Dream11 Fantasy Baseball: Blue Jays at Nationals

Toronto Blue Jays (1-2) at Washington Nationals (1-2)

Tuesday, July 28th, 6:05 PM ET

Projected Starters

RHP Tanner Roark (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. RHP Austin Voth (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Game Preview

The Nationals didn't have a good start to the season and lost two of three in their opening series against the New York Yankees, while the Blue Jays registered the same record in their first three-game set against the Tampa Bay Rays. It's worth noting all three games between Toronto and Tampa Bay had three or fewer total runs, and the offense has hit just .273 as a group thus far. The pitching matchup will feature a former Washington hurler, Tanner Roark, facing his former team in this Toronto debut. The Nationals will counter with Austin Voth, who posted a 2-1 record with a 3.30 ERA in nine appearances (eight starts) during the 2019 season.

Injuries

Toronto Blue Jays

Chase Anderson - 10-Day IL - Oblique

7/27 3:29 PM EST - Anderson (oblique) will throw a simulated game Wednesday, Kaitlyn McGrath of The Athletic reports. Anderson has been dealing with an oblique strain since early in camp but has been able to throw for nearly two weeks. It's not clear exactly how many pitches he's expected to throw Wednesday or how close he is to his return.

Phillippe Aumont - Day-To-Day - Elbow

3/8 1:50 PM EST - Aumont was shut down from throwing due to skin irritation on his right elbow, Jamie Campbell of Sportsnet reports. Aumont is in big-league camp as a non-roster invitee, and he's allowed three runs on three hits over three innings during spring training. The injury appears minor, but the 31-year-old won't be playing in the Olympic qualifier for Team Canada on March 22 as previously scheduled. Aumont spent 2019 in the independent Canadian-American Association and hasn't seen major-league action since 2015.

Bo Bichette - Day-To-Day - Hamstring

7/27 7:02 PM EST - Bichette (hamstring) will "probably" miss a couple of days, according to manager Charlie Montoyo, although the team will see how he feels Tuesday, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports. He tweaked his hamstring taking groundballs Monday. Montoyo called it a "day-to-day deal" before suggesting his shortstop may miss a couple days. He then said "you never know with hamstrings," which is a wise sentiment from the skipper. Joe Panik and Brandon Drury are options to fill in while Bichette is out.

Jonathan Davis - 10-Day IL - Undisclosed

7/13 1:28 PM EST - Davis (undisclosed) joined Blue Jays camp Monday, Scott Mitchell of TSN.ca reports. Davis landed on the 10-day injured list with an undisclosed issue in early July and remains on the list even though he's been cleared to link up with his teammates. It's not clear whether he'll have time to get in game shape by Opening Day, though he's buried down the outfield depth chart and isn't likely to fill a significant role even when healthy.

Yennsy Diaz - 60-Day IL - Lat

3/16 10:10 AM EST - Diaz was placed on the 60-day injured list Monday due to a lat strain, Scott Mitchell of TSN.ca reports. Joe Panik was added to the Blue Jays' 40-man roster in a corresponding move. The severity of Diaz's injury and his expected return date remain to be seen.

Ken Giles - 10-Day IL - Forearm

7/27 3:22 PM EST - Giles was diagnosed with a forearm strain Monday, Scott Mitchell of TSN.ca reports. Giles' MRI results have not yet been released, so a clearer picture of his return timeline is not yet available. He was initially diagnosed with elbow soreness upon leaving Sunday's game against the Rays. Anthony Bass is expected to be the top option for saves while he remains sidelined.

Randal Grichuk - Day-To-Day - Back

7/27 12:02 PM EST - Grichuk (back) is not in the lineup Monday against the Nationals. Grichuk left Sunday's game against the Rays with lower-back irritation and evidently needs at least one day to rest. Teoscar Hernandez slides to center field in his absence, with Derek Fisher starting in right.

Elvis Luciano - 10-Day IL - Undisclosed

7/2 8:59 AM EST - The Blue Jays placed Luciano on the 10-day injured list Wednesday due to an unspecified issue. Luciano was one of four Blue Jays placed on the IL, with no explanation given for any of the transactions. The move is retroactive to June 30, so if deemed healthy, Luciano would be eligible to return from the IL before the Blue Jays begin their season July 23 or 24. After being selected by the Blue Jays in the Rule 5 draft in December 2018, Luciano worked in mostly low-leverage spots out of the big-league bullpen as a rookie, posting a 5.35 ERA, 1.78 WHIP and 27:24 K:BB in 33.2 innings.

Alek Manoah - Day-To-Day - Undisclosed

7/15 3:15 PM EST - Manoah hasn't yet reported to Blue Jays camp, Scott Mitchell of TSN.ca reports. No reason has been given for Manoah's absence, but he hasn't been added to the injured list or replaced on the 60-man roster. The team doesn't expect him to arrive soon, but he's still eligible to join the player pool. The right-hander recorded a 2.25 ERA and 1.00 WHIP over seven appearances in the minors last season.

