Dream11 Fantasy Baseball: Mariners at Angels

Seattle Mariners (13-22) at Los Angeles Angels (12-22)

Saturday, August 29th, 9:40 PM EDT

Projected Starters

LHP Justus Sheffield (2-2, 3.51 ERA) vs RHP Dylan Bundy (3-2, 2.58 ERA)

Game Preview

Neither the Mariners nor the Angels look like potential playoff teams in the AL West, as they share a division with two of the best teams in the American League such as the Oakland Athletics and the Houston Astros. Plus, both teams are several games under the .500 threshold and, at this stage, ending relatively close to .500 would be a victory for both clubs. One of the top things to watch for in this game will be the pitching matchup, as the Mariners will start Justus Sheffield and the Angels will counter with Dylan Bundy. Both pitchers have ERAs under the 3.60 mark in 2020, so there's a strong chance this game could be decided from the mound and not with the bats.

Injuries

Los Angeles Angels

Justin Anderson - 60-Day IL - Elbow

7/23 9:59 AM EST - The Angels placed Anderson (elbow) on the 45-day injured list Thursday. Anderson's move to the IL was merely a formality after he was diagnosed with a torn UCL in his right elbow last week that required season-ending Tommy John surgery. The power reliever won't be ready to contribute for the Angels until late in the second half of the 2021 campaign in a best-case scenario.

Cam Bedrosian - 10-Day IL - Groin

8/25 12:21 PM EST - Bedrosian (adductor strain) is throwing at about 80 percent intensity, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.comreports. He is without a timetable to return, but it sounds like he is weeks, not days away. Bedrosian had a 2.08 ERA, 1.62 WHIP and 3:4 K:BB in 4.1 innings prior to suffering the injury.

Taylor Cole - Out - Shoulder

8/13 4:45 PM EST - Cole announced Thursday via his personal Instagram account that he had shoulder surgery Wednesday. Cole has been dealing with a shoulder issue since late July. After attempting to rehab through through the injury, surgery ultimately became the best option for the right-hander. Cole was already a long shot to see substantial major-league work this year, but Wednesday's surgery will almost certainly end Cole's season entirely.

Parker Markel - Out - Undisclosed

7/23 4:16 PM EST - Markel (undisclosed) is not included on the Angels' 30-man roster. Markel missed all of summer camp while dealing with an undisclosed issue, so his exclusion from the Opening Day roster is not surprising. The right-hander was far from a lock to make break camp with the squad in any case after allowing 19 earned runs in 22 innings last season as a member of the Mariners and Pirates.

Dillon Peters - 10-Day IL - Oblique

7/26 6:39 PM EST - Peters (oblique) reported to the Angels' alternate training site Sunday, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports. After missing all of camp with an oblique issue, Peters reported to the team's alternate training site to rehab as he attempts to get back into game shape. The southpaw is expected to join the major-league bullpen at some point, but it's unclear when he'll be ready to play in regular season games. Peters made 17 appearances (12 starts) for the Angels last season, recording a 5.38 ERA and 55:26 K:BB over 72 innings.

Jose Soriano - Out - Elbow

2/13 10:45 AM EST - Soriano underwent Tommy John surgery last week and will miss the entire 2020 season, Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com reports. This is a tough break for Soriano, who compiled a 2.55 ERA and 84 strikeouts in 77.2 innings with Low-A Burlington in 2019. The 21-year-old righty will now begin a long recovery process that will likely keep him sidelined into the 2021 season.

Max Stassi - 10-Day IL - Knee

8/21 3:43 PM EST - Stassi (knee) was placed on the 10-day injured list Friday, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports. Stassi took a foul ball off the knee Thursday and suffered a right knee contusion that forced him out of the contest. The injury is serious enough to warrant a stay on the injured list, and it's unclear whether he'll have to spend longer than the minimum of 10 days sidelined. Jason Castro could see the bulk of the action at catcher if he's fully healthy, but Anthony Bemboom could see a slight uptick in playing time as well.

Seattle Mariners

Austin Adams - 60-Day IL - Knee

8/16 10:47 AM EST - Adams (knee) is throwing regularly at the Mariners' spring training facility in Peoria, Arizona, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports. The right-handed reliever is working out in Peoria instead of the team's alternate training site in Tacoma so as not to count against the 60-man player pool. Adams' recovery from October knee surgery could be nearing its end, considering it's been reported he's been close to activation in recent weeks. However, he'll likely need to transition to Tacoma and face live hitters before he's deemed ready to jump into game action.

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 - 10-Day IL - Elbow

8/15 2:56 PM EST - Cortes was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left elbow impingement Saturday. The injury could certainly help explain Cortes' awful start Friday against the Astros in which he allowed eight runs (seven earned) while recording just a single out. It's unclear when he's expected back. Taylor Guilbeau was recalled in a corresponding move.

