

Atlanta Braves catcher Travis d'Arnaud (wrist) is unlikely to play on Sunday after being hit by a pitch in his wrist on Saturday evening. David O'Brien of The Athletic reported that the backstop had his wrist wrapped up, but he is feeling "ok." Manager Brian Snitker expressed that they will probably stay away from using him in Sunday's game. As a result, fantasy managers should expect Sean Murphy to be slotted in the starting nine and be behind the dish. The 35-year-old went 4-for-16 in his previous five games, while Murphy has been hot at the plate, holding a strong .316 AVG during this span. Murphy is worth considering in DFS contests this afternoon as he is slated to face Los Angeles right-hander Jack Kochanowicz, who enters Sunday with a hefty 7.98 ERA.


Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (finger) underwent X-rays following Saturday's game. The former MVP left the game early after jamming his finger in the sixth inning, but thankfully, the X-rays came back negative, and the star first baseman is day-to-day going forward. Fantasy managers should pay close attention to the Dodger starting nine before their game on Sunday afternoon, as the 34-year-old may need a day off to fully recover. Freeman has been enjoying another fantastic season as he sits with an excellent .292/.391/.488 line with 29 doubles, 17 home runs, 72 RBI, and six stolen bases. He boasts an impressive 12.4% walk rate and other impressive metrics such as a .290 xBA and a .491 xSLG. If Freeman were to miss a short period of time, Kike Hernandez is likely to cover first base.


Cincinnati Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson will take a seat in Sunday's series finale and will cede catching duties to Luke Maile. Stephenson has held a strong .289/.347/.578 slash line with three home runs and seven RBI over his past 11 games. Throughout the entire campaign, Stephenson has posted a .248/.324/.457 line with 16 long balls. Under the hood, he boasts an above-average 10.2% barrel rate and a 44.5% hard-hit rate, which suggest his power surge should continue down the stretch. Maile has been limited by several injuries this summer and has gone a mere 5-for-36 over his past 14 games. DFS players should look to fade the 33-year-old catcher as he will face Kansas City Royal right-hander Brady Singer, who carries a 3.32 ERA into Sunday's game.


New York Mets outfielder Starling Marte (knee) was activated off the 10-day IL on Sunday morning and will return to the starting lineup. He is slated to bat in the five-hole and cover right field. Marte has been sidelined for just over two months with a bruised knee. Prior to the injury, the 35-year-old carried a strong .278/.328/.416 line with seven home runs and 12 swiped bags. Marte is worth adding in standard leagues where available, given his ability to contribute all five categories and that he should always be penciled into the starting nine. This afternoon, he is worth a look in DFS as he will be batting in the heart of the lineup and will face Miami right-hander Valente Bellozo.


Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ continued his power surge on Saturday, going 1-for-4 with his 22nd home run of the season in Saturday's 3-2 win over the Blue Jays. The 30-year-old is now riding an eight-game hit streak, during which time he has gone 10-for-32 (.313) with a double and five home runs. The switch-hitter has also collected seven RBI, 10 runs scored, and has stolen two bases during the eight-game stretch. For the season, the former first-round draft pick owns a .233-22-69-70-9 line with a .345 wOBA and 124 wRC+. While the batting average is a disappointment, the former All-Star continues to walk at a strong rate of 12.9%, resulting in a solid .339 OBP.