Tim Mayza - Out - Elbow

11/20 3:24 PM EST - Mayza (elbow) was outrighted to Triple-A Buffalo on Wednesday. The move helps clear space on the Blue Jays' 40-man roster for the team to protect Thomas Hatch and Santiago Espinal ahead of the Rule 5 draft. Mayza is expected to miss the entirety of the 2020 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Julian Merryweather - Out - Oblique

7/20 12:45 PM EST - Merryweather (oblique) played long toss Monday, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports. One week after suffering an oblique strain, Merryweather was able to resume throwing, an encouraging step in his recovery. The right-hander isn't expected to be ready for Opening Day on Friday but appears to be making progress toward being game ready. Merryweather should serve as emergency depth for the Blue Jays when healthy this year after missing the majority of the last two seasons while recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Eric Pardinho - Out - Elbow

2/11 4:40 PM EST - Pardinho underwent Tommy John surgery and will miss the 2020 season, Ben Badler of Baseball America reports. Pardinho was promoted from rookie ball to Low-A in 2019 and delivered a 2.41 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 30:13 K:BB over 33.2 innings (seven starts), but he won't be able to pitch this season. The 19-year-old will have to focus on his recovery and look to come back in 2021.

Hector Perez - 10-Day IL - Undisclosed

7/13 1:42 PM EST - Perez (undisclosed) joined Blue Jays camp Monday, Scott Mitchell of TSN.ca reports. Perez was placed on the injured list at the start of the month due to an undisclosed issue. He remains on the list despite evidently being cleared to link up with his teammates. Whether or not he has enough time to get in game shape by Opening Day remains to be seen, but he's not high on the Blue Jays' depth chart, so he wasn't particularly likely to be on the roster even without the delay.

Travis Shaw - Out - Personal

7/27 2:46 PM EST - Shaw is away from the Blue Jays due to a family matter, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports. Shaw's absence explains why he wasn't in the lineup Sunday or Monday. He was placed on the Family Medical Leave list Monday, and it's not yet clear when he's expected to return. Brandon Drury got the nod at this base on Sunday, with Joe Panik filling in Monday.

Breyvic Valera - Out - Undisclosed

7/21 4:38 PM EST - Valera is unable to report to camp for unspecified reasons and was placed on the restricted list Tuesday, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports. The 28-year-old was claimed off waivers from the Padres in early July, but he hasn't appeared in camp with his new team. Valera has now changed organizations seven times -- including a previous stint with the Blue Jays -- and had a .234/.308/.383 slash line in 52 big-league plate appearances in 2019.

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.

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.

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.

Juan Soto - Covid-19 - Illness

7/27 10:19 AM EST - Soto (illness) has yet to experience any symptoms since testing positive for COVID-19 on Thursday, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports. Soto has already submitted one negative test result since the positive reading, but he'll need one more negative test before he's cleared to rejoin the Nationals. The outfielder looks like he may have an outside chance at being available at some point during the Nationals' four-game series with the Blue Jays that begins Monday.

Stephen Strasburg - Day-To-Day - Hand

7/27 6:32 PM EST - Strasburg (hand) threw very lightly and felt less tingling his thumb Monday, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports. He is dealing with nerve irritation in his right hand, but is "definitely a lot better," according to manager Davey Martinez. Strasburg will need to throw a bullpen session before he can be cleared to make a start, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

Wander Suero - 10-Day IL - Undisclosed

7/22 9:45 AM EST - Suero (undisclosed) completed a simulated game Wednesday, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports. Even though Suero remains on the 10-day injured list, his presence at summer camp and ability to face hitters suggests he's reasonably healthy and won't miss much time beyond Opening Day. The right-hander reliever made 78 appearances for Washington in 2019, posting a 4.54 ERA, 81:26 K:BB and 19 holds over 71.1 innings.

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.

Blue Jays Expected Lineup

SP - Tanner Roark

1. Bo Bichette

2. Cavan Biggio

3. Lourdes Gurriel

4. Vladimir Guerrero

5. Travis Shaw

6. Randal Grichuk

7. Teoscar Hernandez

8. Rowdy Tellez

9. Danny Jansen

Nationals Expected Lineup

SP - Austin Voth

1. Trea Turner

2. Adam Eaton

3. Starlin Castro

4. Howie Kendrick

5. Asdrubal Cabrera

6. Eric Thames

7. Kurt Suzuki

8. Victor Robles

9. Michael Taylor

Top Picks From Each Team

Adam Eaton, Nationals: Eaton has been the best hitter in the Nationals roster so far, and he has hit .364 with a 1.091 OPS, one double, and one home run. He was expected to embrace a bigger load offensively in the absence of Juan Soto, and he has delivered the goods so far.

Vladimir Guerrero, Blue Jays: The 21-year-old third baseman has gone 4-for-14 to start the season, and he has also added one stolen base to his tally. The star infielder delivered impressive results in 2019, however, posting a .272/.339/.433 with 15 home runs and 69 RBI in 123 games.

Captaincy Options

1. Adam Eaton
2. Vladimir Guerrero
3. Trea Turner
4. Lourdes Gurriel

Dream11 Team

P – Tanner Roark

C – Reese McGuire

IF – Trea Turner

IF – Vladimir Guerrero (C)

IF – Bo Bichette

IF – Cavan Biggio

OF – Adam Eaton

OF – Victor Robles

OF – Lourdes Gurriel