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Heading into Friday's MLB slate, there are several key hitters dealing with injuries. Injuries complicate fantasy baseball lineup decisions, so it's important to stay in the know. That said, let's take a look at injured hitters Trea Turner, Austin Riley, James Wood, Luis Robert Jr., Eloy Jimenez, TJ Friedl, and more.
This is our weekly edition of fantasy baseball injury updates for hitters, as of May 24, 2024. 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 be important in lineups.
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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Trea Turner Injury Update
Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner (hamstring) was taking grounders ahead of Wednesday's game versus the visiting Texas Rangers. Turner has been taking batting practice and also ran arcs in the outfield on Wednesday, which typically preludes running the bases, but he'll get a "pullback day" on Thursday before resuming his ramp-up during the club's weekend series against the Colorado Rockies.
Trea Turner is taking grounders at shortstop and did some running today and should be taking batting practice again. He is really progressing from the strained hamstring and could be back soon pic.twitter.com/lDxhZza8AC
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) May 22, 2024
Although there's no timeline yet for Turner's return from a strained left hamstring, he could potentially begin a minor-league rehab assignment before the end of May and rejoin Philly's lineup as early as June 8 for the start of the Phillies' two-game series against the division-rival New York Mets in London. Edmundo Sosa is worth a look in deep mixed or NL-only leagues in the interim, slashing .296/.406/.481 with one home run, eight RBI, 13 runs scored, and two stolen bases over 65 plate appearances this year.
Austin Riley Injury Update
Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley (intercostal) remained sidelined for the series finale at Wrigley Field on Thursday against the Chicago Cubs. It's a mild surprise that Atlanta hasn't put Riley on the injured list yet, as this will be his 10th straight missed game due to a left-intercostal strain. The good news is that the 27-year-old right-handed slugger was able to take some swings on the field earlier this week.
Series finale!#BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/cl8ZtZJ7fd
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) May 23, 2024
However, if he's not able to return this weekend for a series against the Pittsburgh Pirates, it would be even more of a surprise if he's not put on the IL. The former 41st overall pick in 2015 is currently slashing .245/.319/.388 with only three home runs and 18 RBI, but he remains a must-start when he's healthy.
Luis Robert Jr. Injury Update
Chicago White Sox outfielder Luis Robert Jr. (hip) will start a minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte on Tuesday. The talented 26-year-old recently started appearing in game action again in the Arizona Complex League. Robert has been out since April 6 with a hip flexor strain and has dealt with injuries in the past.
Luis Robert Jr. is supposed to fly out to Charlotte on Sunday and begin a rehab assignment with them on Tuesday, provided there are no issues.
— James Fegan (@JRFegan) May 23, 2024
He is still worthy of a stash in all fantasy formats as he possesses significant upside even with the unappealing team around him. Robert will surely need a few rehab appearances to get back into the swing of things, but the expectation is that he will return to the team in early June.
Eloy Jimenez Injury Update
Chicago White Sox manager Chris Getz said during Thursday's game against the visiting Baltimore Orioles that designated hitter Eloy Jimenez (hamstring) is expected to miss "a month or so." It specifies Jimenez's return timetable after manager Pedro Grifol stated earlier on Thursday that an extended absence was in store for the outfielder as he recovers from a strained left hamstring, which he sustained in Monday's contest against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Getz said a month or so for Eloy in terms of extended absence on the White Sox broadcast
— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) May 24, 2024
The oft-injured 27-year-old slugger may have stolen a career-high three bases across 36 games as Chicago's everyday DH before going down, but he was slashing a career-worst .231/.288/.381 with five home runs, five doubles, and 12 RBI through 134 at-bats. Jimenez isn't the strongest stash in most fantasy leagues.
TJ Friedl Injury Update
Cincinnati Reds outfielder TJ Friedl (thumb) is back to hitting flips and continues to progress. He's working toward getting back to taking batting practice soon. Friedl suffered a fractured left thumb 11 days ago but is already swinging a bat and is progressing nicely. If the 28-year-old doesn't suffer a setback with his thumb once he starts to take batting practice, he should be sent on a minor-league rehab assignment shortly after that. Surprisingly, Friedl is on track to return from the 10-day injured list when he's eligible early next month.
TJ Friedl is back to hitting off flips and continues to progress. He’s working toward getting back to taking batting practice soon.
