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With the MLB season approaching postseason time, the fantasy baseball playoffs are near. Injuries will play a factor in lineups through the rest of the 2024 campaign, so let's take a look at the top injured players, including Kyle Tucker, Ketel Marte, Christian Walker, Bo Bichette, Ha-Seong Kim, Christian Yelich, and more.
This is the next edition of this year's fantasy baseball injury updates for hitters as of August 28, 2024. Some players on this list impact fantasy baseball more than others, but with leagues of all shapes and sizes, all players should be monitored ahead of the start of the week.
To keep close tabs on all of the news across the MLB, make sure to favorite or bookmark the fantasy baseball player news page, and download the free RotoBaller fantasy baseball mobile app with push notification alerts on all the latest news. Let's look at the injury updates for the top fantasy baseball players.
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Kyle Tucker Injury Update
Houston Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker (shin) hasn't been traveling with the team during their road trip through Baltimore and Philadelphia, but he has instead been working out back in Houston. Manager Joe Espada said on Tuesday that Tucker has been sprinting in the outfield, which means he's close to running the bases.
Espada said Kyle Tucker has been “sprinting” in the outfield and could be close to running the bases, which is his final hurdle before a rehab assignments
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) August 27, 2024
The club has said previously that would be his final hurdle before going out on a minor-league rehab assignment. Tucker has been out since June 3 due to a right shin contusion, but this point of progression in his recovery keeps him on track to first resume running the bases and then go out on his assignment sometime in the near future.
Fantasy managers can still expect the 27-year-old five-category superstar to make his long-awaited return to the Astros in early September.
Ketel Marte Injury Update
Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte (ankle) resumed hitting in the cages before Tuesday's series opener against the visiting New York Mets at Chase Field. Marte, who was forced to leave the Aug. 18 game after aggravating what the club has said is a "low-grade" ankle sprain stemming from Aug. 12, was actively doing agility exercises in a pool before resuming swinging on Tuesday.
Ketel Marte posted videos hitting in the cages on IG.
Lovullo said Marte is out of the treatment phase but did not give target return dates.
Gabriel Moreno also hit in the cages today.
— Alex Weiner (@alexjweiner) August 27, 2024
There is still no official date of a return on the table or if a minor-league rehab assignment will be necessary, but Marte has been asymptomatic, and fantasy managers can expect him to return at some point in early September for the time being.
Until the 30-year-old All-Star switch-hitter gets back into Arizona's lineup, Geraldo Perdomo should experience an uptick in fantasy value as the team's primary leadoff hitter.
Christian Walker Injury Update
Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker (oblique) took live batting practice before Tuesday's series opener against the visiting New York Mets at Chase Field. Manager Torey Lovullo said Walker could play in simulated games at Salt River Fields in a controlled environment as early as this weekend.
Torey Lovullo said Christian Walker took BP today and could play games in a controlled environment this weekend.
— Alex Weiner (@alexjweiner) August 27, 2024
The 33-year-old Gold Glover injured his left oblique on July 29 against the Washington Nationals, with an MRI exam taken the next day showing a low-grade strain. Walker should be back to help Arizona and fantasy postseason rosters at some point in early September, but until then, Josh Bell should continue to serve as the club's everyday first baseman.
Bo Bichette Injury Update
Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette (calf), who had been rehabbing at the club's Player Development Complex in Dunedin, Florida, was reunited with his team in Boston ahead of Tuesday's game against the Red Sox.
Bichette is continuing to ramp up from a second right calf strain this season that he suffered on July 19, throwing from distance and taking direct grounders prior to the contest against Boston.
Bo Bichette (calf) took ground balls at Fenway Park today. He said he’s feeling better & working hard to return this season. A couple weeks back would be huge if possible — but no one wants to rush this, either. Will work out with Jays on this road trip. Later: rehab stint likely
— Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith) August 27, 2024
Manager John Schneider said that Bichette will remain with the Blue Jays through the end of their road trip between Boston and Minneapolis and that his next step will be running the bases, which Toronto expects to happen in the next few days.
The 26-year-old star infielder is going to need a minor-league rehab assignment before returning to the major leagues for the stretch run, but fantasy managers can expect to have Bichette back potentially in early to mid-September.
Ha-Seong Kim Injury Update
San Diego Padres manager Mike Shildt said on 97.3 The Fan that shortstop Ha-Seong Kim (shoulder) is expected to rejoin the team during their series in St. Louis against the Cardinals at Busch Stadium this week.
Kim will most likely resume baseball activities during the team's road trip, although it's unclear if he'll come off the 10-day injured list on the first day he's eligible on Thursday. The Padres never considered the 28-year-old infielder's shoulder injury to be all that serious, so his placement on the IL was more a precaution than anything.
Mike Shildt shared encouraging updates on Yu Darvish, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Ha-Seong Kim, including that Tatis is in Arizona and ready to get some live at-bats, while Kim should join the team in St. Louis tomorrow: pic.twitter.com/PPpTtVN566
— 97.3 The Fan (@973TheFanSD) August 26, 2024
It would be a bit of a surprise if he's not back in the starting lineup by this weekend's series in Tampa against the Rays at Tropicana Field. In the meantime, rookie Mason McCoy should continue to see most of the action at the 6 for the Friars while batting ninth. The 29-year-old has held his own with five hits in his 17 at-bats over six games since Kim's injury.
