Dream11 Fantasy Baseball: Cardinals at Cubs

St. Louis Cardinals (4-4) at Chicago Cubs (13-6)

Monday, August 17th, 5:15 PM EDT

Projected Starters

LHP Kwang Hyun Kim (0-0, 9.00 ERA) vs RHP Kyle Hendricks (3-1, 3.08 ERA)

Game Preview

The Cubs sit at the top of the NL Central standings with a 13-6 record and hold a 3.5-game lead over the Cardinals and the Milwaukee Brewers, so they're still safe at the top of the standings despite going on a three-game losing streak. The Cardinals, on the other hand, have a packed schedule ahead of them with five games in the next three days – all of them against Chicago – and have only played eight times, going 4-4 and are coming off a loss the last time out. The pitching matchup favors the Cubs, as Hendricks is as reliable as they come on the mound and can be trusted for at least six innings almost on a routine basis. Meanwhile, Kwang Hyun Kim has been struggling in the mound and the lefty might have another tough time against a Cubs lineup that's looking to bounce back after three straight losses.

Injuries

Chicago Cubs

Corey Black - Out - Elbow

4/9 6:30 PM EST - Black announced via Twitter on Tuesday that he underwent Tommy John surgery. Black has barely pitched since 2016 as this is the third time he's undergone Tommy John surgery. The 27-year-old will be sidelined for the entire 2019 season and likely a good chunk of 2020.

Tyler Chatwood - 10-Day IL - Back

8/16 10:58 AM EST - The Cubs placed Chatwood (back) on the 10-day injured list Sunday, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic reports. Mid-back tightness prevented Chatwood from making his scheduled start Friday against the Brewers, but he was able to play catch Saturday and was expected to be ready to pitch in the first game of Monday's doubleheader with the Cardinals. The Cubs evidently didn't feel Chatwood was in fair enough condition after re-evaluating him Sunday, however, so the right-hander will now miss at least one or two more turns through the rotation while he recovers from the injury. Jose Quintana (thumb) could return from the IL later in the week to take Chatwood's spot in the rotation, but the Cubs will still require a replacement starter for him during one half of Monday's doubleheader. Kyle Hendricks will now take the hill for the first game of the twin bill, but manager David Ross hasn't announced a starter for the second contest.

Daniel Descalso - 60-Day IL - Ankle

7/23 9:16 AM EST - The Cubs placed Descalso on the 45-day injured list Wednesday with a left ankle sprain, Bruce Levine of 670TheScore.com reports. No reports surfaced in summer camp suggesting that Descalso was tending to a major injury, but the utility man will now be on the shelf for at least the next month and a half while he recovers from the ankle sprain. His absence likely paved the way for both Jason Kipnis and Nico Hoerner to crack the Opening Day roster.

Luke Hagerty - Out - Elbow

3/27 8:45 AM EST - Hagerty was recently diagnosed with an elbow injury that will require season-ending surgery, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports. The injury likely spells an end to one of the best comeback stories of spring training, as Hagerty had earned an invite to the Cubs' big-league camp after a 13-year layoff from professional baseball. A first-round pick of the Cubs in 2002, Hagerty struggled through injuries and ineffectiveness in the lower minors and stepped away from the game for over a decade before flashing an upper-90s fastball while working out over the winter. The 37-year-old was expected to open the season at Triple-A Iowa or Double-A Tennessee, but the elbow injury will spell an end to that plan. While Bastian notes that Hagerty won't require Tommy John surgery, the elbow procedure could prompt the lefty to hang up his cleats for good.

Jason Heyward - Day-To-Day - Back

8/16 8:50 AM EST - Heyward was scratched from Sunday's lineup against the Brewers with mid-back tightness, Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune reports. Kris Bryant moves to DH while Kyle Schwarber moves to the outfield and David Bote enters the lineup at third base. Heyward is 7-for-13 with seven runs and six RBI over his last five games.

James Norwood - 10-Day IL - Shoulder

8/10 12:15 PM EST - Norwood (shoulder) threw a bullpen session Monday, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports. Norwood has already spent the required 10 days on the injured list with right shoulder inflammation, so he's eligible to return ahead of Tuesday's game in Cleveland. Whether or not he's expected to do so is not yet clear.

