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Dr. Reuven's (@mlbinjuryguru) fantasy baseball injury updates for Week 18, 2024. His medical background helps analyze MLB injuries for hitters and pitchers.
As we begin the second half of the baseball season, now is the time to make the tough decisions. Injured players may be stashed on your bench, taking up precious roster spots and maneuverability. When dealing with these players this late in the year, there is one thing that you should be thinking about- how much value will you get out of the player, and is the roster spot more valuable.
If you have a starting pitcher that still needs to ramp up, you may get only six to eight weeks of value from that player. That could be as many as ten starts or as little as four or five. Add to that the possibility that they may not pitch at the same level they are expected to and this makes that player less important to your home stretch run. The same goes for hitters, although they may get more playing time with the possibility of splitting it based on poor performance or trade acquisitions by their team. I will continue to highlight these players in order to help you make your playoff or standings push.
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
Michael Harris II (OF, ATL)- Hamstring: Harris continues to recover from his hamstring strain and has been out since June 14. He remains about two to three weeks away from returning. He has not yet begun a rehab assignment.
Mookie Betts (2B, LAD)- Hand: Betts is on the IL with a fractured left hand. He has recently begun fielding soft grounders but has not yet been cleared for full baseball activities. The earliest Betts could return is sometime early in August.
Fernando Tatis Jr. (OF, SD)- Quad: Tatis is on the IL with a right quad strain/femoral stress reaction. He had an MRI this week which showed improved healing, and Tatis is expected to incrementally increase his baseball activities. There is still no timetable for his return.
Anthony Rizzo (1B, NYY)- Forearm: Rizzo is on the IL with a fracture to his right forearm. He has been restricted in his recovery, limited to activities in the weight room. He should be able to begin baseball activities around the first week in August. Rizzo said he is "feeling good" and that the forearm has "progressed a lot" while acknowledging that he still has "some pain." Ben Rice has been filling in for Rizzo at first for the Yankees.
Starling Marte (OF, NYM)- Knee: Marte is on the IL with a bone bruise to his right knee. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said this week that Marte is still without a timeline for a return from the IL. Mendoza said that the recovery from the injury to his right knee remains "slow still." Marte has been able to work out in the weight room while he has been out, but a clearer target date for his return from the IL will not be made until he is able to take part in hitting, running, and fielding drills.
Triston Casas (1B, BOS)- Ribs: Casas is on the IL with torn cartilage in his left ribcage. Casas could be cleared to start hitting in the batting cage within the next week and may be ready to head out on a minor-league rehab assignment before the end of the month.
Luis Rengifo (3B, LAA)- Wrist: Rengifo is on the IL with right wrist inflammation. His MRI did not show any structural damage in the wrist. He is eligible to return from the IL this weekend.
Nolan Jones (OF, COL)- Back: Jones was placed on the IL due to low back strain. He is eligible to return from the IL this Monday. Jones did deal with a back injury late in Spring Training and then dealt with a leg injury. These injuries may be the reason for his season-long slump. Sean Bouchard was called up.
Heston Kjerstad (OF, BAL)- Head: Kjerstad was placed on the concussion IL after getting hit in the head with a pitch. There is no timeline for his return and he could return once he is symptom free. Kyle Stowers was called up.
Heston Kjerstad was removed from today's lineup and has now been placed on the concussion IL pic.twitter.com/nJ8iIg3nDe
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) July 13, 2024
Kyle Tucker (OF, HOU)- Leg: Tucker is on the IL with a bruised right shin. Astros general manager Dana Brown said in an interview this past week that Tucker remains without a timeline for a return from the IL. Brown did add that Tucker is doing some light on-field baseball activities and will require a rehab assignment before being activated.
Dana Brown said that there is no timetable on when Kyle Tucker will return but he is doing some slight on-field work. He will definitely need some time in the minors on a rehab assignment.
From the @SeanUnfiltered show this morning.
— Michael Schwab (@michaelschwab13) July 18, 2024
Giancarlo Stanton (DH, NYY)- Hamstring: Stanton was placed on the IL with a left hamstring strain. Yankees manager Aaron Boone said this week that Stanton will not be activated from IL to start the second half of the season. Boone was also still noncommittal to Stanton requiring a rehab assignment prior to activation from the IL.
No decision yet on if Giancarlo Stanton will have a Minor League rehab assignment. Aaron Boone said they do not expect him immediately after the All-Star break, but he will be close.
— Bryan Hoch ⚾️ (@BryanHoch) July 14, 2024
Tyler Soderstrom (1B, OAK)- Wrist: Soderstrom was placed on the IL with a left wrist bone bruise. After further testing, it is now known that he suffered a stress reaction but not a fracture of his wrist. Athletics manager Mark Kotsay expressed relief at the test results, which he described as the best-case scenario. Soderstrom is slated to wear the splint for up to ten days before beginning strengthening exercises as the next step in his recovery. There is no timeline for his return.
Jose Miranda (3B, MIN)- Back: Miranda was placed on the IL last week with a low back strain. He is eligible to return from the IL as early as this weekend. Matt Wallner could see more playing time with Miranda out.
Kerry Carpenter (OF, DET)- Back: Carpenter has been on the IL since late June with lumbar spine stress fractures. Carpenter said that he is aiming to begin a rehab assignment before the end of July.
Jose Trevino (C, NYY)- Quad: Trevino was placed on the IL with a quad strain. MRI revealed a Grade 2 strain. Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Trevino is going to miss "some time." Boone, however, did not give a timeline for a return, with a typical six to eight-week timeline known for this grade injury. Austin Wells and Carlos Narvaez will split time at catcher for the Yankees with Wells getting most of the playing time.
