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Dr. Reuven's (@mlbinjuryguru) fantasy baseball injury updates for Week 1 of the 2022 MLB season. His medical background helps analyze injured MLB players and their recoveries.
Opening day has come and gone and the 2022 Major League Baseball season has begun. Fantasy drafts are winding down and now we get to see how our fantasy drafts will pan out. Injury information is now flowing freely and there is a lot to try to digest to help you try to manage your teams early on. I will continue to highlight players on the IL with their hopeful return timeframe and the next man up.
One thing of note for all the injury news you may hear. Injured players are being placed on the IL. The current MLB IL is ten days long. Starting May 2nd, the IL will be ten days for hitters and fifteen days for pitchers. Also important to note is whether your players are being placed on the 15 day IL or the 60 day IL. One can learn a lot about the players current injury based on which IL they get put on. Teams will be placing injured players on the 60 day IL to create for themselves more roster flexibility as those players do not count against the active 40 man rosters. More importantly, if a player is hurt and is placed on the 15 day IL, the team then believes that the player will be back sooner than the 60 days, or the first week in June. When picking up and dropping players, keep that in mind.
A little about myself for new readers. My name is Reuven Guy and I am a practicing orthopedic/pain management Physician Assistant. I have been dealing with sports injuries for the past 15+ years and have a knowledge of orthopedic injuries and their recovery times based on my medical experience. I have also been playing fantasy baseball during that same time period, which has helped me get an advantage in this aspect of fantasy baseball which I hope to share with you. Make sure to stay up-to-date on the latest MLB breaking news with our award-winning news desk and our free fantasy baseball mobile app with 24x7 push notification alerts!
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Injured Hitters for Fantasy Baseball
Fernando Tatis Jr. (SS, SD) - Wrist: Tatis was diagnosed with a wrist fracture that occurred over the offseason due to a motorcycle accident. He was officially placed on the IL. He had surgery and is expected to be out three months. Ha Seong Kim should fill in at shortstop for the Padres.
Ronald Acuna Jr. (OF, ATL) - Knee: Acuna is recovering from ACL repair from last year. GM Alex Anthopolous said that Acuna will likely be ready to make his season debut in late April as a DH before being able to start in the outfield in early May. He was placed on the IL.
Evan White (1B, SEA) - Sports Hernia: White was diagnosed with a sports hernia and will undergo surgery as soon as possible. Recovery time is about one to two months. Ty France should get more starts at first AND Jesse Winker took grounders at first base as well.
Luis Urias (3B, MIL) - Quad: Urias injured his left quad running the bases earlier this spring. Urias was officially placed on the IL. He ran this last weekend and is expected to resume swinging and playing catch soon. Jace Peterson could fill in for the Brewers.
Nick Ahmed (SS, ARI) - Shoulder: Ahmed is still battling some discomfort in his right shoulder. He was placed on the IL. It is the same shoulder that caused him to miss the final two weeks of last season. Ahmed will continue to try and rehab it for right now. Josh Rojas should fill in.
Jake Meyers (OF, HOU) - Shoulder: Meyers was placed on the IL due to his shoulder. He spent spring training recovering from shoulder surgery that he had in November. He is not expected to be ready to play until at least May
Evan Longoria (3B, SF) - Finger: Longoria was placed on the 10-day IL, not 60 day. Longoria underwent surgery to repair a ligament in his right index finger in mid-March. The Giants placing on the 10 day IL may signal that they expect him back before June, possibly in just four weeks. Wilmer Flores should see the biggest playing time increase at 3B.
LaMonte Wade Jr. (1B, SFG) - Leg: Wade was placed on the IL with inflammation and a bone bruise. He'll be re-evaluated in a few days. Steven Duggar and Austin Slater should fill in the platoon in SF.
Josh Rojas (SS, ARI) - Oblique: Rojas was placed on the IL. Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said that Rojas will miss "weeks, not days" due to a Grade 2 right oblique strain. Drew Ellis was starting Opening Day while Sergio Alcantara could also see more playing time.
Mickey Moniak (OF, PHI) - Wrist: Moniak has been diagnosed with a hairline fracture in his right wrist and will miss about six weeks. He was placed on the IL. Matt Vierling should serve as the Phillies primary centerfielder to start the season.
Yoan Moncada (3B, CHW) - Oblique: Moncada has been placed on the IL with an oblique strain. White Sox GM Rick Hahn said that it has been diagnosed as Grade 1 oblique strain and is expected to keep him sidelined for three weeks. Jake Burger or Leury Garcia could fill in.
Donovan Solano (2B, CIN) - Hamstring: Solano was placed on the IL with a sore left hamstring. Reds manager David Bell is optimistic that he will not be out too long. Brandon Drury should see more playing time.
