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Dr. Reuven's (@mlbinjuryguru) fantasy baseball injury updates for Week 23 (2023). His medical background helps analyze MLB injuries for hitters and pitchers.
August is coming to a close. The summer is winding down. So too are our fantasy baseball leagues. All the hard work we put in from earlier this year until now is hopefully paying dividends. But an injury here or there down the stretch could ruin what we have built until now. Patience for players to return from injury should be at a minimum at this point.
If a player is said to need three to four weeks to return, there is probably very little fantasy value left in them for the year. If an injured player is still ramping up from an injury, their value relative to your team should be evaluated as well. I will continue to highlight the injured players and their return timelines in order to help you make the right decisions for your own unique situations.
Here's a little about myself for new readers. My name is Reuven Guy and I am a practicing orthopedic/pain management Physician Assistant. I have been dealing with sports injuries for the past 16+ years. Therefore, I have knowledge of orthopedic injuries and their recovery times based on my medical experience. I have also been playing fantasy baseball during that same time period. This has helped me get an advantage in this aspect of fantasy baseball, which I hope to share with you. Make sure to stay up to date on the latest MLB breaking news with our award-winning news desk and our free fantasy baseball mobile app with 24/7 push notification alerts!
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Injured Hitters for Fantasy Baseball
Mike Trout (OF, LAA)- Wrist: Mike Trout has again landed on the IL due to lingering soreness in his wrist. Trout fractured his hamate bone in early July and was activated off of the IL earlier this week. General manager Perry Minasian said Trout will be completely shut down for the next 10 days, but Minasian is hopeful that Trout will be able to return before the end of the season.
Ozzie Albies (2B, ATL)- Hamstring: Ozzie Albies was placed on the IL with a strained left hamstring. Manager Brian Snitker does not believe Albies "will play in a rehab game before being activated." The earliest he could be activated from the IL was August 25.
J.D. Martinez (DH, LAD)- Groin: J.D. Martinez was finally placed on the IL this week with left groin tightness. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that Martinez will be out for at least two to three weeks. A build-up period will follow, and it could very well extend into mid-September. Michael Busch is serving as the Dodgers' designated hitter.
Jarren Duran (OF, BOS)- Toe: Jarren Duran was placed on the IL after spraining a toe on his left foot. He was placed in a walking boot until the Red Sox received a definitive diagnosis. Adam Duvall has been getting more playing time as is Wilyer Abreu. There is no timeline for his return.
Byron Buxton (OF, MIN)- Hamstring: Byron Buxton was placed on the IL with a right hamstring strain. Buxton will need a rehab assignment, although it has not yet been planned. Also, there is a chance that Buxton may play some outfield when he returns.
Henry Davis (OF, PIT)- Hand: Henry Davis was placed on the IL with a right-hand strain. The soreness is supposedly near his right thumb and it sounds like it has been going on for a while. Vinny Capra was called up but Josh Palacios looks like the top candidate to serve as Davis' primary replacement in right field.
Willi Castro (3B, MIN)- Oblique: Willi Castro was placed on the IL last week with a mild left oblique strain. There is no timetable for his return and the earliest he could return is August 28. Mild strains usually take two to three weeks to recover from.
Dylan Carlson (OF, STL)- Oblique: Dylan Carlson is on the IL with both a Grade 2 left oblique strain and a lingering left ankle injury, the latter of which could eventually require surgery. He will receive an injection for the ankle this week and is aiming to pick up the intensity of his side work over the next 10 days. He hopes to return this year but it probably will not be until at least mid-September.
Jonathan India (SS, CIN)- Foot: Jonathan India is on the IL with left foot plantar fasciitis. He had his foot examined this week by a specialist, who reported good progress in the plantar fascia area. India says he feels no pain now and he took batting practice this week. "We'll see how I feel running and go from there," India said. "I feel good. All I can do is go based off of how I feel." A possible return from the IL could be expected to happen in early September. Players with a history of this injury usually come back initially with less power.
Oneil Cruz (SS, PIT)- Ankle: Oneil Cruz continues to rehab following ankle surgery. Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said this week that Cruz has shut down his running progression due to soreness in his surgically repaired left ankle and that his rehab has "plateaued" or stalled. Tomczyk said, "we are running out of days."
Stone Garrett (OF, WAS)- Leg: Stone Garrett was placed on the IL with a fractured left fibula after his leg got caught in the outfield wall while trying to rob a home run. No timetable was given but based on this injury, it is safe to say there is a chance he will not return this year. Alex Call should get more playing time down the stretch.
Jake Fraley (OF, CIN)- Toe: Jake Fraley was placed on the IL with a stress fracture in his left fourth toe. He is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment as early as this weekend with a target return date being close to September 1.
Mitch Haniger (OF, SF)- Forearm: Mitch Haniger is recovering from surgery due to a right forearm fracture. He has begun a rehab assignment and could be activated on August 28.
Mike Yastrzemski (OF, SF)- Hamstring: Mike Yastrzemski is recovering from a strained left hamstring. He "is hitting without restrictions and will continue his running progression throughout the week." There still remains no firm timetable for his return.
Joey Votto (1B, CIN)- Shoulder: Joey Votto was placed on the IL this week with left shoulder discomfort. This is the same shoulder that had required surgery in the past. He is expected to be activated off the IL in early September, though.
