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Heading into the 10th week of the MLB season, there are a slew of superstars on the injury report. These bumps and bruises will complicate fantasy baseball lineup decisions, so let's take a look at the top injured players including Ronald Acuna Jr., Shohei Ohtani, Tyler O'Neill, Gerrit Cole, Zach Eflin, Cristian Javier, Triston Casas, and more.
This is the next edition of this year's fantasy baseball injury updates for hitters and pitchers as of May 27, 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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Ronald Acuna Jr. Injury Update
Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee) has officially been diagnosed with a complete ACL tear in his left knee. He is set to undergo surgery at some point in the future and will miss the remainder of the 2024 season. It is a devastating blow for Acuna, the Braves, and fantasy managers alike as it marks the second time he has torn his ACL in the past four seasons.
OF Ronald Acuña Jr. tonight underwent an MRI that revealed a complete tear of the ACL in his left knee. He is set to undergo surgery at a date yet to be determined and will miss the remainder of the 2024 season.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) May 27, 2024
The 26-year-old was in the midst of an inconsistent season as he was slashing .250/.351/.365 with four home runs, 15 RBI and 16 stolen bases at the time of the injury. Nevertheless, he is still one of the brightest stars in all of baseball. Jarred Kelenic and Adam Duvall figure to see the bulk of the playing time that is now up for grabs.
Shohei Ohtani Injury Update
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (hamstring) was back in the lineup serving as the DH and batting second on Sunday against the Cincinnati Reds and left-hander Brent Suter. Ohtani has been dealing with a hamstring contusion recently, but it wasn't serious enough to keep the 29-year-old two-way star out of the lineup on Sunday. While the Japanese sensation deals with his hamstring issue, he's less likely to attempt any stolen bases if he gets on the basepaths.
Today’s #Dodgers lineup at Reds: pic.twitter.com/1kAxoCdHWG
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) May 26, 2024
Fantasy managers need to leave the three-time All-Star and two-time MVP in all starting lineups, as he's still leading baseball with a .336 batting average and has 13 home runs, 35 RBI, and 13 steals in his first year in LA.
Tyler O'Neill Injury Update
The plan for Boston Red Sox outfielder Tyler O'Neill (knee) is to take Sunday and Monday off before returning to play on Tuesday in Baltimore against the Orioles. O'Neill is out of Sunday's lineup against the Milwaukee Brewers and is not going to play on Memorial Day on Monday in the series opener at Camden Yards. The 28-year-old is currently dealing with a sore right knee, but the Red Sox don't view the injury as very serious, so fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day for now.
Plan for Tyler O'Neill (right knee) is off today and tomorrow and play Tuesday. Sox don't anticipate a longer absence.
— Pete Abraham (@PeteAbe) May 26, 2024
Jarren Duran is playing left field on Sunday and is hitting leadoff, while Ceddanne Rafaela is in center field and occupying the nine-hole against Milwaukee and starter Tobias Myers. O'Neill has been a solid power contributor in his first year in Boston, clubbing 11 homers in 148 at-bats, but he only has 17 RBI to show for it.
Gerrit Cole Injury Update
New York Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole threw another successful live batting practice session on Saturday. The Yankees will see how he feels today before determining next steps, but it sounds like he could potentially begin a rehab assignment "as soon as this coming week."
Everything went well for Gerrit Cole’s live batting practice today. There’s a chance he could start a rehab assignment as soon as this coming week but nothing affirmative yet. They’ll see how he bounces back after today’s outing.
— Chris Kirschner (@ChrisKirschner) May 25, 2024
Everything seems to be going according to plan which still puts Cole's return likely around the end of June or early July after he makes a few rehab starts, assuming he does not suffer any setbacks.
Zach Eflin Injury Update
Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Zach Eflin (back) was seen playing catch on May 26, per MLB.com. Eflin was placed on the injured list on May 20 due to experiencing discomfort on his start on May 18 in Toronto. The 30-year-old compared this injury to similar lower back tightness he dealt with last April that forced him to miss two weeks. Manager Kevin Cash said he expects his ace to return to the mound in "two to four weeks." While it is an excellent sign to see Eflin playing catch and not experiencing any setbacks, he might need to speed up his recovery to meet the projected return date slightly.
