Fantasy Baseball Week 7 Injury Report - Updates on Spencer Strider, Oneil Cruz, Mike Trout, Brandon Woodruff, Hunter Greene, Yordan Alvarez, more

Dave Funnell's fantasy baseball injury report for Fantasy Baseball Week 7 Injury Report - Updates on Brandon Woodruff, Logan Gilbert, Jordan Westburg, Spencer Strider, and more

Welcome, RotoBallers, to my fantasy baseball injury report for May 4. Every week, we look back at the major injury developments in baseball and look ahead at what might transpire. Today, we examine recent injuries and updates for Brandon Woodruff, Logan Gilbert, Jordan Westburg, Spencer Strider, and 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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Brandon Woodruff - SP Milwaukee Brewers

Brandon Woodruff will make one more rehab start for Class AAA Nashville, on Sunday.

Then it’s back to the Brewers.

— Todd Rosiak (@Todd_Rosiak) May 9, 2025

There was some big news out of Milwaukee this week, as Brandon Woodruff appears to be incredibly close to his long-awaited return to the mound for the Brewers. He last appeared on the mound for them in September of 2023, before having off-season shoulder capsule surgery, which is a major operation for any pitcher to have and something that can change the outcome of the remainder of their careers. Since beginning his Minor League rehab assignment, Woodruff has tossed just over 23 innings of work, producing a 2.70 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and has thrown 22 strikeouts. All of this looks like more than anyone could have asked for, but a look under the hood shows some warning signs.

For one, in his latest rehab outing, while he did throw 60 out of 83 pitches for strikes, his velocity topped at just 94.4 miles per hour. This number, which was his peak in this game, is almost 1.5 miles per hour less than his average velocity BEFORE his injury. That is a significant number in and of itself, given that he will be facing the best hitters in the world at the Major League level. This, alongside difficulty in maintaining command, are both side effects of this type of surgery, which poses so many challenges to pitchers trying to return. In 2024, the Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine released a published study of eleven various-aged players who were recovering from this same injury. In short, the results were polarizing, with the following results in relation to Brandon Woodruff:

It's a very difficult situation to predict, as his return is quite the comeback story. A veteran pitcher, who was the face of the franchise, is making his long-awaited return after a major surgery. However, from a fantasy perspective, it's very difficult to buy into the fact that he will succeed. It would appear that, given the history involved here, he will need to increase his velocity and spin rates while also maintaining his command against the best hitters in the world. Temper your expectations.

MLB Injury News Quick Hits

Logan Gilbert continues to build up strength in his arm, as he was seen throwing from 120 feet and practicing his windup motion without a baseball. It was suggested here, too, that, because he was built up to pitch in-season, he may not need many rehab starts once he does begin that phase of his recovery. That said, he still has a long way to go before returning.

George Kirby finished his second rehab start yesterday, laboring through 54 pitches over three innings of work. His final line wasn't as sharp as expected, but again, this is his Spring Training, and this was only his second outing. He will need at least one more appearance before making his 2025 debut, but chances are he needs a total of two more starts.

Jordan Westburg will have his rehab assignment delayed until later this week because his hamstring bothers him. There are no concerns yet of this being anything more than it was originally diagnosed as, but it is frustrating for fantasy owners who were expecting him back alongside Tyler O'Neill, who just recently returned to the Orioles.

Ryan Weathers will make his long-awaited debut for the Marlins on Wednesday. He was a popular buy-low candidate because of his off-season transformation and increased velocity this spring. He has looked outstanding in his rehab assignment, and the hope is that momentum carries over into Miami.

Spencer Strider threw his first bullpen earlier in the week and did so again yesterday. He made an interesting note here, stating that he was able to throw while he was injured, so that his focus will be on regaining and maintaining strength in his hamstring.

Hunter Greene went to the Injured List with a mild groin strain, which is a big sigh of relief for fantasy owners and Reds fans because it wasn't an upper-body ailment. His recovery should align with that of the aforementioned Spencer Strider, who has missed more than two weeks of action thus far. It's difficult for pitchers to throw because a reaggravation of the hamstring is quite possible. Still, this is good news because he throws incredibly hard, amplifying the chance for injury.

Yordan Alvarez has shown improvement in his hand, but he has yet to swing a bat. If things improve to where he can swing a bat before he is eligible to return, chances are that he won't need a rehab assignment in order to return.

Luis Robert is considered day-to-day with knee soreness, after missing yesterday's game. While the injury is considered to be a minor one, he does have quite an extensive injury history that could suggest otherwise. His status and any news we received today will be key to figuring out what fantasy managers should do with him next week.

Hayden Wesneski will need some more time off before the team can get a clearer picture of the condition of his elbow. This was the news following an MRI that showed inflammation. That's a scary and ominous way of saying that a lot is going on in his elbow, and because it's a complicated issue with the potential for some serious consequences, there is a distinct possibility that the worst-case scenario could be in play, that being season-ending surgery. Stay tuned, as the Astros will revisit his physical condition this week with a follow-up examination.

Anthony Santander has missed two consecutive games for the Blue Jays with what is called a "cranky shoulder". The team believes that he can push through this if they're careful. It's unclear if he will need a trip to the Injured List, but today's update might give us more details about the future.

Oneil Cruz injured his back while running the bases yesterday. He was removed late in the game and is considered day-to-day with lower back tightness. Chances are that he misses today's game, at the very least.

Jerar Encarnacion started his rehab assignment yesterday with a bang, tallying two hits in three at-bats. However, the bigger news was that he played this game at first base, which is the position where he will primarily play once he returns to the Giants. This will give him multi-positional eligibility, and with his power upside, he has the ability to thrive. He is eligible to return on May 23 and should be stated on rosters where possible.

Jose Altuve injured himself while running the bases and was removed from yesterday's game with hamstring tightness. He will be evaluated today, but chances are that he misses today's game, at the very least.

Mike Trout is feeling better, as the pain in his knee has dissipated. He hopes to start running this week, and then from there, a date for a return can be better projected. For now, fantasy owners should plan for a long absence, simply because this is a recurring injury and because of his extensive injury history. That said, he should not be dropped.

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