Fantasy Baseball Injury Reports for Pitchers - Updates for Andres Munoz, Jack Flaherty, MacKenzie Gore, Bryan Woo, Kodai Senga, Merrill Kelly, more

As weekend MLB action approaches, there are plenty of headliner hurlers on the injury report. We have the latest updates on stud pitchers around the league. Let's take a look at injured pitchers Andres Munoz, Jack Flaherty, MacKenzie Gore, Bryan Woo, Kodai Senga, Merrill Kelly, and more.

This is our weekly edition of fantasy baseball injury updates for pitchers as of June 13, 2024. Whether your top ace is out of action, or a depth player is banged up, some players on this list are sure to affect fantasy baseball lineup decisions.

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Andres Munoz Injury Update

Seattle Mariners closer Andres Munoz (back) received an injection in his lower back to help get the soreness out of it. Munoz also had an MRI exam and a bone scan, and neither of them showed any major issues. Although the 25-year-old right-handed reliever has avoided the injured list, he's been battling back issues for a bit now and hasn't appeared in a game since Sunday against the Kansas City Royals.

Andre Munoz had an injection in his lower back to help get the soreness out of it. He had a MRI and bone scan which didn’t reveal any major issues

— Ryan Divish (@RyanDivish) June 12, 2024

He's also made just two appearances out of Seattle's bullpen so far this month. It's a good bet that we won't see him again until at least later this week so that he can have some extra time for his injection to work its magic. If more back tightness crops up, expect the M's to place Munoz on the injured list. Ryne Stanek has two saves and lefty Tayler Saucedo has a save for the M's with Munoz currently sidelined.

Jack Flaherty Injury Update

Detroit Tigers right-hander Jack Flaherty (back) said he's feeling better after receiving an injection in his back and expects to make his next start on Saturday against the Houston Astros and right-hander Justin Verlander. Flaherty will throw on flat ground on Wednesday and toss a bullpen session on Thursday. The 28-year-old was forced out of his last start early against the Texas Rangers on June 4 with back tightness, but he still managed five scoreless innings with four K's, and he hasn't allowed an earned run while striking out 13 in his last two starts.

Jack Flaherty said he’s feeling better after the injection in his back. Expects to start Saturday vs. Justin Verlander and Astros. He will throw flat-ground today, bullpen tomorrow

— Chris McCosky (@cmccosky) June 12, 2024

Flaherty shouldn't face any restrictions in his start on Saturday, but it's a tough matchup against an Astros offense that ranks fifth in all of baseball with a .737 OPS. In his first meeting with Houston in Detroit on May 12, Flaherty took a loss but he had a quality start, too, allowing three earned runs on seven hits (one homer) while walking none and fanning seven in 6 2/3 frames.

MacKenzie Gore Injury Update

Washington Nationals left-hander MacKenzie Gore (finger) is dealing with a fingernail issue and will have his next start moved back to Friday for the series opener against the visiting division-rival Miami Marlins. Left-hander Patrick Corbin will take the hill in Thursday's series finale against the Detroit Tigers in Motown. It's something to watch for Gore, but it's not enough for fantasy managers to consider benching the 25-year-old southpaw in what is another strong matchup against the Fish.

Mackenzie Gore has a fingernail issue and will have his next start pushed back to Friday. Patrick Corbin will now start tomorrow’s series finale in Detroit.

— Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) June 12, 2024

The Marlins have the second-worst team OPS in baseball at .635, although they rank 24th in strikeouts. Gore allowed a season-high six earned runs to the Mets on June 3 but bounced back with five innings of two-run ball and seven K's against Atlanta his last time out. He has yet to face Miami in 2024 but should be started on Friday.

Bryan Woo Injury Update

According to Seattle Mariners general manager Justin Hollander, right-hander Bryan Woo's (arm) MRI exam "was perfectly clean." Woo isn't dealing with any new damage in his right arm and will be reinserted into the starting rotation soon, potentially as early as next week. The Mariners scratched Woo from his scheduled start on Tuesday with some concerns about his arm, but his MRI exam has eased some concerns that the 24-year-old might have to return to the injured list for the second time this year.

Bryan Woo’s MRI “was perfectly clean,” Mariners GM Justin Hollander just said. No new damage, and he’ll be reinstalled in the rotation soon, potentially as early as next week.

— Daniel Kramer (@DKramer_) June 12, 2024

The former sixth-round pick in 2021 out of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo got a late start to the 2024 regular season due to an injury but is a perfect 3-0 with a minuscule 1.07 ERA (2.37 FIP) and 0.53 WHIP with a 24:2 K:BB in 33 2/3 frames over his six starts. Woo's 20.2% strikeout rate leaves a lot to be desired, but fantasy managers can't really complain given how well he's thrown otherwise so far this year.

