Dream11 Fantasy Baseball: Nationals at Mets

Washington Nationals (6-8) at New York Mets (8-11)

Thursday, August 12nd, 1:10 PM EDT

Projected Starters

RHP Austin Voth (0-1, 1.80 ERA) vs LHP David Peterson (2-1, 3.78 ERA)

Game Preview

Both the Mets and the Nationals are playing under the .500 threshold and have a tough road ahead of themselves if they want to sneak in the playoff conversation, although Washington could get the benefit of the doubt due to several postponements and the fact they didn't have their star player, Juan Soto, in the first few games of the campaign. Either way, the Nationals are 2-3 in their last five games while the Mets have gone 3-2, so it's hard to trust either ballclub due to their inconsistencies. The pitching does not offer many enticing alternatives either, as David Peterson will get another chance to prove he belongs in an MLB rotation when facing Austin Voth and the Nats. Voth might be 0-1, but his 1.80 ERA has been solid thus far.

Injuries

New York Mets

Robinson Cano - 10-Day IL - Groin

8/9 11:34 AM EST - Cano (groin) is taking live at-bats at the Mets' alternate training site, Justin Toscano of The Bergen Record reports. The 37-year-old landed on the injured list Aug. 4 with a left adductor strain and is eligible to be activated Friday, though it's unclear if he'll be ready to return at that point. Brian Dozier, Luis Guillorme and Andres Gimenez have all seen time at second base during Cano's absence.

Yoenis Cespedes - Out - Opt Out

8/4 11:18 AM EST - The Mets placed Cespedes on the restricted list Sunday after he informed the team he was opting out of the 2020 season. The transaction opened up spots on the Mets' 30-man active roster, 40-man roster and 60-man roster pool. Before opting out, Cespedes appeared in eight games for the Mets and went 5-for-31 with two home runs and four RBI.

Jacob deGrom - Day-To-Day - Finger

8/9 4:34 PM EST - DeGrom (2-0) allowed two runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out six over five innings as he earned the win Sunday against the Marlins. DeGrom was able to limit Miami's run production Sunday despite allowing nine baserunners over his five innings of work. As a result, he put himself in line for the win in the 4-2 contest. However, the right-hander revealed after the game that he felt a minor issue in his finger during the game, Justin Toscano of The Bergen Record reports. He didn't sound too concerned about it, saying that it could be the start of a blister that shouldn't affect him. It's unlikely that he'll miss time due to his lack of concern about the severity, but deGrom's status could be worth monitoring ahead of his scheduled start in Philadelphia on Friday.

J.T. Ginn - Out - Elbow

6/11 2:52 PM EST - The Mets have selected Ginn (elbow) with the 52nd overall pick in the 2020 first-year player draft. The Dodgers were unable to meet Ginn's asking price when they selected him out of high school with the 30th overall pick in 2018, so he enrolled at Mississippi State. He logged a 3.13 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 105:19 K:BB in 86.1 innings as a freshman and was on track to go in the middle of the first round this year as a draft-eligible sophomore before needing Tommy John surgery in March. When healthy, the 6-foot-2, 192-pound righty works with a mid-90s sinking fastball and a wipeout slider, which is his best pitch. The biggest change for Ginn since his prep days is that his changeup is now a legitimate third pitch, projecting as at least an average offering with a chance to get to plus. He is athletic and projects for at least average command. While he has plus velocity, his fastball is geared more toward inducing weak contact than whiffs in the zone. However, he should still be able to hover around a strikeout per inning via his slider and improving changeup. Ginn should be ready to return to game action in the first half of the 2021 season.

Jed Lowrie - 60-Day IL - Knee

8/12 1:03 PM EST - Lowrie will receive a series of platelet-rich plasma injections on his sore left knee, Tim Healey of Newsday reports. Lowrie remains on the injured list, the place where he's spent the vast majority of his time since signing a two-year, $20 million contract with the Mets in January of 2019. He appeared in just nine games last year and doesn't appear to be close to making his season debut this season, as he's on the 45-day injured list, though he could in theory be back late in the year if the injections serve their desired purpose.

Jake Marisnick - 10-Day IL - Hamstring

8/10 12:08 PM EST - Mets manager Luis Rojas said Sunday that Marisnick (hamstring) has resumed taking live at-bats at the Mets' alternate training site, Justin Toscano of The Bergen Record reports. Marisnick appears to be making good progress in his recovery from the hamstring strain that shelved him in late July, but the Mets haven't pinpointed a target date for his return from the injured list. Once he's reinstated, Marisnick will likely overtake Billy Hamilton as the team's top reserve outfielder.

Eduardo Nunez - 10-Day IL - Knee

7/30 12:46 PM EST - Nunez (knee) was placed on the 10-day injured list Thursday, Tim Britton of The Athletic reports. Nunez originally hurt his left knee while running out a play at first base over the weekend, and he was sent to the shelf after showing little improvement over the past few days. Brian Dozier was summoned from the team's satellite camp to take Nunez's place on the roster.

