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Dr. Reuven's (@mlbinjuryguru) fantasy baseball injury updates for Week 9 (2024). His medical background helps analyze MLB injuries for hitters and pitchers.
This week is one of the first real important weeks for fantasy baseball players. This is a week when you could get a discount on free-agent players that will not be there for long. As we get closer to June, we are getting to the two-month mark of the baseball season. And if you follow the injuries like I do, this time frame is an obvious time to get bargains.
This is when we hit the 60-day mark in the season. Players who were placed on the 60-day IL to start the season will soon be eligible to return. Knowing which players are ready to return at that time and who will need longer can help you with your roster. I will continue to highlight those players and other injured fantasy-relevant players to help you use your FAAB wisely.
Here's a little about myself for both new and returning 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. 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!
Injured Hitters for Fantasy Baseball
Trea Turner (SS, PHI)- Hamstring: Turner is on the IL with a left hamstring strain. He has said that he expects to miss at least six weeks. He went through agility drills, took grounders on the field, and also hit in the indoor batting cage. Turner is still about a month away from a return
Dansby Swanson (SS, CHC)- Knee: Swanson was placed on the IL with knee soreness stemming from an awkward slide that occurred April 25. For now, it is being called a right knee sprain. The severity is not yet known. Swanson is eligible to return May 18. Nico Hoerner is filling in at short while Miles Mastrobuoni is filling in at second base for the Cubs.
Ke'Bryan Hayes (3B, PIT)- Back: Hayes was placed on the IL with a back issue. The severity is not yet known. Alika Williams was called up and Jared Triolo should see some time at the hot corner for the Pirates.
Kris Bryant (OF, COL)- Back: Bryant has been on the IL for about a month now with a lower back strain. He has begun a rehab stint and could be activated by the Rockies over this weekend.
Michael Conforto (OF, SF)- Hamstring: Conforto was placed on the IL with a right hamstring strain. He was at first considered day-to-day, but the MRI showed a more severe strain. Luis Matos was called up and is being penciled in the everyday outfield for the Giants.
Luis Robert (OF, CHW)- Hip: Robert has been out since early April with a Grade 2 right hip flexor strain. White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said that Robert could begin playing rehab games this week. Barring any setbacks, Robert could be activated off of the IL by the end of May.
Tim Anderson (SS, MIA)- Back: Anderson was placed on the IL this week with lower-back tightness. The severity is not known. Vidal Brujan is expected to serve as the Marlins' everyday shortstop while Anderson is on the shelf.
TJ Friedl (OF, CIN)- Thumb: Friedl was hit by a pitch and is on the IL again with a fracture, this time his left thumb. He had just returned following a wrist fracture. This fracture could keep Friedl out for about a month. Will Benson could see more time and Jacob Hurtubise was called up.
Patrick Bailey (C, SF)- Head: Bailey was placed on the concussion IL due to a concussion that occurred earlier this month. He will be eligible to return once he is symptom-free. Blake Sabol will take over as San Francisco's primary catcher while Bailey is out.
Rhys Hoskins (1B, MIL)- Hamstring: Hoskins landed on the IL this week with a right hamstring strain. Hoskins tweaked his hamstring while running to first base. The severity is not known. Jake Bauers and Owen Miller should fill in at first with Hoskins out.
#Brewers Rhys Hoskins left the game early with an injury.
He appeared to injure his leg on this single as he runs down to first base.
We could see Tyler Black back up if this is an IL stint for Hoskins pic.twitter.com/j1MdTyqAcc
— Mike Kurland (@Mike_Kurland) May 14, 2024
Royce Lewis (3B, MIN)- Quad: Lewis has been on the IL since Opening Day with a right quad strain. He has begun light running, fielding grounders, and hitting. Twins head athletic trainer Nick Paparesta described the upcoming week as a big one for Lewis when it comes to his recovery from the right quad strain. Lewis will gradually ramp up the intensity of his running this week while incorporating more change-of-direction work into his training regimen. Depending on how Lewis responds to the running work, he could be cleared to begin a minor league rehab assignment next weekend.
