Dream11 Fantasy Baseball: Dodgers at Mariners

Los Angeles Dodgers (18-7) at Seattle Mariners (7-18)

Wednesday, August 19th, 9:40 PM EDT

Projected Starters

LHP Julio Urias (2-0, 2.53 ERA) vs RHP Taijuan Walker (1-2, 4.05 ERA)

Game Preview

The Dodgers and the Mariners are moving in completely opposite directions. While the Dodgers are one of the best teams in the National League and a clear World Series contender, the Mariners are struggling following what seemed to be a promising start to the campaign and have minimal chances to make the playoffs despite an expanded 16-team format. The pitching matchup features two quality arms who, despite their talent, have yet to establish themselves as bonafide aces at the MLB level. Julio Urias will get the ball for the Dodgers after pitching seven innings in his last start and enters this game with a 2.53 ERA, while Taijuan Walker will do so for Seattle. Walker has missed the majority of the last two years due to injury but seems to be turning things around, as he has a 2.16 ERA in 16.2 innings across his last three starts.

Injuries

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.

Joe Kelly - 10-Day IL - Shoulder

8/12 3:28 PM EST - Kelly (shoulder) won his appeal and had his suspension reduced from eight games to five games, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports. Kelly remains on the injured list with shoulder inflammation. While the suspension will take place once he's back on the active roster, he'll be able to return to the mound slightly sooner than expected. It's unclear when the right-hander will be healthy enough to return from the injured list. Kelly was effective as a middle reliever to begin the season, tossing 6.1 scoreless innings while posting a 5:5 K:BB over seven appearances.

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

8/17 5:45 PM EST - Rios was placed on the 10-day injured list Monday with a left hamstring strain, Eric Stephen of SBNation.com reports. Rios suffered a hamstring injury during Sunday's matchup with the Angels, and he's since been moved to the injured list. Adam Kolarek was recalled from the Dodgers' alternate training site in a corresponding move.

Will Smith - 10-Day IL - Neck

8/15 5:07 PM EST - Smith was placed on the injured list with neck inflammation Saturday. The move was made retroactive to Thursday, so Smith could return as soon as Aug. 23, though it's unclear whether or not he's expected to do so. Keibert Ruiz was called up in a corresponding move and will split time with Austin Barnes until Smith returns.

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.

Edwin Uceta - Out - Undisclosed

8/12 9:02 AM EST - Uceta (undisclosed) is still not at the Dodgers' alternate training site, Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times reports. Uceta departed summer camp in early July for undisclosed reasons, and little has been said about the 22-year-old's absence since. The right-hander was included in the Dodgers' 60-man player pool after logging a 3.21 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 76:33 K:BB in 73 innings with Double-A Tulsa last season.

Alex Wood - 10-Day IL - Shoulder

8/18 12:34 PM EST - Wood (shoulder) is expected to throw a three-inning simulated game Tuesday, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports. Wood has been steadily advancing in his throwing program while he recovers from shoulder inflammation that has kept him sidelined since the end of July. If his sim game goes well Tuesday, he could throw a bullpen session at the end of the week followed by a four-inning sim game after that.

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.

Justin Dunn - Day-To-Day - Ribs

8/18 8:52 AM EST - Dunn exited Monday's start against the Dodgers after two innings with sore ribs stemming from a comeback liner off the bat of Corey Seager, but the rookie is expected to make his next start Bill Ladson of MLB.com reports. The 24-year-old had a rough night overall, allowing six earned runs on five hits and a walk over two innings. The rib injury, which occurred in the first inning on a 99.5 mph comebacker, wasn't enough to knock Dunn out of the game, but it did affect him the rest of the way. Dunn mentioned after the game that it specifically prevented him from throwing his slider due to the discomfort the mechanics of deploying that pitch caused. The right-hander will be considered day-to-day ahead of his next scheduled start, which currently lines up for Sunday against the Rangers.

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

8/17 2:55 PM EST - Graveman's neck issues stem from a benign bone tumor in the C6 section of his cervical spine, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports. Gravement expects to undergo surgery to correct the problem at some point, but given that the tumor is benign and that pitching doesn't make it worse, he intends to play through the discomfort it causes for now. He remains on the injured list for now but continues to throw, so it's certainly possible that he'll be back on a big-league mound before too long.

Sam Haggerty - Out - Hip

7/20 7:55 PM EST - Haggerty left Monday's intrasquad game after his first at-bat with hip soreness, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports. Manager Scott Servais said that the injury is nothing serious. Haggerty remains a likely candidate to make the Mariners' Opening Day roster over fellow utility options Jose Marmolejos and Dylan Moore. The 26-yera-old has just four major-league at-bats and was claimed off waivers by Seattle this offseason.

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.

Yoshihisa Hirano - Covid-19 - Not Injury Related

8/14 4:24 PM EST - Hirano (illness) joined the team at the alternate training site Friday, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports. Hirano tested positive for COVID-19 during the offseason, which forced him to miss time during camp. The right-hander will need to face hitters several times at the alternate training site as he gets ready to make his season debut, but the team is reportedly hoping he'll be able to join the major-league club soon.

Yusei Kikuchi - Day-To-Day - Neck

8/17 12:06 PM EST - Kikuchi (neck) is feeling better and is likely to make his next start Thursday against the Dodgers, the Associated Press reports. The left-hander was scratched from Friday's start against the Astros due to neck spasms, but after taking muscle relaxers over the weekend, Kikuchi is apparently firmly on the road to recovery. Nestor Cortes stepped in as the emergency starter in the 29-year-old's stead Friday and yielded eight runs (seven earned) on five hits over one-third of an inning, so manager Scott Servais will undoubtedly be glad to see Kikuchi back in the rotation.

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.

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.

Mariners Expected Lineup

SP - Taijuan Walker

1. J.P. Crawford

2. Dylan Moore

3. Kyle Lewis

4. Kyle Seager

5. Austin Nola

6. Evan White

7. Shed Long

8. Tim Lopes

9. Dee Gordon

Dodgers Expected Lineup

SP - Julio Urias

1. Max Muncy

2. Mookie Betts

3. Justin Turner

4. Cody Bellinger

5. Corey Seager

6. Joc Pederson

7. A.J. Pollock

8. Austin Barnes

9. Chris Taylor

Top Picks From Each Team

Mookie Betts, Dodgers: Betts might have gone hitless in Tuesday's matchup, but the star outfielder has been on fire during the current month of August – he is slashing .339/.393/.821 with a 1.215 OPS, eight homers and 16 RBI this month.

Kyle Seager, Mariners: Seager has hit safely in four of his last five contests and enters this matchup with a .316/.394/.544 slash line, a .938 OPS, three homers, 13 RBI and eight runs scored in 17 August games. He's been a quality piece on offense for Seattle this month and that should continue in this matchup.

Captaincy Options

1. Mookie Betts
2. Justin Turner
3. Corey Seager
4. Kyle Seager

Dream11 Team

P – Julio Urias

C – Austin Barnes

IF – Kyle Seager

IF – Dee Gordon

IF – Dylan Moore

IF – Corey Seager (VC)

IF – Justin Turner

OF – Mookie Betts (C)

OF – Chris Taylor