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Dr. Reuven's (@mlbinjuryguru) fantasy baseball injury updates for Week 4 (2023). His medical background helps analyze MLB injuries for hitters and pitchers.
It is mid April and we are in full swing of tax season right now. We have to pay the government taxes, for those who owe money, in order to keep public services paid for. Currently, the fantasy baseball season is having its own tax season of sorts.
Those of us who drafted injured players and are now being hit by in-season injuries are now paying the price of the log jam on our benches. We now have to start making decisions on who to save and who to cut to help us navigate this early baseball season. 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
Michael Harris II (OF, ATL)- Back: Harris was placed on the IL with a lower back strain. Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said this weekend that Harris should be able to return from the IL when first eligible. He can be activated April 17 as there has been no word of any setbacks.
Mitch Haniger (OF, SF)- Oblique: Haniger is on the IL due to a Grade 1 oblique strain. Manager Gabe Kapler said this week that haniger most likely will not join the Giants during their upcoming road trip. The road trip ends April 19th.
Corey Seager (SS, TEX)- Hamstring- The Rangers placed Coery Seager on the IL with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain. He will be out a minimum of four weeks and this type of injury usually means six to eight weeks on the IL. Josh Smith will see more time with a chance of Marcus Semien moving over to shortstop and gaining eligibility there.
Randal Grichuk (OF, COL)- Groin: Grichuk is on the IL and playing in extended Spring Training games. He is about one to two weeks away from returning.
Orlando Arcia (SS, ATL)- Wrist: Arcia was diagnosed with a microfracture in his left wrist, based on MRI and CT. He was hit in the wrist with a pitch. Recovery time, without surgery is four to five weeks. Vaughn Grissom has been called up to be the Braves primary shortstop.
Lars Nootbaar (OF, STL)- Nootbar has been on the IL since the first week of the season with a left thumb contusion. He is expected to be activated off of the IL this weekend.
Josh Donaldson (3B, NYY)- Hamstring: Donaldson was placed on the IL with a right hamstring strain. He has increased his intensity of workouts and hopes to return when first eligible.
Tim Anderson (SS, CHW)- Knee: Anderson was placed on the Il with a sprained left knee. He is expected to miss two to four weeks. Romy Gonzalez, Hanser Alberto and Lenyn Sosa are all in the mix for reps at second base.
Max Kepler (OF, MIN)- Knee: Kepler was placed on the IL with right knee tendinitis. He is expected to return off of the IL this weekend.
Alex Kirilloff (1B, MIN)- Wrist: Kirilloff is on the IL because of his lingering wrist issue. He homered this week during a rehab game and is expected to return to the Twins by the end of April.
Harrison Bader (OF, NYY)- Oblique: Bader is on the IL with an oblique injury. Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that barring any setbacks, Bader could begin his rehab assignment next week with a possible end of April return.
Joey Gallo (DH, MIN)- Side: Gallo was placed on the IL due to a right intercostal strain. His recovery seems to be going well as he is already starting a rehab assignment this weekend.
Darick Hall (DH, PHI)- Thumb- Hall was placed on the IL with a thumb injury after sliding into second base. He had surgery this week to repair the UCL in his right thumb and is expected to be out for two months. Edmundo Sosa will see more playing time with Hall out.
Joey Votto (1B, CIN)- Shoulder: Votto continues to rehab from his shoulder surgery that was performed last year. He began a rehab assignment and has not been playing well. There seems to be no setbacks in his rehab and may return soon.
Yoan Moncada (3B, CHW)- Back: Moncada has been sidelined with back soreness and was placed on the IL on Friday. Hanser Alberto and Jake Burger should see more time at third for the White Sox.
Seiya Suzuki (OF, CHC)- Oblique: Suzuki was recovering from an oblique injury sustained early on in Spring Training. He was activated for Friday's game against the Dodgers and hit a home run in his return
Joey Wendle (SS, MIA)- Abdomen: Wendle was placed on the IL with a right intercostal strain. Severity is not yet known. Wendle remains shut down from any baseball activities. Jon Berti will continue to see more playing time as a result.
Adam Duvall (OF, BOS)- Wrist: Duvall was placed on the IL with a left wrist fracture. He will not require surgery but recovery time is about five or six weeks. Raimel Tapia, Enrique Hernandez and Rob Refsnyder should see the bulk of playing time in center while Duvall recovers.
Kyle Farmer (SS, MIN)- Mouth: Farmer was placed on the IL following getting hit in the mouth with a pitch. Farmer underwent surgery on his teeth and lower lip. He was able to avoid a fractured jaw and concussion. There is no timetable for his return.
