest features two accomplished veterans in Madison Bumgarner and Trevor Cahill, in what will be Bumgarner's first-ever start against his former team. Cahill has posted better numbers this season and Bumgarner has struggled with injuries, however, so the Giants' righty might look like the best pitching alternative – at least on paper.

Injuries

Arizona Diamondbacks

Jeremy Beasley - 60-Day IL - Shoulder

9/1 1:54 PM EST - The Diamondbacks transferred Beasley (shoulder) to the 45-day injured list Monday. Arizona also moved Merrill Kelly (shoulder) to the 45-day IL, effectively spelling an end to both pitchers' seasons. Beasley made one relief appearance out of the Diamondbacks' bullpen before being shut down with a strained right shoulder.

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

9/2 4:56 PM EST - Bumgarner (back) will be activated off the 10-day injured list to start Saturday at San Francisco, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports. The veteran southpaw will return to the mound Saturday for the first time in nearly a month due to the back issue, and he'll do it with his first start against his former team. Bumgarner had a 9.35 ERA and 1.56 WHIP over 17.1 innings before landing on the shelf. The 31-year-old topped 70 pitches in one of his simulated games, and he could still face some workload limitations in his first start back.

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 - 60-Day IL - Shoulder

9/1 1:58 PM EST - The Diamondbacks shifted Kelly (shoulder) to the 45-day injured list Monday. The transaction confirms that Kelly will miss the remainder of the season after doctors determined that a blood clot had caused a nerve impingement in his right shoulder. Kelly underwent a procedure to address the blood clot and is expected to be back to full strength for spring training. Considering how well Kelly pitched prior to getting shut down (2.59 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 29 strikeouts over 31.1 innings), the Diamondbacks will most likely exercise his affordable $5.25 million club option for 2021 over the winter.

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

9/5 3:28 AM EST - Smith (COVID-19) is scheduled to throw 70 pitches in an intrasquad game Saturday, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports. Smith, recently acquired from the Marlins, appears to be nearing a return. The Diamondbacks will see how the left-hander responds to the outing before deciding next steps.

Taylor Widener - 10-Day IL - Ribs

9/1 2:03 PM EST - Widener was placed on the 10-day injured list Monday with a strained right rib cage. After Robbie Ray was traded to the Blue Jays on Monday and Merrill Kelly (shoulder) underwent a season-ending procedure last week, Widener looked like he might be a candidate to make some starts for Arizona in September. The injury likely takes any opportunity Widener had to join the rotation off the table. Even if the strained rib cage sidelines him for the minimum amount of time, Widener probably wouldn't have sufficient time to build up to a starter's workload with the regular season coming to an end Sept. 27.

San Francisco Giants

Tyler Beede - 60-Day IL - Elbow

6/29 12:51 PM EST - The Giants placed Beede (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Sunday, Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic reports. The transaction is merely procedural, as Beede has already been ruled out for the 2020 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in March. His move to the 60-day IL opens up an extra spot on the 40-man roster for the Giants.

Aramis Garcia - 60-Day IL - Hip

8/25 2:31 PM EST - Garcia (hip) is ramping up his baseball activity, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports. He is recovering from a right hip labrum repair procedure and continues to rehab in Scottsdale. Garcia is progressing well, but even if he returns this season, it would likely be in a backup role.

Jordan Humphreys - Out - Personal

8/9 11:52 AM EST - Humphreys was placed on the restricted list Sunday. The 24-year-old was acquired from the Mets in exchange for Billy Hamilton last weekend, but he'll move to the restricted list before appearing for the team. It's unclear when Humphreys is expected to return to action.

Reyes Moronta - 60-Day IL - Shoulder

8/25 2:15 PM EST - Moronta (shoulder) could throw live batting practice as early as next week, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports. He has been throwing bullpen sessions at the alternate training site as he works his way back from shoulder surgery. Given what he is returning from and where he stands in his rehab, we could see Moronta back in the majors sometime in September.

