Dream11 Fantasy Baseball: Phillies at Nationals

Philadelphia Phillies (10-14) at Washington Nationals (11-15)

Tuesday, August 25th, 6:05 PM EDT

Projected Starters

RHP Jake Arrieta (1-3, 4.95 ERA) vs RHP Erick Fedde (1-1, 2.55 ERA)

Game Preview

The Nationals and the Phillies were expected to be in the race for a playoff spot in the NL East and their chances of reaching the postseason became greater when the league announced the expanded playoff format, but so far, both franchises have looked disappointing. The fact that both teams are playing under .500 baseball is the best example of that and, with the regular season already reaching its midpoint, this is a huge matchup for both teams when it comes to their playoff chances. The pitching matchup will feature two righties, with Jake Arrieta pitching for the Phillies and Erick Fedde grabbing the ball for the Nationals. Arrieta has more experience, but Fedde has far better numbers in the current 2020 campaign, particularly a strong ERA below the 2.60 mark, while Arrieta's approaches the 5.00 figure.

Injuries

Philadelphia Phillies

Jose Alvarez - 10-Day IL - Groin

8/21 1:39 PM EST - Alvarez was placed on the 10-day injured list Friday with a testicular contusion, Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports. The 31-year-old was hit square in the groin by a 105-mph comebacker during Thursday's game against the Blue Jay, and he'll need at least 10 days on the shelf to recover. JoJo Romero was added to the active roster in a corresponding move.

Jay Bruce - 10-Day IL - Quadriceps

8/22 12:39 PM EST - Bruce was placed on the 10-day injured list Saturday with a quadriceps injury, Meghan Montemurro of The Athletic reports. Bruce has seen inconsistent playing time recently with a lingering quad issue, and the team hopes that a trip to the injured list will help his health over the rest of the season. It's unclear whether he'll be able to return after spending the minimum of 10 days sidelined. Adam Haseley (wrist) was activated from the 10-day injured list in a corresponding move.

Seranthony Dominguez - 60-Day IL - Elbow

7/30 11:07 AM EST - Dominquez (elbow) had successful Tommy John surgery Thursday, Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports. This was expected. Dominquez will now begin a lengthy rehab process that will likely keep him sidelined for 12-plus months.

Mickey Moniak - Out - Knee

8/10 11:36 AM EST - Moniak has been sidelined at the Phillies' alternate training site since late July with a knee injury, Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 first-year player draft isn't a serious candidate to join the Phillies' 28-man active roster this season, but the knee injury will nonetheless rob him of some important developmental time in simulated games at Lehigh Valley. Moniak has since moved to the Phillies' spring training facility in Clearwater to receive treatment for the injury, and it's unclear when he'll be ready to return to Lehigh Valley for workouts. Moniak spent the 2019 campaign with Double-A Reading, slashing .252/.303/.439 with 11 home runs and 15 stolen bases across 503 plate appearances.

David Robertson - 60-Day IL - Elbow

8/21 2:22 PM EST - Robertson (elbow) will throw a live batting practice session Saturday, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports. The veteran right-hander completed a bullpen session Thursday as he continue his recovery from Tommy John surgery in August 2019. Robertson could take the mound for the Phillies sometime this season if he continues to progress without any setbacks.

Ranger Suarez - Covid-19 - Illness

8/11 3:43 PM EST - Suarez (illness) will throw in Philadelphia within the next few days before heading to the team's alternate training site to continue building up, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports. Suarez had at least an outside shot at winning the Phillies' fifth starter job this season, but he never got the chance to compete for one this summer, as he spent the entirety of camp on the COVID-19 injured list. He's unlikely to be used as a starter once he's ready to go given that the team's top pitching prospect, Spencer Howard, has since made his big-league debut.

Washington Nationals

Tres Barrera - Suspension - Suspension

7/25 8:22 AM EST - Barrera was suspended 80 games Saturday after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports. Barrera wasn't expected to serve on the Nationals' major-league roster this season, but he'll be forced to sit out the entire 2020 campaign and part of next season. The catcher played most of the 2019 season with Double-A Harrisburg, where he hit .249/.323/.381 with eight home runs and 46 RBI.

