Dream11 Fantasy Baseball: Rangers at Mariners

Texas Rangers (13-23) at Seattle Mariners (15-22)

Friday, September 4th, 9:10 PM EDT

Projected Starters

RHP Kyle Cody (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs LHP Yusei Kikuchi (1-2, 6.12 ERA)

Game Preview

The Rangers and the Mariners were both in the bubble when it came to their playoff chances before the start of the 2020 MLB season, but all signs indicate now that they won't be playing in the postseason barring a drastic turnaround in the final weeks of the campaign. Seattle might have the edge in the pitching department ahead of this duel but only from an experience standpoint – Yusei Kikuchi has a 6.12 ERA but will be on a seven-day rest, so he doesn't have excuses to not provide a bounce-back performance. On the other hand, Kyle Cody will be making his first MLB start for the Rangers, although he is coming off tossing 2.1 scoreless innings (and 39 pitches) against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Injuries

Seattle Mariners

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

8/16 10:57 AM EST - Brennan (oblique) is throwing regularly at the Mariners' spring training facility in Peoria, Arizona, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports. Brennan isn't yet at the alternate training site in Tacoma so as not to count against the 60-man player pool. The right-hander still has plenty of time to eventually make his way there and face live hitters, considering he's not eligible for activation from the injured list 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.

Nestor Cortes - 60-Day IL - Elbow

8/31 3:46 PM EST - Cortes (elbow) was transferred to the 45-day injured list Monday. Cortes has been on the injured list since Aug. 15 with a left elbow impingement, and he should miss the remainder of the regular season as a result of the injury. The southpaw made five appearances (one start) for the Mariners this year, posting a 15.26 ERA and 2.35 WHIP over 7.2 innings.

Carl Edwards - 60-Day IL - Forearm

8/27 10:05 AM EST - Seattle transferred Edwards (forearm) on the 45-day injured list Thursday. While Edwards is expected to avoid Tommy John surgery after he was diagnosed earlier this month with a flexor mass strain in his elbow, his move to the 45-day IL indicates that his recovery timeline will extend through the end of the season. Edwards will be entering his third year of arbitration this winter, so the Mariners will likely monitor his recovery carefully before determining if he's worth keeping around on the 40-man roster into the 2021 campaign.

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.

Taylor Guilbeau - 60-Day IL - Shoulder

8/27 10:08 AM EST - The Mariners transferred Guilbeau (shoulder) to the 45-day injured list Thursday. Guilbeau's move to the 45-day IL officially spells an end to the lefty reliever's season after he was shut down over the weekend with a strained shoulder. He made eight appearances during his second season in the majors, giving up one run in 7.2 innings but posting an ugly 3:6 K:BB.

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.

Matt Magill - 60-Day IL - Shoulder

8/30 12:54 PM EST - The Mariners transferred Magill (shoulder) to the 45-day injured list Sunday. The transaction spells an end to Magill's season, as the Mariners determined he wouldn't have sufficient time to recover from his right shoulder strain before the team wraps up its schedule in late September. Magill was believed to be a candidate to close for the Mariners heading into the season, but he blew both of the save chances he received prior to being shut down with the injury. His move to the 45-day IL opens up a spot on the 40-man roster for reliever Seth Frankoff.

Dylan Moore - 10-Day IL - Wrist

9/3 6:27 PM EST - Moore (wrist) worked out with the Mariners on Thursday and could be activated as soon as Friday or Saturday according to manager Scott Servais, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports. Moore was placed on the injured list with a right wrist sprain Aug. 22, but it's looking like he will have a solid chance of returning at some point this weekend. He was playing well before suffering the injury, slashing .282/.364/.538, and figures to slot back into a regular role once he is activated.

Andres Munoz - 60-Day IL - Elbow

8/30 7:59 PM EST - Munoz (elbow) was traded from the Padres to the Mariners on Sunday for Austin Nola and several other players, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports. Munoz underwent Tommy John surgery in March and will miss the entire 2020 season as a result. He could return at some point in 2021, but he'll go through his recovery process with a new organization. The right-hander was effective in his first taste of major-league action last year as he posted a 3.91 ERA and 30.9 percent strikeout rate over 23 innings with the Padres prior to being shut down.

Tom Murphy - 60-Day IL - Foot

8/31 11:41 AM EST - Mariners manager Scott Servais said Monday that Murphy (foot) has yet to resume baseball activities, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports. Though the Mariners dealt backstop Austin Nola to San Diego on Sunday, the move didn't foreshadow an impending return for Murphy, who appeared positioned to open the season as Seattle's top catcher before fracturing his left foot during summer camp. While his placement on the 45-day injured list makes him eligible to return in the first week of September, Murphy doesn't appear close to being ready for game action. Unless Murphy makes demonstrable progress in his recovery in the next week or two, he looks to be at risk of missing the entire season.

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.

