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Dr. Reuven's (@mlbinjuryguru) fantasy baseball injury updates for Week 7 (2023). His medical background helps analyze MLB injuries for hitters and pitchers.
The topsy-turvy baseball season continues chugging along into May. The Pirates are in first place along with the Rays and the Yankees and Cardinals are in last place. Just like we all expected. The new rules in baseball may have something to do with these results with more stolen bases and more offense in general.
The new rules may also have something to do with more injuries, especially to pitchers. Being six weeks into the season, some teams may be now getting their reinforcements back – players that were injured during early Spring Training. Knowing when players are coming back or how long they will be out for could help. I will highlight players on the IL, their expected missed time, and the next man up.
A little about myself for new readers. My name is Reuven Guy and I am a practicing orthopedic/pain management Physician Assistant. I have been dealing with sports injuries for the past 16+ years and have a knowledge of orthopedic injuries and their recovery times based on my medical experience. I have also been playing fantasy baseball during that same time period, which has helped me get an advantage in this aspect of fantasy baseball which I hope to share with you. Make sure to stay up to date on the latest MLB breaking news with our award-winning news desk and our free fantasy baseball mobile app with 24x7 push notification alerts!
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Injured Hitters for Fantasy Baseball
Aaron Judge (OF, NYY)- Hip: Judge is on the IL with a right hip strain. He has been hitting in the batting cages already and could return to the Yankees lineup as early as May 8.
Jose Altuve ( 2B, HOU)- Thumb: Altuve continues to rehab from his fractured thumb which occurred during the World Baseball Classic. He has been cleared to field ground balls and test his grip on a bat, but he has not yet been cleared to swing. Altuve said that the next two weeks of his rehab are "really important" with regard to shaping his timeline for a return from the IL.
J.D. Martinez (DH, LAD)- Back: Martinez is on the IL with lower back tightness. He was eligible to come off of the IL on May 5, but per manager Dave Roberts, he will need a few more days. It is possible for him to return on May 8.
Travis d'Arnaud (C, ATL)- Concussion: d'Arnaud remains on the concussion injury list. He has been running the bases and he remains hopeful to be activated within the next week or so. "Yeah, they're wild," d'Arnaud said of concussions. "It's way different [than other injuries]. I've been getting asked the same thing [about when he's coming back]. I say, 'I don't know, I've gotta have no symptoms with anything, and then I can come back.'” Sean Murphy remains the primary catcher with him out.
Jared Walsh (1B, LAA)- Head: Walsh is on the IL because of recurring headaches and he has not yet played this year. Walsh is getting close to a rehabilitation assignment and could begin this very soon.
Yoan Moncada (3B, CHW)- Back: Moncada is on the IL with a protruding disc in his low back. He has begun doing fielding drills and will start a rehab assignment soon. No date was given for when he would start it.
Jake Burger (3B, CHW)- Oblique: Burger, who was Moncada’s replacement, went on the IL this week with a left oblique strain. The severity is not yet known. Hanser Alberto looks to get most of the playing time at the hot corner for the White Sox while two of their third basemen are on the IL.
Chas McCormick (OF, HOU)- Back: McCormick is on the IL with back tightness and he was also dealing with blurry vision before that. Astros manager Dusty Baker said this week that McCormick would not return prior to May 4 but could return sometime this weekend. He is currently on a rehab assignment. Jake Myers has been getting more playing time with McCormick out.
Mike Yastrzemski (OF, SF)- Hamstring: Yastrzemski was placed on the IL with a left hamstring strain. He was diagnosed with a grade 1 left hamstring strain. Usually, this has a two to four week recovery time. Brett Wisely could see some time in the outfield for the Giants with Yaz out.
Avisail Garcia (OF, MIA)- Back: Garcia was placed on the IL this week, retroactive to April 29 with back tightness. The severity is not known yet. The Marlins brought up Xavier Edwards who may see time in the outfield for them.
Yan Gomes (C, CHC)- Concussion: Gomes was placed on the IL concussion injury list this week, retroactive to May 2. Gomes failed that concussion protocol after taking a backswing to the head. Miguel Amaya was called up and will back up Tucker Barnhart until Gomes is cleared to return.
Garrett Cooper (1B, MIA)- Ear: Cooper was placed on the IL with an inner ear infection. An inner ear infection can cause pain and affect a person’s balance and Cooper is probably on a course of antibiotics for this. Hopefully, this is not a serious infection and he may be a return when first eligible on May 12. Yuli Gurriel will likely serve as the regular first baseman for the Marlins while Cooper is out.
Brandon Crawford (SS, SF)- Calf: Crawford was placed on the IL with a right calf strain. The MRI showed a strain to be worse than he anticipated but he is still hopeful that he can return with a minimum of ten days on the IL. He is not expected to require a rehab assignment before being activated from the IL. Thairo Estrada should pick up most of the starts at shortstop while Crawford is out.
Adalberto Mondesi (SS, BOS)- Knee: Mondesi Continues to recover from ACL surgery and is on the IL. Mondesi is headed to Boston to visit a doctor before determining the next step in his rehab process. There is still no clear timetable for his return, however, this is encouraging news.
Omar Narvaez (C, NYM)- Calf: Narvaez is on the IL with a calf strain and was transferred to the 60-day IL this week. He has at least five more weeks of rest and rehab for the medium-to-high-grade calf strain that he suffered in April. Francisco Alvarez and Tomas Nido are sharing time behind the plate for the Mets.
Injured Starting Pitchers for Fantasy Baseball
Jacob deGrom (SP, TEX)- Elbow: deGrom is on the IL with right elbow inflammation. deGrom is scheduled to begin playing catch during their current road trip. He is eligible to return in mid-May but that remains to be seen. No replacement in the Rangers rotation has been given yet.
