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Dave Funnell's Spring Training fantasy baseball injury report including Ronald Acuna, Shohei Ohtani, Gerrit Cole, Gunnar Henderson, George Kirby, Grayson Rodriguez, more.
Welcome RotoBallers to my fantasy baseball injury report, which includes some big names like Ronald Acuna, Spencer Strider, Shohei Ohtani, Gerrit Cole, Gunnar Henderson, George Kirby, Grayson Rodriguez and more . We are in the middle of Spring Training, as teams prepare for the start of the regular season. As such, players have returned to their squads after an offseason or rest and rehabilitation with mixed results.
Some players used the time off to mentally prepare themselves for the long grind of a regular season. Others rehabbed injuries that they received last season to be ready for Opening Day. And yet, others refined their craft to try and learn from past mistakes and improve for the upcoming season.
Since players have reported, many injury notes and updates have been added to the task of drafting players and building a team. It's important to stay up to date on things that change, as those developments can help you assess the balance of value that is always moving. Here are some of the biggest and actionable news items that have transpired since the start of Spring Training.
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Ronald Acuna Jr. - OF, Atlanta Braves
Ronald Acuña Jr., now doing interviews in English, said he’s planning to “take it easy” on the bases, after tearing left ACL in May, the #Braves star’s 2nd torn ACL (right in 2021). Said he’s running at about 90-95%, feels more stable on knee than coming back from 1st surgery. pic.twitter.com/onO11fz3hg
— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) February 14, 2025
Arguably, the biggest news this spring happened almost immediately, as Acuna spoke to the media and gave a massive update on his health. He mentioned how he would likely "take it easy" on the basepaths this season when referring to his ability and inclination to steal bases upon his return. He mentioned that the last time he tore his ACL, he was never quite right that year and felt rushed to return. He wanted to rectify that in 2025, and it looks like he will miss at least the first month of the season.
This is a major piece of news simply because it gives us a glimpse into the future. As a more passive base runner, Acuna's value takes a bit of a dip here. Part of the allure of drafting him so early is the idea that he takes care of so many stats all at once, becoming a five-category contributor.
During his return to play in 2022, he was a much more complacent hitter; some have pointed to that year as one of his worst. It would appear that we could be headed down that road again in 2025, and while he still should finish with numbers that won't hurt your team, fantasy owners need to temper their expectations.
Spencer Strider, SP, Atlanta Braves
Spencer Strider bullpen in the main stadium pic.twitter.com/oGC1PUY1TE
— Justin Toscano (@JustinCToscano) February 25, 2025
The Braves had two big question marks as they started Spring Training, and Strider was the second important one. After having an internal brace inserted into his elbow last year, there were concerns that he would miss the first two months of the season before debuting in June. Those worries may be false, as the ace has taken great strides forward since reporting to camp last month.
Over two weeks, Strider has been able to throw multiple bullpen sessions while utilizing a variety of pitches, mainly his fastball and curveball. This is a small but important step in the right direction in that he can use different grips and arm motions with the ball and safely deliver it home. His next step is a live bullpen session before a rehab assignment. While there is no date in place for this next step, the team anticipates it happening before the end of camp so that he can immediately head out to a rehab assignment. The Braves are hoping for a late-April or early-May return.
Rafael Devers, 3B, Boston Red Sox
It turns out that Devers won't make his debut tomorrow. He still doesn't feel up to speed at the plate during live BP. He asked Alex Cora for a little more time.
— Ian Browne (@IanMBrowne) March 4, 2025
The Boston Red Sox had what should be considered a very successful and promising offseason, as they built a team that may compete for a World Series championship. One of their biggest questions, however, was answered in a big way when Rafael Devers reported to camp. He told everyone who would listen that he would not move away from third base despite alternative plans within the organization. In addition, we learned that Devers' specialized offseason workouts were continuing into camp to help his ailing shoulders.
It is somewhat concerning that Devers spent an entire offseason devoted to fixing his shoulders and that the results weren't fruitful. Anytime a player opts against surgery (which is fine), the hope is that the time required to fix the problem will alleviate all worries and that a new season will bring about health. He has yet to debut but has taken batting practice and plans on being the team's designated hitter this week.
It is also worrisome that he still needs an alternative approach to preparing himself. This may not be a problem that goes away with rest. There is a chance that once the season begins and he starts swinging at pitches, the issue flares up, and his bat speed plummets like last year. While it's hard to predict the future, this is a reminder that there is a risk here.
Shohei Ohtani, SP/DH, Los Angeles Dodgers
This was a very important quote from manager Dave Roberts, and it exemplifies the outlook that the team has for Ohtani in 2025. With the former MVP returning to the mound, it would appear that the Dodgers will be tracking and possibly limiting his time at the plate as a hitter. Not only is he coming back from what is believed to be his second Tommy John Surgery, but he is also returning from offseason shoulder surgery. These two major injuries require time, rest, and patience afterward.
