Dream11 Fantasy Baseball: Cardinals at Cubs

Written by

Juan Pablo Aravena

Published on September 6, 2020

St. Louis Cardinals (16-15) at Chicago Cubs (23-17)

Sunday, September 6th, 7:08 PM EDT

Projected Starters

RHP Dakota Hudson (1-2, 2.77 ERA) vs LHP Jon Lester (2-1, 5.11 ERA)

Game Preview

The Cubs and the Cardinals are the two top teams in the NL Central, although the Cubs still hold a sizable lead in the division standings – most notably due to their impressive start to the 2020 season. The Cardinals have been on the rise, though, so it wouldn't be wise to just rule them out just like that. The pitching matchup for this game has a veteran lefty for the Cubs, Jon Lester, against an up-and-coming right-hander for the Cardinals, Dakota Hudson. Hudson has a better ERA, but Lester tends to pitch at his best in primetime games such as this one. There is a strong chance that the pitching matchup ends up being pivotal in the development of the game.

Injuries

Chicago Cubs

Corey Black - Out - Elbow

4/9 6:30 PM EST - Black announced via Twitter on Tuesday that he underwent Tommy John surgery. Black has barely pitched since 2016 as this is the third time he's undergone Tommy John surgery. The 27-year-old will be sidelined for the entire 2019 season and likely a good chunk of 2020.

Andrew Chafin - 10-Day IL - Finger

8/31 12:17 PM EST - Chafin (finger) was traded from the Diamondbacks to the Cubs on Monday in exchange for a player to be named later, Jon Heyman

St. Louis Cardinals (16-15) at Chicago Cubs (23-17)

Sunday, September 6th, 7:08 PM EDT

Projected Starters

RHP Dakota Hudson (1-2, 2.77 ERA) vs LHP Jon Lester (2-1, 5.11 ERA)

Game Preview

Injuries

Chicago Cubs

Corey Black - Out - Elbow

Andrew Chafin - 10-Day IL - Finger

8/31 12:17 PM EST - Chafin (finger) was traded from the Diamondbacks to the Cubs on Monday in exchange for a player to be named later, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports. Chafin has been sidelined since Aug. 19 with a sprained left index finger, and he'll suit up for a new team once he returns. The southpaw was wearing a splint for the past week to help his finger heal, although it's unclear when he'll be able to take the mound again. Chafin allowed six runs on nine hits and four walks while striking out 10 over 6.2 innings this season.

Tyler Chatwood - 10-Day IL - Forearm

9/1 3:52 PM EST - Chatwood was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right forearm strain Tuesday. Chatwood underwent an MRI on Monday that revealed a right forearm strain. He'll officially head to the 10-day injured list, but he'll likely be out beyond 10 days. General manager Jed Hoyer was optimistic that the right-hander could return prior to the end of the season.

Daniel Descalso - 60-Day IL - Ankle

7/23 9:16 AM EST - The Cubs placed Descalso on the 45-day injured list Wednesday with a left ankle sprain, Bruce Levine of 670TheScore.com reports. No reports surfaced in summer camp suggesting that Descalso was tending to a major injury, but the utility man will now be on the shelf for at least the next month and a half while he recovers from the ankle sprain. His absence likely paved the way for both Jason Kipnis and Nico Hoerner to crack the Opening Day roster.

Luke Hagerty - Out - Elbow

3/27 8:45 AM EST - Hagerty was recently diagnosed with an elbow injury that will require season-ending surgery, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports. The injury likely spells an end to one of the best comeback stories of spring training, as Hagerty had earned an invite to the Cubs' big-league camp after a 13-year layoff from professional baseball. A first-round pick of the Cubs in 2002, Hagerty struggled through injuries and ineffectiveness in the lower minors and stepped away from the game for over a decade before flashing an upper-90s fastball while working out over the winter. The 37-year-old was expected to open the season at Triple-A Iowa or Double-A Tennessee, but the elbow injury will spell an end to that plan. While Bastian notes that Hagerty won't require Tommy John surgery, the elbow procedure could prompt the lefty to hang up his cleats for good.

James Norwood - 60-Day IL - Shoulder

8/23 10:30 AM EST - Norwood (shoulder) was transferred to the 45-day injured list Sunday. The 26-year-old threw a bullpen session a week after landing on the injured list at the start of August, but he apparently needs more time to recover. Norwood doesn't have an official timeline for his return, but he won't be eligible to be activated until mid-September.

