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Dr. Reuven's (@mlbinjuryguru) fantasy baseball injury updates for Week 23 of the 2024 season. His medical background helps analyze MLB injuries for hitters and pitchers.
This past week, I did something in one of my fantasy leagues that I have never done before. I picked up a 2-start pitcher, Martin Perez, to NOT play him. I picked him up so other teams in my league could not get him, and the possibility of teams chasing me, getting two wins this week. I do not need wins, but I cannot afford a blow-up of my ERA and WHIP. I did this only because I had roster and FAAB flexibility.
With only a few waiver pickups left, make sure to use all of your FAAB, even if you may not need to, because you do not get to keep it for next year. Whether it is to pick up a player you need or to block another team from getting that player, you should not leave any of your FAAB budget on the table. Be sure to spend a certain amount each week.
In order to do this, you also need to have roster spots to use for this tactic. Injured players who "may" come back this year and "may" help you are not helping your team if they are just taking up an empty spot on your roster. I will continue to highlight injured fantasy-relevant players to help you with roster flexibility down the final stretch of the fantasy baseball season.
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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!
Injured Hitters for Fantasy Baseball
Austin Riley (3B, ATL)- Hand: Riley was diagnosed with a fractured right hand and was placed on the IL. He is expected to miss six to eight weeks. This basically rules him out for the rest of the year. Luke Williams will likely fill the Braves at third base.
Austin Riley has been removed from today's game after getting hit by this pitch. pic.twitter.com/uRoiOKSjuw
— Bally Sports South (@BallySportsSO) August 18, 2024
Ketel Marte (2B, ARI)- Ankle: Marte was placed on the IL with a sprained left ankle. The injury occurred while batting. He may only miss the minimum time, being eligible to return on August 29. Kevin Newman and Blaze Alexander should fill in at second base while Marte is out.
Ke'Bryan Hayes (3B, PIT)- Back: Hayes was placed on the IL with low back inflammation. He has been playing with a herniated disc in his back for most of the season. Jared Triolo and Isiah Kiner-Falefa should get more playing time with Hayes out.
Fernando Tatis Jr. (OF, SD)- Thigh: Tatis is on the IL with a right femoral stress reaction. He was able to run sprints on the field this week but at only seventy percent. It was the first running he has done since on the IL. The soonest he could return is September 1, but it looks like a mid-September return is more reasonable.
Bo Bichette (SS, TOR)- Calf: Bichette is on the IL with a moderate right calf strain. Bichette began running this week and could go out on a rehab assignment as early as next week, barring any setbacks.
Bo Bichette has started running down in Dunedin, John Schneider says.
He will join the #BlueJays in Boston and stick with them through the road trip as he builds towards a rehab assignment.
— Keegan Matheson (@KeeganMatheson) August 22, 2024
Christian Walker (1B, ARI)- Oblique: Walker is on the IL with a left oblique strain. Walker has been taking soft toss swings this past week and hopes to be able to return as early as the end of next week.
Carlos Correa (SS, MIN)- Foot: Correa is on the IL with plantar fasciitis. He has been hitting and fielding but there is no timetable for his return. Twins head athletic trainer Nick Paparestagun said this week, "He's still having some discomfort. As cliche as it sounds, it's truly day-to-day on how he's going to feel and what we can do with him."
Anthony Rizzo (1B, NYY)- Forearm: Rizzo is on the IL recovering from a forearm fracture. Rizzo is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment next week and could return the first or second week in September.
Anthony Rizzo will begin a rehab assignment this weekend for Somerset. He will DH.
— Bryan Hoch ⚾️ (@BryanHoch) August 22, 2024
Brooks Lee (2B, MIN)- Shoulder: Lee is on the IL with right biceps tendonitis. He received a cortisone shot and began hitting and fielding this past week. Lee could begin a rehab assignment over the weekend with a possible return next week.
Kyle Tucker (OF, HOU)- Shin: Tucker is on the IL with a right shin contusion. Tucker took batting practice and did some outfield drills but will not go out on a rehab assignment until he is able to run the bases. He has been out since early June, and there is no timetable for his return.
Ha-Seong Kim (SS)- Shoulder: Kim was placed on the IL this week with right shoulder inflammation. His MRI came out good but there is no timetable for his return. Tyler Wade and Mason McCoy could fill in at short for the Padres.
Patrick Bailey (C, SF)- Oblique: Bailey was placed on the IL with a right oblique strain, retroactive to August 19. This was seen on an MRI. Severity is not yet known. Curt Casali and Jakson Reetz will split time at catcher for the Giants.
Patrick Bailey went on the IL with an oblique strain. Once that oblique tightens up, there's usually no escaping a short break. Curt Casali will be the starter for now, Jakson Reetz is up from Triple-A.
— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) August 21, 2024
Jeimer Candelario (1B, CIN)- Toe: Candelario has a fractured right big toe and is on the IL. This usually takes about four weeks to heal, and could sideline him for the rest of the year. Ty France, Amed Rosario, Jake Fraley, and Will Benson could all see an increase in playing time with Candelario out.
Andrew McCutchen (OF, PIT)- Knee: McCutchen was placed on the IL this week with left knee inflammation. Severity is not yet known. Joey Bart could get more playing time at DH and Alika Williams was called up.
J.P. Crawford (SS, SEA)- Finger: Crawford is on the IL with a fractured left pinky finger. He has begun swinging a bat but has not been cleared for a rehab assignment yet. There is no timetable for his return as of yet.
Jacob Wilson (SS, OAK)- Hamstring: Wilson was placed on the IL with a left hamstring strain. Wilson is on a rehab assignment and should return from the IL sometime next week.
