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Dr. Reuven's (@mlbinjuryguru) fantasy baseball injury updates for Week 23 of the 2022 MLB season. His medical background helps analyze injured MLB players and their recoveries.
Labor Day is now in our rearview mirror. Hopefully, the labor of your 2022 fantasy baseball season is not. As the season starts to wind down, this is a time to try to be a little aggressive with your pickups and drops. If you have an injured player on a team that is not contending and they are probably part of that team's future, there is a good chance they could be shut down for the rest of the year to protect for next year.
If a team is still in contention, that team will continue to try to push with what they have and try to bring important elements of their team back for the playoff push and to be ready for the playoffs. Along with different types of injuries (fractures, obliques, etc...), knowing when to drop injured players this time of year could be easier for you if you have a better idea about each player's individual circumstance. 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. 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 24-7 push notification alerts!
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Injured Hitters for Fantasy Baseball
Kris Bryant (OF, COL)- Foot: Bryant is on the IL with plantar fasciitis of the left foot. He is in and out of a walking boot, received a PRP injection, and continues to improve. That being said, there is still no timetable for his return.
Willson Contreras (C, CHC)- Ankle: Contreras was placed on the IL with a left ankle sprain. He had an MRI this week that “didn't reveal anything too concerning.” There is no timetable for his return but even a mild ankle sprain could take two to three weeks to fully heal. Yan Gomes should take over the primary catching duties for the Cubs.
Dylan Carlson (OF, STL)- Thumb: Carlson was placed on the IL with a left thumb sprain. The severity is not known. Alec Burleson was called up and Corey Dickerson, Tyler O'Neill, and Lars Nootbaar are expected to remain in the Cardinals outfield.
Starling Marte (OF, NYM)- Finger: Marte was hit by a pitch and suffered a partial non-displaced fracture of his right middle finger. He is considered day-to-day but still may be placed on the IL just to have an additional bat for the Mets lineup but there is no reason why he shouldn't be available to pinch run. He was wearing a splint on his finger. With Marte out, Tyler Naquin could see more playing time for the Mets.
Byron Buxton (OF, MIN)- Hip: Buxton is on the IL with a right hip low-grade strain. He has not yet started baseball activities. This does not bode well for him coming back during the regular season. Manager Rocco Baldelli said, "We're still kind of at the beginning phases of getting him moving and activating different parts of his lower half and getting back to some baseball activity. We're not quite there yet."
Franchy Cordero (1B, BOS)- Ankle: Cordero was placed on the 60-day IL with a right ankle sprain, ending his 2022 season. Triston Casas was called up and is expected to get the bulk of playing time down the stretch for the Red Sox.
Andrew Benintendi (OF, NYY)- Wrist: Benintendi was placed on the IL with a fractured right hamate bone. He had surgery to repair the hook of the hamate bone. There is no clear timetable for his return however he should be expected to be out for the next three to four weeks at least. Aaron Hicks, Estevan Florial, Tim Locastro, and Marwin Gonzalez will get more playing time in the Yankees outfield.
Patrick Wisdom (3B, CHC)- Finger: Wisdom is on the IL with a left ring finger sprain. Wisdom has already taken batting practice this week but it is not clear whether he will require a rehab stint.
Keibert Ruiz (C, WAS)- Groin: Ruiz was sent to the hospital due to swollen testicles after leaving Thursday's game. He was hit by a foul ball. Expect him to go on IL as he recovers. Expect Tres Barrera to get most of the catching duties when Ruiz is out along with Israel Pineda.
DJ LeMahieu (2B, NYY)- Toe: LeMahieu was placed on the IL with a toe injury. He had missed games over the few days prior to his placement on the IL. There is no word on a timeline for his return. Miguel Andujar was called up.
Matt Carpenter (1B, NYY)- Foot: Carpenter has been on the IL after fracturing his left foot. He has been out for almost a month. Carpenter had X-rays this week that showed healing but he has not yet been cleared to resume baseball activities. He is scheduled for further testing within the next 10 days.
Dylan Moore (OF, SEA)- Oblique: Moore was placed on the IL with a right oblique strain. It is considered to be between a Grade 1 and Grade 2 strain. Moore was expected to do some rotational exercises in a pool this week but remains weeks away from a return.
Anthony Rendon (3B, LAA)- Wrist: Rendon had right wrist surgery on June 21 and has been on the IL with the thought that he would not return this year. He has been throwing and swinging a bat recently. Rendon has also been participating in defensive drills and hitting in the batting cage, opening the door to a possible return by the end of the season.
Jose Iglesias (SS, COL)- Hand: Iglesias was placed on the IL this week with a right hand contusion, retroactive to September 5th. Iglesias had not played since Sunday when he injured his wrist swinging the bat. Alan Trejo and Garrett Hampson will probably split playing time at short for the Rockies with Iglesias out.
