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Dave Funnell's fantasy baseball injury report for Week 3 (2025). Injury updates for Justin Steele, CJ Abrams, Grayson Rodriguez, Masyn Winn, Ketel Marte, Shohei Ohtani, and many more.
Welcome, RotoBallers, to my fantasy baseball injury report for April 13. 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 Justin Steele, CJ Abrams, Grayson Rodriguez, Masyn Winn, Ketel Marte, 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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Justin Steele - SP Chicago Cubs
Cubs starter Justin Steele is going to get a second opinion on his injured elbow, Craig Counsell said.
Thursday’s MRI showed Steele is dealing with basically the same issue he dealt with last year, when tendinitis kept him out for a little more than two weeks down the stretch.
— Alden González (@Alden_Gonzalez) April 12, 2025
The news out of Chicago is incredibly depressing, as Cubs' ace Justin Steele, already diagnosed with elbow tendinitis, is seeking a second opinion on the condition of his elbow. This is the third time he has had this ailment in his career, and he and the team seem to be a little more concerned this time around. While the original feeling was that of optimism, it would appear that he is now starting to worry a bit more, which is something that fantasy owners and Cubs fans are feeling, too.
Second opinions usually happen because the original diagnosis was one of extreme negativity. Essentially, a player could have been informed that the worst-case scenario was the outcome and that long-term and major surgery were the only options available for treatment. In that instance, a player would look for a second opinion to see if another medical expert would prescribe something less drastic. In this case, however, it's unclear if he has already seen a medical expert, and as such, the team wants to figure out if there is an underlying issue since this recurring injury keeps happening.
That said, surgery may be the best option for him. Anytime an injury happens repeatedly, it's the body's way of informing someone of added strain and pressure in a certain area to perform in a way that it just can't. If that is the case, then this would likely lead to a long-term absence, one that could be season-ending. Without getting ahead of ourselves, it's important for fantasy owners to know all of the outcomes here.
If he can be stashed on the Injured List, then by all means, fantasy owners should do that. The Cubs do not have many options for a replacement until Javier Assad is healthy again. He is currently nursing an oblique injury and will begin a rehab assignment this week. Prospect Cade Horton could be called up for a spot start as well, but he is still a work in progress.
CJ Abrams - SS Washington Nationals
Nats have placed CJ Abrams on the 10-day IL with a right hip flexor strain and recalled Nasim Nuñez from Triple-A Rochester.
— Bobby Blanco (@Bobby_Blanco) April 12, 2025
It was an unfortunate week for anyone who put CJ Abrams in their rosters, as he missed some time after injuring his hip twice this week. After missing games on Monday and Tuesday, he returned to play on Wednesday before re-aggravating his hip flexor midway through Friday's game. As such, he was given just seven at-bats all week. The news is somewhat concerning, given that he has had multiple lower-body issues already this year. The decision to place him on the Injured List was always the likeliest of options here, given how valuable and promising he is for the Nationals.
As such, look for Paul DeJong to get some consistent playing time. He filled in at shortstop this past week and has flashed his power before. Last season with both the White Sox and the Royals, the 31-year-old managed to hit 24 home runs while being an everyday player. Fantasy owners shouldn't expect much else other than possible power. Amed Rosario could offer a batting average boost if given the chance, but at age 29, he is who he is and has yet to live up to the prospect pedigree that followed him into baseball.
MLB Injury News Quick Hits
Grayson Rodriguez threw a side session for the Orioles yesterday, as he continues to slowly build himself back up. He has been limited to this kind of throwing for quite a while now and hasn't shown much to indicate that he'll be ready to progress further. Then again, it was announced that he would be brought back slowly and as if he were starting from scratch, so as long as he is throwing and active, it is good news.
The Cardinals made an interesting roster move yesterday by activating Nolan Gorman and sending Masynn Winn to the 10-day Injured List because of back spasms. This injury may help to explain why Winn had gotten off to such a slow start to begin the season, disappointing fantasy owners in the process. This designation likely isn't serious, though back problems can linger. This could be a good buying opportunity in leagues with trading, assuming that Winn fully recovers in a timely manner. As for Gorman, he looks to get his season back on track here with an opportunity to play every day.
Good news out of Arizona: Marte's injury isn't as serious as was once feared. He has resumed baseball activities by taking groundballs and swinging in the batting cages. Manager Terry Lovullo expects the second baseman to be back either at the end of April or shortly after that. Time will tell, but this is a great sign that the team will get their best player back sooner rather than later.
Daulton Varsho is progressing slower than advertised this season, but he will soon be taking a significant step forward by throwing. The issue for him this spring has been his inability to throw a baseball, and now that he's progressed to that point, it's more about his timing with live pitching and fielding. It's unclear what his timeline is, but it's worth noting that he had an offensively productive Spring Training, so keep him on your radar.
Athletics' second baseman Zack Gelof was able to take grounders yesterday, which is the first real update on his status since he was injured in late March. While it's encouraging that he is doing something, his timeline remains a long-term return, as a six-to-eight week absence was rumored at the time of his injury. Still, it's good news that he could take that step forward.
Both Brenton Doyle and Tyler Freeman could miss some time in the near future for the Rockies. The hope is that both will return shortly, but if they don't, Adael Amador will get another chance with Colorado. The highly rated prospect struggled in his brief stint in the Majors last season, but he's done well to begin his Minor League season thus far, showing more patience at the plate and limiting his strikeouts. He could be worth a look in deep leagues, especially with the Rockies travelling home soon.
The Dodgers had Ohtani throw another full bullpen session yesterday, similar to what he's been doing for a while. There was no word on whether he would progress further than he had, however.
The Yankees will welcome back Clarke Schmidt to the rotation. It was determined that he will return against the Royals on either April 15 or 16, and that is not a moment too soon. Yesterday, Marcus Stroman was sent to the Injured List for knee inflammation, with what the team is hoping will require the minimum amount of time away from the team. Time will tell, but at least New York has their reinforcements ready to go.
The Royals announced that Jonathan India, who left the game with quad tightness on Saturday, had a mild diagnosis, as it wasn't loosening throughout the game. Chances are that he will be evaluated today and we will know more closer to first pitch.
Seiya Suzuki is considered day-to-day with wrist pain that he suffered earlier in the week. It will be interesting to see if he gets time off to help heal this recurring injury.
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