Rene Rivera - 10-Day IL - Elbow

7/31 3:16 PM EST - Rivera landed on the injured list with a hyperextended left elbow Friday, Tim Britton of The Athletic reports. Rivera's absence won't be a major one for the Mets, as he's started just once this season. Franklyn Kilome was recalled to take his place on the roster.

Marcus Stroman - Out - Opt Out

8/10 12:06 PM EST - Stroman (calf) elected to opt out of the season Monday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports. Stroman had been working his way back from a strained calf, but he evidently changed his plans and won't be returning until next season. He called his opt out a "collective family decision," per Tim Healey of Newsday, related purely to the COVID-19 pandemic. His calf is reportedly fully healthy, but he'll still enter free agency having spent an entire year without pitching in a game, which could certainly suppress his value on the open market. The Mets will place Stroman on the restricted list to clear a spot on the 40-man roster.

Noah Syndergaard - 60-Day IL - Elbow

6/28 10:00 AM EST - Syndergaard (elbow) was placed on the 45-day injured list Sunday, Andersen Pickard of MLBDailyDish.com reports. Thor underwent Tommy John surgery in late March, but until now he remained on the 40-man roster given the shutdown and transaction freeze. Syndergaard will clearly miss the 2020 season, and he'll likely be unavailable for the start of next season as well. Offseason signees Rick Porcello and Michael Wacha are set to round out the starting rotation for the Mets.

Michael Wacha - 10-Day IL - Shoulder

8/12 1:14 PM EST - Wacha (shoulder) threw from 75 feet Tuesday, Justin Toscano of The Bergen Record reports. Wacha landed on the 10-day injured list Sunday with right shoulder inflammation, but he was able to resume throwing just two days later. He reportedly felt good following the throwing session. A timeline for his return hasn't been established, but his progress has been encouraging so far.

Washington Nationals

Tres Barrera - Suspension - Suspension

7/25 8:22 AM EST - Barrera was suspended 80 games Saturday after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports. Barrera wasn't expected to serve on the Nationals' major-league roster this season, but he'll be forced to sit out the entire 2020 campaign and part of next season. The catcher played most of the 2019 season with Double-A Harrisburg, where he hit .249/.323/.381 with eight home runs and 46 RBI.

Welington Castillo - Out - Opt Out

7/22 9:53 AM EST - The Nationals placed Castillo (opt out) on the restricted list July 4. Washington made the transaction official one day after manager Dave Martinez told the media that Castillo became the third player to sit out the 60-game season. Castillo joined the Nationals in January on a one-year deal, so he'll head to the open market at the conclusion of the 2020 campaign.

Mason Denaburg - Out - Shoulder

7/7 6:32 AM EST - Denaburg (shoulder) said Tuesday that he expects to resume throwing bullpen sessions in the next three weeks, Byron Kerr of MASNSports.com reports. The 2018 first-round pick has been pleased thus far with how he's progressed since undergoing arthroscopic right shoulder surgery last October. Denaburg plans to gradually increase his long-toss distance off flat ground through the end of July, and then get back on the mound for the first time since last summer. If the 20-year-old can steer clear of any major setbacks in his throwing program during the upcoming offseason, he should head into the 2021 minor-league season at full strength.

Roenis Elias - 60-Day IL - Elbow

7/26 2:19 PM EST - Elias was placed on the 60-day injured list Sunday with a left flexor elbow strain, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports. Elias was late to camp for an undisclosed reason but threw Saturday and felt some pain afterward. The southpaw underwent an MRI, which revealed a strain in his throwing elbow that will keep him sidelined for the foreseeable future. However, he'll be eligible to return this season after a minimum of 45 days. Elias battled a hamstring injury last season that kept him sidelined for most of the second half of the year after he was traded to Washington.

Sam Freeman - Day-To-Day - Elbow

8/12 8:57 PM EST - Freeman "felt a pop in his elbow" on his final pitch of Wednesday's game against the Mets, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports. Freeman threw 14 pitches and recorded two outs Wednesday, but he called for the athletic trainer after feeling his elbow pop. The left-hander doesn't have a timeline for his return and is scheduled to undergo an MRI on Friday.

Steven Fuentes - Suspension - Suspension

7/16 5:20 PM EST - Fuentes was cleared to train and will be headed to Fredericksburg on Thursday, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports. Fuentes and Joan Adon both will head to Fredericksburg to join their teammates and begin training for the upcoming regular season. Washington added Fuentes to their 60-man player pool earlier this summer to ensure that he will finish serving his 50-game suspension when the 2021 season arrives. The 23-year-old was having a breakout 2019 campaign before testing positive for a banned stimulant, posting a 2.69 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 63:15 K:BB across 63.2 innings for Double-A Hagerstown.