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.

Kendall Graveman - 10-Day IL - Neck

8/21 2:15 PM EST - Graveman (neck) is still hopeful he'll be able to pitch again this season despite the fact he's dealing with a benign tumor in his spine, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports. "He's still working through a few things," Mariners manager Scott Servais said Thursday. "He wants to see if there's a way he can still continue to try and pitch this year, whether in a shorter role out of the bullpen a couple innings here or there." Servais adds the veteran right-hander is highly regarded in the Mariners' clubhouse and has been a strong influence on the team's younger players, so there is certainly a willingness to have Graveman return if he's physically capable. That very much remains an open question, however, as surgery is currently not an option due to the location of the tumor yet doctors have also told him the situation won't worsen if he continues to pitch. Graveman was able to take the mound during an intrasquad game Monday at the team's alternate training site in Tacoma and reportedly displayed good velocity; therefore, there's a chance he could eventually reemerge, although it would most likely be as a relief option so as to prevent the fatigue that the tumor usually causes when Graveman's pitch count gets past a certain point.

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 - 10-Day IL - Shoulder

8/28 5:20 PM EST - Magill was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right shoulder strain Friday. Magill had a very strong start to the season over his first eight appearances, but he's struggled in recent games. The right-hander gave up two runs on three hits and no walks while striking out one over two-thirds of an inning, but his injury could help provide an explanation for his recent woes. It's unclear how much time Magill will miss. Zac Grotz was recalled from the Mariners' alternate training site in a corresponding move.

Dylan Moore - 10-Day IL - Wrist

8/22 1:19 PM EST - Moore was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right wrist sprain, retroactive to Aug. 21. Moore is off to a solid start in 2020 -- he has a .902 OPS with five home runs, 10 RBI and six stolen bases -- but his wrist injury is apparently more serious than anticipated. The team is hopeful, however, that he'll be able to return after the minimum 10 days are up. Outfielder Jake Fraley was recalled in a corresponding move, and Braden Bishop could see an increase in playing time while Moore is sidelined.

Tom Murphy - 60-Day IL - Foot

8/18 4:33 PM EST - Murphy (foot) was transferred to the 45-day injured list Tuesday. The 29-year-old recently had a setback while recovering from the broken bone in his left foot and won't be eligible to be activated until Sept. 4, according to Greg Johns of MLB.com. Austin Nola should continue handling primary catching duties for the Mariners.

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

8/20 2:53 PM EST - Swanson was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right forearm strain, retroactive to Aug. 17. Swanson has labored through his past two appearances as he's given up six runs on four hits while hitting two batters and striking out two over one inning. His injury could help provide an explanation behind his back-to-back losing efforts. The exact severity of the issue isn't known, and it's unclear how much time he'll miss as a result of the injury.

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.

Evan White - Day-To-Day - Shoulder

8/28 3:53 PM EST - White (shoulder) isn't in Friday's lineup against the Angels. White was removed from the first game of Thursday's doubleheader due to right shoulder discomfort, and he'll remain on the bench Friday. Jose Marmolejos will take over at first base.

Angels Expected Lineup

SP - Dylan Bundy

1. David Fletcher

2. Shohei Ohtani

3. Mike Trout

4. Anthony Rendon

5. Albert Pujols

6. Justin Upton

7. Jo Adell

8. Andrelton Simmons

9. Anthony Bemboom

Mariners Expected Lineup

SP - Justus Sheffield

1. J.P. Crawford

2. Sam Haggerty

3. Kyle Lewis

4. Kyle Seager

5. Austin Nola

6. Evan White

7. Jake Fraley

8. Tim Lopes

9. Shed Long

Top Picks From Each Team

Mike Trout, Angels: Trout has been one of the best offensive forces in the MLB during the 2020 season, but that shouldn't be surprising considering he's the reigning AL MVP. The star center fielder went 2-for-3 in Friday's game and, even though he's only hitting .265, he has still posted an above-average .939 OPS. He also has 11 homers this season.

Kyle Lewis, Mariners: Lewis went 1-for-4 on Friday's game, but he remains the best offensive threat in a subpar Mariners lineup. Lewis has been one of the most consistent players in the American League this season and is hitting an impressive .347 with a 974 OPS. Those numbers are good enough to make him a strong captaincy bet.

Captaincy Options

1. Mike Trout
2. Kyle Lewis
3. Anthony Rendon
4. Kyle Seager

Dream11 Team

P – Dylan Bundy

C – Austin Nola

IF – David Fletcher

IF – Dylan Moore

IF – Kyle Seager

IF – Anthony Rendon

OF – Mike Trout (C)

OF – Kyle Lewis (VC)

OF – Brian Goodwin