Jung Hoo Lee (OF, SF)- Shoulder: Lee was placed on the IL this week after dislocating his shoulder playing center field and banging into the wall. The most recent report has said that imaging revealed structural damage in Lee's left shoulder. This will probably mean he will require surgery and is going to get a second opinion from Dr. Neal ElAttrache. If surgery is needed, an extended absence is to be expected. Luis Matos has started since Lee went down.
Per Giants, Jung Hoo Lee’s MRI revealed structural damage to his left shoulder. He will seek a second opinion with Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles on Thursday. Giants will have another update after that.
— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) May 14, 2024
Willson Contreras (C, STL)- Forearm: Contreras was hit in the left forearm by a swing by J.D. Martinez. This fractured his left forearm and required surgery. He is expected to be out for 10 weeks. Ivan Herrera will fill in for the Cardinals with Pedro Pages serving as the backup.
Sean Murphy (C, ATL)- Oblique: Murphy is on the IL with a Grade 1 left oblique strain. He is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment next week.
Wyatt Langford (OF, TEX)- Hamstring: Langford was placed on the IL with a right hamstring strain. He is expected to miss two or three more weeks and is currently running at 85-90% strength.
Wyatt Langford is running the arc of the infield & Josh Jung is playing catch. Medical report
— Evan Grant (@Evan_P_Grant) May 15, 2024
Chas McCormick (OF, HOU)- Hamstring: McCormick is on the IL with hamstring soreness. He is on a rehab assignment now and could return as early as this weekend.
Nolan Jones (OF, COL)- Back: Jones was placed on the IL with a lower-back strain. He is currently on a rehab assignment and could return as early as May 21.
Josh Jung (3B, TEX)- Wrist: Jung had surgery on April 2 for a fractured right wrist and is on the IL. He has begun playing catch, which is a step in the right direction. He is still expected to be out until early to mid-June.
Josh Jung exactly 6 weeks out from wrist surgery played catch, took ground balls today. A significant step
— Evan Grant (@Evan_P_Grant) May 14, 2024
Brandon Lowe (OF, TB)- Oblique: Lowe is on the IL with a right oblique strain. He was on a rehab assignment when Lowe experienced a setback. Rays manager Kevin Cash said this week that Lowe will rejoin the team and will resume swinging the bat before heading back out on a minor league rehab assignment soon.
Lane Thomas (OF, WAS)- Knee: Thomas is on the IL with an MCL strain in his left knee. He has been running the bases, which is his first step to returning. Thomas will need to advance some more prior to doing a rehab stint.
Lane Thomas is on the field running bases, I believe, for the first time since spraining his MCL three weeks ago. Not running at 100 percent, but doesn't appear to be much less than that.
— Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) May 15, 2024
Oswald Peraza (3B, NYY)- Shoulder: Peraza has been on the IL since the start of the season with a right shoulder strain suffered back in late February. He is on a rehab assignment and could be activated as early as May 20.
Masataka Yoshida (OF, BOS)- Thumb: Yoshida was placed on the IL with a left thumb sprain. He is still having thumb pain and will not need surgery. There is no timeline for his return.
Jasson Dominguez (OF, NYY)- Elbow: Dominguez is continuing his rehab following Tommy John surgery last year. He has begun a rehab stint but still may be optioned to the minors when his rehab is completed.
Jasson Domínguez (@Yankees) rips an 111 mph single and logs a 29.9 ft/sec sprint speed for the Single-A @TampaTarpons ‼️ pic.twitter.com/8kuNVCqukZ
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 16, 2024
J.P. Crawford (SS, SEA)- Oblique: Crawford was placed on the IL with a Grade 1 right oblique strain. He was on a rehab stint when he was hit in the hand with a pitch. There was a thought of him returning this weekend but this new issue can push it back.
Not what the Mariners want to see in what was presumably J.P. Crawford’s final rehab game. https://t.co/1pubyO6jxu
— Daniel Kramer (@DKramer_) May 16, 2024
Injured Starting Pitchers for Fantasy Baseball
Gerrit Cole (SP, NYY)- Forearm/elbow: Cole has been on the IL to start the season with an elbow injury/inflammation. He threw a bullpen session this week with no issues afterward. Cole continues to incrementally increase his pitch count during his throwing sessions, sitting at around 89 mph with his fastball. Manager Aaron Boone characterizes Cole's outlook as "onward and upward." There's no indication yet of when Cole may begin a rehab assignment, but he is not likely to be activated off the IL until after the start of June.
