X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

The Fantasy Injury Exam Room - Trevor Story, Mike Clevinger and More

In our continuing weekly feature in collaboration with Inside Injuries, we take a comprehensive look into major injuries and their Fantasy implications.

The medical team at Inside Injuries breaks down each player’s outlook from physical perspectives. RotoBaller then provides in-depth fantasy recommendations based on the impact of every injury breakdown. It’s an unrivaled combination of medical and fantasy expertise, designed to help you gain a true advantage in your roster management.

Inside Injuries predicts the impact of injuries on player performance by using data analytics, medical expertise and statistical modeling.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

Trevor Story (SS, COL)

Story landed on the IL last week with a right thumb sprain and was initially expected to miss multiple weeks. The good news here is that scans confirmed no structural damage and nothing that will require surgery. Still, our algorithm is showing a three week Optimal Recovery Time. Five days after getting hurt Story said his thumb is improving and he hopes to return soon after the 10 days are up. This would be way too quick. His Injury Risk remains High (33%), and he has a Poor HPF (32%). Thumb sprains are very easily aggravated and can turn into a ligament tear when a player returns too quickly. It also leads to ineffectiveness at the plate and a lack of power. It’s not an injury that you should return from before it is fully healed, and there’s no way Story is close to being 100% right now. 

Engel’s Fantasy Analysis

Just because Story is optimistic about his return doesn’t mean you should believe that he will be back when he hits the 10-day mark. What a player wants to happen and what the reality is are frequently two different things. The Inside Injuries timeline is more realistic. You could be without Story for three weeks or so. To plug the hole in the interim, you could consider Freddy Galvis, who is 18 percent owned in Yahoo leagues. J.P, Crawford is hitting .333 with 11 RBI in June and is only five percent owned. 

 

Ian Desmond (1B/OF, COL)

Desmond has missed the last two games with a “lower half issue,” but manager Bud Black won’t reveal any more information about a specific injury. He doesn’t have any recent injury concerns that provide an indication of what this could be, but in 2017 he did miss time with multiple strains to his right calf. It’s possible this is a recurring injury that he is battling again. 

Desmond played in at least 154 games in five of the last six seasons, including 160 games in 2018. He has played 70 games so far this season with no real injuries to speak of. If this is a lower body muscular strain Desmond needs to miss two weeks, but until we know more it’s tough to speculate.

Engel’s Fantasy Analysis

Desmond was back in the Colorado lineup on Tuesday night, so that was a relieving piece of Fantasy news for his owners. He is hitting .359 with four home runs and 18 RBI this month. If his level of play starts to take a downturn, it could be a sign of a persistent issue. Keep a watch on Desmond’s condition and be prepared with some replacement lineup insurance if needed. 

 

Mike Clevinger (SP, CLE)

The Indians are placing Clevinger back on the IL, this time with an ankle sprain. Clevinger suffered an upper back strain in early April that forced him to miss over two months. He returned to make one start on June 17 but injured his ankle when he tumbled off of the mound. Clevinger remained in the game and lasted until the fifth inning but was left swollen and discolored due to a sprain. Now he is set to miss at least 10 days, but the Indians are optimistic that he can return after missing just one turn in the rotation.

Inside Injuries is showing a Healthy to Return Date around July 5, two weeks from the initial injury. That means he should be able to get in one start before the All-Star break. Unfortunately, his Injury Risk is back in the Elevated category at 15%. It’s not horrible, but he needs to get his body right so he can pitch effectively. 

Engel’s Fantasy Analysis

Terry Francona told reporters that he is expecting Clevinger to make his next start on Friday against the Orioles in Baltimore. Based on the scouting report above, Clevinger appears to be returning early, possibly before he is ideally ready. The Indians staff may keep a close watch on Clevinger against the Orioles and he will be a risky starting option despite a perceived weaker opponent. 

