Dream11 Fantasy Baseball: Pirates at Cardinals

Pittsburgh Pirates (7-19) at St. Louis Cardinals (11-9)

Thursday, August 27th, 3:15 PM EDT

Projected Starters

RHP Chad Kuhl (1-1, 2.84 ERA) vs LHP Kwang Hyun Kim (1-0, 1.69 ERA)

Game Preview

This battle of two NL Central rivals features two sides that are currently moving in opposite directions – the Pirates are already thinking about what they'll do in the 2021 season as they already sit 12 games under the .500 threshold and own one of the worst records in the National League, while the Cardinals are two games above the .500 mark but playing doubleheaders on a regular basis following the team's COVID-19 outbreak – at some point, that might take a toll on them. The pitching matchup is one of the things that stand out the most ahead of this game, though, with righty Chad Kuhl going up against lefty Kwang Hyun Kim. Kuhl has been excellent for the Pirates, but the same could be said about Kim – the South Korean lefty tossed six scoreless innings against the Reds last week.

Injuries

Pittsburgh Pirates

Chris Archer - 60-Day IL - Shoulder

8/6 12:02 PM EST - Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Wednesday that Archer (shoulder) remains at his offseason home in California and is focusing on regaining his range of motion and strength, Adam Berry of MLB.com reports. The Pirates will continue to check in with Archer periodically over the next two months while he recovers from season-ending thoracic outlet syndrome, but he'll likely be on his own in the rehab process come November, when Pittsburgh will almost certainly decline his $11 million team option for 2021. Even if his recovery from surgery proceeds as anticipated, the two-time All-Star will likely have to settle for a low-cost, one- or two-year deal after posting a 5.19 ERA and 1.41 WHIP in 2019.

Nick Burdi - 60-Day IL - Elbow

8/12 10:41 AM EST - Burdi (elbow) won't need surgery for now and will receive a platelet-rich plasma injection instead, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. Burdi picked up his first career save this year but lasted just three appearances before his frustratingly frequent injury problems resurfaced. While it's certainly a positive that he's avoided surgery, his latest issue is nevertheless serious enough that he's already been ruled out for the remainder of the year. Whether or not he's at full strength to being the 2021 campaign remains to be seen.

Kyle Crick - 10-Day IL - Shoulder

8/26 10:57 AM EST - Crick (shoulder) threw a live batting practice session Wednesday in Chicago and the early response is positive, Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic reports. He is traveling with the team, so it seems like he could be activated any day now. Keone Kela (forearm) hasn't thrown since Friday of last week, so the closing duties seem to be up for grabs at the moment.

Phillip Evans - 60-Day IL - Jaw

8/19 1:53 PM EST - Evans will undergo surgery to repair his broken jaw, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. Evans landed on the 45-day injured list earlier in the month after sustaining a broken jaw and a concussion in a collision with teammate Gregory Polanco. While it was originally thought that he wouldn't require surgery, it turns out the 27-year-old will need a wire put in his jaw. Evans is eligible to return at the end of September, but the Pirates are preparing as though he'll miss the remainder of the season.

Michael Feliz - 60-Day IL - Forearm

8/6 11:45 AM EST - The Pirates ruled Feliz (forearm) out for the season after transferring him to the 45-day injured list Monday, Adam Berry of MLB.com reports. Pittsburgh has lost two key pieces of the bullpen for the remainder of the season in recent days, as Nick Burdi (elbow) was also shut down for good after moving to the 45-day IL on Wednesday. The Pirates diagnosed Feliz with a strained right forearm, an injury that is often a precursor to Tommy John surgery. With the team having yet to announce that any surgery will be in the cards for Feliz, he'll presumably treat the injury through rest and rehab with the hope of being back to full health for spring training in 2021.

