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Dr. Reuven's (@mlbinjuryguru) fantasy baseball injury updates for Week 13, 2024. His medical background helps analyze MLB injuries for hitters and pitchers.
We are now in the middle of June, as the year and baseball season continues its march to the postseason. As we get closer to the warmer months of the summer, the types of injuries we will see may change. The warmer weather makes players more prone to cramping up and muscle injuries. These injuries are the types of injuries that have fantasy managers pulling their hair out as we never truly know how long players will be out.
There are some things we should listen for. Firstly, how the player, manager and general manager refer to certain injuries. Typically, the GM is the one to believe the most in these cases. Secondly, the terms Grade 1 and Grade 2 come up a lot. A Grade 1 injury tends to have a three to four week recovery phase while a Grade 2 injury usually has a six to eight week recovery period. Thirdly, take a look at who the team uses in place of the injured player. Are they bringing up a young prospect to see what they could do or do they bring up a veteran that may have player options left. I will continue to highlight these fantasy relevant situations to better help you win your league.
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 17+ 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!
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Injured Hitters for Fantasy Baseball
Kyle Tucker (OF, HOU)- Leg: Tucker is on the IL with a bruised right shin. He fouled a ball off of his leg. Tucker is feeling better as he works his way back but he has not yet resumed baseball activities and will not be ready for activation when first eligible. He could be back sometime this weekend or next week.
On the left: April 18, 2023, Kyle Tucker had the exact same injury happen and the exact same reaction as he did today on June 3, 2024.
I hope we get the exact same result and it's only a bad bruise/ contusion 💔💔 pic.twitter.com/yFiqmfWs15
— Noah (@YordanForHOF44) June 4, 2024
J.T. Realmuto (C, PHI)- Knee: Realmuto was placed on the IL with a torn right meniscus. He had surgery and is expected to miss about a month. Garrett Stubbs should fill in for the Phillies at catcher and Rafael Marchan was called up to back him up.
The Phillies expect J.T. Realmuto to miss “about a month,” Dave Dombrowski said. He’s been playing with a small tear in his right meniscus. Realmuto thought he could push it but they decided to get the surgery done now.
— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) June 11, 2024
Willson Contreras (C, STL)- Forearm: Contreras is just five weeks into a projected ten week timetable following surgery to repair a fractured left forearm and he is "eager to push the timetable for his return." Contreras is hopeful to start a rehab assignment next week.
Trea Turner (SS, PHI)- Hamstring: Turner is on the IL with a left hamstring strain. Turner has been trending to return sometime next week.
Eloy Jimenez (DH, CHW)- Hamstring: Jimenez is on the IL with a left hamstring strain. He has begun a rehab assignment but it is unclear how long he will need to be in the minors prior to his activation.
Eloy Jimenez is back in action. His first ACL game and rips a double to center. Niiiccceee and easy around the corners Eloy. Nice and easy #ProspectOne pic.twitter.com/P1KqXHPzlu
— The Welsh (@IsItTheWelsh) June 14, 2024
Michael Massey (2B, KC)- Back: Massey was placed on the IL this week with a low-back ligament sprain. He visited a specialist and received multiple injections. He has resumed baseball activities but does not have a return date set.
Max Muncy (3B, LAD)- Oblique: Muncy was placed on the IL with an oblique strain. Muncy said this past week that he is "not progressing as fast" as he would like from his strained right oblique. Manager Dave Roberts said over last weekend that Muncy is working on a "slow program." There is no timetable for his return.
Lars Nootbaar (OF, STL)- Oblique: Nootbaar was placed on the IL with an oblique strain. Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said that Nootbaar continues to take part in "rotational work" and could resume swinging a bat this weekend. That being said, he is still a few weeks away from returning, still needing baseball activities and a rehab assignment.
Vaughn Grissom (2B, BOS)- Hamstring: Grissom was placed on the IL with a right hamstring strain. Grissom has begun baseball activities but remains without a timetable for a return.