Kodai Senga Injury Update

New York Mets right-hander Kodai Senga (shoulder, triceps) threw his second bullpen session on Wednesday and will have two more bullpens, according to manager Carlos Mendoza. Senga said he expects to pitch this season, and his next step is facing batters again before embarking on a minor-league rehab assignment. "He was smiling after he was done throwing," Mendoza said. "That's a good sign." The 31-year-old Japanese pitcher hasn't pitched all year for the Mets and was shut down in May due to tightness in his right triceps muscle.

Kodai Senga threw his second bullpen today. He will have two more, per Carlos Mendoza.

Senga said he expects to pitch this season. The next step is facing batters again before a rehab assignment. “He was smiling after he was done throwing,” Mendoza said. “That’s a good sign.”

— Will Sammon (@WillSammon) June 12, 2024

After he completes two more bullpens, Senga will be cleared to face live hitters. Given how long he's been out, fantasy managers should expect a lengthy rehab assignment when the time comes. Continue to stash Senga in all fantasy leagues, but his return will not come until some point in the second half of the season.

Merrill Kelly Injury Update

Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly (shoulder) has been throwing out to 70 feet as he works his way back from a right-shoulder strain that sent him to the 15-day injured list. Kelly is progressing, but his rehab is moving slowly and he probably isn't a realistic candidate to come off the IL to rejoin the big-league starting rotation until after the All-Star break in mid-July. When the 35-year-old veteran is ready, though, he'll return to the top of Arizona's rotation alongside Zac Gallen (hamstring), who is also currently on the IL.

Before his injury earlier this year, Kelly had been fantastic in his four starts, going 2-0 with a 2.19 ERA (3.75 FIP) and 0.93 WHIP with six walks and 21 strikeouts in 24 2/3 innings of work. He shouldn't be floating around on any waiver wires. (ArizonaSports.com)

Jeffrey Springs Injury Update

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Jeffrey Springs (elbow) made his first minor-league rehab start with Triple-A Durham on Wednesday, striking out three batters over two innings of work. Springs' velocity looks to be back to his 2023 levels, considering he generated eight whiffs on just 18 pitches on Wednesday.

Jeffrey Spring made a AAA rehab start today, striking out 3 in 2.0 IP

His velocity looks to be back to his 2023 levels as he generated 8 whiffs on just 18 pitches pic.twitter.com/eoXTTEzXab

— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) June 12, 2024

Still, with a long way to go to build up his pitch count during his recovery from Tommy John surgery, Springs is likely to return to the Rays sometime in the middle of July. After yielding a lone run with a 24:4 K:BB over 16 innings in Tampa Bay's rotation last season, the 31-year-old left-hander has the upside to eventually be an upper-echelon starter for fantasy managers once he's fully built back up and could significantly help rosters down the stretch of the campaign.

Jeremiah Estrada Injury Update

San Diego Padres reliever Jeremiah Estrada (illness) is at Petco Park on Wednesday and said he's feeling better but is still fighting through an illness. Estrada thinks he'll be available out of the bullpen for Wednesday's series finale against the visiting Oakland Athletics. The 25-year-old was unavailable in a high-leverage situation late in Tuesday night's 4-3 walk-off win, but the could be back in action on Wednesday.

Jeremiah Estrada is here and says he’s feeling better but still fighting through something. He thinks he’ll be available
today.

— AJ Cassavell (@AJCassavell) June 12, 2024

The former sixth-round pick by the Chicago Cubs in 2017 hadn't done much in 17 relief appearances in Chicago the last two years, but he's burst onto the scene in San Diego in 2024, allowing only two earned runs on 10 hits while fanning a whopping 35 hitters and walking only seven in 21 innings of work out of the bullpen. Estrada also picked up his first career save this year and has some value for his high strikeout rate in deep fantasy leagues.

Ben Lively Injury Update

Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Ben Lively (undisclosed) is listed as the team's probable starting pitcher for Sunday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays. Lively was sent back to Cleveland after being pulled from his last outing due to general stiffness, but he's been given the green light to rejoin the club and is cleared to make his next scheduled appearance.

Weekend probables, Blue Jays vs. Guardians:

Friday: Kevin Gausman vs. Logan Allen
Sat: TBA (bullpen game ft. Yariel?) vs. Carlos Carrasco
Sunday: José Berríos vs. Ben Lively

— Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith) June 12, 2024

The 32-year-old veteran right-hander is working to maintain a spot in the Guardians' rotation when Gavin Williams (elbow) is presumably activated from the 60-day injured list later this month, producing a career-best 2.59 ERA and 1.11 WHIP with 48 punchouts and 15 walks through 55 2/3 innings this year. Fantasy managers should feel pretty good about deploying Lively against a disappointing Jays lineup on Sunday.

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