Clay Holmes - 60-Day IL - Forearm

8/11 3:55 PM EST - Holmes (forearm) was transferred to the 45-day injured list Tuesday, Adam Berry of MLB.com reports. Holmes has been sidelined since the end of July with a right forearm strain. The team wasn't initially anticipating a very long absence, but the issue is evidently more serious than they thought. The 27-year-old will be eligible to return late in the 2020 campaign, but it wouldn't be surprising if the team shut him down for the remainder of the season so he can fully recover. Right-hander Nick Tropeano was claimed off waivers and optioned to the alternate training site to take Holmes' spot on the 40-man roster.

Keone Kela - Day-To-Day - Forearm

8/26 10:23 AM EST - Kela (forearm) still hasn't thrown since Friday, Adam Berry of MLB.com reports. This does not align with recent reports that he is available out of the Pirates' bullpen. For now it seems we should consider him day-to-day.

Mitch Keller - 10-Day IL - Oblique

8/19 1:47 PM EST - Keller (oblique) has played catch off flat ground as is expected to throw off a mound next week, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. Keller left early with an oblique issue in just his second start of the year. While it's certainly a positive that he's progressing in the right direction, his next time throwing off a mound will be his first in over three weeks, so he'll presumably need multiple sessions before being returning from the injured list.

Kevin Kramer - 60-Day IL - Hip

6/29 1:02 PM EST - The Pirates placed Kramer (hip) on the 10-day injured list Monday and then transferred him to the 60-day IL. He underwent hip surgery in March that will sideline him for 4-to-6 months, so it's possible he won't play at all this season. Kramer was set to compete for a bench role under normal circumstances.

Travis MacGregor - Day-To-Day - Elbow

4/4 8:17 AM EST - MacGregor underwent Tommy John surgery last September and will miss the entire 2019 season, Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com reports. A 6-foot-3, 180-pound projectable righty, MacGregor wasn't really on the dynasty-league radar, but he could have gotten himself there with a healthy, productive season at High-A. Instead, he will be on the shelf all season and may not even be healthy in time to pitch in winter ball. He will likely head back to Low-A to open the 2020 season to knock off rust before an assignment to High-A.

Luke Maile - 60-Day IL - Finger

7/23 11:43 AM EST - The Pirates placed Maile (finger) on the 60-day injured list Thursday. Maile was ruled out for 10-to-12 weeks after undergoing surgery July 17 to repair a fractured index finger on his throwing hand, so the transaction comes as little surprise. The Pirates will proceed with Jacob Stallings and John Ryan Murphy as their two catchers on the Opening Day roster with Maile sidelined.

James Marvel - Out - Forearm

8/19 2:05 PM EST - Marvel is dealing with a strained right forearm, Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic reports. Marvel apparently suffered the injury a couple of weeks ago. While the severity of the issue is not yet known, forearm injuries can often be the precursor to a significant surgery.

Colin Moran - Day-To-Day - Concussion

8/26 10:27 AM EST - Moran, who is not in Wednesday's lineup, is still being evaluated for concussion-like symptoms, Adam Berry of MLB.com reports. There have been some reports that Moran has been available off the bench, but that seems unlikely given that he is still under evaluation for a concussion that he may have sustained Sunday. Consider him day-to-day for now.

Joe Musgrove - 10-Day IL - Triceps

8/26 10:45 AM EST - Musgrove (triceps) will throw a simulated game at the alternate site later this week, Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic reports. He will throw two simulated innings at some point in the next couple days in Altoona. This will mark another important checkpoint for Musgrove, who had already been throwing bullpen sessions. It is unclear when he will return to the rotation, but considering he will only throw a couple simulated innings, it seems likely he will throw at least one more simulated game before returning to the big-league rotation.

Kevin Newman - Day-To-Day - Abdomen

8/26 8:26 AM EST - Newman (abdominal) will remain out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the White Sox, Adam Berry of MLB.com reports. Though Pirates skipper Derek Shelton said that both Newman and Colin Moran (concussion) would be available off the bench for Tuesday's series opener after the two exited Sunday's game against Milwaukee with injuries, neither entered the contest. Both players are still absent from the lineup a day later, but the Pirates' reluctance to put Newman and Moran on the injured list suggests both should continue to be viewed as day-to-day. Erik Gonzalez will fill in for Newman at shortstop Wednesday.

