Fantasy Baseball Injury Report - Spring Training Updates for Ronald Acuna Jr., George Kirby, Gunnar Henderson, Spencer Strider, more

Welcome RotoBallers to my fantasy baseball injury report, where every week we look back at the major injury developments in the world of baseball and look ahead at what might transpire as a result. Injuries are an unfortunate part of the game, but how you handle them can mean the difference between a last-place finish or somewhere near the top of your league's standings. The hope is that, whatever comes your way, you're able to understand what the injury is, what it means for your fantasy team, and what actions should take place. Let's get right to this week's injury-related news.

Jon Gray - SP Texas Rangers, Cody Bradford - SP Texas Rangers

Rangers are preparing for Cody Bradford to be shut down from throwing for another 3 weeks, then resume.

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Preparing for Jon Gray to be shut down AT LEAST six weeks, but are still awaiting further scans to see if he will need surgery.

Everything is on table for this club &…

— Evan Grant (@Evan_P_Grant) March 15, 2025

Jon Gray suffered a fractured wrist on Friday after being hit by a comebacker. Cody Bradford is shut down with elbow soreness. Both will begin the season on the Injured List and miss significant time. As such, there is a chance that both Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker will start the season in the Rangers' rotation. Both young pitchers are worth adding in all formats due to their upside.

Rocker had success in the minor leagues with his pinpoint command and incredibly low walk-rate. He made a splash last season and despite his struggles this spring thus far, he remains someone worth rostering for his ability to strike out batters. Meanwhile, Jack Leiter worked hard this offseason to change his arsenal and has looked great on the mound this spring. He still walks more batter than we would like to see, but the upside is there. Fantasy owners could do worse at the end of their drafts.

George Kirby - SP Seattle Mariners

One week after being shut down from shoulder inflammation, George Kirby received this injection, which was intended to help the healing process and allow him to start his throwing progression. The hope is that by early this week, he will be able to start throwing again and work his way back into the Mariners rotation. That being said, he will have a full progression, meaning that once he begins throwing again, it will be as if he was starting to throw back when pitchers and catchers reported.

While Kirby is fully expected to begin the season on the Injured List, it would appear that his time away might be shorter than originally believed. He will need to work his way through multiple Minor League rehab starts before being ready to throw a full workload's worth of pitches. Any setbacks could push him back even further than he already is, though a return to the Mariners in May is completely within reach.

Spencer Strider - SP Atlanta Braves, Ronald Acuna Jr. - OF Atlanta Braves

Amidst all of the chaos that is happening on the field these days, what's happening off the field could have ramifications down the road. First, Spencer Strider, who by all accounts has had a tremendous Spring Training. He has progressed in the smoothest of ways here by escalating his pitch count, integrating various pitch types, and carefully doing so while being in full control of his body. There is the possibility of Strider pitching in a Spring Training game before the team breaks away from camp, but even if that doesn't happen, he will likely pitch shortly after that. The table is being set for a late-April return, and it's looking more and more like that can happen.

As for Ronald Acuna Jr., yes, he has looked good in various videos posted online while swinging at the plate. However, there is much more needed than a singular moment of greatness. He has said various times that he will take his time to return and that when he does, he will not be as aggressive on the basepaths. In fact, in a recent interview, he said that he wants to be different and that his lack of aggressive base running could mean longer-lasting health, which is the bigger picture. A return sometime in May seems possible here, but anything before that seems highly unlikely.

Brandon Nimmo - OF New York Mets

Brandon Nimmo (right knee soreness) says he should be ready -- at the least -- to DH on Opening Day, but he's not sure if he'll be prepared to play the outfield. He's working toward that goal but still feels soreness and pain in his knee. He estimates he's at about 80 percent.

— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) March 14, 2025

The news from the Mets on Brandon Nimmo is both positive and concerning. First, the good news: Nimmo expects to be in the Opening Day lineup, used solely as the team's designated hitter. His bat is something that the team needs in order to compete, and they are much better with him in there near 100% health than they are without him at all. That said, a new report suggests the problem is a much deeper and concerning one that could have long-term implications attached to it.

While his ailing knee isn't projected to need surgery, it is something that could keep him out of the lineup for maintenance or rest days. In addition to this, he is still overcoming his issue with plantar fasciitis, which is something that can reappear at any time when the foot is overused. All of these add up to a troubling profile that is hard to trust over a 162-game period. While he may be ready for Opening Day, this feels like a car with a bad muffler and a slow leak in its tires.

Gunnar Henderson - SS Baltimore Orioles

#Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson said his right intercostal feels “a lot better” now than when the injury was sustained.

Could he be ready for Opening Day?

“That’s my plan. That’s what I’m hoping for.”

— Jake Rill (@JakeDRill) March 15, 2025

Finally, some positive news, as it would appear that Gunnar Henderson is trending in the right direction. This past week, he has slowly progressed to the point of swinging a bat and taking ground balls, all of which are great signs that he will be ready for Opening Day. His original diagnosis suggested that it would be around a two or three-week treatment plan, and it looks like it's coming to fruition. Any discount that can be had in drafts should be taken advantage of, as he should be ready for Opening Day.

Quick Hits

• Grayson Rodriguez will begin a throwing progression early this week, which will equate to him having to restart his ramp-up. He is still expected to miss the start of the regular season, and there is no timetable for a return, though he will not be back before sometime in May, which is the earliest and most optimistic of guesses.
• Rafael Devers made his Spring Training debut yesterday, batting second in the Red Sox lineup as the team's designated hitter. He finished the game without a hit in three at-bats.
• Lance McCullers Jr. will pitch in a game for the first time in two and a half years this Tuesday. His progression has been fast and steady this spring, and he is healthy enough to pitch. He does have upside here, but he has also thrown just 47.2 innings worth of work since the start of the 2022 season. He is a boom-or-bust pick in all formats.
• Bobby Witt Jr. took a pitch off of his forearm, causing him to be pulled from a game earlier this week. There was initial fear of a fracture, but it wound up being just a forearm contusion. He returned to the Royals lineup yesterday, alleviating the fears of the many who selected him early in the first round of drafts.
• Parker Meadows will not be ready for Opening Day, as there isn't enough time for him to ramp up. He is improving but only has two at-bats under his belt. His status will be something to monitor for setbacks, but for now, the news is positive.
• Austin Riley took a pitch off of his right hand on Friday, and there was immense worry as it was the hand that he fractured last season. After x-rays came back negative, it was revealed that he had avoided a catastrophe and was labelled day-to-day. He returned to the lineup yesterday and looks to be ready to go moving forward.

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