Injured Starting Pitchers for Fantasy Baseball
Justin Verlander (SP, HOU)- Calf: Verlander was placed on the IL this week with a right calf strain. Verlander threw off the slope of the mound but has not yet graduated to mound work. There is no timetable for his return but he hopes to throw a light bullpen session next week. There is no timeline for his return.
Shane McClanahan (SP, TB)- Shoulder: McClanahan was placed on the IL this week with shoulder impingement. He received a cortisone injection for his shoulder. He also felt good after throwing 15-20 pitches off of a mound this week. It is still possible that he could return this coming week.
Max Scherzer (SP, NYM)- Oblique: Scherzer was placed on the IL with left side tightness and left oblique irritation. The Mets hope he misses only one to two starts. David Peterson will fill in for him.
Braxton Garrett (SP, MIA)- Oblique: Garrett is on the IL with a right oblique strain. He began a rehab assignment this week after it was thought he may not be able to return this year. Garrett has apparently made good progress and will have a chance to rejoin the Marlins before the season ends.
Tony Gonsolin (SP, LAD)- Forearm: Gonsolin is on the IL with a right forearm strain. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that he had an encouraging MRI but has not progressed as quickly as the Dodgers would have hoped for. There is no timetable for his return.
Zack Wheeler (SP, PHI)- Forearm: Wheeler was placed on the IL with right forearm tendinitis, retroactive to August 22. Wheeler is expected to throw a bullpen session this week with the chance of him returning to the Phillies rotation this coming Tuesday. He has played catch twice this week without issue.
Tylor Megill (SP, NYM)- Shoulder: Megill is currently on the IL with a shoulder strain. He is on a rehab assignment and has struck out all nine batters he has faced. When Megill returns, he is aiming to join the Mets’ bullpen.
Bailey Ober (SP, MIN)- Groin: Ober has made only seven starts this year due to his groin injury. He has so far made two rehab assignment starts and could be a week away from returning.
Luis Severino (SP, NYY)- Severino is on the 60-day IL with a low-grade right lat strain. Severino has made several rehab assignment starts and expects to return when first eligible, September 13.
Freddy Peralta (SP, MIL)- Shoulder: Peralta was placed on the IL with shoulder fatigue. This is the same shoulder that landed him on the IL this year for almost three months. The earliest he could be activated from the IL is September 24.
Graham Ashcraft (SP, CIN)- Biceps: Ashcraft was placed on the IL with right biceps soreness. The severity is not yet known. He has thrown a bullpen session but there is still no timeline for his return.
Justin Steele (SP, CHC)- Back: Steele was placed on the IL with back soreness, retroactive to September 2. This makes September 17 the earliest date Steele could return. The severity of his injury is not fully known. Hayden Wesneski was called up to take his rotation spot.
Zach Eflin (SP, PHI)- Eflin has been on the IL since June 28th with bruising under his right kneepad. He was scheduled to begin his rehab assignment this past Friday. There is no word as to how many rehab appearances Eflin will need until he returns.
Keegan Thompson (SP, CHC)- Back: Thompson was placed on the IL with lower-back tightness. The severity is not known but was scheduled to throw a bullpen session this past Friday and threw a live batting practice session this past Tuesday. Manager David Ross hopes that Thompson will return to game action at some point in 2022.
Hunter Greene (SP, CIN)- Shoulder: Greene is on the IL with a shoulder strain. Greene began a rehab assignment this past week and is scheduled to continue his rehab assignment this Sunday with a possible return after that.
Adam Oller (SP, OAK)- Ribs: Oller was placed on the IL with right rib costochondritis, or inflammation of the rib cage. The severity is not yet known. It is also not known if he will come back this year.
Injured Relief Pitchers for Fantasy Baseball
Tanner Houck (RP, BOS)- Back: Houck was placed on the IL with low back inflammation. He was diagnosed with a disc issue and had lumbar surgery. Houck is done for the year.
Seranthony Dominguez (RP, PHI)- Triceps: Dominguez is on the IL right triceps tendonitis. Dominguez began his rehab assignment this week and could return from the IL this week.
Brusdar Graterol (RP, LAD)- Elbow: Graterol was placed on the IL with right elbow inflammation. Graterol is expected to throw off of a mound soon. There is no timeline for his return.
Ryan Pressly (RP, HOU)- Neck: Pressly was placed on the IL with neck spasms. Manager Dusty Baker said this week that Pressly has not been shut down from baseball activities but continues to have lingering neck discomfort. Rafael Montero has been used as the primary closer for the Astros.
Joe Barlow (RP, TEX)- Finger: Barlow was placed on the IL with a right index finger blister. He has missed almost two months due to this blister injury with two different IL stints. He began throwing off of a mound this week and still could return this year.
David Bednar (RP, PIT)- Back: Bednar has been on the IL for about five weeks with low back inflammation. He threw a side session this week and soon have a live batting practice followed by a rehab assignment.
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