Dream11 Fantasy Baseball: Royals at Indians

Kansas City Royals (14-27) at Cleveland Indians (25-15)

Monday, September 7th, 6:10 PM EDT

Projected Starters

RHP Brad Keller (3-1, 1.93 ERA) vs RHP Zach Plesac (2-1, 1.33 ERA)

Game Preview

The Royals and the Indians are marching through opposite paths at the moment. While the Royals are probably thinking about a rebuilding process that could see them contend in around two years, the Indians are built to win now and their record backs that up – they are one of the top teams in the AL Central and have a clear shot at reaching the postseason. The pitching matchup for this game offers interesting variables and it will feature two right-handers with sub-2.00 ERAs, as Zach Plesac will get the ball for the Indians and Brad Keller will start for the Royals. The offenses might be the differential here and, with that in mind, Plesac looks like the better alternative due to the strength of the Indians' lineup.

Injuries

Cleveland Indians

Emmanuel Clase - Suspension - Suspension

6/25 11:24 AM EST - Clase's suspension will be completed if MLB plays an entire 60-game season in 2020, Paul Hoynes of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports. Clase was initially slated to serve an 80-game suspension after testing positive for the PED Boldenone, but the suspension won't carry over to 2021 if the league plays their entire 60-game regular season. If the season gets interrupted, negotiations would likely need to reopen in order to determine a timetable for the suspension.

Delino DeShields - Day-To-Day - Shoulder

9/6 9:08 AM EST - DeShields (shoulder) is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Brewers. This is now two straight absences for DeShields after he left Friday's game with what was diagnosed as a right shoulder contusion. Assuming it's not something more serious, he should be back in action soon. Oscar Mercado starts again in center field.

Lenny Torres - Out - Elbow

5/15 1:08 PM EST - Torres underwent Tommy John surgery and will miss the entire 2019 season. He experienced diminished velocity in an early May outing in extended spring training, and it was quickly revealed that he would need to go under the knife to repair a torn UCL. Torres has considerable upside, but as a shorter pitcher with elite arm speed, this development is not particularly surprising. Given the timing of the surgery and Torres' minimal pro experience, he may not pitch for an affiliate until 2021.

Kansas City Royals

Franchy Cordero - 60-Day IL - Wrist

8/11 8:51 AM EST - Cordero underwent surgery on his right hamate bone Tuesday, Alec Lewis of The Athletic reports. Cordero was transferred to the 45-day injured list Monday with an initial diagnosis of a sprained wrist. Injuries will yet again prevent the toolsy outfielder from getting the chance to establish himself, as he appeared in just 11 games before suffering the injury. He technically still has time to return from the injured list in time to play in the last few games of the season, though it's not yet clear if that's a realistic possibility.

Yefri Del Rosario - Out - Biceps

4/4 10:28 AM EST - Del Rosario is being held back in extended spring training while he rehabs a bicep flare-up, Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com reports. A couple of the Royals' high-upside pitching prospects are being held back in extended spring training, but Mayo thinks Del Rosario will be ready to pitch for an affiliate before org. mate Carlos Hernandez (rib) is ready, so perhaps we see Del Rosario in April or May. He has a very high ceiling, but as with most young hurlers, improving his command will be crucial if he is to remain a starter.

Foster Griffin - 60-Day IL - Elbow

8/15 7:47 PM EST - Griffin underwent Tommy John surgery Tuesday, he revealed on his personal Twitter page Saturday. Griffin tore his UCL in his major-league debut on July 27. The timing of the injury almost certainly means he'll miss the entirety of the 2021 season as well as the rest of this year, though he'll have a good chance to be at full strength when he reports for spring training in 2022. At that point, he'll be a 26-year-old with just five outs of big-league experience to his name.

Kelvin Gutierrez - 60-Day IL - Elbow

7/16 7:12 PM EST - Gutierrez (elbow) was moved to the 45-day IL on Thursday, Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com reports. Gutierrez was moved to the extended IL to make room for Franchy Cordero and Ronald Bolanos, who were sent from San Diego in a trade for Tim Hill. Kansas City still is planning on re-evaluating Gutierrez in two weeks. The 25-year-old has been hitting and throwing in Arizona as he recovers from his right UCL sprain.

Carlos Hernandez - Day-To-Day - Abdomen

9/6 2:29 PM EST - Hernandez was diagnosed with a stomach contusion after leaving Sunday's game against the White Sox, Alec Lewis of The Athletic reports. Hernandez appeared to take a line drive to his stomach Sunday, but he was able to walk off the field under his own power. He appears to have avoided a serious injury.

Jakob Junis - Day-To-Day - Arm

9/2 6:22 PM EST - Junis made a precautionary exit from Wednesday's game against the Indians after being hit by a line drive between the biceps and triceps of his right arm, Alec Lewis of The Athletic reports. The liner was 106.9 mph off the bat, leaving the right-hander minimal time to react. Junis allowed two runs on four hits with one strikeout and zero walks over four innings before leaving the contest. The 27-year-old's status for the next turn through the rotation should receive more clarity as he continues to be evaluated.

Ian Kennedy - 10-Day IL - Calf

9/2 1:21 PM EST - Manager Mike Matheny said Wednesday that Kennedy's MRI revealed a Grade 2 strain of his left calf, Alec Lewis of The Athletic reports. He's expected to need at least three weeks to recover from the injury. Based on that projected timeline, Kennedy's season is over, unless the 14-22 Royals make a surprise run through the playoffs. An impending free agent, Kennedy likely would have been a prime candidate to be moved prior to Monday's trade deadline, but the calf injury cooled his market. Tabbed by many heading into the season as the Royals' presumptive closer, Kennedy will likely finish the 2020 campaign with zero saves to go with a 9.00 ERA and 1.79 WHIP over 14 innings.

