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There is still a long way to go before fantasy baseball leagues crown a champion, but one of the keys to staying in contention for the top spot is staying up to date with the latest injury headlines. Hundreds of pitchers will cycle in and out of lineups with injury concerns, and this week is no different. Today, we'll look at the top injured pitchers, including Joe Musgrove, Carlos Rodon, Nick Lodolo, Liam Hendriks, Kenta Maeda, and more.
This is our weekly edition of fantasy baseball injury updates for pitchers as of June 15, 2023. We'll be covering all positions throughout the week, so stay tuned. Some players on this list impact fantasy baseball more than others, but with leagues of all shapes and sizes, you never know which guys will force fantasy managers to search waiver wires in hopes of finding adequate replacements.
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 pitchers.
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Joe Musgrove Injury Update
San Diego Padres starting pitcher Joe Musgrove (elbow) has turned in four straight quality starts, but he's been wearing a compression sleeve on his right arm for much of the season and is dealing with bursitis in his right elbow. It might stem from aggressive treatment he underwent this spring to accelerate healing in his fractured left big toe.
"Everything is healthy in there," Musgrove said. "I think I had a leak in the bursa sac or a rupture in there, which is not damaging as far as the injury itself. But it causes swelling and causes loss of range of motion. So just been trying to work on that and keep that under control." Despite the injury, he gave up three runs in six innings to beat the Guardians on Tuesday and has allowed six runs (five earned) over 23 1/3 innings in his last four starts.
Carlos Rodon Injury Update
New York Yankees starting pitcher Carlos Rodon (elbow, back) threw live batting practice on Sunday, and according to MLB.com, he is scheduled to throw another session on Thursday. If that goes well, he'll then be ready for a rehab assignment. Rodon has been on the shelf for all of 2023 with elbow and back problems, so fantasy managers should be excited to finally get the left-hander back, possibly in the next couple of weeks.
The 30-year-old has produced ace-like numbers the past two seasons, including a 2.88 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and 33.4% strikeout rate with 14 wins over 31 starts for the San Francisco Giants in 2022.
Nick Lodolo Injury Update
Cincinnati Reds left-hander Nick Lodolo (leg) had an encouraging MRI exam on Wednesday, but he remains in a walking boot, and an early August return is a best-case scenario. Lodolo remains on the injured list while recovering from a stress reaction in his left tibia, so he won't be back anytime soon for the Reds or fantasy managers.
The 25-year-old southpaw last pitched on May 6 against the Chicago White Sox, and he's gone 2-1 in his second year in the majors with a rough 6.29 ERA (5.81 FIP), 1.75 WHIP, 10 walks, a league-high seven hit by pitches and 47 strikeouts in 34 1/3 innings over his seven starts. Lodolo has a lot of strikeout upside and will have a rotation spot waiting for him when he's healthy, but fantasy managers in mixed leagues can probably leave him to the waiver wire until the second half of the season.
Liam Hendriks Injury Update
Chicago White Sox right-hander Liam Hendriks (elbow) was placed on the 15-day injured list on Sunday after suffering right-elbow inflammation. However, according to MLB.com, his test results were positive and showed no structural damage. Manager Pedro Grifol admitted the recovery might take some time, though, so fantasy managers will still have to be patient.
It's been a rollercoaster season already for Hendriks, who missed the first two months of the season while dealing with an illness. Across just five innings, the 34-year-old allowed three runs and one walk while striking out three and earning one save. Fantasy owners should stash Hendriks on their IL once again and hope he can come back sooner rather than later.
Lance McCullers Jr. Injury Update
The Houston Astros announced on Wednesday that starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. (forearm) underwent season-ending surgery on Tuesday night on his right forearm to fix the flexor tendon and to remove a bone spur, according to general manager Dana Brown. McCullers originally injured the flexor tendon in his forearm while pitching in Game 4 of the 2021 American League Division Series, and he aggravated it while throwing a bullpen this February.
The 29-year-old is expected to return for the Astros in 2024, but it's unknown when that might be, and it's understandable for fantasy managers to want nothing to do with him next year. It's another disappoint injury development for McCullers, and he can safely be dropped in redraft fantasy leagues.
Kenta Maeda Injury Update
Minnesota Twins right-hander Kenta Maeda (triceps) is scheduled to make another rehab start on Friday with Triple-A St. Paul, according to MLB.com. The 35-year-old last pitched on June 10 when he recorded five strikeouts and no walks over four innings of work. There's a chance that Maeda could return in June, but the club has yet to decide on the next steps in his recovery.
The seven-year veteran hasn't started in a big league game since April 26 after suffering a right-triceps strain and landing on the 15-day injured list. Before the ailment, he pitched to a 9.00 ERA with a 1.63 WHIP and 14 strikeouts across 16 innings (four starts). Fantasy managers should check back in for more updates on his return timeline.
Trevor Rogers Injury Update
The Miami Marlins moved left-hander Trevor Rogers (biceps, shoulder) to the 60-day injured list on Tuesday and selected the contract of right-hander Archie Bradley in a corresponding move. Rogers is eligible to return next week, but it's doubtful that happens, as his right-shoulder discomfort is expected to cost him more time.
The 25-year-old southpaw was scratched from his minor-league rehab start with Triple-A Jacksonville on Saturday due to right-shoulder pain after he was already rehabbing from a left-biceps injury. The Marlins are probably going to want to see Rogers make at least another rehab start before they activate him from the IL. When he is ready to return, the Fish could send rookie Eury Perez to the minors as they attempt to limit his overall workload.
Jose Quintana Injury Update
New York Mets left-hander Jose Quintana (ribs) was added to Low-A St. Lucie's roster to begin his minor-league rehab assignment on Tuesday. After having bone-graft surgery on his rib cage back in March, he's most likely going to have a lengthy rehab assignment so he can be built all the way back up for a starter's workload.
The 34-year-old veteran southpaw had one of the best seasons of his career in 2022 with the Pirates and Cardinals, posting a 2.93 ERA with 137 strikeouts in 165 2/3 innings, but fantasy managers shouldn't expect Quintana to be nearly that good for the Mets, especially coming off a pretty serious injury. Still, he should have a secure rotation spot once he's healthy and could help fantasy managers in deep-mixed leagues in the second half.
Alex Wood Injury Update
San Francisco Giants starter Alex Wood (back) has progressed well in his recovery from a lower back strain, throwing a 53-pitch rehab outing with Triple-A Sacramento on Sunday. MLB.com reports that the 32-year-old is scheduled for a bullpen session later this week, and if everything goes to plan, he could rejoin the club for their weekend series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Wood's been on the injured list twice this year already, and his latest ailment forced him to the IL on June 4. Across 30 inning and seven starts in 2023, the former second-round pick owns a 4.80 ERA, 1.60 WHIP, and 21.4% strikeout rate. Fantasy managers should feel comfortable dropping Wood in most formats, especially given his injury history.
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