Dream11 Fantasy Baseball: Rockies at Astros

Colorado Rockies (13-9) at Houston Astros (12-10)

Tuesday, August 18th, 3:10 PM EDT

Projected Starters

RHP Antonio Senzatela (3-0, 3.91 ERA) vs RHP Zack Greinke (1-0, 2.53 ERA)

Game Preview

The Rockies and the Astros played a tight contest on Monday that went down to the final out, but the Astros prevailed to secure a 2-1 win. The Texas-based franchise is just two games above the .500 threshold, however, and they have not been playing as expected – or at least, according to their status of a contending team in the American League. The Rockies have looked surprising, on the other hand, and shouldn't have problems to reach the playoffs with this season's expanded format. The pitching matchup for this game will feature two righties, as Antonio Senzatela will get the nod for the Rockies and Zack Greinke will get the ball for Houston. Greinke has the accolades and the ERA to show for as a better option, but Senzatela has been pitching quite well this season, too.

Injuries

Colorado Rockies

Tim Collins - Out - Opt Out

7/27 10:51 AM EST - The Rockies announced Monday that Collins has elected to opt out of the 2020 season. Collins had been added to the Rockies' 60-man player pool in late June and was present for summer camp, but he failed to win a spot on the season-opening 30-man roster. Rather than waiting around at the Rockies' alternative training site for a potential callup to the big club, Collins will remove himself from the 60-man pool and pack it in for 2020. He's scheduled to become a free agent during the offseason.

Wade Davis - 10-Day IL - Shoulder

8/5 2:30 PM EST - Manager Bud Black said Wednesday that Davis (shoulder) is still receiving treatment and hasn't resumed throwing, Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post reports. Davis has been sidelined since Friday with a right shoulder strain, but Black's update signals that he may not return from the injured list when he's first eligible. The team could get a better idea of when the right-hander could return to game action once he begins throwing again. Jairo Diaz and Carlos Estevez should continue to handle ninth-inning duties for the Rockies while Davis remains out.

Ian Desmond - Out - Opt Out

6/29 7:35 PM EST - Desmond announced Monday via his personal Instagram account that he won't play in 2020 for personal reasons. Desmond will opt to sit out the 2020 season once play resumes to focus on civil rights issues and out of concerns about playing during the COVID-19 pandemic, becoming the fourth known player to do so. The 34-year-old has an expectant wife and four young children, and he outlined his concerns of playing during the pandemic. He was only expected to play against left-handed pitchers, so there will likely only be minor bumps in playing time for Sam Hilliard, Raimel Tapia, Garrett Hampson and Brendan Rodgers.

Elias Diaz - Out - Undisclosed

8/17 3:46 PM EST - Diaz was placed on the restricted list for an undisclosed reason Monday. Diaz traveled with the Rockies to Houston for their road trip, but he'll be sidelined for an undisclosed reason. However, his absence isn't related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Patrick Saunders of The Denver Post reports. It's unclear how much time he'll spend on the restricted list, but Tony Wolters and Drew Butera should handle the duties behind the plate in his absence. Right-hander Ashton Goudeau was recalled by the Rockies in a corresponding move.

Carlos Estevez - Day-To-Day - Hand

8/17 3:41 PM EST - The X-rays on Estevez's right hand came back negative Monday, Nick Groke of The Athletic reports. Estevez's right hand was hit by a line drive on the final play of Sunday's contest and appeared to be in considerable pain when leaving the field. "It looks like we dodged a bullet," manager Bud Black said Monday. The right-hander traveled with the team to Houston for the current series, but it's unclear whether he'll be available Monday. Estevez could compete for closing duties with Daniel Bard and Jairo Diaz after Black said Sunday that the team wouldn't use a designated closer in the coming games.

Chi Chi Gonzalez - 10-Day IL - Biceps

8/7 4:05 PM EST - Gonzalez was placed on the 10-day injured list with right biceps tendinitis Friday. The right-hander was slated to make his second start of the season Saturday, but he experienced a biceps issue during a bullpen session that will keep him off the mound. Right-hander Ryan Castellani was recalled in a corresponding move and will start in Gonzalez's place Saturday. Gonzalez wasn't expected to start next week since the Rockies have an off day, and it's unclear when he'll be able to return to the rotation.

Peter Lambert - 60-Day IL - Elbow

7/23 9:41 AM EST - The Rockies announced Thursday that Lambert (elbow) recently underwent Tommy John surgery and was placed on the 45-day injured list. Lambert had previously developed a forearm strain late in spring training and apparently didn't fully move past the issue four months later at summer camp, prompting him to undergo the corrective procedure. Given the timing of his surgery, Lambert appears set to miss the entire 2021 campaign while rehabbing the elbow injury, though he should back to full strength for spring training in 2022.