Wilyer Abreu (OF, BOS)- Ankle: Abreu was placed on the IL with a right ankle sprain. Red Sox manager Alex Cora said that he expects Abreu to return from the IL "sooner rather than later." Cora added that Abreu still feels some minor discomfort with his right ankle when running in a straight line, but that he is doing much better. Abreu will most likely need a rehab assignment.
-Cora says O’Neill back tomorrow and DH, then play OF Thursday. Yoshida, DHing today, off tomorrow and DH Thursday
-Abreu will be back sooner than later, likely need one rehab game
-Casas not swinging yet
-Martin threw a bullpen today and is feeling better, but they’ll be patient— Jen McCaffrey (@jcmccaffrey) June 11, 2024
Brendan Rodgers (2B, COL)- Hamstring: Rodgers was placed on the IL with a left hamstring strain. Rockies manager Bud Black said that Rodgers was diagnosed with a "mild strain" of his left hamstring and is not expected to stay on the IL for much longer than the minimum ten days. A mild strain, barring a setback, takes two to three weeks to typically heal. Adael Amador was called up to share second base duties with Alan Trejo.
Christian Encarnacion-Strand (1B, CIN)- Wrist: Encarnacion-Strand, who was diagnosed with a right ulnar styloid fracture, is currently on the IL. He visited a specialist, who advised another five days of additional rest. Manager David Bell then revealed this week that Encarnacion-Strand is considering season-ending surgery to repair ligament damage in his right wrist.
Manager David Bell fielded questions today about statuses of Encarnacion-Strand and Williamson. Both have been considering options that include season ending surgeries.
CES has ligament damage with his fractured hand. Williamson has a lesion in his shoulder.
— Mark Sheldon (@m_sheldon) June 11, 2024
Jorge Polanco (2B, SEA)- Hamstring: Polanco is on the IL with a right hamstring strain. He should begin a rehab assignment this weekend and could return from the IL next week.
Jordan Beck (OF, COL)- Hand: Beck suffered a broken fourth metacarpal in his left hand (broken ring finger). Manager Bud Black recently said that Beck is expected to require four to six weeks of recovery time after undergoing surgery May 29 to insert a plate into his broken left hand.
Joey Gallo (1B, WAS)- Hamstring: Gallo was placed on the IL with a left hamstring strain. Severity is not yet known. Trey Lipscomb was called up and could see a playing time increase along with Joey Meneses.
LaMonte Wade Jr. (1B, SF)- Hamstring: Wade is on the IL with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain. Wade said this week that he is pushing hard for a return from the IL by next Thursday, June 20.
Ty France (1B, SEA)- Foot: France is on the IL with a hairline fracture in his right heel. France said this week that he has a good chance of returning from the IL when first eligible or very shortly thereafter. Tyler Locklear was called up and has been getting most of the time at first with France out.
Hunter Renfroe (OF, KC)- Toe: Renfroe is on the IL with a left big toe sprain. He fouled a few pitches off of the same foot. An MRI did not reveal a fracture, which is good news but there is still no timeline for his return. Drew Waters and Dairon Blanco should see more playing time with Renfroe out.
Hunter Renfroe was placed on the 10-day IL with a fractured left big toe. OF Drew Waters recalled from Triple-A Omaha. Renfroe was heating up offensively, but we’ll learn more about his timetable later this afternoon. #Royals depth will now be tested.
— Anne Rogers (@anne__rogers) June 11, 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. Cole has his next rehab start set for Triple A and Yankees manager Aaron Boone has not said if this will be his last rehab start prior to IL activation.
Zac Gallen (SP, ARI)- Hamstring: Gallen was placed on the IL due to a right hamstring strain. Gallen has thrown one bullpen session with another on tap. There is still no definite timeline for his return from the IL.
Max Scherzer (SP, TEX)- Back: Scherzer continues to rehab from offseason back surgery. In Scherzer’s most recent rehab start, he hit 94.8 on the radar gun, going four innings. There is a chance he could return from the IL by the end of June.