Jose Quintana - 10-Day IL - Lat

9/2 2:57 PM EST - Quintana was placed on the 10-day injured list Wednesday with left lat inflammation, Adam Berry of MLB.com reports. Quintana presumably suffered the injury during Sunday's contest, as he pitched three innings of one-run relief after Tyler Chatwood (forearm) left with an injury. The severity of the injury remains unclear, but it's poor timing for the Cubs given Chatwood's injury and the upcoming doubleheader this weekend. Adbert Alzolay is a likely candidate to enter the rotation in the meantime.

Manuel Rodriguez - Out - Biceps

3/6 10:58 AM EST - Rodriguez (biceps) was optioned to Double-A Tennessee on Friday. Rodriguez is out indefinitely with a Grade 2 right biceps strain, but he was never a candidate for the big-league roster, as he's yet to play above High-A. As he has no big-league experience, the Cubs are allowed to option him now rather than placing him on the major-league injured list. It looks likely that he'll open the season on the injured list in the minors, however.

Brad Wieck - 60-Day IL - Hamstring

8/18 3:59 PM EST - Wieck (knee/hamstring) was placed on the 45-day injured list Tuesday. Wieck faced a setback in his recovery process recently, and he'll miss significant time as a result. While the left-hander's hamstring was reportedly feeling better, he was set back due to left knee soreness. It's unclear whether Wieck will return to the majors before the end of the regular season. Hernan Perez's contract was selected Tuesday in a corresponding move.

Mark Zagunis - Out - Opt Out

7/23 9:31 AM EST - The Cubs placed Zagunis on the restricted list Thursday after he informed the club that he will opt out of the 2020 season, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports. Zagunis will lose his spot in the Cubs' 60-man player pool as a result, though he'll still remain under club control. Had he cracked the team's Opening Day roster, Zagunis likely would have been in line for limited action as a reserve outfielder.

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

9/1 9:06 AM EST - Cabrera had an acrylic nail attached to his left middle finger Monday and should be available out of the bullpen by Tuesday or Wednesday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports. The left-hander suffered a cracked fingernail during an appearance against the Indians on Saturday, leading to his exit from the contest. Manager Mike Shildt relayed Monday that the soreness in Cabrera's finger had already begun subsiding.

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.

Dexter Fowler - Covid-19 - Not Injury Related

9/2 1:41 PM EST - Fowler's placement on the COVID-19 injured list is due to the fact that he's taking a medication which compromises his immune system, placing him at heightened risk if he contracts coronavirus, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. Fowler has reportedly taken the same medication for a stomach issue in the past, but the medical realities that come with playing baseball during a pandemic will force him to be extra careful this time around. He's expected to be sidelined for at least a couple weeks but should have a shot to return before the end of the season. Some combination of Harrison Bader, Tyler O'Neill and Lane Thomas should see increased playing time in the outfield during his absence.

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.

Kwang-Hyun Kim - 10-Day IL - Illness

9/5 2:21 PM EST - Kim landed on the 10-day injured list due to a kidney issue Saturday, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. Kim reportedly was dealing with abdominal pain Friday morning and had to be taken to the emergency room, where a kidney blockage was discovered. He's reportedly feeling much better and is likely to pitch again this season. The transaction was made retroactive to Wednesday, meaning he can return to action next Saturday, though it's not yet clear whether he's expected to do so.

Carlos Martinez - Covid-19 - Not Injury Related

9/3 10:13 PM EST - Martinez (illness) is a candidate to be activated from the COVID-19 injured list and start Tuesday against the Twins, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports. The right-hander has been progressively building his arm back up in order to return as a starter, with his latest effort in that regard a four-inning simulated game Wednesday. The Cardinals will work through their existing rotation over a five-game weekend series against the Cubs that begins Friday, setting the stage for Martinez to likely handle one of the two games in Tuesday's twin bill.

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 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.

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

9/2 11:48 PM EST - Whitley (elbow) has resumed playing catch at the Cardinals' alternate training site in Springfield, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports. The right-hander began experiencing elbow discomfort during his catch sessions in late August while trying to build his arm back up following a COVID-19 infection. Whitley subsequently underwent evaluation, and manager Mike Shildt confirmed Wednesday "everything checked out positive structurally, and he's back to felling unrestricted". However, the 25-year-old remains without a firm timeline for return and is naturally running out of time with less than four weeks to go in the regular season.