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At any given time in every MLB season, there is no shortage of key pitchers dealing with bumps and bruises that could impact fantasy baseball lineup decisions. That said, let's take a look at injured pitchers Nick Lodolo, Shane Baz, John Means, Jon Gray, Tyler Wells, Emilio Pagan, and Cody Bradford.
This is our weekly edition of fantasy baseball injury updates for pitchers as of May 24, 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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Nick Lodolo Injury Update
Cincinnati Reds left-hander Nick Lodolo (groin) had a successful bullpen session on Wednesday and will throw again on Saturday. Lodolo is aiming to come off the 15-day injured list and return to Cincy's starting rotation on Monday to face the St. Louis Cardinals. As long as the 26-year-old southpaw doesn't have a setback in his next bullpen session on Saturday, fantasy managers should be ready to throw him back into their starting lineups in a favorable matchup to kick off next week.
TJ Friedl is back to hitting off flips and continues to progress. He’s working toward getting back to taking batting practice soon.
Nick Lodolo’s bullpen went well yesterday. He’ll throw again on Saturday and is aiming to return on Monday.
— Charlie Goldsmith (@CharlieG__) May 23, 2024
Lodolo landed on the 15-day IL due to a left groin strain that wasn't very serious, which is why he didn't require a minor-league rehab assignment. The former seventh overall pick out of TCU in 2019 should be rostered in all fantasy leagues for his strikeout upside. He was looking good this year before his injury, going 3-2 with a 3.34 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, and 43 K's in 35 innings.
Shane Baz Injury Update
The Tampa Bay Rays reinstated left-hander Shane Baz (elbow) from the 15-day injured list on Thursday and optioned him to Triple-A Durham. Baz is finally nearing a return after opening the year on the IL as he recovers from Tommy John surgery that he underwent in July of 2022.
The Tampa Bay Rays have reinstated RHP Shane Baz from the 15-Day Injured List and optioned to Triple-A Durham.
— Rays Communications (@RaysPR) May 23, 2024
Although he's already made four minor-league rehab starts for the Durham Bulls, the Rays aren't going to rush him back and want to see more before they consider returning him to their big-league starting rotation later this season. In his four rehab starts for Triple-A, the 24-year-old southpaw had a 6.00 ERA and 1.92 WHIP with 22 walks and eight strikeouts in 12 innings. Baz's control could take a while to return as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery. Fantasy managers are going to want to temper expectations after Baz missed all of last year.
John Means Injury Update
The Baltimore Orioles placed left-hander John Means (forearm) on the 15-day injured list on Thursday with a left-forearm strain and recalled right-hander Jonathan Heasley from Triple-A Norfolk in a corresponding move. The frustration around Means continues after he was forced to leave his start on Wednesday against the St. Louis Cardinals early due to a flare-up with his left forearm.
The Orioles have made the following roster moves:
- Recalled RHP Jonathan Heasley from Triple-A Norfolk.
- Placed LHP John Means on the 15-day Injured List (left forearm strain).— Dan Connolly (@danconnolly2016) May 23, 2024
The 31-year-old southpaw got a late start to the 2024 campaign due to a similar issue with his arm, so fantasy managers should expect him to miss more than 15 days on the IL. The O's are likely to play it safe with Means at this point, although hopefully, he'll be able to return to Baltimore's starting rotation before the All-Star break in mid-July. With Means now sidelined again, it's likely that Cole Irvin will take his rotation spot.
Jon Gray Injury Update
Texas Rangers right-hander Jon Gray has been placed on the 15-day injured list with a mild groin strain after it was apparent that he wasn't going to be able to make his next scheduled start for the team. Gray injured his groin during his start on Tuesday in the loss to the Philadelphia Phillies, and now he'll have to sit out for at least the next two weeks after an MRI exam revealed a strain in his groin. We'll keep tabs on the 32-year-old's recovery process as he tries to make it back to the Rangers' rotation when he's eligible.
Gray to IL, Jesus Tinoco purchased, Bradford to 60 day IL
— Evan Grant (@Evan_P_Grant) May 23, 2024
Fantasy managers should look to keep Gray stashed on their rosters after he went 2-2 with a strong 2.21 ERA and 1.19 WHIP with 56 strikeouts in 57 innings over 11 outings this year. It's unclear who will take Gray's next turn in the rotation, which comes up on Sunday against the Minnesota Twins, but Nathan Eovaldi (groin) could be an option coming off the injured list.
Tyler Wells Injury Update
Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Tyler Wells (elbow) has been cleared to resume throwing. Wells has been sidelined since the middle of April after experiencing right elbow inflammation. The 29-year-old may be on the road to recovery, but his return is still likely several weeks away.
Tyler Wells was cleared this week to start playing catch #orioles
— Roch Kubatko (@masnRoch) May 23, 2024
He produced a solid season in 2023 with a 7-6 record, 3.64 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and 117:34 K:BB across 25 appearances. He is not worth stashing in the majority of fantasy leagues but could offer some value to fantasy managers later in the season when he is back on the mound.
Emilio Pagan Injury Update
The Cincinnati Reds placed right-hander Emilio Pagan (triceps) on the 15-day injured list on Thursday due to right-triceps tightness. The move comes after Pagan had not appeared out of the Reds' bullpen since Sunday due to the injury. The 33-year-old veteran setup man had an MRI exam come back negative, so there's hope that he can return to the big-league roster when his 15 days are up.
Reds putting RHP Emilio Pagan (right triceps) on the IL. Corresponding move to come.
— Mark Sheldon (@m_sheldon) May 23, 2024
Pagan is a key setup man for the Reds in front of closer Alexis Diaz in his first year in Cincinnati and is currently sporting a 2-3 record, 4.19 ERA (4.32 FIP), and 1.34 WHIP with seven walks and 25 strikeouts in 19 1/3 relief innings. With Pagan out of the picture for at least the next two weeks, the Reds will need setup men Fernando Cruz and Lucas Sims to step up in high-leverage roles.
Cody Bradford Injury Update
The Texas Rangers transferred starting pitcher Cody Bradford (back/rib) to the 60-day injured list on Thursday. Not much of a surprise here, as Bradford said on Sunday that he was shut down from throwing again because he wasn't recovering quickly enough between sessions.
Rangers transactions for Thursday:
-RHP Jon Gray placed on 15-day Injured List, retro to 5/22, with right groin strain
-RHP Jesus Tinoco (#59) contract selected from Round Rock (AAA)
-LHP Cody Bradford transferred from 15-day to 60-day Injured List— Texas Rangers PR (@TXRangersPR) May 23, 2024
The 26-year-old upstart left-hander had gone 3-0 with a 1.40 ERA and 0.62 WHIP while striking out 17 and walking just two over three starts (19 1/3 innings) out of Texas' rotation before going down, ranking among the American League's leaders in wins, opponent average, and ERA at the time of his injury, but he's becoming a tougher stash in fantasy without a clear timeline for a return. With six starters now sitting on the shelf, the Rangers will have to dig into their bullpen as well as their farm system for pitching help until they get healthier.
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