Clayton Kershaw (SP, LAD)- Shoulder: Kershaw continues to recover from November 2023 shoulder surgery. He pitched another sim game this week and now looks to start a multi-start rehab assignment. There is no word as to how many rehab starts he will need prior to being activated.
Clayton Kershaw continues to ramp it up in his recovery from shoulder surgery
(via @JaredSandler)pic.twitter.com/zEF9qvMPBz
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) June 13, 2024
Gavin Williams (SP, CLE)- Elbow: Williams is on the IL with right-elbow discomfort. Williams is expected to make his next rehab start over the weekend and is trending to a return off of the IL by the end of June.
Blake Snell (SP, SF)- Groin: Snell was placed on the IL with a mild left-groin strain. Snell was scheduled to throw off of the mound this week but there is no timetable for his return.
Joe Musgrove (SP, SD)- Elbow: Musgrove was placed on the IL with right-elbow inflammation. This past week, he was diagnosed with a bone spur and a bone bruise in his right elbow. Musgrove got PRP and cortisone injections with the hope of resuming throwing in two weeks. However, if there is no improvement, surgery is an option.
Robbie Ray (SP, SEA)- Elbow: Ray continues to recover from Tommy John surgery last May. He has begun a rehab assignment and will require multiple outings as he builds back up. He remains on track to return around the All- Star break.
Dean Kremer (SP, BAL)- Triceps: Kremer is on the IL with a right triceps strain. He threw a bullpen session this week and could begin a rehab assignment this weekend. There is no word as to how long the rehab could last.
Robert Gasser (SP, MIL)- Forearm: Gasser was placed on the IL with a left-flexor strain. Brewers manager Pat Murphy said that Gasser is unlikely to return from the IL this season. "[Wade] Miley, Gasser and [Brandon Woodruff], you're probably not going to see," Murphy said. "It would probably be safe to say those three are out for the year." This should make the decision easy for fantasy players to drop Gasser, Wade Miley and Brandon Woodruff.
Alek Manoah (SP, TOR)- Forearm: Manager John Schneider has said that Manoah will undergo UCL season ending surgery. It is not clear whether Manoah will need Tommy John surgery or an internal bracing, but either procedure would end Manaoh’s season.
Incredibly unfortunate news for Alek Manoah who had worked through so much to get back on a Major League mound.
We wish him nothing but the best and a speedy recovery. pic.twitter.com/8wzbrBH8cz
— Just Baseball (@JustBB_Media) June 8, 2024
Ben Brown (SP, CHC)- Neck: Brown was placed on the IL with a left sided neck strain. Severity is not yet known. Jordan Wicks is the primary candidate to take Brown's spot in the Cubs rotation, while Colten Brewer was called up.
Josiah Gray (SP, WAS)- Forearm: Gray is on the IL with a right flexor strain. He is scheduled this weekend for his second of a possible five rehab starts before he is activated from the IL.
Bobby Miller (SP, LAD)- Shoulder: Miller continues his rehab from a shoulder injury. He is scheduled to make another rehab start after which time he could be activated from the IL.
Michael Wacha (SP, KC)- Foot: Wacha was placed on the IL with a non-displaced left foot fracture. He has thrown a sim game already and could be on track to return to the Royals rotation by next weekend at the earliest.
Ryan Weathers (SP, MIA)- Finger: Weathers was placed on the IL with a left index finger strain. Roddery Munoz was called up and should start in his place. There is a chance Max Meyer could get the call as well.
Injured Relief Pitchers for Fantasy Baseball
Jordan Romano (RP, TOR)- Elbow: Romano was placed on the IL with right-elbow inflammation. Romano has begun a throwing program but still may need a rehab assignment before being activated from the IL.
Andres Munoz (RP, SEA)- Back: Munoz has been dealing with a lower-back injury over the past few weeks and has only pitched twice in June. His MRI came back negative and has already received an injection for his back this week. There still remains a chance he will be placed on the IL.
Giovanny Gallegos (RP, STL)- Shoulder: Gallegos is on the IL with right shoulder impingement. He is scheduled for another rehab inning this weekend after which time he could be activated from the IL.
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