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With weekend MLB action approaching, now is a perfect time to check in on banged-up hurlers around the league. Let's take a look at injured pitchers Blake Snell, Justin Verlander, Walker Buehler, Pete Fairbanks, Kyle Bradish, and more.
This is our weekly edition of fantasy baseball injury updates for pitchers as of June 20, 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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Blake Snell Injury Update
San Francisco Giants manager Bob Melvin says that starting pitcher Blake Snell's (groin) next step will be pitching in "some kind of a game," but the team is still determining the details. Snell threw a successful bullpen session on Tuesday, and it sounds like there's at least an outside chance that his next appearance comes in the Giants' rotation. In all likelihood, however, the club will have him head out on a brief minor-league rehab assignment before rejoining the major-league roster.
Snell should still be back for fantasy managers before the end of June, and he'll be desperate to kick-start his season when he returns. Through six starts during his first year in the Bay Area, the 31-year-old reigning National League Cy Young Award winner has an unfathomable 9.51 ERA, 1.94 WHIP, and 31:14 K:BB over 23 2/3 innings. (MLB.com)
Justin Verlander Injury Update
Houston Astros manager Joe Espada said that he and starting pitcher Justin Verlander (neck) exchanged messages on Wednesday, with the hurler noting that his neck discomfort was improving. Espada said the team will check in with Verlander when it returns to Houston on Friday after their current series against the Chicago White Sox, and he hopes to have the 41-year-old veteran right-hander playing catch again in the near future.
Astros notes:
- Justin Verlander texted Joe Espada today noting this his neck was feeling better, but recovery timeline still TBD
- Espada noted Yordan might be back with the team later tonight
- Luis Garcia threw a live BP session on Sunday (25-30 pitches)
— Casey Drottar (@CDrottar19) June 19, 2024
There should be a clearer timetable for Verlander's return after he's re-evaluated this weekend, but fantasy managers can expect to have him back sometime in early July for the time being. Verlander owns a respectable 3.95 ERA and 1.21 WHIP with 51 strikeouts and 17 walks over 10 starts (57 innings) in 2024, but he only has three wins to show for it.
Walker Buehler Injury Update
Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Walker Buehler (hip) is going on the injured list with a hip injury. Manager Dave Roberts said that Buehler had been dealing with some hip discomfort, even before another ugly outing on Tuesday night at Coors Field against the Colorado Rockies. This will give Buehler a chance to reset after his struggles this year in his return from Tommy John surgery in 2023.
Buehler will be going on the IL with a hip injury. Roberts said Buehler had been dealing with some hip discomfort even before last night
Obviously, this also gives Buehler a chance to reset after his struggles this season. Roberts said there’s no timeline for his return right…
— Jack Harris (@ByJackHarris) June 19, 2024
Roberts said there's no timetable for Buehler's return right now, and it will depend on how he's feeling and also how his stuff looks once he starts a minor-league rehab assignment. It sounds like they want him to get some things figured out before he rejoins the big-league rotation. The 29-year-old two-time All-Star hasn't been anywhere close to his pre-injury form in eight starts, allowing 27 runs (24 earned) on 46 hits (10 homers) while walking 10 and striking out 31 in 37 innings pitched this year.
Pete Fairbanks Injury Update
Tampa Bay Rays closer Pete Fairbanks (thumb) is in the outfield doing long toss and playing catch under the watchful eye of head athletic trainer Joe Benge before Wednesday's game against the Minnesota Twins. Fairbanks is testing his right thumb that was bruised in Tuesday night's contest when he was hit by a comebacker. The 30-year-old veteran right-handed reliever may not be available in a late-inning, high-leverage spot against the Twins on Wednesday, but the good news is that X-rays came back negative on his thumb and he's considered day-to-day.
#Rays Fairbanks is in the outfield doing long toss and now playing catch under watchful eye of head athletic trainer Joe Benge, testing the right thumb that got bruised last night by a hard hit comebacker
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) June 19, 2024
It's been an injury-plagued year so far for Fairbanks, who hasn't been quite as good so far as he was in 2023 with a 3.42 ERA, a 1.35 WHIP, 10 saves and a 26:12 K:BB in his 23 2/3 innings. If Fairbanks isn't available on Wednesday, Jason Adam is the most likely candidate to see a save chance if it arises in Minnesota. UPDATE: Fairbanks said after testing his bruised right thumb playing catch that "everything felt within the realm of good" and he expects to be available to pitch Thursday.
Kyle Bradish Injury Update
Baltimore Orioles right-hander Kyle Bradish (elbow) underwent Tommy John surgery with an internal brace on Wednesday, according to general manager Mike Elias. Bradish will now miss the next 12 to 18 months. He's the third Orioles starter to have season-ending elbow surgery this month. The 27-year-old was originally diagnosed with a partial UCL tear in his right elbow in mid-February, but he chose to rest and rehab and ended up making eight starts for the Orioles before his elbow eventually gave out.