Injured Starting Pitchers for Fantasy Baseball
Zack Wheeler (SP, PHI)- Back: Zack Wheeler left his last start after only five innings due to lower back tightness. An MRI of his back was negative. Wheeler has been playing catch and is scheduled to return to the Phillies rotation early next week.
Justin Verlander (SP, HOU)- Neck: Verlander was placed on the IL with neck discomfort. Verlander threw a bullpen session this past week, but there remains no timetable for his return.
Justin Verlander threw all of his pitches during a 25-pitch bullpen session today, Joe Espada said. He will throw another during the All-Star break. Beyond that, no word on what is next.
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) July 14, 2024
Yoshinobu Yamamoto (SP, LAD)- Shoulder: Yamamoto is on the IL with a right rotator cuff strain. He is now “pain-free” and could begin a throwing program soon. He was transferred to the 60-day IL and the soonest he could return to the Dodgers rotation would be August 21.
Kodai Senga (SP, NYM)- Triceps: Senga is on the IL with a right posterior shoulder capsule strain. Senga’s next start will be at Triple-A and could be activated by the Mets to pitch for the first time this year later this coming week.
The Mets are planning on Kodai Senga’s next start to be with Triple-A Syracuse.
That could set up a return as soon as next week when the Mets host the Braves. https://t.co/2goReHpdjI
— Tim Healey (@timbhealey) July 18, 2024
Clayton Kershaw (SP, LAD)- Shoulder: Kershaw continues to recover from November 2023 shoulder surgery. Kershaw had a three-inning rehab start this week and is scheduled for a second start this weekend. Based on the fact that he threw 38 pitches his last outing, Kershaw, barring another setback, could return to the Dodgers the last week in July.
Even as the Dodgers remain optimistic Clayton Kershaw and Tyler Glasnow will rejoin their MLB rotation before the end of this month, team officials are evaluating trade options to fortify the starting staff.
Negotiations are expected to pick up after the Draft. @MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 12, 2024
Braxton Garrett (SP, MIA)- Forearm: Garrett is on the IL with a left forearm strain. He is now considered asymptomatic (no pain) while he continues to rehab his strained left forearm, focused on strengthening. After that, he will begin a throwing program. There is no timeline for his return.
Jeffrey Springs (SP, TB)- Elbow: Springs is now pitching in rehab games while he continues to recover from Tommy John surgery April 2023. In his last start, he threw 77 pitches. He is eligible to return from the IL as early as the end of next week.
DL Hall (SP, MIL)- Knee/Forearm: Hall is on the IL for knee issues as well as a bruised forearm, which occurred during his rehab. Brewers general manager Matt Arnold said this week that Hall will continue to get stretched out for starting duty once he resumes his rehab assignment with Triple-A. Hall could still be a week or more away from resuming his assignment. Hall could return by the first or second week of August.
Dustin May (SP, LAD)- Throat: May had season ending surgery to repair a torn esophagus while eating. May had been rehabbing from a procedure he had in July 2023 to repair a torn flexor tendon in his throwing arm and was expected to begin a rehab assignment in the coming weeks. However, he will now have to wait until 2025.
This is from #Dodgers regarding Dustin May:
While at dinner on Wednesday, Dustin May experienced sudden pain in his esophagus and stomach that continued after he returned home. He contacted the medical staff and ultimately underwent successful surgery on his esophagus. May will…
— David Vassegh (@THEREAL_DV) July 14, 2024
Graham Ashcraft (SP, CIN)- Elbow: Ashcraft was placed on the IL this week due to a right elbow strain. Reds manager David Bell said that if Ashcraft is able to return at all this year, it would be sometime in September.
Taijuan Walker (SP, PHI)- Finger: Walker is recovering from inflammation and a blister of his right index finger. He threw a few bullpen sessions and Phillies manager Rob Thomson said Walker "looked great." Walker is expected to require multiple starts on a minor league rehab assignment. Timeline for his return is early August.
Joe Musgrove (SP, HOU)- Elbow: Musgrove was diagnosed with a bone spur in his pitching elbow. He was scheduled to throw a bullpen session this week. He has already had a PRP and cortisone injection for the elbow. He will likely need a few rehab starts before IL activation. The earliest he is eligible to return is August 6.
Jordan Montgomery (SP, ARI)- Knee: Montgomery is on the IL with right knee inflammation. He is now on track to rejoin the Diamondback rotation early next week as he had a three inning sim game, going 56 pitches. He will be the first of three injured pitchers retuning for the Diamondbacks, with also Merrill Kelly and Eduardo Rodriguez working their way back to the Diamondback rotation.
Torey Lovullo says Merrill Kelly and Eduardo Rodriguez will throw bullpens on Saturday. They will probably each throw another bullpen after that before moving to the next step of facing hitters. "They're both feeling really, really good," Lovullo said.
— Nick Piecoro (@nickpiecoro) July 19, 2024
Injured Relief Pitchers for Fantasy Baseball
Devin Williams (RP, MIL)- Back: Williams has been on the IL recovering from a few stress fractures since Spring Training. He is on a rehab assignment and could be activated from the IL late next week.
Want to see Devin Williams annihilate the side against A+ ball hitters with the @TimberRattlers?
1IP 3K pic.twitter.com/JnEwPNY2KM
— Dominic Cotroneo (@Dom_Cotroneo) July 14, 2024
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