This article is part of our Dream11 Fantasy Baseball series.
Seattle Mariners (7-12) at Texas Rangers (7-9)
Wednesday, August 12nd, 9:05 PM EDT
Projected Starters
RHP Taijuan Walker (1-2, 5.79 ERA) vs RHP Jordan Lyles (1-1, 5.56 ERA)
Game Preview
The Rangers and the Mariners are both playing under the .500 threshold and have a 1.5-game separation in the standings, although the Rangers sit in second place of the AL West standings while the Mariners are dead last. In fact, Seattle has the second-worst winning percentage of the entire American League, besting only the Boston Red Sox (.353) through their first 19 games. They will have a reliable arm on the mound for this matchup, however, as Taijuan Walker will get the nod – he tossed seven scoreless innings against the Oakland Athletics earlier this season, so he is more than capable of getting solid results. The Rangers will counter with Jordan Lyles, who has struggled during most of his career against Seattle. In six career outings, the veteran has gone 1-2 with a 4.78 ERA.
Injuries
Seattle Mariners
Austin Adams - 60-Day IL - Knee
8/7 6:06 PM EST - Adams (knee) is unlikely to rejoin the Mariners during their upcoming road trip, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports. The Mariners were hoping Adams would be able to throw a live bullpen session this weekend and return as early as Monday, but that's unlikely to happen since his knee isn't yet at 100 percent. The right-hander underwent surgery to repair a torn ACL in October and has been recovering
Seattle Mariners (7-12) at Texas Rangers (7-9)
Wednesday, August 12nd, 9:05 PM EDT
Projected Starters
RHP Taijuan Walker (1-2, 5.79 ERA) vs RHP Jordan Lyles (1-1, 5.56 ERA)
Game Preview
The Rangers and the Mariners are both playing under the .500 threshold and have a 1.5-game separation in the standings, although the Rangers sit in second place of the AL West standings while the Mariners are dead last. In fact, Seattle has the second-worst winning percentage of the entire American League, besting only the Boston Red Sox (.353) through their first 19 games. They will have a reliable arm on the mound for this matchup, however, as Taijuan Walker will get the nod – he tossed seven scoreless innings against the Oakland Athletics earlier this season, so he is more than capable of getting solid results. The Rangers will counter with Jordan Lyles, who has struggled during most of his career against Seattle. In six career outings, the veteran has gone 1-2 with a 4.78 ERA.
Injuries
Seattle Mariners
Austin Adams - 60-Day IL - Knee
8/7 6:06 PM EST - Adams (knee) is unlikely to rejoin the Mariners during their upcoming road trip, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports. The Mariners were hoping Adams would be able to throw a live bullpen session this weekend and return as early as Monday, but that's unlikely to happen since his knee isn't yet at 100 percent. The right-hander underwent surgery to repair a torn ACL in October and has been recovering ever since. The team is scheduled to return to Seattle on Aug. 19, and Adams could return then if his knee returns to full strength during the road trip.
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
8/1 5:59 PM EST - Brennan (oblique) was transferred to the 45-day injured list Saturday, Lauren Smith of The Tacoma News Tribune reports. The 29-year-old was placed on the 10-day IL earlier in the week with a left oblique strain, and he's now looking at an extended absence. Brennan doesn't have an official timeline for his return, but he won't be eligible to be activated 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.
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
8/9 11:12 AM EST - Graveman (neck) will see a specialist during the coming week to help determine his path to recovery, but he remains without a timetable for return, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports. "He's going to miss more than one start," manager Scott Servais said. "It's going to be some significant time. We don't have a definite timetable, but I would not expect to see him back in our rotation any time soon." The right-hander recently noted the neck issue is one that's been a recurring one for him throughout his career, although it hasn't felled him to the tune of an injured-list stint until this point. Graveman's spot in the rotation was taken by Nick Margevicius on Saturday, and considering the left-hander gave a solid accounting of himself, he may continue in that role for the time being.
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 - Illness
8/9 11:16 AM EST - Hirano (illness) is close to being ready to face live hitters at the Mariners' alternate training site in Tacoma, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports. The veteran reliever has continued throwing bullpen sessions at the spring training facility in Peoria, Arizona, as he looks to make up for time lost to a COVID-19 infection earlier in the summer. Hirano appears close to being ready for the next step, with manager Scott Servais noting the 36-year-old is "getting his arm strength up and throwing all his pitches off the mound."
