X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Friday Focus: Everybody Hurts

Last week, we talked about the value of a fresh start. Hope spring trainings eternal, and the beginning of a new season always inspires at least some level of optimism for every baseball fan. Maybe your team isn't contending, but even the worst teams have a couple of players or prospects who might take a big step forward, on whom you can dream. And if you're so disgusted by your preferred laundry that you can't gin up excitement for anybody in it, there's always your fantasy squad.

Alas, the fantasy only extends so far; reality must and does begin rudely intruding upon the best laid plans as soon as the games begin to count and be counted. Any number of misfortunes can befall a roster, virtual or in the flesh, throughout the course of a six-month season. (And isn't it nice to be able to say that again?) This is, of course, part of the deal. The year(s) we emerge victorious were necessarily years from hell for at least a handful of our competitors. Nobody ever expects it to be them, until it is.

Some years, your draft is so poor that you never quite recover. In others, you miss out on too many waiver wire gems. And sometimes, you are beset by that most heinous of foes, the dirty rotten scoundrel known as the injury bug.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball draft tools and resources:

 

Injuries Abound

Thus far, I've been quite lucky. Until Ketel Marte came up limping while running out a ground ball on Wednesday night, the only player on any of my rosters to sustain an injury in the opening week of the season was Joakim Soria, out of over 100 possible victims. My IL slots are populated by the likes of Carlos Carrasco, Luke Voit, and Luis Severino, players whose infirmities were known to us when I opted to draft them at reduced prices. Injury stashes are an early-season luxury that can provide an edge later in the year, but only if your roster page doesn't get immediately drenched in red ink.

Many fantasy managers are finding themselves scrambling already as a rash of injuries has cast a pall over the opening sprint. Trevor Rosenthal had thoracic outlet surgery on Thursday. We may not see him again in 2021. James Paxton is headed toward Tommy John. Both Mookie Betts and Paul Goldschmidt have sat out with balky backs, while Aaron Judge missed a game with what the team termed, "side soreness." Mike Soroka and George Springer both had setbacks in their rehab that took the form of injuries to other parts of their bodies than the ones they were rehabbing. Patrick Corbin and Brad Hand are both in COVID protocol. Cody Bellinger got spiked and hasn't played since. Tim Anderson's on the shelf with hamstring tightness. Josh Donaldson didn't even make it through Opening Day, Ke'Bryan Hayes only outlasted him by a game.

And then, of course, there's Fernando Tatis Jr. I drew the first pick in this year's RotoBaller staff redraft league, and considered Tatis before opting for Juan Soto instead. What ultimately tipped the scales was the shoulder subluxation Tatis had suffered late in spring training. Most people heard the reports that it was something he's dealt with for years and breathed a sigh of relief, especially once he quickly returned and hit a home run. For me, that revelation set off alarm bells.

 

Shoulders Are A Burden

Two years ago, while playing beer league softball, I dove to catch a ball in the outfield. My right shoulder slammed into the ground and I felt it, for lack of a better word, crumple. I popped it back into place, finished the game and hit the bar after with only some soreness. I figured I'd escaped anything more serious. Weeks went by and the shoulder didn't get better. The soreness remained, as did a feeling of instability. I went to the doctor and was diagnosed with an impingement. "If it doesn't improve in a couple of weeks, come back for a cortisone shot." It didn't. This time, I saw the sports medicine specialist at that clinic, who had me lay down on the table while he reached toward my shoulder. When he saw how I flinched at even a light touch, he immediately told me to get an MRI.

The imaging showed I'd torn my labrum. Repeated dislocations of that shoulder over the course of my life had taken their toll, and that last crash to the ground had shredded the thing. I had a wilderness excursion planned for later in the year, plus a bunch of other stuff I wanted to do that summer, and I'd been playing non-contact sports like volleyball and Ultimate Frisbee since the injury with only occasional, albeit intense pain. The orthopedic surgeon who would eventually insert six screws into my shoulder to stabilize it told me that I could manage the injury, but that without surgery I would almost certainly pop it out again, over and over, until I began to lose bone.