Wenceel Perez (OF, DET)- Oblique: Perez is on the IL with a Grade 2 left oblique strain. He is expected to begin a hitting progression this week in the hopes of returning to the majors this year.
Injured Starting Pitchers for Fantasy Baseball
Tyler Glasnow (SP, LAD)- Elbow: Glasnow is on the IL with right elbow tendinitis. He has begun playing catch but has not begun throwing yet. There is no timetable for his return. Bobby Miller is taking his place in the Dodgers rotation for now.
Jacob deGrom (SP, TEX)- Elbow: deGrom is on the IL recovering from his second Tommy John surgery. He had his first rehab start this week and should need a few more before being activated from the IL.
99 mph first pitch pic.twitter.com/t9Jd41Z6AL
— Evan Grant (@Evan_P_Grant) August 23, 2024
Hunter Greene (SP, CIN)- Elbow: Greene is on the IL with a right elbow injury. An MRI did not show anything significant and the Reds are hopeful he could return sooner rather than later. There is no timetable for his return yet and Julian Aguiar could be a leading candidate to replace Greene in the rotation.
Max Scherzer (SP, TEX)- Arm: Scherzer was placed on the IL due to right shoulder fatigue. He was scheduled to start a rehab assignment this week but it was canceled. There is no timetable for his return.
Max Scherzer will not pitch for Frisco on Friday. His next rehab outing is TBA.
— Evan Grant (@Evan_P_Grant) August 22, 2024
Zach Eflin (SP, BAL)- Shoulder: Eflin is on the IL with right shoulder inflammation. Eflin said that he already feels much better and expects to be activated from the IL at the earliest time possible, September 1.
Zach Eflin said shoulder already feels 100 times better than it did a few days ago. Doesn’t think will need rehab assignment. Ready after 15 days #orioles
— Roch Kubatko (@masnRoch) August 22, 2024
Yoshinobu Yamamoto (SP, LAD)- Shoulder: Yamamoto is on the IL with a right rotator cuff strain. Yamamoto threw a two-inning simulated game and hopes to return mid-September.
Luis Garcia (SP, HOU)- Elbow: Garcia continues his recovery from Tommy John surgery in May 2023. He has yet to resume throwing since being shut down and has been ruled out for the rest of 2024.
Luis Garcia will not pitch for the Astros this season, Joe Espada said. Garcia will resume playing catch this weekend, but that is targeted toward getting him ready for 2025.
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) August 19, 2024
Jared Jones (SP, PIT)- Lat: Jones is on the IL with a lat strain. He is on a rehab assignment and could return at the beginning of next week.
Lance Lynn (SP, STL)- Knee: Lynn is on the IL with a knee strain. He threw another bullpen session in the hopes of avoiding a rehab assignment and being activated from the IL by the end of next week.
Luis Gil (SP, NYY)- Back: Gil was placed on the IL this week with a lower back strain. Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that it is considered minor, and the Yankees think Gil could return from the IL when he is eligible September 5.
Clarke Schmidt (SP, NYY)- Lat- Schmidt is rehabbing a lat injury that forced him on the IL almost two months ago. He is beginning his rehab assignment this weekend and is tracking toward a return from the 60-day injured list by the second week of September.
Zack Littell (SP, TB)- Shoulder: Littell was placed on the IL this past week with right shoulder fatigue. He has thrown thirty more innings this year when compared to last year. Severity is not yet known. Tyler Alexander was called up and could slot into the rotation to replace Littell for the Rays.
Casey Mize (SP, DET)- Hamstring: Mize continues to rehab from his hamstring injury. He has made a few rehab starts and should return to the Tigers by August 30.
Jose Soriano (SP, LAA)- Arm: Soriano was placed on the IL with right arm fatigue. Severity is not known. He has thrown 113 innings this year, about 35 more than last year. Jose Cisnero was called up.
Injured Relief Pitchers for Fantasy Baseball
Liam Hendriks (RP, BOS)- Elbow: Hendriks continues to rehab from Tommy John surgery. He had his rehab moved to Double- A and could join the Red Sox bullpen in September.
A.J. Minter (RP, ATL)- Hip: Minter is on the IL with left hip inflammation. He saw a specialist, and had surgery for the left hip. He is done for the year.
LHP A.J. Minter today underwent left hip surgery, performed by Dr. Thomas Byrd in Nashville, TN. He will miss the remainder of the 2024 season.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) August 21, 2024
Pete Fairbanks (RP, TB)- Lat: Fairbanks was placed on the IL with a lat strain. Based on how long it takes for the injury to resolve and with rehab needed, this injury will likely end his season. Colin Poche and Manuel Rodriguez have most recently worked in high-leverage roles in the bullpen and could close for the Rays.
#Rays’ closer Pete Fairbanks diagnosed with right lat strain, seems likely to miss rest of season. Also Rortvedt placed on paternity list, Brantly activated https://t.co/lILOFiCpPx
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) August 19, 2024
Ryan Pressly (RP, HOU)- Back: Pressly was placed on the IL with a low back strain. Severity is not yet known. Seth Martinez was called up and the recently signed Hector Neris could slot into the 8th inning for the Astros.
Hunter Harvey (RP, KC)- Back: Harvey is on the IL with a low back strain. He suffered a setback in his recovery and was shut down from all activity for a few days. The soonest he could return would be sometime in September. There is no official timetable for his return.
Victor Vodnik (RP, COL)- Biceps: Vodnik was placed on the IL this week with right bicep inflammation. Severity is not known and there is no timetable for his return yet. Tyler Kinley could fill in as closer for the Rockies.
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