Will Harris - 10-Day IL - Groin

8/12 1:22 PM EST - Harris (groin) could be activated from the 10-day injured list Thursday, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports. Harris has been working his way back from a right groin strain that has kept him sidelined since the end of July, but he faced hitters Tuesday. He apparently felt good following the session as manager Dave Martinez suggested that he could return to the active roster Thursday. Once he returns, Harris should take on a higher-leverage role in the Nationals' bullpen.

Victor Robles - Day-To-Day - Hand

8/12 8:05 PM EST - Robles is considered day-to-day after X-rays came back negative on his right hand Wednesday, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports. The 23-year-old was hit by a pitch on the hand and remained in to run the bases, but he was pulled for a pinch hitter during the seventh inning since his hand was swelling up. The severity of the injury remains unclear, but it wouldn't be surprising for Robles to receive the day off for Thursday's series finale.

Joe Ross - Out - Opt Out

6/29 12:16 PM EST - Ross is expected to opt out of joining the Nationals for the 2020 season, sources tell Brittany Ghiroli of The Athletic. Ross is the second known player who is expected to forgo playing in 2020 due to concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic after Diamondbacks pitcher Mike Leake announced his intentions earlier Monday. As a result, Ross will forgo his $1.5 million salary for 2020 before heading into his final year of salary arbitration in 2021. Ross had been a leading candidate for the fifth spot in the Nationals' rotation, but his decision to sit out the season could lead to more starting opportunities for Austin Voth and Erick Fedde.

Adrian Sanchez - 7-Day IL - Achilles

6/29 9:40 AM EST - Updating a previous report, the Nationals relayed Monday that Sanchez (Achilles) was placed on the minor-league injured list and isn't included as part of the big club's 60-man player pool, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports. The Nationals had previously announced Sunday that Sanchez had been placed on the 60-day injured list after tearing his right Achilles' tendon in a workout a few weeks ago. However, because he was optioned to Double-A Harrisburg in late March before he suffered the injury, he'll revert to the minor-league IL rather than the MLB team's IL. Unfortunately for Sanchez, the transaction means he won't be eligible for major-league payment and service time while he recovers from surgery that will keep him sidelined throughout the 2020 season, and likely, a decent chunk of the 2021 campaign. The move still leaves one spot open on the 40-man roster for the Nationals, though the team won't be extended an extra spot in the 60-man player pool to replace Sanchez.

Ryan Zimmerman - Out - Opt Out

6/29 12:31 PM EST - Zimmerman informed the Nationals on Monday that he has opted out of playing in the 2020 season, Brittany Ghiroli of The Athletic reports. Zimmerman's decision comes less than a week after he outlined his concerns about how playing during the COVID-19 pandemic could compromise the immune systems of his wife and newborn baby in an essay posted by the Associated Press. Along with Zimmerman, teammate Joe Ross has also elected not to play in 2020, leaving the Nationals with less depth at first base and in the rotation, respectively. With Zimmerman out of the mix, the Nationals could lean more heavily on Howie Kendrick as the primary platoon mate at first base with the left-handed-hitting Eric Thames. Zimmerman will forgo his $6.25 million salary in 2020 and hit free agency in the offseason, but it's unclear if the soon-to-be 37-year-old will have interest in resuming his career in 2021.

Mets Expected Lineup

SP - David Peterson

1. Brandon Nimmo

2. Jeff McNeil

3. Pete Alonso

4. Michael Conforto

5. J.D. Davis

6. Dominic Smith

7. Wilson Ramos

8. Brian Dozier

9. Amed Rosario

Nationals Expected Lineup

SP - Austin Voth

1. Trea Turner

2. Adam Eaton

3. Starlin Castro

4. Juan Soto

5. Howie Kendrick

6. Asdrubal Cabrera

7. Carter Kieboom

8. Yan Gomes

9. Michael Taylor

Top Picks From Each Team

Juan Soto, Nationals: Soto went 3-for-4 with two homers and four RBI against the Mets on Wednesday, and the talented slugger is already up to five homers in the season while hitting .423 with a 1.444 OPS. Despite the fact Soto started the season on a delayed note following his COVID-19 recovery, he hasn't missed a beat and should continue to pace Washington offensively moving forward.

Michael Conforto, Mets: The Mets have not played as expected and are lacking reliable offensive threats in their lineup, but Conforto is emerging as a reliable presence in the middle of the lineup that could pay up dividends in most formats. The slugger went 2-for-3 with two RBI on Wednesday, and he's hitting .324 with a .940 OPS this season.

Captaincy Options

1. Juan Soto
2. Trea Turner
3. Michael Conforto
4. Pete Alonso

Dream11 Team

P – Austin Voth

C – Rene Rivera

IF – Trea Turner (VC)

IF – Pete Alonso

IF – Asdrubal Cabrera

OF – Juan Soto (C)

OF – Michael Conforto

OF – Adam Eaton

OF – Brandon Nimmo