Mike Soroka (SP, ATL)

After getting hit by a pitch on his right forearm, Mike Soroka left his start early on Sunday. The Braves said it was a precautionary move as Soroka has been one of their best young pitchers, and X-rays confirmed that there’s no fracture or structural damage. Soroka was admittedly sore in the days after getting hit.

Inside Injuries algorithm has classified this as a soft tissue injury, which is as mild as it gets. It comes with a 7 day Optimal Recovery Time. Soroka will need to keep his arm loose and make sure the forearm muscles don’t tighten up on him at any point during his next outing as there will still be some swelling going on, which can lead to stiffness and soreness. 

Engel’s Fantasy Analysis

According to published reports, Soroka had some lingering tightness while playing catch on Tuesday and will now miss his next scheduled start on the weekend. He is expected to throw off a mound on Wednesday before the Braves make a further determination on his status. Keep monitoring the RotoBaller MLB Player News feed for information on Soroka. Start perusing your free agent list in the meantime, just in case you may need a fill-in starter. 

 

Jose Berrios (SP, MIN)

Berrios left his start over the weekend due to a blister on his right ring finger. He was scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Tuesday. He is on track tol make his next scheduled start on time. 

Now here’s the thing with blisters. They sound pretty minor and most people assume they will heal quickly, but some players are more susceptible to blisters than others. That could be due to how they hold the ball to deliver certain pitches or how sensitive their skin is in various temperatures or conditions. Sure, Berrios can try to pitch five days after developing a blister, but that area on his finger will continue to be sensitive and he will certainly be at a higher risk of suffering another blister going forward. 

The Twins shouldn’t send him out there if there is still any sign of a blister on his finger. The tricky part of recovery for a pitcher is that they can’t wear anything on their hand to protect the blister in an official game. He can cover it during training to make sure his arm stays ready, but in a game, there’s no good option. 

Engel’s Fantasy Analysis

For now, it seems Berrios should be able to start Friday against the White Sox. In any other format other than DFS, you have to keep him active if he takes the mound. But you obviously be concerned that he could leave the game at any time if issues persist. All you can do is start him and hope for the best. At worst, you may get a shortened outing, but not one where he gets hit hard. 

 

John Means (SP/RP, BAL)

The Orioles were forced to place Means on the IL last week due to a left shoulder strain. Means has no history of arm problems throughout his professional career, and this one doesn’t appear to be too serious. He wasn’t even sent for an MRI and described it as tightness.

Even if that’s all this is, Inside Injuries is showing a three week Optimal Recovery Time. Means is already making progress as he threw on Sunday and was scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Monday, but that doesn’t mean he’s ready to throw at 100% in a game. It’s important for the Orioles to slowly bring him back so they don’t risk a more serious injury to one of the few bright spots on their struggling team. Tightness can quickly turn into a more serious strain if it isn’t treated properly.

Engel’s Fantasy Analysis

Published reports indicate that Means could be ready to return as soon as this weekend. That may not turn out to be the case, as Baltimore has no reason to rush him back before he is truly ready. If he does actually make a start this upcoming weekend, he could be a risk according to the above scouting report. 

 

Tyler Glasnow (SP, TB)

Glasnow has been sidelined for over a month with a forearm strain, but he experienced a setback and will now be shut down from throwing for three more weeks. Glasnow was progressing and reached a point where he was close to facing live hitters, but as he was throwing over the weekend he experienced pain in his forearm. Glasnow was sent for an MRI, which showed right flexor inflammation. It’s a similar problem to his initial arm injury. Once a pitcher starts to have arm issues they tend to compound and lead to other injuries. 

Now Glasnow is facing a new six-week Optimal Recovery Time, according to our algorithm. So even if everything goes well this time and he avoids another setback, we shouldn’t see him until early to mid-August. This could be turning into a lost season for Glasnow, whose Injury Risk remains very High.

