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With weekend baseball set to begin, several key fantasy hitters are dealing with injuries. It's almost crunch time for fantasy managers looking to contend for a championship, so staying in tune with the top injury headlines is paramount. Let's take a look at injured hitters Willson Contreras, Bo Bichette, Justin Turner, Mike Trout, Lars Nootbaar, and more.
This is our weekly edition of fantasy baseball injury updates for hitters as of August 18, 2023. We'll be covering all positions throughout the week, so stay tuned. Some players on this list impact fantasy baseball more than others, but with leagues of all shapes and sizes, you never know which guys will force fantasy managers to search waiver wires in hopes of finding adequate replacements.
To keep close tabs on all of the news across the MLB, make sure to favorite or bookmark the fantasy baseball player news page, and download the free RotoBaller fantasy baseball mobile app with push notification alerts on all the latest news. Let's look at the injury updates for hitters.
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Willson Contreras Injury Update
St. Louis Cardinals catcher Willson Contreras (hip) served as the designated hitter in the cleanup spot in his return to the lineup on Thursday against left-hander Jose Quintana and the New York Mets. Contreras returned for the first time since leaving Monday's game early with hip tightness. Fantasy managers will want to get the 31-year-old backstop back into their starting lineups immediately.
After a slow start in his first year in St. Louis, Contreras has picked things up offensively and has gone 22-for-62 (.355) with three home runs, four doubles, 13 RBI, a stolen base and seven runs scored in 21 games (19 starts) since the All-Star break. (MLB.com)
Bo Bichette Injury Update
Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette (knee) went 2-for-2 with a home run, three RBI and a run scored in a minor-league rehab game with Triple-A Buffalo on Thursday. In his first rehab game for Buffalo on Wednesday, Bichette went 2-for-3 with two singles and a run scored, so he's seeing the ball well early in his rehab assignment and should be able to return to the Blue Jays sooner than later. In fact, the 25-year-old All-Star could return as early as Friday's series opener against the Cincinnati Reds.
Bichette has been out since late July with patellar tendinitis in his right knee, but he should be rostered in all fantasy leagues as a must-start when healthy. Despite missing time with injury, Bichette is still leading the American League with 144 hits in 106 games.
Justin Turner Injury Update
Boston Red Sox infielder/designated hitter Justin Turner (heel) intends to keep playing through a bone bruise in his left heel and he will continue to serve as the team's designated hitter as long as he's healthy. Playing in the field is "off the table for a while," according to manager Alex Cora.
Turner missed seven of 10 games to begin August after suffering the injury on July 31. His injury will limit the Red Sox positionally, and he could see more regular days off down the stretch to keep him off his feet. The 38-year-old veteran has been a must-start in fantasy in his first year in Boston for his run production and on-base abilities, but his offensive abilities could be compromised down the stretch if he isn't 100%. Since July 31, he's gone 8-for-30 (.267) with two homers, three RBI and four runs scored in eight starts. (Masslive.com)
Mike Trout Injury Update
Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout (wrist) is hopeful to begin hitting against live pitching on Thursday. The superstar outfielder recently progressed to hitting off a pitching machine. That is good news is his recovery process from his left hamate fracture. The 32-year-old has been sidelined since early July and remains without a clear timetable. The fact he's back to facing live pitching is a great sign, but he's still not ready to play yet. The hope is that the Angels give a better timetable within the next few days. (MLB.com)
Lars Nootbaar Injury Update
The St. Louis Cardinals placed outfielder Lars Nootbaar (abdomen) on the 10-day injured list on Thursday with a lower-abdomen contusion, according to the team. The Cardinals promoted top prospect Masyn Winn from Triple-A Memphis in a corresponding move. Nootbaar fouled a ball off his groin on Wednesday night and had to make a trip to the hospital. Hopefully the 25-year-old will only miss the minimum time on the injured list after feeling better on Thursday.
Nootbaar has provided a solid mix of power and speed for fantasy managers in deep-mixed leagues while also hitting for a solid average of .283 (93-for-329) in his third year in the majors. He's currently sitting at 12 home runs (two shy of his career-high), 18 doubles, a triple, 39 RBI, eight stolen bases and 60 runs scored in 90 games.
Nolan Gorman Injury Update
The St. Louis Cardinals have sent second baseman/designated hitter Nolan Gorman (back) to the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Aug. 14, with a lower-back strain. The 23-year-old has been out of the lineup since Monday and thought he could DH on Thursday, but Gorman's back pain has lingered since late July and the Cardinals will provide him some time to recuperate.
Manager Oli Marmol has also revealed that Gorman will receive a pain-killing injection on Thursday that will sideline him for the next three days, so St. Louis made the choice to move him to the IL. The lefty-hitting slugger will carry a .241/.328/.487 triple-slash line with 24 home runs, 67 RBI, and six stolen bases over 406 plate appearances to the shelf.
Jarred Kelenic Injury Update
Seattle Mariners outfielder Jarred Kelenic (foot) had his walking boot removed on Wednesday and is resuming baseball activities in Arizona. The Mariners are optimistic that he will be able to rejoin the team sometime in early September. Kelenic fractured his left foot while kicking a water cooler in the dugout in frustration and has been out for four weeks now. The 24-year-old will need to continue ramping up his baseball activities before likely going on a minor-league rehab assignment later this month.
He's worth stashing in deeper fantasy leagues since he's expected to return this year, but he won't have a whole lot of time to make an impact when he does return. Before the injury, Kelenic was having by far his best big-league season, slashing .252/.320/.439 with 11 home runs, 45 RBI, 12 stolen bases and 43 runs scored in 90 games.
Josh Naylor Injury Update
Cleveland Guardians first baseman Josh Naylor (oblique), who has been on the injured list since Aug. 1 with a right-oblique strain, is making good progress with his core exercises, according to manager Terry Francona. "He's also in the cage doing baseball activities, so he's doing really well," Francona said. Naylor was projected to miss three to six weeks when he was placed on the injured list on Aug. 1.
The 26-year-old will need to continue making progress with his baseball activities before possibly going on a minor-league rehab assignment before he's activated from the injured list in September. Naylor should remain stashed in all fantasy leagues after hitting .306/.346/.500 with an .846 OPS, 15 home runs, 79 RBI, six stolen bases and 41 runs scored in 360 at-bats this year. (Cleveland.com)
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