Injured Starting Pitchers for Fantasy Baseball
Justin Verlander (SP, NYM)- Shoulder: Verlander was placed on the IL with a low-grade teres major strain. He is expected to begin throwing off a mound this weekend and is scheduled to make at least one minor-league rehab start before being activated.
Carlos Rodon (SP, NYY)- Forearm: Rodon is on the IL with a left forearm strain. He is currently going through the rehab process and suffered a setback due to back tightness. He has resumed throwing off of flat ground but his return looks more like early May than late April.
Max Fried (SP, ATL)- Hamstring: Fried is on the IL with a strained left hamstring. Fried took part in fielding drills this week and could return without making a rehab start. The earliest he is eligible to return is this weekend.
Jeffrey Springs (SP, TB)- Elbow: Springs was removed from his last start with ulnar neuritis and is scheduled for an MRI. He is now expected to miss two months.
Ulnar neuritis could be due to swelling around the nerve, which could be treated non surgically. If not, surgery may be an option. It sounds like the team is still gathering information, but they believe it's more serious than just a nerve issue.
Kenta Maeda (SP, MIN)- Arm: Maeda will have his turn through the rotation skipped this week due to arm fatigue. The twins have not yet placed him on the IL. Louie Varland was called up and Tyler Mahle's start was pushed up.
Ryan Pepiot (SP, LAD)- Oblique: Pepiot was placed on the IL with a left oblique strain. He has not yet resumed throwing. An April return seems unlikely at this point..
Robbie Ray (SP, SEA)- Elbow: Ray was placed on the IL with a flexor strain. Manager Scott Servais told reporters that Ray is feeling better but has not yet started throwing. He is expected to be out at least until mid May.
Tony Gonsolin (SP, LAD)- Ankle: Gonsolin is on the IL with a sprained left ankle. His timeline for return was pushed back to mid May.
Aaron Civale (SP, CLE)- Oblique: Civale was placed on the IL with a left oblique strain. Severity is not yet known but oblique injuries for pitchers are usually six to eight week stints on the IL. Peyton Battenfield to his starting spot.
Joe Musgrove (SP, HOU)- Toe: Musgrove is on the IL due to a fractured big toe. He will need one more bullpen session followed by a rehab start and should be activated from the IL before the beginning of May.
Brayan Bello (SP, BOS)- Forearm: Bello is on the IL with forearm tightness. He has had a few rehab starts and could return sometime next week.
Luis Severino (SP, NYY)- Lat: Severino is on the IL with a lat strain. He threw a bullpen session and it went well. He is scheduled for one more bullpen session with live batters and then a rehab start before he could be activated.
Michael Lorenzen (SP, DET)- Groin: Lorenzen is on the IL with a groin strain and is on track to be activated over the weekend.
James Paxton (SP, BOS)- Hamstring: Paxton has been on the IL with a hamstring strain. He is scheduled to make his second rehab start this weekend. After that, the Red Sox will have to decide when he will be activated and what his role will be.
Adam Wainwright (SP, STL)- Groin: Wainwright was diagnosed with a groin strain and is on the IL. He is scheduled to throw to hitter this weekend and start a rehab assignment next week. He is on track for a late April return.
Zach Eflin (SP, TB)- Back: Eflin was placed on the IL with lower-back tightness. Eflin had pitched well in his first two starts of the season but evidently has battled through the back issue "here and there." MRI of the back was normal. He has a good chance he could return when first eligible on April 23rd. Taj Bradley made his major league debut in Eflin’s place
Ranger Suarez (SP, PHI)- Forearm: Suarez is on the IL with a forearm strain. He has been throwing bullpen sessions and is on track to throw a live batting practice next week. There is still no true timeline for his return.
German Marquez (SP, COL)- Forearm: Marquez was placed on the IL with a right forearm strain. MRI showed no significant injury. He is expected to need only a minimum stay on the IL.
Injured Relief Pitchers for Fantasy Baseball
Daniel Hudson (RP, LAD)- Knee: Hudson continues to rehab from ACL surgery from June 2022. His rehab has been deemed as “slow” and there is no timeline for his return. Hudson is still throwing but has not progressed to the point of rehab games yet.
Raisel Iglesias (RP, ATL)- Shoulder: Iglesias is on the IL with low-grade right shoulder inflammation. He has thrown off of flat ground but has not yet done any mound work. There is no timeline for his return.
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