Justin Lawrence - Out - Suspension

1/17 2:06 PM EST - Lawrence was handed an 80-game suspension Friday after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports Lawrence split the 2019 season between Double-A and Triple-A and struggled at both levels with a combined 8.76 ERA and 2.05 WHIP over 37 innings. The 25-year-old was added to the 40-man roster in November 2018 to be protected from the Rule 5 draft after a solid season, but the suspension and a rocky 2019 leaves his standing on the roster unstable at best.

Scott Oberg - 60-Day IL - Arm

8/2 10:59 AM EST - Oberg (back) was transferred to the 45-day injured list Sunday due to blood clots in his right arm. The 30-year-old was nearing his return from a back injury when he began feeling discomfort in his right hand and had trouble gripping the ball, and further evaluations revealed his blood clot issues have resurfaced. Oberg missed the final six weeks of 2019 due to the issue , and it's now the third time the problem has surfaced over the past few years. He'll be sidelined for the near future and may not pitch in 2020.

Chris Owings - Day-To-Day - Hamstring

8/12 1:08 PM EST - Owings exited Wednesday's game against the Diamondbacks with left hamstring tightness, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports. Owings was replaced in the field during the second inning as a precautionary measure. It's unclear how the injury occurred, but he'll be able to recover during the Rockies' off day Thursday. Whether he'll miss any time during the team's weekend series against Texas remains to be seen.

Houston Astros

Yordan Alvarez - Day-To-Day - Knee

8/17 3:02 PM EST - Alvarez (knee) will remain on the bench Monday against the Rockies, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports. Alvarez lasted just two games in his return from the COVID-19 injured list before the knee soreness he battled back in spring training popped back up, and he's now been on the bench for two straight games. It's not clear when he'll return to the lineup. Abraham Toro will remain the designated hitter in his absence.

Rogelio Armenteros - 10-Day IL - Elbow

7/23 11:16 AM EST - Armenteros (elbow) was placed on the 10-day IL on Thursday, Julia Morales of AT&T SportsNet Southwest reports. This was expected, as Armenteros is still rehabbing from March elbow surgery. If all goes well, he could be cleared to pitch before the end of the season.

Michael Brantley - 10-Day IL - Quadriceps

8/15 3:12 PM EST - Brantley was placed on the 10-day injured list Saturday with right quadriceps discomfort, Julia Morales of AT&T SportsNet Southwest reports. The move was backdated to Wednesday, meaning Brantley will be eligible to return next Saturday, though it's not yet clear whether or not he's expected to do so. Kyle Tucker will be the primary left fielder in his absence, with Yordan Alvarez serving as the designated hitter.

Chris Devenski - 10-Day IL - Arm

8/12 1:37 PM EST - Devenski (arm) has progressed to throwing off a mound, Jake Kaplan of The Athletic reports. A sore arm sent Devenski to the injured list at the start of August. He remains without a clear timetable, but given that he hasn't been out too long and that he's already back to throwing off a mound, he may not miss too many more games.

Aledmys Diaz - 10-Day IL - Groin

8/15 12:29 PM EST - Manager Dusty Baker said Saturday that Diaz (groin) is "a week to 10 days away" from rejoining the Astros, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports. Diaz suffered a groin strain on Opening Day and has been working his way back ever since. The Astros are currently at full strength in the infield and recently returned designated hitter Yordan Alvarez from the COVID-19 injured list, so Diaz will be destined for a bench role once he's reinstated from the IL.

Kent Emanuel - Out - Suspension

8/6 3:24 PM EST - Emanuel (elbow) was suspended 80 games after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance in violation of MLB's joint drug prevention and treatment program, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports. The suspension will keep Emanuel sidelined for the remainder of the abbreviated 2020 season and into the 2021 campaign. The lefty has yet to appear in a big-league game; he posted a 3.90 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 81:23 K:BB across 101.2 innings with Triple-A round Rock in 2019.

Francis Martes - Suspension - Suspension

2/17 2:35 PM EST - Martes was hit with a year-long suspension Monday after a second failed test for performance-enhancing drugs, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports. Martes picked up an 80-game suspension at the start of last season after testing positive for Clomiphene in March. After testing positive for Boldenone this time around, he'll miss a full 162 games. His stock will be quite low when he's eligible to return in 2021, as a combination of failed drug tests and Tommy John surgery will have conspired to limit him to just 25 total innings from 2018 to 2020.

Zack Matthews - Out - Elbow

6/19 6:35 PM EST - Matthews (elbow) has signed a contract with the Astros, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports. Matthews, who possesses a 98 MPH fastball, probably would have been drafted but underwent Tommy John surgery earlier this year. He pitched in four games before undergoing the surgery. The right-hander pitched out of Oklahoma's bullpen over his first two seasons with the Sooners, striking out 43 over 33.2 innings.