So when I saw the video of Tatis collapsing in the batter's box on Monday night, cradling his arm in the exact same way I had two years prior, my shoulder ached with familiarity. You can live with a labral tear - I did for five months, which is exactly how long I had to spent rehabbing it post-op - but it's a ticking time bomb, and rest is often not enough to prevent it from going boom. Two subluxations in the span of a few weeks means Tatis is highly likely to suffer another, days or weeks or months from now. And the tear in his labrum, while only slight at present, will get worse when that happens. I'm not a doctor, just a dude who messed up his shoulder. But no matter how optimistic the Padres may be, it certainly seems like surgery is a matter of when, not if. The risk of further injury is that significant, and long term he'll be better off for getting scoped.

Provided he gets the surgery before sustaining further damage to the joint (rotator cuff or capsule), Tatis shouldn't have any lingering issues. You don't ever get back to 100%, but 98% is attainable for regular jerks like you and me, let alone a world-class athlete like Tatis. It's simply a matter of whether he can make it through this season intact - and that feels like a long shot. Recall that Adalberto Mondesi tried to rest and rehab in lieu of surgery back in 2019. He missed six weeks, came back for a few games, didn't play well and then reaggravated the injury. It was late September by that point, so he had the procedure. It got lost in the COVID shuffle, of course, but there was a strong possibility he wouldn't have been ready for Opening Day last year if it had happened as scheduled.

All of which is to say, I feel for managers who built their squads around Tatis. I might have been one of you, if not for the hard-earned healthy respect I have for shoulder woes. My colleague Ariel Cohen already went in depth on your options moving forward. I'd recommend the risk-averse approach, myself. Even if he can play through it, there's no guarantee he'll be the same player. His power might be sapped, or he might avoid stealing bases. It's difficult to recall a top-five pick suffering a potential season-ending injury in recent history, and there's no other way to say it: It sucks. Let's all hope for fewer injuries moving forward, that our fates might be decided by our own competence or lack thereof rather than cruel, inveterate chance.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!



More Fantasy Baseball Advice




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Jose Altuve1 hour ago

Has Been Working In Left Field
Si Woo Kim2 hours ago

Showing Some Form Heading Into Phoenix
Tom Hoge3 hours ago

Looks To Keep The Momentum Going In Phoenix
Austin Eckroat3 hours ago

A Name To Watch For At WM Phoenix Open
Zach Werenski3 hours ago

Will Not Play On Tuesday
Wyndham Clark4 hours ago

Is Someone To Stay Away From This Week
Alex Nedeljkovic4 hours ago

Starting On Tuesday
Logan Thompson4 hours ago

Facing Florida On Tuesday
Tage Thompson4 hours ago

Ruled Out On Tuesday
Kansas City Chiefs4 hours ago

Andy Reid Won't Retire After Super Bowl LIX
Erik Haula4 hours ago

Viewed As Game-Time Decision On Tuesday
Travis Kelce4 hours ago

Doesn't Appear To Be Eyeing Retirement
Nico Daws4 hours ago

Starting On Tuesday
Min Woo Lee5 hours ago

Has Hot Hand Ahead Of WM Phoenix Open
Patrick Rodgers5 hours ago

A Wild Card At WM Phoenix Open
Tom Kim5 hours ago

A Golfer To Watch At WM Phoenix Open
Max Homa5 hours ago

Tough To Trust At WM Phoenix Open
Jordan Spieth5 hours ago

A Risky Option At WM Phoenix Open
Sam Burns5 hours ago

Will Be A Big Play This Week But Comes With Risk
Christiaan Bezuidenhout6 hours ago