Nick Lodolo’s bullpen went well yesterday. He’ll throw again on Saturday and is aiming to return on Monday.
— Charlie Goldsmith (@CharlieG__) May 23, 2024
When healthy, Friedl should be a lineup regular, at least against right-handed pitching, after hitting 18 home runs, driving in 66, and stealing 27 bases in a breakout 2023 campaign. He's been unlucky with injuries so far in 2024, though, and is currently hitting .182 (4-for-22) with no homers, two RBI, and two steals.
Esteury Ruiz Injury Update
The Oakland Athletics placed outfielder Esteury Ruiz (wrist) on the 10-day injured list on Thursday with a strained left wrist and selected the contract of outfielder Daz Cameron from Triple-A Las Vegas in a corresponding move. Infielder Jordan Diaz was also designated for assignment. Ruiz only made two starts in the team's last 13 games due to his injury, so the A's weren't trying to play a man short any longer.
A’s moves:
- OF Daz Cameron selected from Triple-A Las Vegas
- OF Esteury Ruiz place on 10-day IL (strained left wrist)
- INF Jordan Diaz designated for assignment— Martín Gallegos (@MartinJGallegos) May 23, 2024
The 25-year-old speedster had a league-high 67 stolen bases in 2023 but has already been optioned to the minors once in 2024 and is currently hitting .200 (11-for-55) with two homers, eight RBI, and five steals in 29 games. Ruiz has gone 2-for-19 with 10 strikeouts in May. Cameron, 27, could be an interesting option in AL-only leagues if he sees playing time. He was hitting .307 with six homers and eight steals in 41 games for Vegas before this call-up.
Michael Conforto Injury Update
San Francisco Giants manager Bob Melvin says it's unlikely that outfielder Michael Conforto (hamstring) will be activated from the 10-day injured list in time for the club's series that starts on Friday against the New York Mets. After hitting the IL back on May 12, Conforto has ramped up his running progression but likely hasn't progressed quickly enough in his rehab from a strained right hamstring to return to the Giants when first eligible this weekend.
The 31-year-old former New York Met was slashing a respectable .280/.331/.490 with seven home runs, seven doubles, and 20 RBI in 38 games (143 at-bats) as San Fran's everyday left fielder before getting hurt, and he's a decent stash in the majority of fantasy leagues. In Conforto's absence, former first-rounder Heliot Ramos is worth a look in NL-only formats while hitting .296 (16-for-54) with two homers, nine RBI, and one stolen base over 14 outings this year. (MLB.com)
Jake Fraley Injury Update
Cincinnati Reds outfielder Jake Fraley (hand) still has swelling on the outside of his right hand after being hit by a pitch on Tuesday. Fraley said he was going to try and take some swings to test it on Thursday, but he remained out of the starting lineup for the series finale versus the visiting San Diego Padres. X-rays came back negative on the 28-year-old left-handed hitter's hand, so he's considered day-to-day for now. If Fraley feels better while testing his hand on Thursday, he could return to the lineup at some point this weekend for a series against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers.
Fraley still has swelling on the outside of his right hand from the HBP on Tuesday. He said he was going to try and take some swings to test it today.
— Mark Sheldon (@m_sheldon) May 23, 2024
When healthy, Fraley is an option for fantasy managers in deeper leagues and in DFS lineups against right-handed pitching. The former second-rounder by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2016 out of LSU is currently hitting .272/.333/.359 with a homer, seven RBI, and seven steals in 103 at-bats.
James Wood Injury Update
Washington Nationals outfield prospect James Wood (lower body) left Thursday's Triple-A Rochester game due to lower-body soreness. There was some hope amongst fantasy managers that Wood's exit in the fifth inning was call-up related, but the outfielder's departure unfortunately came due to an injury. Not much else is known about the setback at the moment, and more information should become available sometime following Thursday's contest. It sounds like an issue that leaves Wood day-to-day, though.
Hearing that James Wood exited tonight’s Rochester game with lower body soreness. Not call-up related.
— Andrew Golden (@andrewcgolden) May 24, 2024
The speedy 21-year-old slugger is Washington's No. 1 prospect and the No. 5 prospect in all of baseball for 2024, per MLB Pipeline, and he's tearing up the minor-league competition while slashing .355/.465/.596 with nine home runs, 13 doubles, 31 RBI, and 10 stolen bases through 202 plate appearances (45 games) this season.
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