Tom Murphy - 10-Day IL - Foot
8/5 3:21 PM EST - Murphy (foot) is feeling better but doesn't have a timeline for a return, Lauren Smith of The Tacoma News Tribune reports. The 29-year-old has apparently been able to take part in some light catching work, but it doesn't sound as though he's participating in rigorous workouts. Austin Nola should continue to see the bulk of the work behind the plate until Murphy can return from the left foot fracture.
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
8/6 11:05 AM EST - Mariners general manager Jerry DiPoto said that Rodriguez (wrist) will have his cast removed Tuesday, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports. Rodriguez has been limited to one-handed swings since suffering a hairline fracture in his left wrist in mid-July, but he should be able to take full hacks at the plate shortly after the cast is removed. The Mariners estimated that Rodriguez was expected to miss 4-to-6 weeks due to the injury, so he likely won't be ready to play in simulated games at the team's alternate training site in Tacoma until the second half 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.
Texas Rangers
Brock Burke - 60-Day IL - Shoulder
6/28 3:33 PM EST - Burke (shoulder) was placed on the 45-day injured list Sunday. He had already been ruled out for the season after undergoing surgery to repair his left labrum in February. Burke may be able to participate in next year's spring training.
Matt Bush - Out - Elbow
12/16 1:55 PM EST - Bush (elbow) signed a two-year, minor-league deal with the Rangers on Monday. Bush has been battling elbow issues since June of 2018. He made it back on the mound for rehab action in the first half of the 2019 season before being shut down for Tommy John surgery. He'll miss most or all of the 2020 campaign.
Mason Englert - Out - Elbow
4/14 12:24 PM EST - Englert underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery Friday, Levi Weaver of The Athletic reports. Given the year-plus recovery timeline associated with Tommy John procedures, Englert likely will miss a decent chunk -- if not all -- of the 2020 season as well. A fourth-round selection in the 2018 first-year player draft, Englert has yet to debut in affiliated ball.
Luke Farrell - Covid-19 - Not Injury Related
8/11 4:14 PM EST - Farrell was placed on the injured list Tuesday after coming in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, though he has tested negative to this point, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports. Farrell was optioned to the Rangers' alternate training site Thursday, but he'll now be sidelined while continuing to undergo testing. The right-hander gave up five runs on five hits and four walks over 3.1 innings to begin the season.
Nick Goody - Day-To-Day - Back
8/10 10:01 AM EST - Goody wasn't available out of the bullpen during the Rangers' weekend series with the Angels due to lower-back tightness, T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports. Manager Chris Woodward said that Goody would be re-evaluated Monday before the Rangers determine whether or not he'll require a stint on the injured list. Goody has appeared in five games for Texas this season, giving up one run over three innings and collecting his first career save.
James Jones - Out - Kneecap
4/2 11:14 AM EST - Jones tore his right patellar tendon while at home Monday in Arizona and has been ruled out for the 2020 season, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports. According to Grant, Jones suffered the injury while tripping over one of his son's toys. The outfielder-turned-lefty pitcher had been attending Rangers camp as a non-roster invitee and was expected to open the season at Triple-A Nashville before the injury surfaced. He underwent surgery Wednesday and will turn his focus to rehabbing his knee before returning to the mound for the start of spring training in 2021.
Corey Kluber - 60-Day IL - Shoulder
7/28 1:49 PM EST - Kluber (shoulder) was placed on the 45-day injured list Tuesday. The move isn't much of a surprise, as Kluber will be shut down for at least four weeks after being diagnosed with a Grade 2 tear of the teres major muscle in his right shoulder Monday. If he's able to return at all this season, it will likely be very late in the year and in a relief role.
Jose Leclerc - 60-Day IL - Shoulder
7/30 3:10 PM EST - Leclerc was placed on the 45-day injured list Thursday with a Grade 2 strain of his teres major, Levi Weaver of The Athletic reports. The injury is similar to the one teammate Corey Kluber (shoulder) is dealing with, though it's apparently a little less serious. Either way, he's set to receive a PRP injection before being shut down for around four weeks. The hope is that Leclerc will be able to return for the end of the season. It's unclear who will step in as the Rangers' closer in his absence, though Nick Goody picked up the save in his place Wednesday. Brett Martin, Jesse Chavez and Jonathan Hernandez are also options, along with Joely Rodriguez (lat) and Rafael Montero (elbow) once healthy.