Looks To Turn Around Ball-Striking In Phoenix
LeBron James7 hours ago

Considered Probable Tuesday
Bruce Brown7 hours ago

Questionable To Play On Tuesday
Chris Boucher7 hours ago

Questionable Tuesday
Ben Simmons7 hours ago

Sits Out Tuesday's Action
Cameron Johnson7 hours ago

Remains Out Tuesday
Kenyon Martin Jr.8 hours ago

Picks Up Questionable Tag
Caleb Martin8 hours ago

May Return To Action Tuesday
Eric Gordon8 hours ago

Questionable Tuesday
Ryan Hartman9 hours ago

Suspended For 10 Games
Owen Tippett9 hours ago

Considered Day-To-Day Ahead Of Tuesday's Game
Anton Forsberg9 hours ago

Earns Victory On Monday
Filip Forsberg9 hours ago

Scores Goal, Adds Assist In Monday's Loss
Brady Tkachuk9 hours ago

Tallies Two Helpers On Monday
Nick Taylor18 hours ago

Tries Again For Second Win At Scottsdale
Seamus Power18 hours ago

Could Be Intriguing For DFS At Scottsdale
Maverick McNealy18 hours ago

Seeking Form From Sentry This Week
Andre Drummond18 hours ago

Uncertain To Suit Up On Tuesday
Jake Knapp19 hours ago

Looking For Consistency At WM Phoenix Open
Beau Hossler19 hours ago

Seeks A Better Start At Scottsdale
Buddy Hield19 hours ago

Active Against The Magic
Draymond Green19 hours ago

Officially Active Versus Orlando
Harry Hall19 hours ago

Hopes For A Better Performance At Scottsdale
P.J. Washington19 hours ago

Returning On Tuesday
Rasmus Hojgaard19 hours ago

Trying To Build Off Pebble Beach
Rickie Fowler19 hours ago

Loves The Atmosphere At Scottsdale
Kyrie Irving20 hours ago

Available Versus The 76ers
Nick Dunlap20 hours ago

Might Have Issues At The WM Phoenix Open
Daniel Gafford20 hours ago

Off The Injury Report
Thomas Detry20 hours ago

Has Been Up And Down In 2025
Anthony Davis20 hours ago

Ruled Out On Tuesday
Max Christie20 hours ago

Available On Tuesday Evening
Myles Turner20 hours ago

Sits Out Monday's Game
Jalen Suggs20 hours ago

Ruled Out Monday
Naz Reid21 hours ago

Available Against Kings
Victor Wembanyama21 hours ago

Back For Spurs Monday
Paul George21 hours ago

Out Again On Tuesday Night
Cooper Kupp21 hours ago

Rams Seeking Trade Partner For Cooper Kupp
Marcus Johansson22 hours ago

On Track To Return Tuesday
Erik Haula23 hours ago

Could Be An Option Tuesday
Tyler Toffoli23 hours ago

Considered A Game-Time Call For Tuesday
Rasmus Ristolainen23 hours ago

Labeled As Day-To-Day
Scott Mayfield23 hours ago

Considered Day-To-Day
Mathew Barzal23 hours ago

Out Indefinitely
Mitchell Marner23 hours ago

Questionable For Tuesday
Nassourdine Imavov1 day ago

Picks Up Second-Round Knockout Win At UFC Saudi Arabia
Israel Adesanya1 day ago

Gets Knocked Out At UFC Saudi Arabia
Said Nurmagomedov1 day ago

Drops Decision At UFC Saudi Arabia
Vinicius Oliveira1 day ago

Remains Undefeated In The UFC
Mike Davis1 day ago

Loses Decision At UFC Saudi Arabia
Farés Ziam1 day ago

Fares Ziam Extends His Win Streak To Five
Josh Norris1 day ago

Deemed Week-To-Week
Jonas Brodin1 day ago

Expected To Return On Tuesday
Andrei Svechnikov1 day ago

Returns To Practice On Monday
Cleveland Browns1 day ago

Myles Garrett Requests Trade, Browns Sticking To Their Stance
Jack Flaherty1 day ago

Returning To Detroit On Two-Year Contract
Las Vegas Raiders2 days ago

Raiders Hire Chip Kelly As Offensive Coordinator
Shohei Ohtani2 days ago

Expected To Pitch In May
Freddie Freeman2 days ago

Starts Swinging, Not Running
Tyler Glasnow2 days ago

Throwing Bullpens, Feels Good Heading Into Spring Training
Kaan Ofli3 days ago

Suffers Second Straight Loss At UFC Saudi Arabia
Muhammad Naimov3 days ago

Gets Decision Win At UFC Saudi Arabia
Jairzinho Rozenstruik3 days ago

Loses Lackluster Decision At UFC Saudi Arabia
Sergei Pavlovich3 days ago

Snaps Losing Streak At UFC Saudi Arabia
Shara Magomedov3 days ago

Suffers First Career Loss At UFC Saudi Arabia
Michael Page3 days ago

Pulls Off Upset At UFC Saudi Arabia
Chris Godwin3 days ago

Tampa Bay Expected To Attempt To Re-Sign Chris Godwin
Justin Tucker3 days ago

Facing More Sexual-Assault Allegations
Alex Bregman3 days ago

Tigers And Red Sox Emerge As "Co-Favorites" To Land Alex Bregman
Nolan Arenado3 days ago