Hector Noesi - Out - Opt Out

7/8 6:18 PM EST - Manager Derek Shelton said Wednesday that Noesi has opted out of the 2020 season due to family reasons, Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic reports. The right-hander struggled over 27.2 innings in Miami last season with an 8.46 ERA, but he nonetheless earned a spot in Pittsburgh's 60-man player pool. Noesi will instead sit out the 2020 campaign for the benefit of his family.

Pablo Reyes - Suspension - Suspension

2/19 2:10 PM EST - Reyes was dealt an 80-game suspension without pay Wednesday after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance, Adam Berry of MLB.com reports. Reyes was not invited to spring training after being outrighted to Triple-A Indianapolis on January 16. The 26-year-old struggled to produce offensively for the Pirates in 2019, slashing .203/.274/.322 with 39 runs scored and 36 RBI throughout 157 plate appearances.

Yacksel Rios - 10-Day IL - Shoulder

8/18 3:22 PM EST - Rios was placed on the 10-day injured list Tuesday with right shoulder inflammation, retroactive to Aug. 15, Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic reports. Rios hasn't seen game action since Aug. 8, so it's unclear when or how he sustained the injury. Nick Mears was recalled from the alternate training site in a corresponding move.

Edgar Santana - Suspension - Suspension

6/30 9:17 AM EST - The Pirates placed Santana (suspension) on the restricted list Sunday. Pittsburgh made the move shortly after it was announced Sunday that Santana had received an 80-game suspension following his positive test for the performance-enhancing substance Boldenon. The transaction opens up an extra spot on the 40-man roster and spells an official end to the right-hander's season, as he won't be an option with the Pirates only playing 60 games in 2020. He'll serve out the final 20 games of his suspension at the start of the 2021 season.

Jameson Taillon - 60-Day IL - Elbow

8/26 10:39 AM EST - Taillon (elbow) will throw live batting practice Wednesday at the alternate site in Altoona, Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic reports. Former Pirates beat writer Travis Sawchik, now of FiveThirtyEight, retweeted a video that Taillon posted, noting that he has shortened his arm action, similar to what Lucas Giolito and many Cleveland pitchers have done in recent years. This may provide optimism that Taillon can be the rare pitcher who successfully recovers from two Tommy John surgeries. He is not expected back until the 2021 season.

Felipe Vazquez - Out - Personal

11/19 1:11 PM EST - Florida prosecutors filed 21 new charges against Vazquez on Tuesday, Renatta Signorini and Rich Cholodofsky of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review report. Police seized an iPhone and a MacBook Pro they say belonged to Vazquez, and a search of those devices led to the additional charges; 10 counts of child pornography, 10 counts of unlawful contact with a minor and a single charge of corruption of minors. Vazquez was originally arrested in September for engaging in sexual activity with a minor and was subsequently placed on the restricted list by MLB. He is being held without bail.

St. Louis Cardinals

Harrison Bader - Day-To-Day - Head

8/26 3:48 PM EST - Bader is absent from Wednesday's lineup against the Royals after experiencing a migraine, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. The 26-year-old apparently began experiencing the migraine Tuesday night, which also resulted in some vomiting. Bader will be available off the bench, per Anne Rogers of MLB.com, so it doesn't appear to be a serious concern.

John Brebbia - 60-Day IL - Elbow

6/28 12:23 PM EST - Brebbia (elbow) was placed on the 45-day injured list Sunday, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. It was announced this week that he 30-year-old underwent Tommy John surgery in early June, so his removal from the 40-man roster was only a matter of time. Brebbia will miss all of the 60 games in 2020 but could return during midseason 2021 if all goes well in his recovery.

