Fantasy Baseball Injury Reports for Pitchers - Updates for Ryan Pepiot, Bryan Woo, Gavin Williams, Cristian Javier, Eduardo Rodriguez, and more

3 weeks ago by RotoBaller

What Appears In This Article? hide

2. Bryan Woo Injury Update

3. Gavin Williams Injury Update

4. Cristian Javier Injury Update

5. Eduardo Rodriguez Injury Update

6. Ryan Pressly Injury Update

7. Garrett Whitlock Injury Update

8. Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

9. More Fantasy Baseball Advice

The weekend MLB slate is near, meaning it's time to check in on key fantasy baseball hurlers who could be out of action. Let's take a look at injured pitchers Ryan Pepiot, Bryan Woo, Gavin Williams, Cristian Javier, Eduardo Rodriguez, and more

This is our weekly edition of fantasy baseball injury updates for pitchers as of May 10, 2024. Whether your top ace is out of action, or a depth player is banged up, some players on this list are sure to affect fantasy baseball lineup decisions.

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 pitchers.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups and weekly lineup resources:

Ryan Pepiot Injury Update

Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Ryan Pepiot (leg) was placed on the 15-day injured list on Wednesday with a lower left-leg contusion after getting hit by a comebacker in Sunday's outing against the New York Mets, but he played catch on Wednesday and said multiple times he expects he'll be ready when he's eligible to return. X-rays and a CT scan showed no fracture in Pepiot's left leg, but follow-up imaging showed there was more of a bruise on his bone than anticipated, and the Rays decided to play it safe.

The 26-year-old will be able to return to the team on May 21, so fantasy managers should expect him back by then. In his first seven starts (36 2/3 innings) for the Rays, Pepiot has gone 3-2 with a solid 3.68 ERA and 0.93 WHIP with 41 strikeouts. Keep him stashed with a quick return expected. (MLB.com)

Bryan Woo Injury Update

Seattle Mariners right-hander Bryan Woo (elbow) will come off the injured list to make his 2024 debut on Friday against the Oakland Athletics at home. While the A's offense has certainly heated up recently, it's still a plus matchup for Woo's first big-league start of the year.

Bryan Woo will start tomorrow for the Mariners.

— Shannon Drayer (@shannondrayer) May 9, 2024

The 24-year-old has been on the injured list since the beginning of the year due to right elbow inflammation. In his three minor-league rehab starts with Triple-A Tacoma, Woo threw 11 1/3 shutout innings with no walks and 17 strikeouts, so he appears to be in great form and will be in play as a deep-league streaming option right away in his first start back. With Woo returning to Seattle's rotation, Emerson Hancock is expected to head back to the minors.

Gavin Williams Injury Update

The Cleveland Guardians transferred right-hander Gavin Williams (elbow) to the 60-day injured list on Thursday to make room on the 40-man roster for right-hander Darren McCaughan, who was acquired in a trade. Williams resumed throwing a week ago while recovering from a right elbow injury, but he still has a ways to go before he's an option to rejoin the team's major-league starting rotation.

pic.twitter.com/DD6ccsXI4O

— GuardsInsider (@GuardsInsider) May 9, 2024

When the 24-year-old is healthy, though, he should have a rotation spot waiting for him in Cleveland after he went 3-5 with a 3.29 ERA (4.05 FIP) and 1.26 WHIP while walking 37 and striking out 81 in 82 innings over his first 16 major-league starts in 2023. If Williams can reduce his number of walks when he returns, he could be a major contributor in all fantasy leagues.

Cristian Javier Injury Update

Houston Astros right-hander Cristian Javier (neck) will start on Saturday against the Detroit Tigers in the Motor City, with lefty Framber Valdez starting the series opener on Friday and right-hander Justin Verlander going on Sunday. While it's a solid matchup for Javier, fantasy baseball managers need to remember that Javier has been out for almost a month with a neck injury.

Cristian Javier will start on Saturday against the Tigers. Framber Valdez starts tomorrow and Justin Verlander will go on Sunday.

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) May 9, 2024

In his lone minor-league rehab start with Double-A Corpus Christi, Javier gave up three runs in just 3 1/3 innings (68 pitches), so he's also probably not going to go very deep in his first start back in Detroit on Saturday. Even though he might be a shaky starting option this weekend, Javier deserves to be rostered in all fantasy formats after starting the year 2-0 with a 1.54 ERA and 1.11 WHIP with 18 strikeouts in 23 1/3 innings over his first four starts.

Eduardo Rodriguez Injury Update

Arizona Diamondbacks left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (shoulder) got good news from his MRI exam on Wednesday. His tests showed healing, and it appears that he's close to starting a throwing program, according to manager Torey Lovullo. Rodriguez is probably still a month or so away from a potential return, though. The 31-year-old veteran southpaw was shut down in mid-April with left-shoulder tightness and has yet to make his 2024 debut with the Diamondbacks at this point.

There was good news on Eduardo Rodriguez’s MRI yesterday: It showed healing, and he appears close to beginning a throwing program, Torey Lovullo said. Rodriguez probably is still a month or so away from a potential return.

— Nick Piecoro (@nickpiecoro) May 9, 2024

E-Rod is making some progress, but he still has a ways to go and can be left to the waiver wire in standard 12-team fantasy leagues for the time being. He had a career-best 3.30 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in his final season with the Detroit Tigers last year, but the underlying numbers show that Rodriguez was a bit fortunate. Along with his injury concerns, Rodriguez is a streamer, at best, in deep-mixed leagues when he returns.

Ryan Pressly Injury Update

Houston Astros relief pitcher Ryan Pressly (back) made his first appearance since last Friday in Wednesday's 4-3 win over the New York Yankees, giving up a home run and one walk with one strikeout while recording two outs. Making his first appearance in six days after experiencing soreness in his lower back, Pressly wasn't sharp in the eighth inning while throwing just 10 of his 22 pitches for strikes and serving up a monstrous home run to Aaron Judge late on Wednesday.

While the 35-year-old veteran reliever has taken a backseat to All-Star closer Josh Hader in the saves department, he's not helping his cause with a poor 5.65 ERA, 1.74 WHIP, 22:6 K:BB, and two blown saves over 14 1/3 innings out of Houston's bullpen this year. Even in fantasy leagues that count holds, Pressly is barely worth hanging onto right now. (MLB.com)

Garrett Whitlock Injury Update

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Garrett Whitlock (oblique) is scheduled to throw live batting practice ahead of Friday's series opener against the visiting Washington Nationals. If all goes well, Whitlock could make a minor-league rehab start five days later on May 15 and potentially be back with the Red Sox by May 20. Before suffering a strained left oblique, the 27-year-old right-hander registered an outstanding 1.96 ERA (3.31 FIP) and 1.14 WHIP while striking out 17 and walking seven in four starts (18 1/3 innings) out of Boston's rotation this season, and he remains a strong stash in all fantasy leagues.

Alex Cora tells the show he expects Brayan Bello to rejoin the team at the end of the weekend.
Garrett Whitlock has a live BP on Friday. "If everything goes well, he goes on a rehab start"

"Whitlock, I thought it would be more. I thought he'd be out for a month but not the case"

— Jones & Mego with Arcand (@JonesandMego) May 8, 2024

Swingman Cooper Criswell has filled in well during Whitlock's absence, compiling a 1.74 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and 16:4 K:BB through 20 2/3 frames (four starts), and he'll be a prime streaming candidate for Sunday's series finale against a middling Nats lineup.

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