Dream11 Fantasy Baseball: Rockies at Diamondbacks

Colorado Rockies (13-15) at Arizona Diamondbacks (13-16)

Monday, August 24th, 9:40 PM EDT

Projected Starters

RHP Ryan Castellani (0-1, 3.77 ERA) vs RHP Merrill Kelly (3-2, 2.59 ERA)

Game Preview

The Diamondbacks and the Rockies enter a pivotal week for their playoff aspirations – both teams are hovering around the .500 mark but a strong run of results could push them closer towards a potential postseason berth. The pitching matchup could be decisive here given how evenly matched both teams are; Arizona has a clear advantage in that department with Merrill Kelly taking the mound against Ryan Castellani. Kelly might be coming off a bad start, but he's been lights out for Arizona in 2020.

Injuries

Arizona Diamondbacks

Jeremy Beasley - 10-Day IL - Shoulder

8/16 1:43 PM EST - The Diamondbacks placed Beasley on the 10-day injured list Sunday with a right shoulder strain, Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports. Beasley hasn't appeared out of the Arizona bullpen since making his MLB debut Tuesday in Colorado, when he retired one of the three hitters he faced before exiting. According to Piecoro, the right-hander showed lower-than-normal velocity in that outing, which was likely caused by the shoulder injury. Arizona recalled Joel Payamps to take Beasley's spot in the bullpen.

Seth Beer - Out - Face

7/15 9:08 PM EST - Beer was diagnosed with a contusion after being hit in the face with a one-hopper during Wednesday's intrasquad game, Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic reports. Manager Torey Lovullo said the 23-year-old didn't sustain a concussion, so he appears to have escaped the situation with only a bruise. Beer missed some time early in summer training after testing positive for COVID-19, and he may take it easy for a couple days after Wednesday's incident.

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

8/21 4:57 PM EST - Bumgarner (back) will throw a 70-pitch simulated game Sunday, Zach Buchanan of The Athletic reports. Bumgarner tossed a 30-pitch bullpen session Thursday, and his sim game Sunday could serve as his final tuneup before his return if all goes well. The southpaw's next turn through the rotation is scheduled for Tuesday, but it's unlikely that he'll be able to make that date after throwing 70 pitches Sunday. While it's unclear exactly which day he'll return to the Diamondbacks' rotation, his return should be coming soon.

Andrew Chafin - 10-Day IL - Finger

8/22 3:07 AM EST - Chafin will wear a splint on his left index finger for the next week, Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com reports. The plan calls for the Diamondbacks to remove the splint at the end of next week and get a better sense of how the finger is doing and what the next steps will be. The left-handed Chafin has allowed six runs on nine hits and four walks while striking out 10 over 6.2 innings.

Jon Duplantier - Out - Elbow

7/10 5:15 AM EST - Duplantier (elbow) is slowly ramping up a throwing program, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports. Duplantier is working back from elbow soreness that cropped up in April. Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said it's likely the right-hander will not be ready to go when the season begins July 24. As a rookie in 2019, Duplantier logged a 4.42 ERA over 36.2 innings mostly as a reliever. He was expected to serve in a starting role in 2020, though he is not currently part of the projected five-man rotation.

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

8/19 9:37 PM EST - Martin (elbow) will be shut down for a couple weeks after suffering an oblique strain, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reports. The 24-year-old is working his way back from Tommy John surgery last July, but his buildup will be interrupted due to the oblique strain. Martin figured to be a candidate to see the big leagues sometime in September, but that now appears unlikely since he won't be reevaluated for a few weeks.

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.

David Dahl - 10-Day IL - Back

8/19 3:02 PM EST - Dahl was placed on the 10-day injured list Wednesday with lower-back soreness. Dahl was scratched from Tuesday's lineup against the Astros due to the issue, and it's serious enough to keep him sidelined for at least another 10 days. Sam Hilliard, who started in place of Dahl on Tuesday, is a candidate to fill in for the outfielder, while Brendan Rodgers was recalled from Colorado's alternate camp in a corresponding move. Prior to landing on the IL, Dahl was slashing just .189/.237/.243 with zero home runs and a 4:21 BB:K in 19 games.

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.

Chi Chi Gonzalez - 10-Day IL - Biceps

8/18 3:18 PM EST - Gonzalez (biceps) threw a bullpen session Tuesday, Kyle Newman of The Denver Post reports. Gonzalez has already spent the required 10 days on the injured list with biceps tendinitis. He's clearly progressing in the right directions, but it's not yet clear how many more days he's expected to miss.

Joe Harvey - 10-Day IL - Elbow

8/21 3:53 PM EST - Harvey was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right elbow sprain Friday. Harvey was pulled out of Thursday's contest in the sixth inning after suffering an injury, and the right elbow issue will force him to miss at least 10 days. It's unclear when the right-hander will be healthy enough to return to action. Harvey had tossed 3.1 scoreless innings to begin the season, allowing three hits and no walks while striking out two. James Pazos was recalled from the Rockies' alternate training site in a corresponding move.

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 - 10-Day IL - Hamstring

8/20 9:24 AM EST - Owings was placed on the 10-day injured list Thursday with a strained hamstring, Nick Groke of The Athletic reports. He exited a game last week with left hamstring tightness, and has since appeared in several games, but it sounds like he made the injury worse, despite going 2-for-4 in Wednesday's game. Brendan Rodgers was recalled and will start at second base Thursday against the Astros.

Diamondbacks Expected Lineup

SP - Merrill Kelly

1. Kole Calhoun

2. Ketel Marte

3. Starling Marte

4. David Peralta

5. Christian Walker

6. Eduardo Escobar

7. Carson Kelly

8. Kevin Cron

9. Nick Ahmed

Rockies Expected Lineup

SP - Ryan Castellani

1. Raimel Tapia

2. Trevor Story

3. Charlie Blackmon

4. Nolan Arenado

5. Daniel Murphy

6. Ryan McMahon

7. Garrett Hampson

8. Sam Hilliard

9. Tony Wolters

Top Picks From Each Team

Charlie Blackmon, Rockies: Blackmon has been one of the hottest hitters in MLB this season, and the star outfielder has hit safely in eight of Colorado's last nine games. That kind of consistency has been the trend for Blackmon this season, however, as he is currently hitting a league-best .405 with a stellar 1.010 OPS while producing 24 RBI.

Ketel Marte, Diamondbacks: Marte has been on fire of late, hitting safely in 10 of Arizona's last 12 games and providing quite a boost at the top of the order. The star second baseman is slashing .333/.353/.407 with a 760 OPS and seven RBI in that stretch, with most of his value coming from his ability to rack up hits.

Captaincy Options

1. Charlie Blackmon
2. Ketel Marte
3. Trevor Story
4. Nick Ahmed

Dream11 Team

P – Merrill Kelly

C – Stephen Vogt

IF – Ketel Marte (VC)

IF – Christian Walker

IF – Nick Ahmed

IF – Trevor Story

IF – Nolan Arenado

OF – Charlie Blackmon (C)

OF – Starling Marte