Jose Quintana - 10-Day IL - Thumb

8/15 9:53 AM EST - Quintana (thumb) is scheduled to throw a four-inning simulated game Sunday, Russell Dorsey of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. Quintana played catch prior to Saturday's game against the Brewers, and he'll continue to build his strength back up with a four-inning session at the alternate training site Sunday. The southpaw hasn't had any issues recently. Although no timetable for his return has been announced, he could be back soon if Sunday's sim game goes well.

Duncan Robinson - Out - Elbow

5/30 12:12 PM EST - Robinson posted Wednesday on his personal Twitter account that he underwent Tommy John surgery earlier in the week. Robinson, whom the Cubs selected in the ninth round of the 2016 first-year player draft, posted a 4.76 ERA and 1.46 WHIP in five starts for Triple-A Iowa before being placed on the 7-day injured list April 28. The circumstances surrounding Robinson's absence for the past month weren't known, but the right-hander has now provided some clarity on the matter. Given the timing of his surgery, Robinson will miss the remainder of the 2019 season and most -- if not all -- of the 2020 campaign.

Manuel Rodriguez - Day-To-Day - Biceps

3/6 10:58 AM EST - Rodriguez (biceps) was optioned to Double-A Tennessee on Friday. Rodriguez is out indefinitely with a Grade 2 right biceps strain, but he was never a candidate for the big-league roster, as he's yet to play above High-A. As he has no big-league experience, the Cubs are allowed to option him now rather than placing him on the major-league injured list. It looks likely that he'll open the season on the injured list in the minors, however.

Brad Wieck - 10-Day IL - Hamstring

8/15 10:31 AM EST - Wieck (hamstring) is dealing with a setback in his recovery process, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports. Manager David Ross said Saturday that Wieck "has had a couple things" set him back during his throwing program. He's dealing with left knee soreness that has pushed his timetable back. It's unclear when the southpaw will be able to return to the Cubs' bullpen.

Mark Zagunis - Out - Opt Out

7/23 9:31 AM EST - The Cubs placed Zagunis on the restricted list Thursday after he informed the club that he will opt out of the 2020 season, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports. Zagunis will lose his spot in the Cubs' 60-man player pool as a result, though he'll still remain under club control. Had he cracked the team's Opening Day roster, Zagunis likely would have been in line for limited action as a reserve outfielder.

St. Louis Cardinals

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 - Illness

8/16 7:15 AM EST - The Cardinals placed Dean (illness) on the COVID-19 injured list Saturday. The move is merely procedural, as Dean was revealed to have tested positive for the coronavirus back on Aug. 7. The Cardinals selected the contract of top outfield prospect Dylan Carlson in a corresponding transaction.

Paul DeJong - Covid-19 - Illness

8/14 2:31 PM EST - DeJong (illness) will not be rejoining the Cardinals when the team resumes play in Chicago, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. DeJong was placed on the COVID-19 injured list Aug. 4, and president of baseball operations John Mozeliak seemed to imply that the slugging shortstop won't be cleared from that designation any earlier than next Thursday. DeJong will need to clear all testing protocols and also get in several workouts before being considered ready for game action. Tommy Edman is expected to handle the bulk of the shortstop duties while DeJong remains on the shelf, although Max Schrock and Brad Miller are candidates to fill in as well.

Junior Fernandez - Covid-19 - Illness

8/4 2:15 PM EST - Fernandez (illness) was placed on the COVID-19 injured list Tuesday. Fernandez gave the Cardinals permission to announce his positive test amid the team's COVID-19 outbreak, and a spot on the active roster will be made available after he was placed on the injured list. The right-hander will be eligible to return to the team once he produces two consecutive negative tests. Both Fernandez and fellow right-handed reliever Kodi Whitley tested positive, so the team should be calling up some replacements in the coming days.

Ryan Helsley - Covid-19 - Illness

8/16 7:13 AM EST - The Cardinals placed Helsley (illness) on the COVID-19 injured list Saturday. Helsley and outfielders Austin Dean and Lane Thomas were removed from the active roster after all three were revealed to be among the several Cardinals players who recently tested positive for the coronavirus as part of a team-wide outbreak. With Helsley out indefinitely and Kwang-Hyun Kim having recently been moved to the rotation, the Cardinals' closing situation appears quite unsettled as the team resumes play this weekend. Andrew Miller recorded a save during one half of Saturday's doubleheader, but Giovanny Gallegos and Tyler Webb could also be part of the late-inning mix if manager Mike Shildt takes a committee approach to the closer's role.