Austin Dean - Covid-19 - Not Injury Related

8/25 4:50 PM EST - Dean (illness) cleared MLB's COVID-19 protocols and will report to the alternate training site for workouts, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. The 26-year-old has been sidelined since early August after testing positive for the virus, but he's now cleared the leagues protocols. Dean did not appear in a game prior to the Cardinals' COVID-19 outbreak and is likely to fill a reserve role once he reaches game readiness.

Junior Fernandez - Covid-19 - Illness

8/24 10:43 PM EST - Fernandez (illness) may throw a live batting practice session Tuesday, Richard Justice of MLB.com reports. Fernandez was deemed ready to start throwing bullpen sessions over the weekend, and facing live hitters would naturally be another positive step toward activation. The right-hander will slot back into the bullpen whenever he is deemed to be ready for action.

Dexter Fowler - Day-To-Day - Not Injury Related

8/26 4:59 PM EST - Fowler won't start Wednesday's game against the Royals, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. The 34-year-old was penciled in to start in right field, but he was a late removal from the starting nine. Fowler is a healthy scratch and won't play Wednesday in protest of the recent police shooting of Jacob Blake. Tommy Edman will move to right field while Matt Carpenter starts at third base.

Ryan Helsley - Covid-19 - Not Injury Related

8/24 10:37 PM EST - Helsley (illness) threw a side session Monday and could potentially throw live batting practice Tuesday, Richard Justice of MLB.com reports. Helsley continues to make good progress toward an eventual return, and he could take another important step very quickly according to Justice's report. The right-hander's level of activity Tuesday will be determined by how well Helsley recovers from Monday's session, with manager Mike Shildt remarking the team will "continue to work on the timeline" with respect to the reliever's return to action.

Jordan Hicks - Out - Opt Out

7/20 6:35 AM EST - The Cardinals placed Hicks (elbow) on the restricted list last week after he informed the team that he was opting out of the 2020 season. The transaction removes Hicks from the Cardinals' 40-man roster, giving the team some more flexibility before it begins its season July 24. Per Mark Saxon of The Athletic, Hicks' choice to skip out on the 2020 season wasn't totally motivated by concerns about the health risks he may have faced pitching amid the COVID-19 pandemic as a Type 1 diabetic. Instead, the 23-year-old disclosed that he recently dealt with inflammation during his throwing program as he worked back from his June 2019 Tommy John procedure. The extra time off to rest should allow Hicks to report at full health for 2021 spring training, at which point he could re-emerge as the Cardinals' top closing candidate.

Carlos Martinez - Covid-19 - Not Injury Related

8/26 10:51 PM EST - Martinez (illness) will face hitters again Thursday at the Cardinals' alternate training site in Springfield, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports. The right-hander threw what manager Mike Shildt described as a "low-intensity" live batting practice session Monday in Springfield, and he'll repeat the practice Thursday, likely with a higher pitch count. Martinez will return as to the active roster as a starter, so he may need at least one more session beyond Thursday's to have his arm built up sufficiently.

Miles Mikolas - 60-Day IL - Forearm

8/11 3:11 PM EST - Mikolas (forearm) was transferred to the 45-day injured list Tuesday, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. The move won't have any effect on Mikolas' return timeline, as he's already been ruled out for the year due to surgery on his right flexor tendon. The move creates a spot on the 40-man roster for the Cardinals to add a player once their season eventually resumes following their COVID-19 outbreak.

Andrew Morales - Out - Shoulder

2/25 8:23 AM EST - Morales (shoulder) is scheduled to undergo an MRI on Monday, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reports. Morales was diagnosed with right shoulder discomfort following his spring debut Sunday versus the Nationals, during which he was touched up for three runs on three hits while recording only one out. The extent of Morales' injury isn't fully known, but the fact that he needs an MRI suggests his setback could be more than a day-to-day concern.

Rangel Ravelo - Covid-19 - Not Injury Related

8/23 12:17 PM EST - Ravelo (illness) is set to start getting at-bats at the Cardinals' alternate training site in Springfield, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports. The utility asset is one of a multitude of Cardinals players working his way through the COVID-19 reentry process. Ravelo was cleared for baseball activities Tuesday, and if he's able to demonstrate his timing at the plate is solid in Springfield, he could be deemed ready for activation in fairly short order.