Welington Castillo - Out - Opt Out

7/22 9:53 AM EST - The Nationals placed Castillo (opt out) on the restricted list July 4. Washington made the transaction official one day after manager Dave Martinez told the media that Castillo became the third player to sit out the 60-game season. Castillo joined the Nationals in January on a one-year deal, so he'll head to the open market at the conclusion of the 2020 campaign.

Starlin Castro - 10-Day IL - Wrist

8/18 2:01 PM EST - Castro will have surgery to repair his broken right wrist, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports. Castro broke his wrist while making a diving play Friday, and the injury should sideline him for the remainder of the regular season. The 30-year-old told manager Dave Martinez that he'd be ready if the Nationals were to make the playoffs. Luis Garcia should continue to see the bulk of the playing time at second base.

Mason Denaburg - Out - Shoulder

7/7 6:32 AM EST - Denaburg (shoulder) said Tuesday that he expects to resume throwing bullpen sessions in the next three weeks, Byron Kerr of MASNSports.com reports. The 2018 first-round pick has been pleased thus far with how he's progressed since undergoing arthroscopic right shoulder surgery last October. Denaburg plans to gradually increase his long-toss distance off flat ground through the end of July, and then get back on the mound for the first time since last summer. If the 20-year-old can steer clear of any major setbacks in his throwing program during the upcoming offseason, he should head into the 2021 minor-league season at full strength.

Sean Doolittle - 10-Day IL - Knee

8/22 6:42 AM EST - Doolittle (knee) threw 24 pitches in a simulated game Friday at the Nationals' alternate training site, Jessica Camerato of MLB.com reports. According to manager Dave Martinez, the southpaw "felt pretty good" afterwards. Doolittle is making progress, but there's still no timetable for his return to the bullpen.

Roenis Elias - 60-Day IL - Forearm

8/13 11:21 AM EST - Nationals manager Dave Martinez said Thursday that Elias felt renewed pain in his left forearm during a recent throwing session, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports. Elias opened the season on the 45-day injured list with a left flexor strain, but the Nationals were optimistic that the injury would keep him sidelined for the minimum amount of time. Now that Elias has experienced a setback in his throwing program, the team no longer appears to be counting on the southpaw being ready to go when he's first eligible for activation in early September. With two other lefty relievers (Sean Doolittle and Sam Freeman) joining Elias on the injured list Thursday, Seth Romero is the last southpaw left standing in the Washington bullpen.

Sam Freeman - 60-Day IL - Elbow

8/14 4:36 PM EST - Freeman (elbow) was transferred to the 45-day injured list Friday, Brittany Ghiroli of The Athletic reports. Freeman was placed on the injured list with a left flexor mass strain Thursday, but the injury was apparently more serious than originally thought as he'll now miss the remainder of the regular season. The southpaw tossed five scoreless innings across seven appearances this season but struggled to limit baserunners with a 1.80 WHIP.

Steven Fuentes - Suspension - Suspension

7/16 5:20 PM EST - Fuentes was cleared to train and will be headed to Fredericksburg on Thursday, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports. Fuentes and Joan Adon both will head to Fredericksburg to join their teammates and begin training for the upcoming regular season. Washington added Fuentes to their 60-man player pool earlier this summer to ensure that he will finish serving his 50-game suspension when the 2021 season arrives. The 23-year-old was having a breakout 2019 campaign before testing positive for a banned stimulant, posting a 2.69 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 63:15 K:BB across 63.2 innings for Double-A Hagerstown.

Seth Romero - 10-Day IL - Hand

8/24 12:51 PM EST - Romero was placed on the 10-day injured list Monday with a broken right (non-pitching) hand, Brittany Ghiroli of The Athletic reports. He apparently slipped on the stairs Saturday night, and used his hand to break his fall. Ben Braymer, another lefty, will take Romero's place in the bullpen.

Joe Ross - Out - Opt Out

6/29 12:16 PM EST - Ross is expected to opt out of joining the Nationals for the 2020 season, sources tell Brittany Ghiroli of The Athletic. Ross is the second known player who is expected to forgo playing in 2020 due to concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic after Diamondbacks pitcher Mike Leake announced his intentions earlier Monday. As a result, Ross will forgo his $1.5 million salary for 2020 before heading into his final year of salary arbitration in 2021. Ross had been a leading candidate for the fifth spot in the Nationals' rotation, but his decision to sit out the season could lead to more starting opportunities for Austin Voth and Erick Fedde.