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 - 10-Day IL - Undisclosed

8/4 2:09 PM EST - Martinez was placed on the 10-day injured list for an undisclosed reason Tuesday. The Cardinals gave no reasoning for placing Martinez on the injured list, but the transaction comes as the team deals with a COVID-19 outbreak among several players and staff members. It's unclear how much time the right-hander will miss, and a replacement for his spot in the rotation hasn't been named. John Gant, Austin Gomber and Jake Woodford have past experience as starters and could be candidates to take Martinez's place.

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.

Yadier Molina - Covid-19 - Illness

8/14 2:27 PM EST - Molina (illness) will not be rejoining the Cardinals when the team resumes play in Chicago, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. The veteran catcher was placed on the COVID-19 injured list Aug. 4, and president of baseball operations John Mozeliak seemed to imply that Molina won't be cleared from that designation any earlier than next Thursday. Molina will need to clear all testing protocols and also get in several workouts before being considered ready for game action. Matt Wieters and Andrew Knizner are expected to handle the catching duties while Molina remains on the shelf.

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 - Illness

8/5 12:46 PM EST - Ravelo (illness) was placed on the COVID-19 injured list Wednesday. Ravelo was one of the players that gave the Cardinals permission to release the news of his positive diagnosis for COVID-19 amid the team's outbreak, and his placement on the injured list will free up a spot on the active roster. The 28-year-old will be eligible to return to the team once he produces two consecutive negative tests. The Cardinals purchased Max Schrock's contract in a corresponding move to fill Ravelo's depth role on the roster.

Edmundo Sosa - Covid-19 - Illness

8/4 3:03 PM EST - Sosa landed on the COVID-19 injured list Tuesday. Sosa is one of a number of Cardinals who tested positive for the virus in recent days. He'll remain sidelined until he's symptom-free and tests negative twice.

Lane Thomas - Covid-19 - Illness

8/16 7:16 AM EST - The Cardinals placed Thomas (illness) on the COVID-19 injured list Saturday. Thomas' move to the IL was just procedural, as the outfielder was already revealed to have tested positive for the coronavirus back on Aug. 9. The Cardinals selected first baseman John Nogowski's contract from their alternate training site to fill Thomas' spot on the 40-man and 28-man active rosters.

Kodi Whitley - Covid-19 - Illness

8/4 2:02 PM EST - Whitley (illness) was placed on the COVID-19 injured list Tuesday. Whitley tested positive for COVID-19, and Tuesday's transaction will free up a spot on the active roster in his absence. Under MLB protocol, the right-hander will be eligible to return to the team once he produces two consecutive negative tests. The Cardinals should call up some bullpen reinforcements in the coming days to replace Whitley and fellow righty Junior Fernandez.

Cubs Expected Lineup

SP - Kyle Hendricks

1. Kris Bryant

2. Anthony Rizzo

3. Javier Baez

4. Willson Contreras

5. Kyle Schwarber

6. Albert Almora

7. Jason Heyward

8. Steven Souza

9. Nico Hoerner

Cardinals Expected Lineup

SP - Kwang-Hyun Kim

1. Kolten Wong

2. Tommy Edman

3. Paul Goldschmidt

4. Matt Carpenter

5. Dylan Carlson

6. Dexter Fowler

7. Matt Wieters

8. Tyler O'Neill

9. Harrison Bader

Top Picks From Each Team

Javier Baez, Cubs: Baez is 0-for-14 with seven strikeouts over his last three games, but he remains one of the top threats in the Cubs lineup and could be in line for a bounce-back performance after this slump. The versatile infielder is only hitting for .203 with three homers and 10 RBI, but he has enough of a track record to be trusted even when things are not going his way.

Paul Goldschmidt, Cardinals: Goldschmidt has two home runs in eight games while hitting for .333 with a .927 OPS. It might be a small sample size, but the veteran first baseman remains a reliable offensive threat in the middle of the Cardinals lineup.

Captaincy Options

1. Javier Baez
2. Paul Goldschmidt
3. Kyle Hendricks
4. Kyle Schwarber

Dream11 Team

P – Kyle Hendricks (VC)

C – Willson Contreras

IF – Kris Bryant

IF – Javier Baez (C)

IF – Kolten Wong

IF – Paul Goldschmidt

OF – Kyle Schwarber

OF – Ian Happ

OF – Harrison Bader