Dream11 Fantasy Baseball: Braves at Mets

Atlanta Braves (0-0) at New York Mets (0-0)

Friday, July 24th, 4:10 PM (ET)

Projected starters

RHP Jacob deGrom (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs RHP Mike Soroka (0-0, 0.00 ERA)

Game Preview

The Braves were the best team in the NL East during the 2019 MLB season, and they have bigger expectations for the 2020 shortened campaign, as they could easily be considered as contenders for the NL pennant. The Mets might be one of their biggest rivals in the race for the Division, as they have an imposing lineup that can go toe-to-toe with most of the NL squads. The pitching matchup here will be intriguing one, as the reigning NL Cy Young, Jacob deGrom, will go up against one of the league's top young arms in Mike Soroka. DeGrom went 11-8 with a 2.43 ERA across 32 appearances in 2019, while Soroka posted a 13-4 record with a 2.68 ERA in 29 starts.

Injuries:

Atlanta Braves

Johan Camargo - Day-To-Day - Hamstring

7/22 12:51 PM EST - Camargo's hamstring injury didn't seem like a problem during batting practice Wednesday, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports. Camargo suffered a mild hamstring during an intrasquad game over the weekend. The timing could send him to the injured list for a brief period, though it appears as if he's close to game action. With active rosters expanded to 30 players, it's possible Camargo could avoid the injured list if he's expected to be ready within a few days of Opening Day.

Freddie Freeman - Covid-19 - Illness

7/21 7:25 AM EST - Freeman (illness) picked up three hits, including a home run and a double, during Monday's intrasquad scrimmage, Gabriel Burns of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. All three hits came off projected starter Sean Newcomb. Freeman has been getting in plenty of work since rejoining the team, hitting in every inning during the last three scrimmages and amassing about 20 at-bats in total, and he figures to be in the lineup for exhibition games against the Marlins on Tuesday and Wednesday. Barring any kind of setback in his recovery from COVID-19, Freeman appears to be on track to play Opening Day.

Cole Hamels - 60-Day IL - Triceps

7/23 1:57 PM EST - Hamels (triceps) was placed on the 45-day injured list Thursday, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports. Not much has gone right for Hamels since he signed with the Braves; he dealt with a shoulder issue early in camp before landing on the IL last week with triceps tendinitis. Following this most recent move, the southpaw will be sidelined until at least the beginning of September. Kyle Wright and Josh Tomlin are candidates to fill in for Hamels in the rotation.

Felix Hernandez - Out - Opt Out

7/4 7:58 PM EST - Hernandez will opt out of the 2020 season due to concerns regarding COVID-19, according to his agent, Wilfredo Polidor. The veteran right-hander was included on the team's 60-player roster pool and was competing with Sean Newcomb for a spot in the starting rotation, but he'll elect to sit out the 60-game season to help protect himself and his family, per Jon Heyman of MLB Network. Hernandez joins the growing list of players who have opted out, including David Price, Ryan Zimmerman, Welington Castillo and Joe Ross. Kyle Wright figures to be the next man up to compete for a rotation spot for Atlanta.

Pete Kozma - Out - Illness

7/4 8:45 AM EST - Manager Brian Snitker said Saturday that Kozma tested positive for COVID-19, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports. Kozma was added to the Braves' 60-man roster in late June as a non-roster invitee, but he was named as one of four players on the team to have tested positive for COVID-19. He's reportedly experiencing symptoms, which could slightly extend his recovery timeline. The 32-year-old will need to clear the league protocol before he's allowed to rejoin the team.

Nick Markakis - Out - Opt Out

7/6 8:23 AM EST - Markakis has decided to opt out of playing this season, Gabe Burns of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. Markakis becomes the latest in a growing number of players to decide not to play during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Markakis had been in line to fill a fairly large role in left field this season, with Marcell Ozuna expected to spend time as the designated hitter. His decision opens up more at-bats for Adam Duvall as well as offering another spot in the lineup for Austin Riley and Johan Camargo, who were expected to compete for time at third base.

Peter O'Brien - 10-Day IL - Undisclosed

7/16 11:49 AM EST - O'Brien (undisclosed) was placed on the 10-day injured list Thursday, Andersen Pickard of MLBDailyDish.com reports. The reasoning behind O'Brien's move to the injured list is not clear. The 29-year-old, who owns a career .209/.275/.434 slash line across 200 major-league plate appearances, joined the Braves as a non-roster invitee in January and will serve as organizational depth once healthy.

