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Dave Funnell's fantasy baseball injury report for Week 2 (2025). Injury updates for Ketel Marte, Spencer Strider, Zach Neto, Shohei Ohtani, and many more.
Welcome, RotoBallers, to my fantasy baseball injury report for April 6. Every week, we look back at the major injury developments in the world of baseball and look ahead at what might transpire as a result. Today, we look at recent injuries and updates for Ketel Marte, Spencer Strider, Zach Neto, Shohei Ohtani, and many more.
Injuries are an unfortunate part of the game, but how you handle them can mean the difference between a last-place finish and somewhere near the top of your league's standings.
The hope is that whatever comes your way, you can understand what the injury is, what it means for your fantasy team, and what actions you should take. Let's get right to this week's injury-related news.
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Ketel Marte - 2B, Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks officially place All-Star second baseman Ketel Marte on the injured list with a strained hamstring while calling up infielder Tim Tawa.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) April 5, 2025
These were the words from manager Torey Lovullo following the team's win, where Ketel Marte exited early because of a left hamstring strain. As he stated then, he believed that Marte would be placed on the injured list, and less than a day later, he was officially placed there. This loss is a major blow to a team trying to compete and contend with arguably the best team in baseball within its division.
There are some important notes to consider when evaluating. Over his career, he has missed time on the injured list due to both left and right hamstring strains. Back in 2021, he was sidelined for over a month on two separate occasions, resulting in somewhat of a lost season for him. Also of note, he missed significant time last year due to a lingering left ankle sprain that left him hobbling and on the bench. It's no secret that lower-body injuries have hampered his career.
In the meantime, the question of who will replace Marte in the wake of his absence lingers. Garrett Hampson took over at second base during the game where Marte was injured, but his track record does not give confidence to a contending team.
The corresponding move from the designation was to give prospect Tim Tawa a promotion to the Diamondbacks. He and Hampson will likely take turns as the team's second baseman, but neither is worth rostering in fantasy due to their limited upside.
Spencer Strider - SP, Atlanta Braves
#Braves Spencer Strider went back out for the 6th inning in order to get up to 75 pitches.
Final line:
5.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 8 K
(75 pitches/48 strikes)— Grant McAuley (@grantmcauley) April 5, 2025
Spencer Strider stuck to his rigorous recovery plan, throwing 75 pitches on Friday night in his latest rehab assignment. He looked as incredible as his pitching line, striking out eight batters in just over five innings of work. The interesting part of this outing was that he stopped midway through an at-bat not to surpass his desired pitch total. That said, his velocity was where it should be.
With that in mind, he likely needs at least one more outing because situations where he may need to pitch more than he intended will arise. His next start will be this Thursday, and his goal will be to throw 90 pitches. After that, the team will decide his future. This is good news for an Atlanta team that needs it.
MLB Injury News Quick Hits
Angels shortstop Zach Neto transitioned into the field during his rehab assignment with Triple-A Salt Lake on Friday night, playing seven innings at shortstop. While he finished 0-for-3 in that game, the results at the plate mattered not because he was able to play defensively in the infield.
His final step toward a return was for him to be able to field ground balls and throw across the diamond. His next game yesterday saw him play as the team's designated hitter, which was seen as something normal and not a setback. With additional playing time under his belt and more timing at the plate, we could see him return within the next week and be inserted back into the Angels lineup.
Reynaldo Lopez will undergo his exploratory shoulder surgery on Tuesday in the hopes of figuring out the source of his problems. Once that happens, there should be a clearer sense of what the diagnosis is and the relative timeline for a return. Until then, all bets are off as to what the future brings.
Rangers pitcher Jack Leiter went to the 15-day injured list because of a blister on his pitching hand. The move was smart, as the team didn't want it to linger through his next start or possibly even grow. It's an unfortunate setback here but one that will hopefully be behind him and allow him to focus on improving.
In the meantime, Patrick Corbin gets himself inserted into the Rangers rotation and is lined up for two starts next week. Chances are that he starts at the Cubs before starting at the Mariners. Both are mediocre opportunities at best, and Corbin should only be added if fantasy owners desperately need innings.
Josh Jung spent Friday fielding ground balls and hitting before beginning a rehab assignment yesterday as the team's designated hitter. The plan is for him to play in the field today before returning to the Rangers shortly after that, possibly as soon as Tuesday.
Francisco Alvarez is progressing well, as on Friday, he was able to catch bullpens for pitchers and get some hitting done in the cages. While this seems like a big step forward, it must also be remembered that hamate surgeries tend to sap power away from the batter when swinging. As such, his time away could be longer because some of his progression must be to regain as much power as possible with his swing. That said, a return within the next month seems within the realm of possibilities here.
Shohei Ohtani has thrown two light bullpen sessions within two days of each other as he continues to ramp up his arm to pitch again this season. There is no word on how long this stretch will continue, what the next step will be, or a timeline for him to return to the mound. He remains an elite option offensively, and for now, the team doesn't need his services as a pitcher. That may change over time.
Yankees slugger Cody Bellinger dealt with back tightness this past week, which caused him to miss some time. He says that he is feeling better and could be back as soon as today. Be sure to check your lineups before the first pitch.
Gleyber Torres, who has missed most of the season with an oblique strain, was seen hitting in the batting cage on Saturday. While he says that he feels better, chances are that he will need more time than the minimum stay on the injured list, and he could require a rehab assignment because of how early in the season the injury occurred.
The Reds scratched Matt McLain from the lineup on both Friday and Saturday because of hamstring tightness. It's been noted that he's been dealing with this issue for quite a while, so his exclusion isn't much of a surprise to them. Still, it is a worrisome development here, as he missed all of last season with multiple injuries and setbacks. Luckily for Cincinnati, it has many replacements waiting for playing time, most notably Santiago Espinal, who has had success in the past and could step up for more at-bats if the time comes. He is only worth rostering in the deepest of leagues.
Ronald Acuna Jr. will be heading out to Los Angeles to get details and specifics on when he can ramp up his running progression and possibly go out on a rehab assignment. This is potentially huge news, as fans and fantasy owners would want clarity regarding his 2025 debut. The fact that mid-May is being discussed is a good sign that he is passing all of the tests within the team and is feeling much closer to where he should be. All that being said, we should know more soon enough.
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