Buster Posey - Out - Opt Out

7/23 2:01 PM EST - The Giants placed Posey on the restricted list July 10. The transaction is just a procedural one after Posey announced that same day that he would sit out the 2020 season, citing concerns about how playing amid a pandemic could jeopardize the health of his newborn twins. The Giants are carrying two catchers (Tyler Heineman and Rob Brantly) on the Opening Day roster, but it's unclear if either of the two will act as the clear-cut No. 1 option behind the plate.

Joey Rickard - 60-Day IL - Elbow

8/31 2:49 PM EST - Rickard was placed on the 45-day injured list with left elbow inflammation Monday. Rickard's contract was selected by the Giants on Wednesday, but his season will come to an end as a result of an elbow injury. The 29-year-old appeared in four games this season and went hitless with one walk and one run over five at-bats. It's unclear whether he'll be healthy by spring training in 2021.

Jeff Samardzija - 10-Day IL - Shoulder

9/4 3:09 PM EST - Samardzija (shoulder) will throw three innings in a simulated game Saturday, Amy Gutierrez of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. Samardzija struggled to a 9.88 ERA in three starts before being diagnosed with shoulder inflammation back in early August. It initially appeared as though there was a chance the veteran's season would end prematurely, but it now looks as though he'll have time to make a handful of starts before the end of the year. It's not yet clear whether or not Saturday's session will be his final one before he's ready to return, however.

Austin Slater - 10-Day IL - Groin

9/4 3:06 PM EST - Slater (groin) has been swinging and throwing at the Giants' alternate training site and is nearly ready to return to action, Amy Gutierrez of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. Slater was hitting .347/.458/.653 in 59 plate appearances before straining his groin in late August. A precise timeline for his return hasn't been offered, but it doesn't sound as though he'll miss too many more games.

Drew Smyly - 10-Day IL - Finger

9/4 3:11 PM EST - Smyly (finger) will throw three innings in a simulated game Saturday, Amy Gutierrez of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. Smyly has been out for over a month with a strained left index finger, but he appears to be closing in on a return. He owned a 3.24 ERA and an 11:4 K:BB in 8.1 innings prior to suffering the injury.

Giants Expected Lineup

SP - Trevor Cahill

1. Mike Yastrzemski

2. Donovan Solano

3. Evan Longoria

4. Wilmer Flores

5. Brandon Belt

6. Darin Ruf

7. Joey Bart

8. Daniel Robertson

9. Mauricio Dubon

Diamondbacks Expected Lineup

SP - Madison Bumgarner

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

Brandon Belt, Giants: Belt went 2-for-4 with a solo home run, a double, two total RBI and a walk in Friday's loss against Arizona. Belt smashed his sixth long ball of the season off reliever Hector Rondon, and that ended a streak of seven games without a homer for the veteran first baseman. Belt has been seeing the ball extremely well of late and is hitting .531 with a 1.709 OPS, three homers, eight RBI, nine runs scored and a 7:6 BB:K across his last 10 games.

Ketel Marte: Marte went 4-for-5 with a double, a home run and two RBI in Friday's 6-5 win over the Giants. The Diamondbacks offense has struggled for much of the season, and Marte's bat has been particularly quiet. Friday's home run was his first in 30 games, part of his most explosive game of the season. It was one of the few times in 2020 that Marte resembled the player that had a .981 OPS and 32 home runs in 2019. The Diamondbacks are hoping this is a sign of things to come.

Captaincy Options

1. Brandon Belt
2. Mike Yastrzemski
3. Ketel Marte
4. Christian Walker

Dream11 Team

P – Trevor Cahill

C – John Hicks

IF – Brandon Belt (C)

IF – Evan Longoria

IF – Ketel Marte

IF – Christian Walker

IF – Donovan Solano

OF – Mike Yastrzemski (VC)

OF – Alex Dickerson