Dodgers' Eddy Alvarez idle Thursday afternoon

Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Eddy Alvarez is not in the starting lineup for Thursday afternoon's series finale against right-hander Dylan Cease and the Chicago White Sox.

What It Means:

Alvarez started the previous three games, but he may miss out on regular playing time now that Max Muncy is back from the injured list. Will Smith is shifting into the designated hitter role in place of Alvarez while Austin Barnes starts at catcher and bats ninth. Smith is hitting fifth.

Smith has a $3,100 salary on Thursday and numberFire's models project him for 11.0 FanDuel points. Per our MLB Heat Map, Cease has the third-highest strikeout rate this season (32.5%) out of Thursday's listed starters.