Joe Palumbo - 10-Day IL - Abdomen
8/7 5:32 PM EST - Palumbo was placed on the 10-day injured list Friday due to an ulcerative colitis flare-up. Palumbo hadn't made any appearances out of the bullpen since Aug. 1, and Friday's transaction provides an explanation for his lack of usage. The move is retroactive to Aug. 4, so he'll be able to return as early as next weekend. The southpaw allowed three runs on three hits and three walks while striking out five over 2.1 innings across two appearances to begin the season. Once he returns, Palumbo should continue to pitch mainly in low-leverage situations.
Cole Ragans - Out - Elbow
5/14 6:20 PM EST - Ragans (elbow) will require another Tommy John surgery Wednesday after recently tearing the graft in his left elbow, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports. Ragans was more than a year into the rehab process after undergoing Tommy John surgery in March 2018, so this is devastating setback for the 2016 first-round pick. The 21-year-old will now likely be sidelined until the middle of the 2020 season, at the very least.
Danny Santana - 10-Day IL - Forearm
8/9 5:13 AM EST - Santana (forearm) took live batting practice Saturday, T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports. Santana is not ready to play the outfield, but he is nearing a point where he can hit. "Looked really good," Texas manager Chris Woodward said. "I watched him throw. It's getting better. He feels like he's not as concerned when he starts to play catch. He's not 100 percent throwing. I wouldn't put him anywhere on defense, just for the risk of having to make a hard throw. He's still kind of iffy on that." Santana is eligible to come off the injured list Sunday. If he is activated, Santana is unlikely to play the field.
Blake Swihart - Out - Thumb
7/18 4:47 PM EST - Swihart was scratched from the lineup ahead of Saturday's intrasquad game due to left thumb soreness. It doesn't sound as if the issue is too serious, though it's not yet clear when Swihart is expected to return to action. Even if healthy, Swihart is unlikely to fill a major role for the Rangers this season, as he's hit just .243/.301/.355 over parts of five big-league seasons.
Eli White - Out - Oblique
7/13 1:04 PM EST - White's oblique strain is fairly serious and will keep him out a while, T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com reports. Manager Chris Woodward didn't provide many specifics, but it doesn't sound as if the Rangers expect White to play a role early in the season. Whether he's expected to play a role even if healthy this season remains to be seen, as he hit a mediocre .253/.337/.418 in 499 plate appearances for Triple-A Nashville last season, good for an 84 wRC+.
Owen White - Out - Elbow
5/1 9:22 AM EST - White will undergo Tommy John surgery Wednesday, Adam J. Morris of Lonestarball.com reports. White, a second-round pick in 2018, has not yet thrown in a professional game. This will knock him out for all of 2019 and the first half of 2020.
Rangers Expected Lineup
SP - Jordan Lyles
2. Elvis Andrus
4. Joey Gallo
5. Rougned Odor
6. Todd Frazier
7. Nick Solak
Mariners Expected Lineup
SP - Taijuan Walker
2. Dylan Moore
3. Kyle Lewis
4. Kyle Seager
5. Austin Nola
7. Evan White
8. Shed Long
9. Mallex Smith
Top Picks From Each Team
Kyle Lewis, Mariners: Seattle might be struggling, but Lewis has been one of the most productive hitters in the American League this season. He enters this game leading the team in most offensive metrics, such as home runs (four), batting average (.357) and on-base percentage (.430) while also racking up 13 RBI, second in the team behind Kyle Seager's 18.
Joey Gallo, Rangers: Gallo is never going to hit for average, but he doesn't need that to be a capable hitter. The slugger currently leads the Rangers in both home runs (four) and RBI (10) despite posting a subpar .220 average. His slugging percentage (.520) shows the power is for real, though, and it boosts his OPS to an excellent .891 mark.
Captaincy Options
Dream11 Team
P – Taijuan Walker
C – Austin Nola
IF – Kyle Seager (VC)
IF – Isiah Kiner-Falefa
IF – Dylan Moore
IF – Todd Frazier
OF – Shin-Soo Choo
OF – Kyle Lewis (C)
OF – Joey Gallo