Cal Raleigh - Day-To-Day - Ear

8/24 12:35 PM EST - Raleigh required stitches on his right ear to seal a laceration that he sustained after he was hit in the side of the head by a bat during an intrasquad game Sunday, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports. Fortunately, the 23-year-old catcher was cleared of a concussion, so he should be ready to resume game action within the next few days. Raleigh received an invite to the Mariners' summer camp after slashing .251/.323/.497 between stops at High-A Modesto and Double-A Arkansas in 2019.

Erik Swanson - 10-Day IL - Forearm

9/3 6:36 PM EST - Swanson (forearm) worked out with the team Thursday and could be activated from the injured list in the near future, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports. Swanson was placed on the injured list Aug. 20 with a forearm strain. No exact timetable has been established for when the right-hander could be activated, but it sounds like sometime within the next week is not out of the question. The 27-year-old has struggled in six appearances this season, allowing nine runs in just 5.1 innings.

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.

Willie Calhoun - 10-Day IL - Hamstring

8/20 3:57 PM EST - Calhoun (hamstring) was placed on the 10-day injured list Thursday. As expected, Calhoun will head to the injured list after suffering a strained left hamstring during Wednesday's extra-inning loss to the Padres. The outfielder will be out a minimum of three weeks, according to Levi Weaver of The Athletic. Nick Solak is starting in left field in place of Calhoun on Thursday, while Yadiel Rivera was promoted from the team's alternate training site to take his place on the roster.

Jesse Chavez - 10-Day IL - Toe

8/24 2:27 PM EST - Chavez was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left big toe sprain, retroactive to Aug. 23. Chavez has struggled during recent appearances and now carries an 8.74 ERA and 1.68 WHIP over 11.1 innings this season as he's blown three saves. It's unclear how the 37-year-old sustained his injury or whether he'll be able to return after spending the minimum amount of time on the injured list.

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.

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.

Juan Nicasio - Out - Personal

8/18 2:46 PM EST - Nicasio was placed on the restricted list for personal reasons Tuesday, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports. Nicasio is travelling home to be with his family in the Dominican Republic, though he reportedly isn't opting out of the season. It's not clear when he's expected to return. Luis Garcia will join the Rangers' bullpen in a corresponding move.

Rougned Odor - 10-Day IL - Eye

8/31 3:09 PM EST - Odor (eye) was placed on the 10-day injured list Monday, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports. Odor missed six consecutive games while dealing with a right eye infection, and his trip to the IL will allow him extra time to heal. The 26-year-old will be the starting second baseman once he returns, but Nick Solak could take over at second base in his absence with Leody Taveras seeing increased time in center field.

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 - Elbow

8/28 3:30 PM EST - Santana was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right elbow sprain, retroactive to Aug. 27. Santana was initially slated to start Friday's contest against the Dodgers, but he'll be sidelined for at least 10 days due to an elbow issue. The severity of the injury is unclear. While Santana recovers, Derek Dietrich could see an uptick in playing time at first base. Ronald Guzman was also recalled from the Rangers' alternate training site in a corresponding move.

Edinson Volquez - 60-Day IL - Oblique

8/13 3:40 PM EST - Volquez was placed on the 45-day injured list Thursday with a right oblique strain. Volquez was relatively effective out of the Rangers' bullpen to begin the season, but he should miss the rest of the regular season as a result of his oblique injury. It's certainly a devastating blow for the 37-year-old, who also missed most of the 2019 campaign with an elbow injury. He had initially intended to retire following the 2019 season, so it's safe to wonder if Volquez will take the mound in the majors again.

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.

Mariners Expected Lineup

SP - Yusei Kikuchi

1. J.P. Crawford

2. Sam Haggerty

3. Kyle Lewis

4. Kyle Seager

5. Jose Marmolejos

6. Evan White

7. Ty France

8. Shed Long

9. Luis Torrens

Rangers Expected Lineup

SP - Kyle Cody

1. Leody Taveras

2. Isiah Kiner-Falefa

3. Shin-Soo Choo

4. Nick Solak

5. Joey Gallo

6. Elvis Andrus

7. Ronald Guzman

8. Jose Trevino

9. Eli White

Top Picks From Each Team

Kyle Lewis, Mariners: Lewis has been one of the most reliable bats in the Mariners lineup this season and has been absolutely on fire in recent weeks. Across his last 15 games, Lewis is slashing .346/.452/.596 with four homers, seven RBI, a 10:13 B:KK and 16 runs scored.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Rangers: Kiner-Falefa is far from a household name for casual fans, but he could be in line for a strong performance in this matchup. He is one of the best hitters in the Rangers lineup (.281 average with a .724 OPS) and also has two hits in two career at-bats against Yusei Kikuchi. That's something he hopes to build off from.

Captaincy Options

1. Kyle Lewis
2. Kyle Seager
3. Isiah Kiner-Falefa
4. Yusei Kikuchi

Dream11 Team

P – Yusei Kikuchi

C – Jose Trevino

IF – Isiah Kiner-Falefa

IF – Dylan Moore

IF – Kyle Seager (VC)

IF – J.P. Crawford

OF – Kyle Lewis (C)

OF – Joey Gallo

OF – Nick Solak