Dream11 Fantasy Baseball: Cardinals at Reds

St. Louis Cardinals (13-13) at Cincinnati Reds (15-20)

Tuesday, September 1st, 6:40 PM EDT

Projected Starters

LHP Kwang Hyun Kim (1-0, 1.08 ERA) vs RHP Sonny Gray (5-1, 1.94 ERA)

Game Preview

The Cardinals are in the race for one of the NL Wild Card spots and have been trying to make up the schedule as quickly as they can following several postponements due to COVID-19 related reasons. The Reds, on the other hand, are five games below the .500 threshold and, in a season where they were expected to compete for a playoff berth, it's clear things have not been working out for them. The pitching matchup for this one is what stands out the most, as the Cardinals will send lefty Kwang Hyun Kim and the Reds will counter with their ace, Sonny Gray, who has been one of the best pitchers in the entire National League. Both pitchers feature ERAs under the 2.00 mark, so it's entirely possible that this game ends up being decided from the mound.

Injuries

Cincinnati Reds -

Jesse Biddle - 10-Day IL - Shoulder

8/29 5:08 PM EST - Biddle was placed on the 10-day injured list Saturday with a left shoulder injury, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports. The 28-year-old had his contract selected earlier this week and delivered a scoreless appearance during his season debut Thursday, but he apparently picked up the shoulder injury. Biddle will be eligible to be activated Sept. 8, but it's unclear if he's expected to be ready to return at that point.

Matt Bowman - 60-Day IL - Elbow

8/24 10:34 AM EST - Bowman (elbow) will throw one more bullpen session at the Reds' alternate training site this week before testing himself against hitters, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reports. Bowman won't be eligible to return from the 45-day injured list until Sept. 6, but based on where he currently stands in his recovery from a sprained right elbow, he looks like he's on track to be ready to go in the minimum amount of time. He made 27 appearances out of the Cincinnati bullpen in 2019, posting a 3.66 ERA and 1.25 WHIP across 32 innings.

Hunter Greene - Out - Elbow

7/22 6:39 PM EST - Greene (elbow) was added to the Reds' 60-player roster pool Wednesday, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reports. One of the organization's top prospects, Greene wasn't included in the team's initial 60-man group, but he'll report to the alternate training site with summer camp reaching its conclusion. The 20-year-old is working his way back from Tommy John surgery in April 2019, so the structured team workouts should be a major benefit given the cancellation of the minor-league season.

Vladimir Gutierrez - Suspension - Suspension

6/28 12:18 PM EST - Gutierrez has tested positive for Stanozolol and received an 80-game suspension, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reports. The 24-year-old started the spring training opener for the Reds in February, but he won't be seeing game action anytime soon. Given the state of the minor-league season, Gutierrez could be sidelined for most of the 2021 season.

Nick Hanson - Out - Elbow

3/23 2:17 PM EST - Hanson is scheduled to undergo Tommy John surgery, Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports. Hanson was taken with the 79th pick in the 2016 first-year player draft. It's an unfortunate blow for both parties, and the 18-year-old will be out for at least a year as he begins his long road back from the surgery.

Wade Miley - 10-Day IL - Shoulder

8/28 1:53 PM EST - Miley was placed on the 10-day injured list Friday with a left shoulder strain, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports. The veteran southpaw delivered four scoreless innings on 64 pitches Thursday against the Brewers, and apparently the shortness of the outing was related to the injury. Miley doesn't have an official timeline for his return, but he'll be eligible to be activated Sept. 8. It's his second stint on the injured list this season, as he previously missed time with a groin injury.

Nick Senzel - 10-Day IL - Undisclosed

8/28 3:27 PM EST - There's been no update on Senzel's (undisclosed injury) status, Bobby Nightengale of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports. This comment was made by Nightengale in the context of the Reds designating Phillip Ervin for assignment, leaving the team with only four active outfielders.

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.