Joe Musgrove (SP, SD)- Elbow: Musgrove was placed on the IL this week with right elbow inflammation. He is hoping to start this weekend and come off of the IL.
Dane Dunning (SP, TEX)- Shoulder: Dunning landed on the IL this week with a right rotator cuff strain. The severity is not known. He threw his first bullpen session this week and is eligible to return on May 21, but that remains to be seen.
Ryan Pepiot (SP, TB)- Leg: Pepiot was placed on the IL with a left lower-leg contusion. He has thrown a bullpen session and will require a simulated game. After that time, Pepiot could return to the Rays rotation by next weekend.
Blake Snell (SP, SF)- Adductor: Snell was placed on the IL with a Grade 2 adductor sprain. He is scheduled to make one more rehab start this weekend. Snell would then be on target to return to the Giants rotation by the end of next week.
Keaton Winn (SP, SF)- Forearm: Winn was taken out of his last game with forearm tightness. Manager Bob Melvin said this week that this injury is "pretty mild." Whether Winn ends up on the IL remains to be seen.
Nick Lodolo (SP, CIN)- Groin: Lodolo was placed on the IL with a left groin strain. He is hopeful that he will require only a minimum-length stay on the IL. The earliest he could return to the Reds rotation is May 27.
Garrett Whitlock (SP, BOS)- Oblique: Whitlock was placed on the IL with a left oblique strain. He is on a rehab assignment and could be plugged into the Red Sox rotation sometime next week.
Max Scherzer (SP, TEX)- Back: Scherzer is on the recovery trail from back surgery this past December. He was scheduled to make his second rehab start but it was delayed due to thumb soreness. He is still shut down and was placed on the 60-day IL. There is no definite timetable for his return from the IL yet.
Jordan Wicks (SP, CHC)- Forearm: Wicks is on the IL with a left forearm strain. He is scheduled to throw a live bullpen session this week followed by one or two rehab starts.
Jeffrey Springs (SP, TB)- Elbow: Springs is recovering from Tommy John surgery from last year. He has thrown a few bullpens and is still on target to return to the majors by the end of June.
Paul Blackburn (SP, OAK)- Foot: Blackburn landed on the IL with a stress reaction of the fifth metatarsal (pinky toe) of his right foot. He will be in a walking boot for at least two weeks. Joey Estes was called up to start in his place.
DL Hall (SP, MIL)- Knee: Hall is on the IL with a sprained left knee. Hall is scheduled to begin his rehab stint this weekend and may require one to three rehab starts before he is called up to the Brewers rotation again.
Tylor Megill- (SP, NYM)- Shoulder: Megill is on the IL with a right shoulder strain. He is scheduled to return to the Mets rotation Sunday or Monday.
Kodai Senga (SP, NYM)- Shoulder: Senga is on the IL with a right posterior capsule strain. Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said this week that Senga recently had "a good bullpen" session where he was "making some strides." Senga had to pause facing hitters while he dealt with mechanical issues, but it sounds like he and the Mets were happy with how his last throwing session went. Stearns said he was not sure exactly when Senga would be ready to begin a rehab assignment, but it sounded like it could be relatively soon.
Nathan Eovaldi (SP, TEX)- Groin: Eovaldi was placed on the IL with a groin strain. He has already begun throwing off of flat ground and will throw off of a mound this weekend. He will probably not be ready to return when first eligible on May 25.
Emmet Sheehan (SP, LAD)- Forearm: Sheehan had Tommy John surgery performed this week. He is done for the year.
Bobby Miller (SP, LAD)- Shoulder: Miller is on the IL with right shoulder inflammation. He has begun throwing simulated innings and will require a few rehab starts prior to being activated from the IL.
Injured Relief Pitchers for Fantasy Baseball
Evan Phillips (RP, LAD)- Hamstring: Phillips is on the IL with a right hamstring strain. It is considered a Grade 1 strain. He has begun mound work but should require a few bullpen sessions and maybe a rehab stint before he is activated from the IL.
Adbert Alzolay (RP, CHC)- Forearm: Alzolay was placed on the IL this week with a right flexor strain. He will be shut down for five days before being reevaluated. Hector Neris will continue to operate as the Cubs' primary closer.
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