Brandon Woodruff (SP, MIL)- Shoulder- Woodruff has been on the IL since April 11 after being diagnosed with a subscapular strain of his right shoulder. General manager Matt Arnold said this week that Woodruff’s most recent MRI of his shoulder was "very positive relative to what it could have been. The current target for a return date is the end of June.
Tyler Glasnow (SP, TB)- Oblique: Glasnow has been on IL since the spring with a strained oblique. He threw a light session this past weekend and could be having a rehabilitation appearance in the next week. Glasnow is now trending toward a needed may return but he needs to build up his arm strength first as he did not have a proper spring training.
Carlos Rodon (SP, NYY)- Forearm: Rodon is on the IL with a left forearm strain. The forearm strain turned into a back issue and Rodon is scheduled to see more specialists to find out why his back is holding him back. No timetable for his return has been given. Based on what we know, the earliest he could be back is in mid to late June.
Jose Urquidy (SP, HOU)- Shoulder: Urquidy was placed on the IL with right shoulder discomfort. An MRI revealed inflammation in his right shoulder. Manager Dusty Baker stated Monday that the Urquidy will be shut down from throwing for "a while." Brandon Bielak was called up and could start for the Astros.
Robbie Ray (SP, SEA)- Elbow: Ray was placed on the IL with a flexor strain. Ray underwent Tommy John surgery and is done for this year and will probably not be ready for Spring Training next year.
Carlos Carrasco (SP, NYM)- Elbow: Carrasco was placed on the IL and has been diagnosed with a bone chip in his right elbow. He received an injection and had his first bullpen session. If all goes well, a mid to end-of-May return could be possible.
Luis Severino (SP, NYY)- Lat: Severino is on the IL with a lat strain. Severino is going to have one more bullpen session followed by a rehab assignment starting next week. A late May return is possible once his arm is built up and barring any setbacks.
Kyle Wright (SP, ATL)- Shoulder. Wright was placed on the IL with right shoulder inflammation. This is his second trip on the IL this year and for the same type of injury. Further testing is pending, as is a timeline for his return. Dylan Dodd was called up to fill in and Mike Soroka may be an option down the road as well.
Kenta Maeda (SP, MIN)- Elbow: Maeda was placed on the IL with a triceps strain. Usually, this type of injury for a pitcher could sideline them for anywhere between five to eight weeks. There is no current timetable for his return. Bailey Ober should fill in the rotation for the Twins.
Garrett Whitlock (SP, BOS)- Elbow: Whitlock was placed on the IL with right elbow Neuritis. He hopes that he can return after only a minimum stay on the injured list. Whitlock has already been cleared to resume throwing. He is eligible to return on May 9.
Tyler Mahle (SP, MIN) Elbow: Mahle was placed on the IL With an elbow injury. He was diagnosed with right arm posterior impingement and flexor pronator strain and will not be cleared to throw for another four weeks. In all, he may end up missing up to two months' worth of playing due to this injury. Louie Varland has been filling in for the Twins in their rotation.
Alex Wood (SP, SF)- Hamstring: Wood is on the IL because of a left hamstring strain. He threw live batting practice this week and may be cleared to go on a rehabilitation assignment in the near future. He is traveling with the team in hopes to return by the middle to the end of May.
Luis Garcia (SP, HOU)- Elbow: Garcia was placed on the IL with discomfort in his right elbow. Astros manager Dusty Baker said that Garcia’s MRI is undergoing further evaluation by doctors. There is no timeline for his return. Matt Gage was called up by the Astros.
Trevor Rogers (SP, MIA)- Biceps- Rogers was diagnosed with a left biceps strain and is currently on the IL. Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said that Rogers is still a few weeks away from beginning a rehabilitation and throwing program.
Ranger Suarez (SP, PHI)- Forearm: Suarez is on the IL with a forearm strain. He is set to have his last rehab start over the weekend and could be activated from the IL next week.
German Marquez (SP, COL)- Forearm: Marquez was placed on the IL with a right forearm strain, returned, and then injured his triceps and is back on the IL. Marquez has said that he will now go forward with Tommy John surgery meaning he is done for the year.
Johnny Cueto (SP, MIA)- Biceps: Cueto was placed on the IL with a right biceps injury during his season debut April 3. He is scheduled to begin a rehabilitation assignment this weekend and could return to the Marlins and rotation in two to three. Bryan Hoeing may be replaced when Cueto returns.
Injured Relief Pitchers for Fantasy Baseball
Liam Hendriks (RP, CHW)- Illness: Hendriks completed his final round of chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma over the winter and completed his final round of chemotherapy in April. White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said that Hendriks will need four or five rehab appearances before being activated.
Kenley Jansen (RP, BOS)- Back: Jansen threw a bullpen session this past Wednesday after he has been dealing with lower back tightness. Jansen will try to pitch through this but it is something to keep your eye on going forward. If Jansen was to miss time due to this, Chris Martin could close for the Red Sox.
Jose Quijada (RP, LAA)- Elbow: Quijada was placed on the IL with a forearm strain. Angels manager Phil Nevin told reporters before Wednesday's game that Quijada will need Tommy John surgery and is done for the year. Carlos Estevez should see most of the closing opportunities for the Angels.
Pete Fairbanks (RP, TB)- Forearm: Fairbanks was placed on the IL with right forearm inflammation. The Rays initially had attributed his finger numbness stemming from Raynaud's Syndrome, but the forearm issue is what will end up forcing him out. The severity is not yet known but Fairbanks is hopeful for a quick return. Jason Adam looks to be first in line to headline what could be a committee approach to save situations for the Rays.
Trevor May (RP, OAK)- Personal: May was placed on the IL due to anxiety-related issues. He has begun a rehabilitation assignment and may need a few more before he is activated from the injured list.
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