Kyle Bradish had Tommy John surgery with an internal brace today, general manager Mike Elias said.
— Danielle Allentuck (@d_allentuck) June 19, 2024
In his eight starts for Baltimore, Bradish looked good, going 2-0 with a 2.75 ERA and 1.07 WHIP with 53 strikeouts and 15 walks in 39 1/3 innings pitched. Along with his mini breakout in 2023, Bradish's stock is on the rise, it's just too bad that he'll almost certainly miss the entire first half of the 2025 season as well.
Eduardo Rodriguez Injury Update
Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said that left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez's (shoulder) latest imaging showed "almost 100% healing." Rodriguez will likely throw off a mound within the next week. The 31-year-old veteran southpaw opened his first season in Arizona on the injured list due to a left-shoulder strain that he suffered in spring training, and a setback in April has kept him out until this point. He appears to be making good progress at the moment, but he still has a ways to go and is going to require a lengthy minor-league rehab assignment given all the time he's missed.
Torey Lovullo said E-Rod's latest imaging showed "almost 100% healing." He will likely throw off a mound within the next week.
— Theo Mackie (@theo_mackie) June 19, 2024
As a result, E-Rod is unlikely to make his Diamondbacks debut before the All-Star break in mid-July. In the second half, though, he'll join Arizona's starting rotation and will be a matchup-based streamer in deep-mixed fantasy formats.
Ben Brown Injury Update
Chicago Cubs rookie right-hander Ben Brown (neck) began throwing again on Tuesday, and the general medical consensus was that he had a "benign area of concern," according to manager Craig Counsell. Brown's neck issue is already dissipating. The Cubs placed the 24-year-old youngster on the 15-day injured list on June 11 with a stress reaction to the left side of his neck, but it sounds like he's recovering nicely, although that doesn't mean he'll be ready to return to the team's starting rotation at the end of his 15-day IL stint.
Ben Brown (neck) began throwing again yesterday. General medical consensus was that he had a “benign area of concern,” Craig Counsell said, but it’s already dissipating.
— Maddie Lee (@maddie_m_lee) June 19, 2024
For the time being with both Brown and lefty Jordan Wicks (oblique) sidelined, veteran right-hander Kyle Hendricks has been forced back into the rotation. Brown has allowed a lot of hard contact this year but has offset it with a lofty 28.8% strikeout rate in his first 15 appearances (eight starts) in the major leagues in 2024.
Tyler Wells Injury Update
The Baltimore Orioles transferred right-hander Tyler Wells (elbow) to the 60-day injured list on Wednesday after he had right-elbow UCL surgery. In corresponding moves, the team selected the contract of infielder/outfielder Nick Maton from Triple-A Norfolk and optioned outfielder Kyle Stowers to Norfolk. Wells specifically had an internal brace procedure on his right elbow, which should allow him to return faster next year, but the 29-year-old is still out for the rest of the 2024 campaign and won't be ready for the start of the 2025 season.
O's have --
* Selected the contract of INF/OF Nick Maton from Triple-A Norfolk. He will wear No. 63.
* Optioned OF Kyle Stowers to Triple-A Norfolk.
* Transferred RHP Tyler Wells to the 60-day Injured List (right elbow UCL surgery). The 40 man is full.
— Steve Melewski (@masnSteve) June 19, 2024
In his three starts before going down, Wells went 0-2 with a 5.87 ERA and 1.37 WHIP with 13 strikeouts in 15 1/3 innings pitched. Maton, 27, will give Baltimore some extra infield depth with Jordan Westburg (hip) currently day-to-day after being pulled from Tuesday's game early.
Kyle Gibson Injury Update
St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Kyle Gibson (back) was a late scratch for his scheduled start on Wednesday against the hosting Miami Marlins with back tightness. Left-hander Matthew Liberatore ended up making the emergency spot start for the Cardinals. We'll have more updates on Gibson's status in the coming days, but for now, it's unknown when he'll be able to make his next start, and he could be a candidate to land on the 15-day injured list.
Cardinals have a very late scratch: Righty Kyle Gibson has back tightness, so lefty Matthew Liberatore will start.#Marlins
— Christina De Nicola (@CDeNicola13) June 19, 2024
The 36-year-old veteran has gone 5-2 in his first season with St. Louis and has posted a decent 3.44 ERA (4.15 FIP) and 1.19 WHIP with 73 strikeouts and 31 walks in 83 2/3 innings over his 14 starts. His strikeout rate of 21.3% is the highest since 2019 when he was with the Twins, and so far he's been able to limit the long ball, which has been an issue for him in the past.
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