Roberto Osuna - 60-Day IL - Elbow

8/12 12:56 PM EST - The Astros are hoping Osuna (elbow) can return later this season after rehabbing, Jake Kaplan of The Athletic reports. Osuna has been sidelined all month with an elbow injury. It was originally thought that the right-hander would require Tommy John surgery, but it sounds like he's going to attempt to rehab his elbow after receiving a second opinion. He's still shut down from throwing for the time being. Ryan Pressly should continue to serve as Houston's closer in the meantime.

Brad Peacock - 10-Day IL - Shoulder

8/9 1:52 PM EST - Peacock (shoulder) has resumed throwing bullpen sessions at the Astros' alternate training site in Corpus Christi, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports. Peacock has been sidelined for nearly a month with the right shoulder injury. The Astros had been planning for a healthy Peacock to fill a key multi-inning role out of the bullpen, and his eventual return will loom larger than Houston anticipated with the team's relief corps having been ravaged by injuries early on this season. Over his 95 career relief appearances, Peacock owns a 3.81 ERA and 19.6 K-BB%.

Austin Pruitt - 60-Day IL - Elbow

8/7 6:58 AM EST - Pruitt (elbow) was transferred to the 45-day injured list Friday, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports. The 30-year-old landed on the 10-day injured list with right elbow inflammation at the start of the season and was shut down from throwing shortly thereafter. It remains unclear where Pruitt stands in his recovery, but he won't be seeing game action until at least September.

Joe Smith - Out - Personal

7/15 6:15 AM EST - The Astros placed Smith (personal) on the restricted list Wednesday, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports. Smith has yet to report to summer camp while tending to a personal matter, and the 36-year-old is apparently still weighing whether or not he even wants to play in 2020 due to concerns about the health and safety of his family. The Astros' decision to place Smith on the restricted list opens up a spot on the 40-man roster while the team waits for him to decide on his status for the season.

Peter Solomon - Out - Elbow

7/25 1:29 PM EST - Solomon is recovering from Tommy John surgery, J.J. Cooper of Baseball America reports. He suffered the injury in April and will be out until late in the 2020 season, at the earliest. Solomon, a fourth-round pick in 2017, was a promising starting pitching prospect but will be 24 years old when he is back pitching in games and has yet to pitch above High-A.

Jose Urquidy - 10-Day IL - Undisclosed

8/6 1:34 PM EST - Urquidy (undisclosed) threw off a mound Thursday, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports. Urquidy is still building up his arm after missing the entirety of summer camp for undisclosed reasons. While this is a step in the right direction for the right-hander, manager Dusty Baker noted his return is not imminent. "The cavalry's a ways off," said the skipper, per Brian McTaggart of MLB.com.

Justin Verlander - 10-Day IL - Forearm

8/12 1:53 PM EST - Verlander (forearm) hopes to resume throwing next week, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports. Verlander landed on the injured list with a strained right forearm after making just one start this season, though he denied initial reports that he was done for the year. That could of course still wind up being the case, as it won't become clear whether or not he has a shot to return until after the Astros see how his arm responds to renewed activity.

Forrest Whitley - Out - Arm

8/5 5:11 AM EST - Whitley (arm) will be seen by a doctor before the Astros map out their next move, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports. Whitley was shut down last week with arm soreness, and the Astros want to take a measured approach with their top pitching prospect. The right-hander has dealt with injuries since 2018.

Astros Expected Lineup

SP - Zack Greinke

1. George Springer

2. Josh Reddick

3. Alex Bregman

4. Yordan Alvarez

5. Yuli Gurriel

6. Carlos Correa

7. Jose Altuve

8. Kyle Tucker

9. Martin Maldonado

Rockies Expected Lineup

SP - Antonio Senzatela

1. Garrett Hampson

2. Trevor Story

3. Charlie Blackmon

4. Nolan Arenado

5. Daniel Murphy

6. Matt Kemp

7. David Dahl

8. Ryan McMahon

9. Tony Wolters

Top Picks From Each Team

Charlie Blackmon, Rockies: Blackmon currently leads the MLB in batting average and, despite going 1-for-4 in Monday's matchup, he is still hitting a robust .437 mark. That's enough to give him a captaincy role ahead of this contest.

Carlos Correa, Astros: Correa went 2-for-4 in Monday's contest and he seems to be one of the few Astros players who are not struggling at the plate. The star shortstop is now hitting .304, and is the only Houston regular who is hitting above the .300 threshold this season.

Captaincy Options

1. Charlie Blackmon
2. Carlos Correa
3. Trevor Story
4. Yuli Gurriel

Dream11 Team

P – Antonio Senzatela

C – Martin Maldonado

IF – Carlos Correa (VC)

IF – Trevor Story

IF – Nolan Arenado

IF – Yuli Gurriel

OF – Kyle Tucker

OF – Charlie Blackmon (C)

OF – Josh Reddick