Janser Lara - Out - Undisclosed

4/4 10:37 AM EST - Lara is rehabbing an undisclosed injury in extended spring training, Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com reports. Also of note is the fact that the Royals have decided to officially develop Lara as a reliever moving forward. He can touch triple digits with his fastball and has a power breaking ball, so he has some long-term fantasy upside in that role. Lara had a 1.98 ERA, .174 batting average against and an 11.9 K/9 in 15 relief innings last year at Low-A. He should head to High-A once he is healthy.

Mike Montgomery - 60-Day IL - Lat

8/7 3:32 PM EST - Montgomery (lat) was transferred to the 45-day injured list Friday. Montgomery struggled in his only outing of the year before landing on the 10-day injured list with a strained lat in late July, The injury was evidently rather serious, as he'll now be out until very late in the season, if he returns at all.

Salvador Perez - 10-Day IL - Eye

9/6 1:57 PM EST - Royals GM Dayton Moore said Sunday that Perez (eye) will soon begin participating at the Royals' alternate site, Alec Lewis of The Athletic reports. Blurred vision sent Perez to the injured list last month. The official diagnosis was central serous chorioretinopathy, a condition in which fluid accumulates under the retina. Fortunately, it seems he's found a solution or has moved past the worst of the problem as he is set to begin participating soon. A return for the final 10 games or so would appear to be on the table if he can get up to speed in a hurry.

Ashe Russell - Out - Elbow

3/7 9:43 AM EST - Russell is recovering from Tommy John surgery that he underwent last May, Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com reports. He spent more than two years away from competitive baseball and returned last season only to go under the knife to repair a torn UCL. Russell is expected to throw in extended spring training and then join High-A Wilmington this summer.

Eric Skoglund - Out - Arm

6/28 12:01 PM EST - Skoglund (arm) cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Omaha on Sunday, Lynn Worthy of The Kansas City Star reports. The 27-year-old was designated for assignment back in late March, but due to the transaction freeze he remained in roster limbo for the past three months. Skogland isn't eliminated from being included on Kansas City's initial 60-man player pool, but his removal from the 40-man roster will make it more difficult for him to begin the season in the majors.

Jorge Soler - Day-To-Day - Oblique

9/5 5:16 PM EST - Soler was removed from Saturday's game against the White Sox after his first at-bat, Josh Vernier of 610 Sports reports. It's not yet clear why Soler was taken out of Saturday's contest, but it could have been because of the sore back and oblique that cost him a game and part of another earlier this week. Soler was replaced in the game by Ryan McBroom.

Glenn Sparkman - 10-Day IL - Forearm

8/7 3:37 PM EST - Sparkman (forearm) was transferred to the 45-day injured list Friday. Sparkman landed on the 10-day injured list Wednesday with a forearm strain. The issue is evidently a serious one, and he'll now miss at minimum the majority of the rest of the season.

Daniel Tillo - Out - Elbow

8/16 9:27 AM EST - Tillo underwent Tommy John surgery on his left elbow July 29, Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com reports. The Royals added Tillo to their 60-man roster pool in late June, but the 24-year-old southpaw never made a serious run at a spot on the Opening Day roster before he was shut down late in summer camp with UCL damage in his elbow. After getting some opinions from doctors, Tillo officially decided to go under the knife just over two weeks ago rather than treating the injury with rest and rehab. He'll miss the remainder of the season and likely all of the 2021 campaign while recovering from the procedure.

Nolan Watson - Out - Elbow

3/7 9:40 AM EST - Watson is recovering from Tommy John surgery that he underwent last May, Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com reports. The 33rd overall pick in 2015, Watson's career has been derailed by injuries to date, as he also dealt with a shoulder injury in 2017. He is expected to throw in extended spring training and could be sent to High-A Wilmington this summer.

Indians Expected Lineup

SP - Zach Plesac

1. Cesar Hernandez

2. Jose Ramirez

3. Francisco Lindor

4. Carlos Santana

5. Franmil Reyes

6. Josh Naylor

7. Tyler Naquin

8. Roberto Perez

9. Delino DeShields

Royals Expected Lineup

SP - Brad Keller

1. Whit Merrifield

2. Hunter Dozier

3. Jorge Soler

4. Ryan O'Hearn

5. Maikel Franco

6. Alex Gordon

7. Adalberto Mondesi

8. Nicky Lopez

9. Cam Gallagher

Top Picks From Each Team

Francisco Lindor, Indians: Lindor once again is proving to be a player capable of contributing on several areas of the game at the same time. He is hitting .280 with a .794 OPS, six homers, 17 RBI and three stolen bases in 161 at-bats, but those numbers boost to a .346/.414/.538 slash line across his last seven games. He is getting hot right when the Indians need him the most.

Jorge Soler, Royals: Soler might be hitting a meager .235, but his game is never going to be based on his average. Soler is all about raw power, and the star outfielder has already blasted eight home runs while posting a .456 slugging percentage in 2020. He might have boom-or-bust potential, but he is certainly worth the risk in an anemic Royals offense.

Captaincy Options

1. Francisco Lindor
2. Franmil Reyes
3. Jorge Soler
4. Jose Ramirez

Dream11 Team

P – Zach Plesac

C – Austin Hedges

IF – Jose Ramirez

IF – Francisco Lindor (C)

IF – Hunter Dozier

OF – Franmil Reyes (VC)

OF – Jorge Soler

OF – Domingo Santana

OF – Edward Olivares