Engel’s Fantasy Analysis

If your league does not have an IL spot, you may be trying to decide if you should keep Glasnow or not. In a 10-team league, you will just have to let him go, as bench space is limited and there is a better free agent list to lift from than in other leagues. In a league of 12 teams or more, you may want to consider keeping him for the stretch run if you can afford to let him occupy the bench spot. 

 

Caleb Smith (SP, MIA)

It’s been almost three weeks since Smith landed on the IL with left hip inflammation. He didn’t look good in his three previous starts, and this could explain why. Smith spent the first 10 days resting to allow the inflammation to calm down and has since been cleared for a rehab assignment. He looked sharp on Monday, throwing 71 pitches over 4 ⅓ innings. The Marlins could have him back in the rotation by the weekend. Smith also says he didn’t feel the hip injury at all during his start, which makes sense. Inside Injuries initially gave him a two week Optimal Recovery Time, so he is right on track. While his Injury Risk remains HIgh (27%), his numbers are improving quickly and his Health Performance Factor is back in the Above Average category (68%). Smith may be a little rusty in his first start back but he should return to form very quickly.

Engel’s Fantasy Analysis

Smith had 11 strikeouts in his Monday rehab start, indicating he is ready to return to his pre-injury form. If he does not return to the Majors this weekend, he should after one more minor league start as Miami may be looking to carefully monitor him for workload purposes. Ultimately, though, you can look forward to Smith rejoining your Fantasy pitching staff very soon. 

More 2019 Fantasy Baseball Advice




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Giannis Antetokounmpo

Potential Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade may not Happen Until "August, September"
Ha-Seong Kim

Removed Early During Season Debut
ARI

Christian Fischer Retires From NHL at 28
NHL

Spencer Martin Moves to Russia
WAS

Anthony Beauvillier Re-Signs With Capitals for Two Years
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Sitting Out With Foot Issue
Isaiah Neyor