Christian Yelich Injury Update
Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich (back) said he underwent a microdiscectomy and said he'll have a rough timeline of three months. By the time Yelich and the Brewers had decided on the surgical route, the pain was impacting his day-to-day life, not just baseball activity.
He thinks the surgery will help alleviate the chronic back issues he's dealt with for years.
"I think everybody sees back surgery, and they kind of are like, 'Oh, that's the end of your career.' Honestly, in my mind, that couldn't be any farther from the truth. I think that it's going to help me tremendously. I think I'll probably feel a lot better than I have in the last few years going forward, so in that sense, it's cool," Yelich said.
Yelich said he underwent a microdiscectomy. He threw out a rough recovery timeline of three months.
By the time he and the Brewers decided on surgery, the pain was impacting his day-to-day life, not just baseball activity.
— Jack Stern (@ByJackStern) August 27, 2024
The 32-year-old should be ready for the start of spring training, but fantasy managers are going to be hesitant to pull the trigger on an aging outfielder coming off serious back surgery.
Jeimer Candelario Injury Update
Cincinnati Reds manager David Bell said that corner infielder Jeimer Candelario (toe) is still experiencing pain in his fractured left big toe, which isn't all that surprising. Candelario was put on the 10-day injured list just a week ago.
With the start of September just around the corner, the 30-year-old switch-hitter is quickly running out of time to perform for his fantasy managers, and there's a chance we won't see him again at all the rest of the way.
David Bell on Jeimer Candelario (toe): He's still having pain, which is not surprising. It's too quick to hope that he wasn't.
— Charlie Goldsmith (@CharlieG__) August 27, 2024
If he doesn't return in the season's final month, Candelario would finish his first year in Cincy with a .225/.279/.429 slash line, a .707 OPS, 20 home runs, 56 RBI, and 47 runs scored in 112 games. With Candelario out, it's led to more playing time for Noelvi Marte at the hot corner, while newcomers Dominic Smith and Ty France have formed a platoon across the diamond at first base.
Jake Fraley Injury Update
Cincinnati Reds manager David Bell said that outfielder Jake Fraley (knee) is on track to return from the 10-day injured list when he's first eligible this Saturday.
"He's still on track to get back the day he's available to come back. He had a knee sprain. He had a couple of issues in there. Whatever they were able to give to him to help calm that down could help him get back to hitting by the end of the week."
David Bell on Jake Fraley: He's still on track to get back the day he's available to come back. He had a knee sprain. He had a couple issues in there. Whatever they were able to give to him to help calm that down could help him get back hitting by the end of the week. The 31st is…
— Charlie Goldsmith (@CharlieG__) August 27, 2024
The 31st is the first day he's eligible to come back," Bell said. Fraley will return to the strong side of a platoon in right field for the Reds against right-handed pitching, giving him some value in deeper fantasy leagues, mainly for his speed.
The 29-year-old left-handed hitter has been battling various injuries for most of 2024 and has hit .271 (74-for-273) with 16 steals but only three homers and 23 RBI in 92 games played. He's hit .233 (10-for-43) with two doubles, four RBI, two steals, and 11 K's in 14 games in August.
J.P. Crawford Injury Update
Seattle Mariners shortstop J.P. Crawford (finger) was back at T-Mobile Park during an off day across the minors on Monday and took part in a simulated game and on-field batting practice. He may need another simulated game and/or another rehab game, although High-A Everett and Triple-A Tacoma are both on the road this week.
If all goes well, Crawford could return before the M's wrap up their homestand on Wednesday, but all signs point to him returning by this weekend in Anaheim at the latest.
He went 1-for-6 over the weekend with Tacoma, playing five innings in the field on Saturday and seven innings on Sunday. The 29-year-old has been out since July 22 due to a right pinkie fracture. It's his second stay on the IL this year, and he's also hit a disappointing .204 (60-for-294) in 2024 with nine homers, 32 RBI, and five steals for fantasy managers. (MLB.com)
Matt McLain Injury Update
Cincinnati Reds second baseman Matt McLain (rib, shoulder) could resume swinging a bat soon, according to manager David Bell. "He's still getting tested. Different testing to get to the root cause of some of the pain he's having on his side. We're getting toward the end of that. Everything is checking out well so far. Maybe he gets back into swinging again shortly," Bell said.
While recovering from surgery on his left shoulder, McLain suffered a setback with a stress reaction in his rib cage in early August.
David Bell on Matt McLain: He's still getting tested. Different testing to get to the root cause of some of the pain he's having in his side. We're getting toward the end of that. Everything is checking out good so far. Maybe he gets back into swinging again shortly.
— Charlie Goldsmith (@CharlieG__) August 27, 2024
The team is still trying to determine the cause of that, but it sounds like the 25-year-old could resume baseball activities sooner than later.
The Reds remain hopeful that the second-year infielder can return in the season's final month, but fantasy managers shouldn't be expecting anything out of him in what has become a lost season after such a promising rookie campaign for the former first-rounder from UCLA.
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