Eflin looked quite strong in his Tampa Bay debut last summer with a 3.50 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and 186:24 K:BB ratio. However, he did get off to a slow start this spring with a 4.12 ERA, and 1.17 WHIP. Nonetheless, he should remain stashed in all formats as he should return to his 2023 form after he recovers from this minor setback. (MLB.com)
Cristian Javier Injury Update
Houston Astros starting pitcher Cristian Javier (forearm) was unable to throw his scheduled bullpen session on Sunday. This is an interesting development considering Javier is scheduled to start against the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday. For now, Javier is being considered as day-to-day due to forearm discomfort.
Cristian Javier is day to day with forearm discomfort. He did not throw his scheduled bullpen.
— Julia Morales (@JuliaMorales) May 26, 2024
The expectation is that the Astros will give an update on Javier's status prior to Monday's game. Fantasy managers will need to check back for another update.
Triston Casas Injury Update
Boston Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas (ribs) is reportedly on track to start swinging a bat next week. The 24-year-old has been sidelined since April 20 with a fracture and cartilage tear in his left ribcage. It is a tricky injury to recover from, but picking up a bat is a very positive sign. Casas is not eligible to return from the 60-day injured list until June 21 and will likely need a few appearances in the minor leagues before activation.
Triston Casas says he is on track to start swinging/hitting next week.
— Gabrielle Starr (@gfstarr1) May 25, 2024
Despite the extended absence, Casas is still worth holding in the majority of fantasy formats due to his prospect pedigree and raw power potential. He also remains a high-end asset in any dynasty formats.
Ke'Bryan Hayes Injury Update
Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes (back) has resumed all baseball activities and was scheduled to run the bases on Sunday, May 26. This is a great sign, as Hayes could be nearing a rehab assignment in the coming weeks. He has been on the injured list since May 11 with a back issue.
After running the bases, the former first-round selection will discuss the next steps with manager Derek Shelton. Hayes posted a .240/.322/.318 line with one home run and a 15:24 BB:K ratio through the first 34 games of this season. When he returns from the 10-day injured list, Hayes should be expected to man the hot corner on a daily basis in the Steel City. (MLB.com)
Jorge Polanco Injury Update
Seattle Mariners second baseman Jorge Polanco left Sunday's game against the Washington Nationals with right hamstring tightness. He was replaced by Josh Rojas who entered the game at third base while Dylan Moore shifted to second. It is a worrying injury for the 30-year-old as he had just missed time with an injury on the same hamstring.
Update:
INF Jorge Polanco left today's game with right hamstring tightness.
— Mariners PR (@MarinersPR) May 26, 2024
He has also dealt with similar ailments over the course of his career. Polanco has struggled at the plate this season with an underwhelming .195/.293/.302 slash line. He has also produced five home runs, 14 RBI, 15 runs scored, and a stolen base through 46 games. Polanco is tough to justify rostering in the majority of formats with his injury frequency and limited production.
LaMonte Wade Jr. Injury Update
San Francisco Giants outfielder/first baseman LaMonte Wade Jr. (hamstring) remained out of the team's starting lineup for Sunday's game against the New York Mets. Wade Jr. tweaked his hamstring during Friday's game and did not suit up on Saturday. The 30-year-old has been quite productive at the plate so far in 2024 and should be back sooner rather than later. (MLB.com)
Jordan Beck Injury Update
Colorado Rockies outfielder Jordan Beck (hand) was placed on the 10-day injured list on Sunday afternoon with a left-hand fracture. Beck suffered the injury on Saturday night while attempting to make a diving catch against the Philadelphia Phillies. There is no definitive timeline for his return. Beck had been struggling at the major-league level at the time of his injury as evidenced by his .190 average and bloated 37% K%.
The Rockies announced today that they have placed OF Jordan Beck on the 10-day IL with a left-hand fracture (fourth metacarpal) and have recalled OF Sean Bouchard from Triple-A Albuquerque.
— Rockies Club Information (@RockiesClubInfo) May 26, 2024
Outfielder Sean Bouchard was recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque and will start in left field against the Phillies on Sunday. Bouchard has had modest success across 66 MLB games in his career, but he is better off being left on the waiver wire for the time being.
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