Adrian Sanchez - 7-Day IL - Achilles

6/29 9:40 AM EST - Updating a previous report, the Nationals relayed Monday that Sanchez (Achilles) was placed on the minor-league injured list and isn't included as part of the big club's 60-man player pool, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports. The Nationals had previously announced Sunday that Sanchez had been placed on the 60-day injured list after tearing his right Achilles' tendon in a workout a few weeks ago. However, because he was optioned to Double-A Harrisburg in late March before he suffered the injury, he'll revert to the minor-league IL rather than the MLB team's IL. Unfortunately for Sanchez, the transaction means he won't be eligible for major-league payment and service time while he recovers from surgery that will keep him sidelined throughout the 2020 season, and likely, a decent chunk of the 2021 campaign. The move still leaves one spot open on the 40-man roster for the Nationals, though the team won't be extended an extra spot in the 60-man player pool to replace Sanchez.

Stephen Strasburg - 60-Day IL - Hand

8/23 2:11 PM EST - Strasburg will undergo surgery Wednesday to address the carpal tunnel neuritis in his right hand, Jessica Camerato of MLB.com reports. The 32-year-old has already effectively been ruled out for the season after being transferred to the 45-day injured list Saturday, and it's now just a matter of him going under the knife and beginning the rehab process. Strasburg had the nerve issue crop up before his first start of the season in July, and he returned a couple weeks later before again shutting things down. The right-hander is expected to be ready to go for the start of spring training next year.

Ryan Zimmerman - Out - Opt Out

6/29 12:31 PM EST - Zimmerman informed the Nationals on Monday that he has opted out of playing in the 2020 season, Brittany Ghiroli of The Athletic reports. Zimmerman's decision comes less than a week after he outlined his concerns about how playing during the COVID-19 pandemic could compromise the immune systems of his wife and newborn baby in an essay posted by the Associated Press. Along with Zimmerman, teammate Joe Ross has also elected not to play in 2020, leaving the Nationals with less depth at first base and in the rotation, respectively. With Zimmerman out of the mix, the Nationals could lean more heavily on Howie Kendrick as the primary platoon mate at first base with the left-handed-hitting Eric Thames. Zimmerman will forgo his $6.25 million salary in 2020 and hit free agency in the offseason, but it's unclear if the soon-to-be 37-year-old will have interest in resuming his career in 2021.

Nationals Expected Lineup

SP - Erick Fedde

1. Trea Turner

2. Adam Eaton

3. Juan Soto

4. Howie Kendrick

5. Asdrubal Cabrera

6. Luis Garcia

7. Yan Gomes

8. Eric Thames

9. Victor Robles

Phillies Expected Lineup

SP - Jake Arrieta

1. Andrew McCutchen

2. Rhys Hoskins

3. Bryce Harper

4. J.T. Realmuto

5. Didi Gregorius

6. Jean Segura

7. Alec Bohm

8. Phil Gosselin

9. Adam Haseley

Top Picks From Each Team

Juan Soto, Nationals: Soto went 4-for-5 with a double, an RBI and a run scored in Monday's 11-8 loss to the Marlins. The 21-year-old slugger has wasted no time since returning from the COVID-19 injured list, slashing .400/.487/.815 with seven home runs, 17 RBI and a stolen base in 18 games.

Bryce Harper, Phillies: Harper might have gone hitless Monday, but the star outfielder has been one of the most consistent, dangerous hitters in the National League on a daily basis. Harper is slashing .333/.451/.682 with a 1.133 OPS, six homers, 16 RBI, 10 extra-base hits and 20 runs scored in 20 August games.

Captaincy Options

1. Juan Soto
2. Bryce Harper
3. Trea Turner
4. J.T. Realmuto

Dream11 Team

P – Erick Fedde

C – J.T. Realmuto

IF – Trea Turner

IF – Didi Gregorius

IF – Phil Gosselin

OF – Adam Eaton

OF – Bryce Harper (VC)

OF – Juan Soto (C)

OF – Andrew McCutchen