Genesis Cabrera - Day-To-Day - Finger

8/29 12:45 PM EST - Cabrera left Saturday's game as a result of a cracked fingernail on his left middle finger, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. Cabrera pitched one scoreless inning Saturday, allowing no hits and one walk while striking out three. However, he was unable to progress as he exited the contest with a trainer prior to the seventh inning. It's unclear whether the southpaw will miss any additional time.

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.

Ryan Helsley - Covid-19 - Not Injury Related

8/31 11:38 AM EST - Helsley (illness) threw a bullpen session Sunday and is with the team on its road trip that begins Monday, the Associated Press reports. Helsley's return is apparently imminent, with Sunday's bullpen possibly the final step toward being cleared for activation. The right-hander could potentially still face live hitters before one of the Cardinals' upcoming games as yet another benchmark in his recovery from COVID-19 infection, but under any scenario, it appears Helsley will soon be available out of the bullpen again for manager Mike Shildt.

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 Miller - 10-Day IL - Shoulder

8/27 10:14 AM EST - Miller was placed on the injured list Thursday with left shoulder fatigue. This helps explain why Miller went unused during the team's series against the Royals. The lefty will be eligible for activation next Thursday, and the Cardinals are confident he'll be ready to go close to that date, per Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat. Junior Fernandez was activated from the injured list in a corresponding move, while Giovanny Gallegos and Tyler Webb are candidates to fill in at closer with Miller sidelined.

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.

Ricardo Sanchez - 60-Day IL - Elbow

8/31 2:05 PM EST - Sanchez (left elbow pain) was transferred to the 45-day injured list Monday. Sanchez gave up four earned runs on five hits and five walks in 5.1 innings (three appearances) before landing on the IL over the weekend. This move ends his 2020 season and it's unclear if Sanchez will be able to avoid surgery on his throwing elbow.

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

8/31 12:14 AM EST - Wieters (toe) was able to run the bases and the outfield Saturday at Busch Stadium, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports. His activity level was noteworthy, as Wieters appears to have definitely made good progress over the last few days. Manager Mike Shildt confirmed to reporters that Wieters is now likely to go on the team's upcoming road trip that begins Monday and be activated from the injured list at some point during it.

Reds Expected Lineup

SP - Sonny Gray

1. Jesse Winker

2. Nick Castellanos

3. Eugenio Suarez

4. Mike Moustakas

5. Matt Davidson

6. Aristides Aquino

7. Brian Goodwin

8. Curt Casali

9. Jose Garcia

Cardinals Expected Lineup

SP - Kwang-Hyun Kim

1. Kolten Wong

2. Tommy Edman

3. Paul Goldschmidt

4. Brad Miller

5. Paul DeJong

6. Yadier Molina

7. Matt Carpenter

8. Dexter Fowler

9. Dylan Carlson

Top Picks From Each Team

Paul Goldschmidt, Cardinals: Goldschmidt went 3-for-3 with a walk, a double, two runs scored, an RBI and a stolen base in Monday's 7-5 win over the Reds. The veteran slugger continues to rake. Goldschmidt is slashing a mammoth .349/.486/.530 through 26 games with three homers, 11 RBI and 17 runs, while Monday's steal was his first of 2020.

Jesse Winker, Reds: Winker went 2-for-4 Monday against the Reds, and the outfielder continues to rake. He owns a .417/.462/1.000 slash line across his last seven games, and he has racked up 10 homers already in only 35 games.

Captaincy Options

1. Paul Goldschmidt
2. Dexter Fowler
3. Jesse Winker
4. Yadier Molina

Dream11 Team

P – Kwang-Hyun Kim

C – Yadier Molina

IF – Paul Goldschmidt (C)

IF – Brad Miller

IF – Eugenio Suarez

IF – Mike Moustakas

OF – Jesse Winker (VC)

OF – Tyler O'Neill

OF – Dexter Fowler