Dream11 Fantasy Baseball: Mariners at Padres

Seattle Mariners (12-19) at San Diego Padres (18-13)

Wednesday, August 26th, 9:10 PM EDT

Projected Starters

RHP Taijuan Walker (2-2, 4.00 ERA) vs RHP Dinelson Lamet (2-1, 1.89 ERA)

Game Preview

The Padres have been one of the most surprising teams in the National League this season and their offense might carry them to the playoffs, as they currently own a 18-13 record – that's pretty good considering the regular season will only have 60 games. The Mariners have been stumbling a bit and, despite having some interesting pieces, might not have enough in them to make a playoff push in a division that also features the Houston Astros and the Oakland Athletics. The pitching matchup also seems to favor the Padres, as Dinelson Lamet is one of the best young arms in the game with a fastball that can routinely touch the 100 MPH mark.

Injuries

San Diego Padres

Pedro Avila - Out - Elbow

3/9 8:27 PM EST - Avila (elbow) was reassigned to minor-league camp Sunday, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports. The move is purely procedural as Avila was invited to big-league camp despite undergoing Tommy John surgery in August. He is not expected to play during the 2020 season.

Jose Castillo - 10-Day IL - Lat

8/21 3:20 PM EST - Castillo (lat) threw from 120 feet Friday, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports. Castillo has been out since early July with a Grade 2 lat strain. He appears to be nearing a return, though when exactly that's expected to happen remains unclear.

Anderson Espinoza - 60-Day IL - Elbow

4/14 10:11 PM EST - Espinoza (elbow) was reportedly throwing and looking good in Padres camp, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports. Espinoza has undergone two Tommy John surgeries in the last three years and has not thrown in a game since the 2016 season. Still, the right-hander is only 22 years old and was once considered among the top pitching prospects in baseball, so he remains an intriguing arm to keep an eye on. Given Espinoza's injury history, he's likely to be eased back into action slowly and held to a strict innings limit when he's ready to resume pitching in games.

Brett Kennedy - Out - Lat

10/31 2:00 PM EST - Kennedy (lat) was outrighted to Triple-A El Paso on Thursday, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports. Kennedy missed the entire 2019 season with a lat strain, and is now off the 40-man roster after posting a 6.75 ERA in six starts for the Padres in 2018. There's a chance he could attend major-league spring training as a non-roster invitee.

Reggie Lawson - Out - Elbow

3/20 3:27 PM EST - Lawson underwent Tommy John surgery on Friday. Lawson suffered the injury during a spring training contest. Given a typical recovery timeline, he now won't return to action until the middle of the 2021 season. The 22-year-old made six starts at the Double-A level last season, recording a 5.20 ERA but a strong 29.8 percent strikeout rate.

Francisco Mejia - 10-Day IL - Thumb

8/17 2:16 PM EST - Mejia (thumb) was placed on the 10-day injured list Monday. Mejia was revealed to have a left thumb contusion Monday, and his placement on the injured list will give him extra time to recover while allowing the Padres to add depth at catcher on the 28-man roster. Luis Torrens was recalled in a corresponding move, but Austin Hedges should handle the majority of the duties behind the plate while Mejia is sidelined.

Andres Munoz - 60-Day IL - Elbow

6/29 12:01 PM EST - The Padres placed Munoz (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Sunday. The transaction was merely procedural after Munoz required Tommy John surgery back in March. He'll miss the entire 2020 season and could miss a portion of the 2021 campaign while recovering from the procedure.

Tommy Pham - 10-Day IL - Hand

8/17 2:09 PM EST - Pham (hand) was placed on the 10-day injured list Monday. Pham was diagnosed with a fracture in the hamate bone on his left hand Monday, so it's no surprise to see him land on the injured list. He's expected to miss 4-to-6 weeks as a result of the injury, but it's possible he could return at the end of the regular season if the Padres are in playoff contention. Infielder Ty France was recalled in a corresponding move. Jurickson Profar, Edward Olivares and Jorge Mateo could see increases in playing time while Pham is sidelined.

Drew Pomeranz - 10-Day IL - Shoulder

8/21 5:17 PM EST - Pomeranz was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left shoulder strain Friday, retroactive to Aug. 19. Manager Jayce Tingler revealed Thursday that Pomeranz was day-to-day with shoulder tightness, but the injury is apparently more serious than anticipated. It's unclear whether the southpaw will be able to return from the injured list when he's first eligible. Pomeranz had served as the Padres' primary closer recently, so Emilio Pagan could be in line for ninth-inning duties while Pomeranz is sidelined. Pagan has also been struggling, however, so Jose Castillo could also get some save chances. Right-hander Luis Perdomo was recalled from the team's alternate training site in a corresponding move.

Trey Wingenter - 60-Day IL - Elbow

8/1 8:29 AM EST - Wingenter (elbow) was transferred to the 45-day injured list Saturday, Andersen Pickard of MLBDailyDish.com reports. The move is simply procedural after Wingenter underwent Tommy John surgery July 17. The right-hander is expected to be sidelined until the 2022 season as a result of the injury.

