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Dr. Reuven's (@mlbinjuryguru) fantasy baseball injury updates for Week 16 of the 2022 MLB season. His medical background helps analyze injured MLB players and their recoveries.
The All-Star week festivities have concluded. The American League won yet again. The last time the National League won the All-Star game was back in 2012 and Melky Cabrera was the MVP for the NL, representing the Giants. This week and weekend, there will be a huge flurry of injury updates as teams get back to the daily grind and the dog days of summer. This time off gave injured players, both All-Stars and everyday players, time to heal. Playing fantasy baseball, we would like all of our players on our rosters to be ready to go when the second half of the season starts up again. Knowing when injured players are coming back or how long they will be out is key to your success from now to the end of the season.
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 16+ 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 period, which has helped me get an advantage in this aspect of fantasy baseball, which I hope to share with you.
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Injured Hitters for Fantasy Baseball
Mike Trout (OF, LAA)- Ribs: Trout was placed on the IL with left rib cage inflammation. The injury was originally described as upper back spasms. Trout is eligible to return from the IL as early as the Angels' second game after the All-Star break.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. (2B, MIA)- Back: Chisholm was placed on the IL with a right lower-back strain. Chisholm took batting practice this week and had a CT scan which showed a stress fracture. Recovery time is at least six weeks. Joey Wendle and Luke Williams will fill in for the Marlins while Chisholm is out.
Dominic Smith (OF, NYM)- Ankle: Smith was placed on the IL with right ankle inflammation, retroactive to July 17. The severity is not yet known. Luis Guillorme or J.D. Davis could see more playing time with the Mets with Smith out.
Enrique Hernandez (OF, BOS)- Hip: Hernandez is on the IL with a right hip strain. Hernandez was pulled from his rehab assignment and visited a specialist to be re-evaluated. He received a PRP injection in the hopes that it will speed up his recovery time.
Yasmani Grandal (C, CHW)- Back: Grandal sustained a left hamstring injury while running and then he developed a back issue and is on the IL. Grandal has moved his rehab assignment to Triple-A and could be activated from the IL right after the All-Star break.
Michael Brantley (OF, HOU)- Shoulder: Brantley was placed on the IL with right shoulder discomfort. The severity is not yet known. Manager Dusty Baker said that Brantley is in the “same spot” he was when he first landed on the IL. There is no timeline for his return. Jake Meyers has seen an increase in playing time with Brantley out.
Juan Yepez (1B, STL)- Forearm: Yepez was placed on the IL with a right forearm strain. It has been diagnosed as a Grade 2 strain. Yepez sustained his forearm injury on a throw from the outfield to home plate. He could be out for up to three weeks. Albert Pujols, Corey Dickerson, and Lars Nootbaar should see increased playing time in his absence.
Austin Martin (OF, MIN)- Wrist: Martin was placed on the minor league IL with a wrist injury. The injury still lacks an official diagnosis for his wrist injury, but it's not thought to be a season-ending issue. He does not have a clear return date, but the Twins president of baseball operations Derek Falvey called it a “medium-term issue”.
Mike Zunino (C, TB)- Neck: Zunino is on the IL with a neck strain. Rays manager Kevin Cash said that Zunino continues to receive treatment. He was transferred to the 60-day IL. There is no timeline for his return. The earliest he could return is August 10. Francisco Mejia will continue to get most of the work behind the plate for the Rays.
Mitch Haniger- (OF, SEA)- Ankle: Haniger is on the IL as he continues to recover from an ankle sprain. Haniger has begun a rehab assignment as he works his way back to the Mariners. General manager Jerry Dipoto said this week, "Sometime over the next two to three weeks we should have Mitch back in our Major League fold."
Austin Meadows (OF, DET)- Achilles: Meadows is on the IL due to bilateral Achilles tendon strains. Haniger was expected to be pulled off his rehab assignment after he reported soreness in both of his Achilles tendons this past week. Manager A.J. Hinch suggested that Meadows would have to start his rehab program all over due to the setback. Meadows initially landed on the COVID- 19 IL on June 17 before shifting to the IL.
Ryan Jeffers (C, MIN)- Hand: Jeffers was placed on the IL with a small fracture to his right thumb. He is expected to be out for six to eight weeks. Gary Sanchez is in line to serve as Minnesota's primary catcher with Caleb Hamilton being the backup.
Trevor Story (SS, BOS)- Hand:- Story was placed on the IL with a bruised right hand. He was hit by a pitch last Tuesday. Story is eligible to return for the second game of the second half. Connor Wong was recalled to take his place on the roster.
Harold Ramirez (OF, TB)- Hand: Ramirez was placed on the IL with a right thumb fracture after getting hit by a pitch. This was done retroactively to July 18. He is expected to be re-evaluated at the end of the month. Until then, there is no clear timeline but it will probably be at least a one-month absence. The Rays signed Roman Quinn to take his roster spot.
Brandon Crawford (SS, SF)- Knee: Crawford was placed on the IL with a right knee injury. He had an MRI performed which showed bruising and inflammation. He was placed on the IL last week and because he had this good MRI report, it is possible that he could return by July 26. Until then, Thairo Estrada should be the primary shortstop for the Giants.