Tommy La Stella (2B, SF) - Achilles: La Stella was placed on the IL. La Stella was delayed in spring training after he underwent Achilles surgery in October. There is no timetable for his return. Mauricio Dubon and Thairo Estrada should see more playing time.
Andrelton Simmons (SS, CHC) - Shoulder: Simmons was placed on the IL with right shoulder inflammation. This move was expected as he was behind the rest of the team at Spring Training. Nico Hoerner should fill in for the Cubs at shortstop.
Josh Naylor (OF, CLE) - Leg: Naylor will start 2022 campaign on the IL. The Guardians did announce though that Naylor is scheduled to begin a minor-league rehab assignment. Steven Kwan started on Opening Day.
Kyle Lewis (OF, SEA) - Knee: Lewis was placed on the IL as he continues to come back from knee surgery last year to repair a torn meniscus. The Mariners said during Spring Training that he was not expected to be ready for Opening Day. No clear timetable for his return but it should be long.
Injured Starting Pitchers for Fantasy Baseball
Jacob deGrom (SP, NYM) - Shoulder: deGrom was officially placed on the IL with a stress reaction in his right scapula. The Mets put him on the 10 day IL and not the 60 day IL which may mean the Mets think he may be back sooner than June.
Zack Wheeler (SP, PHI) - Shoulder: Wheeler was placed on the IL with shoulder injury. He will remain behind in Florida to pitch in a minor-league scrimmage tomorrow. He will then be lined up to start the fifth game of the season for the Phillies.
Stephen Strasburg (SP, WAS) - Neck/TOS: Strasburg was placed on the IL, still recovering from thoracic outlet surgery. He may not make his season debut until some time in May.
Lucas Giolito (SP, CHW) - Abdomen: Giolito left his start Friday with abdominal tightness in his left side. As of Saturday morning, it has been reported that Giolito will go on the injured list and miss at least two starts.
Chris Sale (SP, BOS) - Rib: Sale was placed on the 60 day IL as he is dealing with a stress fracture on the right side of his ribcage. Sale is expected to resume throwing next week
Luis Patino (SP, TB) - Shoulder soreness: Patino is scheduled to throw a bullpen session as he has been dealing with shoulder soreness. The Rays do not seem to concerned about his injury at this point.,
Luis Castillo (SP, CIN) - Shoulder: Castillo has been placed on the IL with shoulder soreness. He is expected to return some time at the end of April and probably with a pitch count to start.
Mike Minor (SP, CIN) - Shoulder: Minor was placed on the IL with shoulder impingement. He was on IL at the end of last year with the same issue. He is expected to come back some time in April. Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo could fill in.
James Kaprielian (SP, OAK) - Shoulder: Kaprielian is going through his recovery from AC joint irritation/inflammation and was placed on the IL. He is currently scheduled to throw a sim game. He should not be ready to pitch before late April for the Athletics.
Shane Baz (SP, TB) - Elbow: Baz underwent arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies from his right elbow. He was placed on the IL this week. He is expected to return to throwing in about one week.
Taijuan Walker (SP, NYM) - Knee: Walker underwent a debridement procedure on his right knee January 14. Walker had some knee pain during his last spring start but is not expected to be placed on the IL as of now.
Lance McCullers Jr. (SP, HOU) - Forearm: McCullers was placed on the IL. McCullers suffered setbacks in his rehab from a forearm injury during the offseason. He is yet to resume throwing but the Astors did not place him on the 60-day IL which could mean that they expect him back sooner than June.
Mike Clevinger (SP, SD) - Knee: Clevinger was scratched from his scheduled start on Sunday due to a sore right knee and landed on the IL. Severity is not yet known.
Alec Mills (SP, CHC) - Back: Mills was placed on the IL with a strained lower back. Severity is not yet known. Keegan Thompson could fill his rotation spot for the Cubs.
Wade Miley (SP, CHC) - Elbow: Miley was placed on the IL with elbow inflammation. Miley has been shut down from throwing for at least ten days after a recent MRI revealed inflammation in his left elbow. No timetable for his return. Justin Steele should take his spot in the Cubs rotation.
Injured Relief Pitchers for Fantasy Baseball
Pete Fairbanks (RP, TB) - Lat: Fairbanks left a spring game with right lat tightness. He was then diagnosed with a 50% tear of his lat muscle and has received a PRP injection. He is expected to be shut down from throwing for the next six weeks and was placed on the 60 day IL.
Lucas Sims (RP, CIN) - Elbow: Sims was placed on the IL to start the season. Sims acknowledged that he "had a couple of hiccups" with his elbow and back while gearing up for spring training and is not expected back until late April.
Ken Giles (RP, SEA) - Finger: Giles missed almost two years with Tommy John surgery and is now being delayed and placed on the IL due to a tendon injury in his right middle finger. He has been shut down for a few weeks and does not have a clear timetable for his return.
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