Kirby Yates - 10-Day IL - Elbow

8/17 6:28 PM EST - Yates (elbow) is expected to miss the remainder of the 2020 season, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports. It was reported earlier in the day that Yates was headed for a second opinion after bone chips were found in his right elbow, but this latest update from Nightengale gives reason to believe the right-hander may be done for the year. The team has yet to confirm this latest report. It's reasonable to expect another update on the closer in the near future.

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.

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

8/21 2:15 PM EST - Graveman (neck) is still hopeful he'll be able to pitch again this season despite the fact he's dealing with a benign tumor in his spine, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports. "He's still working through a few things," Mariners manager Scott Servais said Thursday. "He wants to see if there's a way he can still continue to try and pitch this year, whether in a shorter role out of the bullpen a couple innings here or there." Servais adds the veteran right-hander is highly regarded in the Mariners' clubhouse and has been a strong influence on the team's younger players, so there is certainly a willingness to have Graveman return if he's physically capable. That very much remains an open question, however, as surgery is currently not an option due to the location of the tumor yet doctors have also told him the situation won't worsen if he continues to pitch. Graveman was able to take the mound during an intrasquad game Monday at the team's alternate training site in Tacoma and reportedly displayed good velocity; therefore, there's a chance he could eventually reemerge, although it would most likely be as a relief option so as to prevent the fatigue that the tumor usually causes when Graveman's pitch count gets past a certain point.

Taylor Guilbeau - 10-Day IL - Shoulder

8/21 3:09 PM EST - Guilbeau was placed on the 10-day injured list with a strained left shoulder Saturday. The severity of the injury and Guilbeau's expected return date are not yet clear. The lefty owns a strong 1.17 ERA in 7.2 innings this season, but that's come with a 1.83 WHIP and a 3:6 K:BB.

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.

Dylan Moore - 10-Day IL - Wrist

8/22 1:19 PM EST - Moore was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right wrist sprain, retroactive to Aug. 21. Moore is off to a solid start in 2020 -- he has a .902 OPS with five home runs, 10 RBI and six stolen bases -- but his wrist injury is apparently more serious than anticipated. The team is hopeful, however, that he'll be able to return after the minimum 10 days are up. Outfielder Jake Fraley was recalled in a corresponding move, and Braden Bishop could see an increase in playing time while Moore is sidelined.

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.

Cal Raleigh - Day-To-Day - Ear

8/24 12:35 PM EST - Raleigh required stitches on his right ear to seal a laceration that he sustained after he was hit in the side of the head by a bat during an intrasquad game Sunday, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports. Fortunately, the 23-year-old catcher was cleared of a concussion, so he should be ready to resume game action within the next few days. Raleigh received an invite to the Mariners' summer camp after slashing .251/.323/.497 between stops at High-A Modesto and Double-A Arkansas in 2019.

Erik Swanson - 10-Day IL - Forearm

8/20 2:53 PM EST - Swanson was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right forearm strain, retroactive to Aug. 17. Swanson has labored through his past two appearances as he's given up six runs on four hits while hitting two batters and striking out two over one inning. His injury could help provide an explanation behind his back-to-back losing efforts. The exact severity of the issue isn't known, and it's unclear how much time he'll miss as a result of the injury.

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.

Padres Expected Lineup

SP - Dinelson Lamet

1. Trent Grisham

2. Fernando Tatis

3. Manny Machado

4. Eric Hosmer

5. Wil Myers

6. Jake Cronenworth

7. Josh Naylor

8. Jurickson Profar

9. Austin Hedges

Mariners Expected Lineup

SP - Taijuan Walker

1. J.P. Crawford

2. Sam Haggerty

3. Kyle Lewis

4. Kyle Seager

5. Austin Nola

6. Evan White

7. Jake Fraley

8. Tim Lopes

9. Shed Long

Top Picks From Each Team

Fernando Tatis, Padres: Tatis looks like a clear frontrunner for the NL MVP Award this season, and the star shortstop has been nearly unstoppable during the current campaign. He is among the league leaders in most offensive categories and, even though he is expensive, he is undoubtedly the best option for a captaincy role. He has 12 homers with a 1.031 OPS, and he has hit safely in six of San Diego's last eight games.

Kyle Lewis, Mariners: Lewis has been one of the most surprising bats in the American League this season, and he enters this matchup hitting .360 with seven home runs and 19 RBI, as well as two stolen bases and a 1.014 OPS. He is also riding a four-game hitting streak.

Captaincy Options

1. Fernando Tatis
2. Kyle Lewis
3. Manny Machado
4. Kyle Seager

Dream11 Team

P – Dinelson Lamet

C – Austin Nola

IF – Kyle Seager

IF – Fernando Tatis (C)

IF – J.P. Crawford

IF – Manny Machado

OF – Kyle Lewis (VC)

OF – Wil Myers

OF – Trent Grisham