Cristian Pache - Out - Ankle

7/15 1:12 PM EST - Pache was diagnosed with a Grade 2 right ankle sprain Wednesday, David O'Brien of The Athletic reports. Pache picked up the injury attempting to steal second base during Monday's intrasquad game. The 21-year-old is back at the team's camp in Gwinnett for the time being. While manager Brian Snitker downplayed the severity of the injury, the skipper added that Pache is "gonna need a few days."

Philip Pfeifer - 60-Day IL - Elbow

7/21 8:42 AM EST - Pfeifer was placed on the 45-day injured list Tuesday with a bone contusion in his left elbow, 680 The Fan Atlanta reports. Pfeifer didn't seem likely to fill a significant role in the Braves' bullpen this season, as he's a 28-year-old who's yet to reach the majors. He'll now be ineligible to make his debut until early September at the earliest.

Will Smith - Covid-19 - Illness

7/5 11:52 AM EST - The Braves placed Smith (illness) on the 10-day injured list Saturday. Atlanta made the transaction shortly after the team revealed that Smith was one of four Braves to test positive for COVID-19. Among the four players, Smith and pitcher Touki Toussaint were revealed to be asymptomatic as of Saturday, so both could be cleared to rejoin the team in a matter of days if they can quickly procure two negative results in their subsequent tests. If Smith's absence proves to be a brief one, he should be ready to go for Opening Day and remain in the mix to close games for the Braves.

Jeremy Walker - 60-Day IL - Shoulder

6/26 11:36 AM EST - Walker was placed on the 45-day injured list Friday with a right shoulder impingement. The 25-year-old suffered the injury early in spring camp and was never provided an official timetable for his return, but he clearly needs more time to recover. Walker made his big-league debut in 2019 and allowed two runs over 9.1 innings, but it's unclear if he'll be able to play during the shortened 2020 season.

Jacob Webb - 60-Day IL - Shoulder

7/21 8:30 AM EST - Webb was placed on the 45-day injured list with a right shoulder strain Tuesday, 680 The Fan Atlanta reports. Webb could have played a role in Atlanta's bullpen this season, as he produced a strong 1.39 ERA in his 32.1-inning debut last year, but he'll now be sidelined for at least the majority of the campaign. It's not clear when he's expected to return, but he won't be eligible to do so until early September.

New York Mets

Brad Brach - 10-Day IL - Undisclosed

7/15 2:21 PM EST - Brach (undisclosed) was placed on the 10-day injured list Wednesday, Justin Toscano of The Bergen Record reports. This move comes after it was reported last week that Brach had yet to report to camp. The Mets didn't provide a reason behind the righty's placement on the injured list, and the team isn't legally allowed to confirm whether his absence is related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Once healthy, Brach is looking to bounce back from a 2019 campaign in which he posted a career-worst 5.47 ERA in 54.1 innings.

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.

Robert Gsellman - 10-Day IL - Triceps

7/22 3:05 PM EST - Gsellman (triceps) was placed on the 10-day injured list Wednesday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports. The move was anticipated after Gsellman was shut down from throwing last week with right triceps tightness. The issue doesn't sound too serious, but the team will choose to allow him time to recover rather than rushing him out to begin the season. Gsellman made 52 appearances for the Mets last year, posting a 4.66 ERA and 60:23 K:BB over 63.2 innings.

Jared Hughes - 10-Day IL - Undisclosed

7/15 2:20 PM EST - Hughes was placed on the 10-day injured list Wednesday for an undisclosed reason, Tim Britton of The Athletic reports. Hughes signed a major-league deal with the Mets in late June, but he's yet to report to camp and will now land on the injured list for an undisclosed reason. If his absence is related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the team wouldn't legally be allowed to say so. Given the timing of the move, Hughes will miss the start of the regular season, but it's unclear exactly how long he'll be sidelined.

Walker Lockett - 10-Day IL - Back

7/20 2:40 PM EST - Lockett was placed on the 10-day injured list with lower back discomfort Monday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports. It's not clear how much time Lockett is expected to miss. His absence won't be a significant loss for the Mets, as he struggled to an 8.34 ERA and a 1.72 WHIP in 22.2 innings last season.