Brandon Crawford (SS, SF)- Forearm: Brandon Crawford is on the IL with a strained left forearm. He believes he will be ready to return when first eligible. Giants manager Gabe Kapler was a bit more cautious, saying only that he thought there was enough time left in the season for Crawford to contribute. Paul DeJong was signed to fill in for the Giants.
Michael Brantley (OF, HOU)- Shoulder: Michael Brantley has not yet played this season due to ongoing shoulder issues after surgery. He will remain on his rehab assignment at least through this weekend. The Astros had indicated that a return this weekend was a possibility, but manager Dusty Baker said that while Brantley is "champing at the bit," the veteran outfielder is "not physically there yet."
Injured Starting Pitchers for Fantasy Baseball
Shohei Ohtani (DH/SP, LAA)- Elbow: Angels general manager Perry Minasian said this week that Shohei Ohtani has a torn UCL in his right elbow and will not pitch again this year. There is no decision made yet on whether Ohtani will require the second Tommy John surgery of his career or a different type of procedure to repair his UCL.
The Angels may decide to keep him as a hitter this year as he has played with this injury before. If Ohtani does plan on pitching again in his career, he will most probably require surgery. It could knock him out of significant time next year.
Joe Ryan (SP, MIN)- Groin: Joe Ryan is on the IL with a groin strain. He is scheduled to make his return to the Twins rotation over the weekend.
Joe Musgrove (SP, SD)- Shoulder: Joe Musgrove is on the IL with right shoulder capsule inflammation. He is set to play catch this weekend, the first step in his return. He has been shut down for the past four weeks."I know he's looking forward to it," Padres manager Bob Melvin said. "But we want to kind of push the brakes a little bit. ... It's not going to be an accelerated path forward. It's going to be several of those before he would even consider getting on a mound, so we're still a ways away."
Shane Bieber (SP, CLE)- Elbow: Shane Bieber has been on the IL since early August with right elbow inflammation. He has extended his throwing distance off the flat ground to 120 feet (as of last Thursday) but has not been cleared for mound work yet. He is still a while away from a return. The earliest he could return from the 60-day IL is September 10.
Nathan Eovaldi (SP, TEX)- Forearm: Nathan Eovaldi was placed on the IL with a right forearm strain. He threw another bullpen session this week, his third. After this, the Rangers will decide if they forgo sending Eovaldi on a rehab assignment or activate him from the IL.
Matthew Liberatore (SP, STL)- Back: Matthew Liberatore was placed on the IL this week with lower-back tightness. The severity is not yet known and there is a chance that the Cardinals could shut him down for the rest of the year.
Mason Miller (SP, OAK)- Elbow: Mason Miller is on the IL with a mild UCL sprain in his elbow. He moved his rehab assignment to Triple-A this week. It is now reasonable to think that he will return to the majors in September.
John Means (SP, BAL)- Elbow/Back- John Means is now 16 months post-Tommy John surgery followed by a 2.5-month absence due to a low back issue. He is scheduled for his fourth rehab start this weekend. His rehab time will expire on September 8 and could be in the majors by then.
Ranger Suarez (SP, PHI)- Hamstring: Ranger Suarez was placed on the IL with a right hamstring strain. The Phillies initially said they believed Suarez's injury to be relatively minor, so there is a good chance that Suarez spends the minimum amount of time on the IL. Andrew Bellatti was called up.
Nick Lodolo (SP, CIN)- Tibia: Nick Lodolo is on the IL recovering from a stress reaction in his tibia. Lodolo, on his rehab assignment, was diagnosed with another stress reaction in his left tibia and is out indefinitely. This may end his season.
Yonny Chirinos (SP, ATL)- Elbow: Yonny Chirinos was placed on the IL with right elbow inflammation. The severity is not yet known. Allan Winans was called up and has been starting in his place.
Julio Teheran (SP, MIL)- Hip: Julio Teheran is on the IL with right hip impingement. He is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment this weekend. After two or three starts, he may be ready to be activated from the IL.
Stephen Strasburg (SP, WAS)- Shoulder: Stephen Strasburg has been on the IL the entirety of this year and has made only one start over the past two years. This is all status post-thoracic outlet surgery. Strasburg is planning to announce his retirement from baseball in September.
Injured Relief Pitchers for Fantasy Baseball
Ryan Helsley (RP, STL)- Forearm: Ryan Helsley is currently rehabbing a forearm strain that caused him to end up on the IL. He suffered a setback in his rehab assignment, still having pain. A new MRI was clean of any structural damage. He is scheduled for a bullpen session soon but time is running out for him to return this year.
Kenley Jansen (RP, BOS)- Hamstring: Kenley Jansen is dealing with right hamstring tightness. He reported improvement with his injury this week and is confident he can avoid a stint on the IL. If he is not available, Chris Martin might be needed in the short term should some save chances arise for Boston.
Tanner Rainey (RP, WAS)- Elbow: Tanner Rainey had elbow surgery last August and has not yet pitched in the majors this year. He threw 19 pitches in a rehab appearance this week. Nationals manager Dave Martinez indicated Rainey will need to show he can work back-to-back games before he could be activated from IL.
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