Derek Hill DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Miami Marlins outfielder Derek Hill (back) remains out of the starting lineup for Friday's series opener against the division-rival Atlanta Braves on the road at Truist Park. With Hill missing his third straight start due to back tightness, the Fish will start Griffin Conine, Dane Myers and Kyle Stowers across the outfield from left to right, respectively. If the 29-year-old Hill will likely be forced to the 10-day injured list if he's unable to return to the lineup by the end of the weekend series in Atlanta. The former first-rounder by the Detroit Tigers in 2014 went 5-for-18 with two doubles, an RBI and a stolen base in five games before injuring his back. Stowers is the only Marlins outfielder in the starting lineup on Friday that has faced Braves right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach before, and he has one hit in just three career at-bats against him.

Miami Marlins outfielder Derek Hill (back) will remain out of the starting lineup on Wednesday due to back tightness. Hill was unable to suit up on Tuesday evening and will continue to sit out this evening. Fantasy managers should monitor his status leading up to their next contest on Friday evening in Atlanta. With Hill sitting out, the Marlins will give Javier Sanoja the starting nod in center field. Over the first five games of the regular season, Hill posted a .278/.381/.389 slash line with five total hits and a 2:8 BB:K. He swiped one bag and tallied two doubles. During the 2024 campaign, Hill spent time with Texas, San Francisco and Miami and held a .241/.271/.420 line across 53 contests. Sanoja has tallied just one hit through the first week of the season and should not be started in any DFS competitions facing Mets right-hander Clay Holmes.

According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, Miami Marlins outfielder Dane Myers and Derek Hill are set to compete for the starting center field job during spring training. Jackson also noted that Victor Mesa Jr. could also be in the mix. Last season, Myers held a .263/.333/.442 line with six doubles and two home runs across 44 games in the majors. He generated a strong 47.5 percent hard-hit and 11.5 percent barrel rates. However, he held a hefty 33.3 percent strikeout rate. Hill spent time with the Rangers and Giants before moving to Miami to end his campaign. He posted a .234/.259/.402 line with seven home runs and six stolen bases. He showed elite speed as he placed in the 95th percentile but held an underwhelming .294 xwOBA. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor their progress during spring training as the eventual starter could have value in deeper NL-only formats.