Jed Lowrie - 10-Day IL - Knee

7/22 3:25 PM EST - Lowrie will receive a second opinion on his left knee, Justin Toscano of The Bergen Record reports. Lowrie, who was placed on the IL earlier in the week with left knee discomfort, saw Dr. David Altchek earlier in the week but will receive a second opinion before moving forward with a recovery plan. The veteran infielder was limited to just nine games in 2019 thanks to knee, hamstring and calf issues.

Drew Smith - Out - Elbow

7/3 8:46 AM EST - Smith (elbow) is a member of the Mets' 60-player roster pool and could be ready for the start of the season, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports. The 26-year-old underwent Tommy John surgery in March 2019 but appears to be in the final stages of his recovery, as he's been throwing off a mound since March. Smith had a solid rookie showing in 2018 with a 3.54 ERA, 1.43 WHIP and 18:6 K:BB over 28 innings, so he could be a factor in the Mets' bullpen once fully healthy.

Marcus Stroman - 10-Day IL - Calf

7/23 11:40 AM EST - Stroman suggested Thursday in a post on his personal Twitter account that the calf injury that landed him on the 10-day injured list is a "super minor setback." Manager Luis Rojas labeled Stroman as week-to-week Tuesday after the right-hander was revealed to have a muscle tear in his left calf, but the injury apparently hasn't prevented Stroman from working out. In his post, Stroman said he "felt great" while throwing a 55-pitch bullpen session Monday, noting that he only feels pain in his calf when he jogs and sprints. With that in mind, Stroman's progression through a running program will likely be the top determining factor in when he eventually returns from the IL. He'll likely miss at least two turns through the rotation, with Corey Oswalt looking like the top candidate to replace him at the beginning of the season.

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.

Braves Expected Lineup:

SP - Mike Soroka

1. Ronald Acuna

2. Ozzie Albies

3. Freddie Freeman

4. Marcell Ozuna

5. Austin Riley

6. Dansby Swanson

7. Adam Duvall

8. Travis d'Arnaud

9. Ender Inciarte

Mets Expected Lineup:

SP - Jacob deGrom

1. Jeff McNeil

2. Pete Alonso

3. Michael Conforto

4. J.D. Davis

5. Robinson Cano

6. Yoenis Cespedes

7. Brandon Nimmo

8. Wilson Ramos

9. Amed Rosario

RotoWire.com Projections:

Yoenis Cespedes, NYM - OF

• Credits: 15.5
• Proj. D11 Pts: 10.60

Cristian Pache, ATL - OF

• Credits: 15
• Proj. D11 Pts: 0.00

Peter O'Brien, ATL - OF

• Credits: 14.5
• Proj. D11 Pts: 0.00

Robinson Cano, NYM - IF

• Credits: 14.5
• Proj. D11 Pts: 9.95

Mike Soroka, ATL - P

• Credits: 13
• Proj. D11 Pts: 12.08

Ronald Acuna, ATL - OF

• Credits: 12
• Proj. D11 Pts: 11.81

Michael Conforto, NYM - OF

• Credits: 11.5
• Proj. D11 Pts: 11.29

Jacob deGrom, NYM - P

• Credits: 10
• Proj. D11 Pts: 20.65

Wilson Ramos, NYM - C

• Credits: 9.5
• Proj. D11 Pts: 9.34

Pete Alonso, NYM - IF

• Credits: 9.5
• Proj. D11 Pts: 11.19

Amed Rosario, NYM - IF

• Credits: 9.5
• Proj. D11 Pts: 8.53

Top Picks From Each Team:

Ronald Acuna, Braves: Acuna was a jack-of-all-trades for the Braves during the 2019 MLB season, as he was one of the top players in the National League and remained in contention for the MVP Award for most of the campaign. The star outfielder registered 41 home runs, 101 RBI, 37 stolen bases and a .280/.365/.518 slash line in 156 games.

Pete Alonso, Mets: Alonso made history during the 2019 MLB season, as the star first baseman played all but one game and notched 53 home runs with 120 RBI, earning NL Rookie Of The Year honors along the way. He also registered 30 doubles, 72 walks and a .260 batting average.

Captaincy Options:

1. Ronald Acuna
2. Pete Alonso
3. Marcell Ozuna
4. Yoenis Cespedes

Dream11 Team

P – Jacob deGrom

C – Wilson Ramos

IF – Robinson Cano

IF – Pete Alonso (VC)

IF – Freddie Freeman

OF – Michael Conforto

OF – Yoenis Cespedes

OF – Ronald Acuna (C)

OF – Marcell Ozuna

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are of the author and is not a reflection of the actual points you might earn.