Edmundo Sosa - Covid-19 - Not Injury Related

8/23 12:19 PM EST - Sosa (illness) is set to start getting at-bats at the Cardinals' alternate training site in Springfield, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports. The utility infielder is one of a multitude of Cardinals players working his way through the COVID-19 reentry process. Sosa was cleared for baseball activities Monday, and if he's able to demonstrate his timing at the plate is solid in Springfield, he could be deemed ready for activation in fairly short order.

Lane Thomas - Covid-19 - Not Injury Related

8/25 4:58 PM EST - Thomas (illness) cleared the league's COVID-19 protocols and will report to the alternate training site, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. The 25-year-old has been away from the club since testing positive for COVID-19 in early August, but he's now able to resume organized workouts. It's unclear how long Thomas will require to reach game readiness, and he'll likely fill a reserve role upon his activation.

Kodi Whitley - Covid-19 - Elbow

8/26 12:30 PM EST - Whitley, who is currently on the COVID-19 injured list, returned to St. Louis on Tuesday to receive a scan on his right elbow after he experienced discomfort in recent throwing sessions at the Cardinals' alternate training site, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. The rookie reliever was one of several Cardinals who tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this month, but he's since received full clearance for baseball activities and is eligible to come off the IL whenever St. Louis chooses to activate him. His reinstatement may not be imminent, however, as he'll likely have to put his throwing program on hold for the time being while he waits for inflammation in his elbow to subside. Fortunately for Whitley, the Cardinals don't believe his elbow injury is a major concern, so the scans he required Tuesday were likely just precautionary.

Matt Wieters - 10-Day IL - Toe

8/26 10:47 PM EST - Wieters (toe) will return to St. Louis on Thursday to have his toe contusion evaluated, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports. Wieters had returned home for rest since being placed on the 10-day injured list Thursday, but he'll now have the progress of his toe contusion evaluated first-hand by the team's medical staff. Wieters has been undergoing daily COVID-19 testing while away, so he won't be subject to intake testing upon arrival in St. Louis. The veteran backstop had reported to manager Mike Shildt in recent days that his toe was feeling better and had much less inflammation, so there's presumably a chance he's ready for activation when first eligible Sunday.

Cardinals Expected Lineup

SP - Kwang-Hyun Kim

1. Kolten Wong

2. Tommy Edman

3. Paul Goldschmidt

4. Paul DeJong

5. Matt Carpenter

6. Yadier Molina

7. Dylan Carlson

8. Dexter Fowler

9. Harrison Bader

Pirates Expected Lineup

SP - Chad Kuhl

1. Kevin Newman

2. Bryan Reynolds

3. Josh Bell

4. Gregory Polanco

5. Colin Moran

6. Erik Gonzalez

7. Adam Frazier

8. Cole Tucker

9. Jacob Stallings

Top Picks From Each Team

Paul Goldschmidt, Cardinals: Goldschmidt has only played 20 games this season, but he is putting up monster numbers for St. Louis. The veteran slugger is hitting .333 with a .990 OPS, and his .482 on-base percentage is one of the highest marks in all of baseball. That should be enough reason to give him a captaincy nod ahead of this game.

Colin Moran, Pirates: The Pirates have struggled offensively all season long, but one of the top names to watch in their lineup is the third baseman, Moran. He is hitting .259 with six homers and 11 RBI -- he is among the team's leaders in most offensive categories.

Captaincy Options

1. Paul Goldschmidt
2. Colin Moran
3. Bryan Reynolds
4. Kwang-Hyun Kim

Dream11 Team

P – Kwang-Hyun Kim

C – Jacob Stallings

IF – Paul Goldschmidt (C)

IF – Colin Moran (VC)

IF – Josh Bell

IF – Brad Miller

OF – Harrison Bader

OF – Dexter Fowler

OF – Bryan Reynolds