Brad Miller (2B, TEX)- Neck: Miller was placed on the IL with a neck strain. The severity is not yet known. Ezequiel Duran was called up while Elier Hernandez should see an uptick in playing time with Miller out.
Jon Berti (2B/3B/SS, MIA)- Groin: Berti was placed on the IL with a left groin strain. The severity is not yet known. He will not be eligible to return until at least July 25. Jorge Soler was activated from the IL to take his roster spot.
Injured Starting Pitchers for Fantasy Baseball
Jacob deGrom (SP, NYM)- Shoulder: deGrom was placed on the IL with a stress reaction in his right scapula. He made 3 rehab starts, had a slight setback with some shoulder soreness but then threw a sim game this past Thursday, going five innings. His next start may be in the majors, barring any setbacks.
Freddy Peralta (SP, MIL)- Lat: Peralta is on the IL with a shoulder/lat injury. Team president David Stearns said this week that Peralta is expected to begin a rehab assignment "sometime within the next week." He continues to track for an early to mid-August return, barring any setbacks.
Daniel Lynch (SP, KC)- Hand: Lynch was placed on the IL with a blister on his pitching hand. This is the second time in less than a month with this issue and had also an abrasion on his left index finger. The Royals haven't specified which digit is bothering Lynch this time. He will not be eligible to return until August 1.
Chris Sale (SP, BOS)- Hand: Sale was placed on the IL after fracturing his left fifth finger proximal phalanx (pinky finger) after being hit by a comebacker. He required surgery, which was performed and is expected to out at least one month. The oft-injured pitcher could be expected to return to fantasy relevance in September.
Andrew Heaney (SP, LAD)- Shoulder: Heaney is currently on the IL with left shoulder inflammation. Heaney completed his rehab assignment and is expected to be activated next week to start on Tuesday, July 26.
Lance McCullers Jr. (SP, HOU)- Elbow: McCullers continues to work his way back from the IL due to a forearm injury. McCullers was scheduled to make a rehab start this past Friday. Given the length of his absence, McCullers will need to make multiple rehab starts and gradually increase his pitch count. His ETA to return to the majors, barring any setbacks, remains around mid-August, with the earliest date being August 13.
Dane Dunning (SP, TEX)- Ankle: Dunning landed on the IL this week with right ankle impingement. Dunning made a rehab appearance and the Rangers are already listing him as their starter for this coming Tuesday.
Stephen Strasburg (SP, WAS)- Ribs: Strasburg was placed on the IL as he is dealing with a stress reaction in his ribs. According to multiple reports, it is unlikely for him to return to the active roster this year.
Dustin May (SP, LAD)- Elbow: May is on the IL recovering from Tommy John surgery last year. He has made one rehab start already and is scheduled for a second. He will need to build up to about five innings during his rehab before he will be activated. May could make his season debut for the Dodgers early to mid-August.
Matt Manning (SP, DET)- Shoulder: Manning is on the IL with a shoulder injury which was followed by biceps tendonitis. Barring any setbacks, Manning is still trending to an early August return for the Tigers.
Michael Wacha (SP, BOS)- Shoulder: Wacha was placed on the IL with right shoulder inflammation. Wacha had been unable to make his last start due to a "heavy arm," and he's now been diagnosed with shoulder inflammation. He is scheduled to throw a bullpen session this weekend. If all goes well, it is possible that he may not need a rehab assignment and be activated this week.
Shane Baz (SP, TB)- Elbow: Baz was placed on the IL with a right elbow strain. He will be shut down for a month after getting a PRP injection. He was moved to the 60-day IL and the earliest he could come back is September 9 if at all.
Luis Severino (SP, NYY)- Lat: Severino was placed on the IL with a low-grade right lat strain this week. He will be shut down for two weeks and then re-evaluated after he starts a throwing program. There is no timetable for his return. Domingo German was activated off of the IL to take his roster spot for now.
Edward Cabrera (SP, MIA)- Elbow: Cabrera is on the IL with right elbow tendinitis. Cabrera threw a two-inning live batting practice session this week. Cabrera is now scheduled to begin a rehab assignment this weekend. Cabrera is still trending for a late July or early August return to the Marlins rotation.
Michael Lorenzen- (SP, LAA)- Shoulder: Lorenzen was placed on the IL with a right shoulder strain, retroactive to July 4. It is unclear as to how long Lorenzen has been dealing with the injury. He had an MRI which showed no structural damage. There is no clear plan or timeline for his return. He has already begun playing catch and will probably end up needing a rehab assignment.
Injured Relief Pitchers for Fantasy Baseball
Anthony Bender (RP, MIA)- Back: Bender has been on the IL with a back injury. Bender began his rehab assignment this past Thursday and could be activated sometime next week.
Dany Jimenez (RP, OAK)- Shoulder: Jimenez was placed on the IL with a strained right shoulder. Jimenez threw a bullpen session this week and may only require one rehab assignment game before returning to the major league roster. Lou Trivino has been closing for the Athletics with Jimenez out.
Brusdar Graterol (RP, LAD)- Shoulder: Graterol was placed on the IL this week with right shoulder inflammation. Graterol is reportedly pain-free but has not resumed throwing in any capacity. There is no timetable for his return. He will not return when first eligible.
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