Cardinals Unable To Find Trade Partner For Nolan Arenado
Dallas Goedert4 days ago

Will Be Good To Go Against Chiefs
DeVonta Smith4 days ago

Expected To Play In Super Bowl
Tampa Bay Buccaneers4 days ago

Josh Grizzard Promoted To Offensive Coordinator
Pete Alonso4 days ago

Reds Showing Interest In Pete Alonso
Israel Adesanya4 days ago

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Nassourdine Imavov4 days ago

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Vinicius Oliveira4 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Saudi Arabia
Said Nurmagomedov4 days ago

A Favorite At UFC Saudi Arabia
DeVonta Smith4 days ago

Not Practicing Again On Friday
Mike Davis4 days ago

Looks For His Fifth UFC Win
Farés Ziam4 days ago

Fares Ziam Looks For His Fifth Win In A Row
Félix Bautista4 days ago

Felix Bautista Expected To Be Ready For Opening Day
Jorge Polanco5 days ago

Re-Signs With Mariners On One-Year Deal
Kaan Ofli5 days ago

Looks For First UFC Win In Saudi Arabia
Muhammad Naimov5 days ago

Opens Up UFC Saudi Arabia Main Card
Jairzinho Rozenstruik5 days ago

A Big Underdog At UFC Saudi Arabia
Max Scherzer5 days ago

Signs One-Year Deal With Toronto
Dallas Goedert5 days ago

Being Rested Again On Thursday
DeVonta Smith5 days ago

Misses Practice Again On Thursday
Justin Tucker5 days ago

Accused Of Inappropriate Sexual Behavior
Dylan Cease5 days ago

Cubs A Team To Watch On Dylan Cease
Dylan Cease5 days ago

Mets Showing Interest In Dylan Cease, Michael King
Ja'Marr Chase6 days ago

Extension A Priority For Bengals This Offseason
Matthew Stafford6 days ago

Plans To Play In 2025
Dallas Goedert6 days ago

Sits Out With Ankle Injury
DeVonta Smith6 days ago

Dealing With Hamstring Injury
Carlos Estévez6 days ago

Carlos Estevez Signing With Kansas City
Max Scherzer6 days ago

Blue Jays The Favorites To Land Max Scherzer

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Drake Maye - Fantasy Football rankings, NFL DFS Picks, QB Streamers

Top AFC East Players To Buy In Dynasty Fantasy Football Leagues

The AFC East, comprised of the Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins, and New York Jets, only produced one winning team this season. The Bills predictably failed in the playoffs against the Kansas City Chiefs, but they're at least in great shape heading into next season. The same can't be said for the Pats, […]


Tee Higgins - Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

2025 Fantasy Football Best Ball FLEX Rankings: Bucky Irving, Tyreek Hill, Tee Higgins, Drake London, James Cook, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Chris Godwin

Do you already miss fantasy football season? Well, the good news is you can start drafting best ball teams already, and we're here to help with our NFL team's early 2025 fantasy football best ball FLEX rankings. Use these early best ball rankings for Underdog, DraftKings, NFFC, FanDuel, and more. Be sure to check out all […]


Jahmyr Gibbs - Fantasy Football, Rankings, Draft, Sleeper, DFS, Running Back

2025 Fantasy Football Best Ball Running Back Rankings: Saquon Barkley, Jahmyr Gibbs, De'Von Achane, Ashton Jeanty, Christian McCaffrey, Bucky Irving

Running backs were the stars of the 2024 fantasy football season, and the trend could continue in 2025. With early best ball drafts already taking place, let's waste no time diving into our NFL team's early 2025 fantasy football best ball running back rankings. Nailing your picks at RB is critical for taking home a […]