This, compounded with the fact that he is a long-term investment and the world's best player, could lead to games where he may not play or gets pulled early. It's hard to imagine a world where Ohtani doesn't play when he's healthy enough, but we have seen this before. When he returned from his first Tommy John Surgery, the Angels were purposeful and mindful of when they used him, sometimes giving him rest before and/or after a day where he pitched.
Even still, Ohtani hasn't thrown a bullpen since the end of February. He and the team seem to be worried about the workload of having to prepare for a return at both positions and don't want to over-extrt him in any way. The Dodgers envision him returning to pitching in May, and this is a detriment to his value. While this could enhance his batting stats, he will need time to rebuild himself to be able to pitch in games. His time away seems indefinite, though the team plans on having him debut as a hitter for Opening Day.
Gunnar Henderson, SS Baltimore Orioles
Orioles’ Gunnar Henderson’s status for opening day is up in the air after he was diagnosed with a mild intercostal strain, Brandon Hyde announced.
He’s improving but the club is slow playing him and they’re “very, very hopeful he’ll be ready” for the start of the season.
— Matt Weyrich (@ByMattWeyrich) March 5, 2025
The news out of Baltimore was bleak last week after Gunnar Henderson fell awkwardly on his side, resulting in a precautionary removal from a game. After missing some time with mixed reports on his health, it was revealed that his Opening Day status was in jeopardy because of a new diagnosis of an intercostal strain. These injuries can make things such as breathing and moving quite painful, so it's understandable if playing baseball is difficult.
The good news here is that it is being categorized as mild. While the grade has yet to be defined, it would appear that this matches up with a Grade 1 strain, which would be the lightest type of ailment. As such, his timeline would appear to be minimal, with a typical absence of up to three weeks being expected. The hope and anticipation is that he will be ready for Opening Day, but any setback would likely cancel that expectation.
Grayson Rodriguez, SP, Baltimore Orioles
Grayson Rodriguez is feeling discomfort in the back of his right elbow/triceps area. Not a ligament issue, per #Orioles manager Brandon Hyde.
Rodriguez will miss some time and won’t be ready for Opening Day.
— Jake Rill (@JakeDRill) March 7, 2025
This is a massive blow to the Orioles and to anyone in the fantasy community that rosters him. The team feels that it is not a ligament issue, which is somewhat comforting, but his injury history and performance make this a worrisome situation. After missing the end of last season, Rordiguez came into the spring with high hopes of a bounce back.
Unfortunately, he felt sluggish in his latest start last week, unable to get his velocity to where he wanted it. The reports came out afterward that he had sore triceps and would need some testing to determine the severity. A day later, it was determined that he would not be ready for Opening Day and would begin the season on the Injured List.
It's even more of an ominous situation when you consider that he is seeking a second opinion. Usually, when that happens, the player and the team are given an outcome that they didn't like or was too drastic. That may or may not be the case here, but with all that has transpired, we may be looking at a long-term injury. Stay tuned.
George Kirby, SP, Seattle Mariners
George Kirby is being shut down for a short period of time after not bouncing back easily from his outings. Shoulder. MRI says no structural damage, just some inflammation.
— Shannon Drayer (@shannondrayer) March 7, 2025
Another brutal piece of injury news here, as the reliable and durable George Kirby will miss time to begin the season. The good news is that there is no structural damage in his shoulder, which is showing signs of inflammation. Still, it's a sign that no player is invincible, even those who seem to be able to avoid the injured list.
In an interview last Friday, Mariners GM Justin Hollander described the injury in great detail to the media. He said that Kirby could be described as week-to-week instead of day-to-day and that he will be reassessed later this week. He also said that once it is determined that Kirby can return, he will need a full spring's worth of time to build himself up and be ready to pitch again.
Essentially, he will be away from the team for a while, not just because of his injury but because of his need to be properly brought back. As it stands, it seems likely that Kirby will miss at least the first month of the season, with the potential for more.
Gerrit Cole, SP, New York Yankees
Gerrit Cole is undergoing diagnostic tests on his throwing elbow, source says.
Cole’s status should be clearer within the next couple days.
He gave up 6 ER in a spring outing yesterday. @MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) March 8, 2025
A day after a disastrous outing, the news came out that Gerrit Cole would be undergoing tests for his throwing elbow. He said that he is concerned about the outcome of these tests, as he hasn't quite felt himself this spring, despite the fact that he started throwing earlier than he normally would in order to help avoid an injury.
He is in the process of seeking a second opinion, and while there is no word on what that first opinion was, it doesn't bode well for a 34-year-old pitcher who missed significant time in 2024 with elbow inflammation. The results of these tests should be released in the coming days, as Yankees fans and fantasy drafters collectively hold their breath.
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