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After the All-Star break concluded last week, the list of injured fantasy baseball stars only grew. There are plenty of high-profile hitters dealing with bumps and bruises as we approach the late stages of July, meaning fantasy managers will have to stay in the loop to make the right lineup decisions. Let's take a look at injured hitters including Fernando Tatis Jr., Rafael Devers, Yordan Alvarez, Starling Marte, and more.
This is our weekly edition of fantasy baseball injury updates for hitters as of July 19, 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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Fernando Tatis Jr. Injury Update
San Diego Padres outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (ankle) was back in right field and hitting second in the batting order on Tuesday against right-hander Alek Manoah and the Toronto Blue Jays. Tatis twisted his ankle in the second game of a doubleheader on Saturday against the Philadelphia Phillies and didn't start on Sunday, although he came in late as a pinch-hitter and played several innings on defense.
Fantasy managers need to get him back in their starting lineups in all formats. Tatis has been one of San Diego's best hitters all year long, and he's gone 18-for-53 (.340) with two home runs, four doubles, a triple, 12 RBI and 11 runs scored in 12 games in July.
Rafael Devers Injury Update
Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers (calf) remained out of the starting lineup for Tuesday's game against the Oakland Athletics.
The left-handed slugger was held out of Monday's game as well due to calf tightness. The team hasn't placed him on the injured list, so it appears the organization is hopeful this is only a day-to-day issue.
Yordan Alvarez Injury Update
Houston Astros outfielder/designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (oblique) will start a rehab assignment on Wednesday with Triple-A Sugar Land, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports. The heavy hitter hit the injured list last month after straining his right oblique.
Before the injury, though, Alvarez was mashing, as he slashed .277/.388/.589 with 17 bombs, 41 runs, and 55 RBI over 57 games. Fantasy managers should be excited to get him back in their starting lineups, hopefully by the end of the month.
Starling Marte Injury Update
New York Mets outfielder Starling Marte (head) was scratched from the lineup ahead of Tuesday's game against the Chicago White Sox. The 34-year-old was pulled out of the lineup due to migraines.
This doesn't appear to be a serious issue, so Marte should be back in the lineup after a day or two.
Salvador Perez Injury Update
Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez (hamstring) remains out of action on Tuesday against the Detroit Tigers. Freddy Fermin will do the catching again for the Royals and will bat sixth against Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal. Perez is dealing with a Grade 1-plus left-hamstring strain, so he'll miss his second straight game after getting injured in Sunday's series finale against the Tampa Bay Rays, but he's hoping to return to the lineup soon.
Fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day. The 33-year-old All-Star backstop has a modest four-game hitting streak going, and although he has just one multi-hit game in the month of July, he's hitting .303 (10-for-33) with no homers, a double, an RBI and three runs scored in 10 games. Get him back into your lineups when he returns to KC's lineup.
Eloy Jimenez Injury Update
Chicago White Sox outfielder Eloy Jimenez (groin) was held out of the starting lineup for a few days after suffering an injury on Sunday. However, manager Pedro Grifol mentioned that Jimenez was available off the bench for Tuesday's game.
The 26-year-old woke up on Tuesday feeling much better, according to Grifol. That is great news as Jimenez was originally expected to sit out most of the week. Now, it seems possible that Jimenez could return to the lineup as early as Wednesday. Fantasy managers should check back for another update on his status.
Ian Happ Injury Update
Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ (undisclosed) exited Tuesday's 17-3 win over the Nationals in the seventh inning with an undisclosed injury, per Chicago Tribune's Meghan Montemurro. Manager David Ross said after the game, "Everybody's got a little something going on I would say to that extent."
He also said the team would provide further updates on Wednesday. It sounds as though Happ is day-to-day for now, who went 2-for-3 with a single, a double, an RBI, a walk, a strikeout, and a stolen base before exiting. He has had a middling season to this point, slashing .248/.375/.393 with eight home runs, 42 RBI, and eight stolen bases.
Tyler O'Neill Injury Update
St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Tyler O'Neill (back) will be activated from the 60-day injured list on Thursday, according to manager Oliver Marmol. The Cardinals are considering sending down a pitcher to make room for O'Neill on the active roster, but they want to wait until after Wednesday's bullpen game to do so.
The 28-year-old has really struggled the last two seasons for the Cardinals and has been held back by injuries, but his power/speed combination in an everyday role for the Red Birds makes him worth rostering in most mixed leagues now that he's on the verge of a return to the big leagues. O'Neill hit just .228/.283/.337 with two home runs, four doubles, six RBI and 12 runs scored in his first 29 games this year before injuring his back.
LaMonte Wade Jr. Injury Update
San Francisco Giants first baseman/outfielder LaMonte Wade Jr. (hamstring) exited Tuesday's 11-10 win over the Reds in the bottom of the fourth inning with left hamstring cramping, per KNBR's Danny Emerman. Wade went 0-for-2 with a strikeout before being replaced at first base. The 29-year-old has dealt with several serious injuries throughout his career, so it is encouraging to hear that this may be minor.
Wade Jr. has been a useful fantasy asset this season, slashing .274/.405/.432 with nine home runs and 28 RBI. He should be considered day-to-day at this time and fantasy managers should keep an eye out for more news tomorrow.
Brandon Drury Injury Update
Los Angeles Angels infielder Brandon Drury (shoulder) took batting practice on Tuesday, according to Jeff Fletcher of the SoCal News Group. He's been out of action since the end of June after injuring his shoulder, but it seems like he's making a quick recovery and is getting closer to returning from the injured list.
Drury posted a .277/.322/.500 slash line with 14 home runs, 36 runs, and 45 RBI across 75 contests before the ailment. That's solid production in any format, and if there's room, fantasy managers should continue to stash the 30-year-old.
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