Jayden Daniels - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

2025 Fantasy Football Best Ball Quarterback Rankings: Jayden Daniels, Baker Mayfield, Joe Burrow, Bo Nix, Caleb Williams, Bryce Young, Drake Maye

Early best ball drafts are already taking place for the 2025 fantasy football season, and it's always difficult to know when to take a quarterback in these setups. If you need assistance at the QB spot, we're here to assist with our NFL team's early 2025 fantasy football best ball quarterback rankings. Use these early best […]


Malik Nabers - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL DFS Picks

2025 Fantasy Football Best Ball Wide Receiver Rankings: Ja'Marr Chase, Puka Nacua, Malik Nabers, Brian Thomas Jr., Ladd McConkey, Tetairoa McMillan

The 2025 NFL season is several months away, but it's already time for early best ball drafts, and nailing your wide receiver picks will be key to a successful campaign. Wideout production was down overall in 2024, so let's see if next year presents a bounceback campaign. If you're already drafting best ball teams, our […]


Brock Bowers - Fantasy Football Rankings, TE, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers

2025 Fantasy Football Best Ball Tight End Rankings: Brock Bowers, Trey McBride, Sam LaPorta, Mark Andrews, Jonnu Smith, Travis Kelce, Tyler Warren

Sure, the 2024-25 fantasy football season has not been gone long, but it's already best ball draft season for many fantasy enthusiasts. As always, the tight end position presents difficult decisions and challenges, so we're here to help with our NFL team's early 2025 fantasy football best ball tight end rankings. Use these early best ball […]


Michael Penix Jr. - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Five 2024 Rookies To Buy In Dynasty Fantasy Football Leagues

Rookies are an essential part of building a consistent contender in dynasty football leagues. They are one of the best ways to replace aging talent on your roster. Unfortunately, some rookie picks don’t quite work out and that can set your team back a bit. While this does happen often in dynasty football, it’s important […]


DK Metcalf - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Biggest Wide Receiver Busts of the 2024 Fantasy Football Season

First-round pick, second-round pick, third-round pick, or lower, fantasy managers struggled to dodge wide receiver busts. Whether due to the re-emergence of running backs, injuries to their quarterback, or other factors, high-profile names disappointed in 2024. From the writer who brought you weekly bust columns for the last two seasons, it's only right for me […]


David Montgomery - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Five Running Backs To Sell In Dynasty Fantasy Football Leagues

The fun thing about playing in dynasty leagues is that the season never ends. Sure, you aren't setting weekly lineups and battling for a title right now, but you can still make offseason moves to set your team up for success. One thing you can do is trade away players when their value is at […]


Nico Collins - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Early 2025 Fantasy Football Rankings: Top 375 Players for Redraft Leagues (Pre-NFL Draft)

The fantasy football season just ended, but we're already looking ahead to next year with our team's early 2025 fantasy football rankings for redraft leagues and the top 375 players across all positions (before the 2025 NFL Draft). We're cranking away all year with fantasy football content -- so be sure to also check out […]


Rashid Shaheed - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Injured Players To Buy In Dynasty Fantasy Football

It's not always a player's fault when he can't perform. Despite this, Dynasty fantasy managers are often more willing to trade some of their assets when they're dealing with injuries, giving you an opportunity to get a better deal than you normally would. And since value should be at the center of all your decisions […]


Travis Kelce - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Super Bowl LIX Starting Lineups - Chiefs vs. Eagles

We are just days away from Super Bowl LIX, which will be played in New Orleans between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles. Both teams have had strong seasons and are deserving of hoisting the Lombardi Trophy on February 9. The Chiefs will be looking to win their third straight Super Bowl, while […]


Marvin Harrison Jr. - Fantasy Football Rankings, WR, Waiver Wire, NFL DFS, Rookies

10 Fallers From The 2024 Season In Dynasty Fantasy Football Leagues

Of course players fall off in perceived value all the time after poor seasons, but it can still be surprising to see some that were previously thought of as amazing assets become players that tons of teams are trying to sell during the offseason. But predicting the future is never easy. This season, there were […]