Impresses at Minicamp
Houston Rockets

Jock Landale Waived by Rockets
Bo Bichette

Back in Blue Jays Lineup
Jonas Valančiūnas

Jonas Valanciunas Considering Returning to Europe
Miles Sanders

Works With Starters During Mandatory Minicamp
Jabari Walker

Signs Two-Way Deal With Sixers
Chimere Dike

Titans Could Move Chimere Dike Inside
Keandre Lambert-Smith

KeAndre Lambert-Smith not Guaranteed Roster Spot
Anthony Bradford

Working Hard to Win Back Starting Job
Byron Young

Still Improving?
Cody Simon

Jonathan Gannon has Been Impressed With Cody Simon
SirVocea Dennis

has Impressive Offseason
Trevor Penning

Could Still Have a Role in New Orleans
Jonathan Kuminga

Warriors Decline Recent Offer for Jonathan Kuminga
Orlando Magic

Moritz Wagner, Magic Agree to One-Year Deal
Clarke Schmidt

Placed on Injured List
José Soriano

Jose Soriano Throws Gem Against Braves
Robbie Ray

Earns Ninth Win in Complete Game
T.J. Watt

Likely to Reset the Edge-Rush Market
George Springer

Blasts Two Homers, Drives in Four
James Wood

Goes Yard in Five-Hit Night
Bradley Beal

Suns Discussing Potential Buyout
Los Angeles Lakers

Jaxson Hayes Staying with the Lakers
NBA

Damian Lillard "Open" to Signing With a Team This Offseason
Max Muncy

Out at Least Six Weeks
Clarke Schmidt

Leaves Start with Forearm Tightness
Colson Montgomery

Promoted to the Major Leagues
Pittsburgh Steelers

Omar Khan, Steelers Agree to Three-Year Contract
Max Muncy

Goes on Injured List With Knee Bruise
Max Muncy

Out of Thursday's Lineup
James Wood

Joining Home Run Derby
SJ

Sharks Claim Nick Leddy Off Waivers
Max Scherzer

Cleared to Start on Saturday
SJ

Sharks Sign Dmitry Orlov to Two-Year, $13 Million Contract
CAR

Nikolaj Ehlers Joins Hurricanes on Six-Year Contract
Kodai Senga

Could be "in Play" to Return Before All-Star Break
Ha-Seong Kim

Rays Reinstate Ha-Seong Kim From Injured List
Christian Moore

Placed on Injured List With Thumb Sprain
Luis L. Ortiz

the Subject of Gambling Investigation
Jordan Lawlar

to Miss Multiple Weeks With Hamstring Injury
Yordan Alvarez

Receives Encouraging News on his Hand
Chau Smith-Wade

Having Stellar Offseason
Ace Bailey

Inks Rookie Contract With Jazz
Divine Deablo

Could be the Quarterback of the Defense
Isaiah Rodgers

a Likely Starter for the Vikings
Jacob Monk

Sees Plenty of Work With Starters
Avonte Maddox

has Impressed Dan Campbell
Boston Celtics

Josh Minott Inks Deal With Celtics
Chicago Bears

Ruben Hyppolite Shows Notable Improvement
Sandro Mamukelashvili

Heading to Toronto
Daron Payne

Commanders Coaches Impressed With Daron Payne
Danny Gray

Makes Impression During Offseason Workouts
Jared McCain

Not on 76ers Summer League Roster
Dane Belton

Should Have a Role in 2025
Kaiir Elam

Flashes During Offseason Workouts
Dylan Harper

Unavailable for California Classic
COL

Brent Burns Inks One-Year Deal with Avalanche
STL

Blues Land Pius Suter on Two-Year Deal
Morgan Frost

Agrees to Two-Year Extension with Flames
WPG

Gustav Nyquist Moves to Winnipeg
Cody Glass

Devils Re-Sign Cody Glass to Two-Year Deal
PIT

Anthony Mantha Joins Penguins
Cleveland Cavaliers

Larry Nance Jr. Headed Back to Cavaliers
Eric Gordon

Remaining with 76ers
Los Angeles Lakers

Deandre Ayton Joining Lakers
Emil Heineman

Signs Two-Year Deal with Islanders
Simon Holmstrom

Re-Signs with Islanders for Two Years
UTA

Nate Schmidt Signs Three-Year Deal with Mammoth
UTA

Brandon Tanev Moves to Utah on Three-Year Contract
NJ

Evgenii Dadonov Joins Devils on One-Year Deal
BUF

Sabres Snap Up Alex Lyon on Two-Year Contract
Dallas Mavericks

Dante Exum Returning to Dallas
Ryan McLeod

Inks Four-Year Extension with Sabres
NAS

Predators Bring in Nick Perbix on Two-Year Deal
Jaren Jackson Jr.

Has Surgery to Repair a Turf Toe Injury
LA

Cody Ceci Moves to Los Angeles
Charlotte Hornets

Spencer Dinwiddie Lands With Charlotte
Bud Cauley

in Great Form Ahead of John Deere Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

a Player to Avoid at John Deere Classic
Jake Knapp

Riding Momentum Ahead of John Deere Classic
PGA

Sungjae Im Looking for Consistency at John Deere Classic
Ryan Gerard

a Solid Option at John Deere Classic
Rickie Fowler

Looking to Rebound at John Deere Classic
Cameron Champ

a Volatile Option at John Deere Classic
Jackson Suber

Staying Below 70 is Key to Success for Jackson Suber
Kevin Roy

Playing Better Heading into John Deere Classic
Justin Lower

Hoping for Something Positive in Illinois
Ben Kohles

a Long Shot at John Deere Classic
Stephan Jaeger

Attempts to Stop Roller-Coaster Ride
Beau Hossler

Needs a Challenge in Illinois
Harry Higgs

Has Potential at John Deere Classic
Nick Dunlap

Keeps Plugging Through Tough 2025 Season
Milwaukee Bucks

Taurean Prince Staying in Milwaukee
Kevin Yu

a Near Must-Play at TPC Deere Run
PGA

J.T. Poston Returns to John Deere Classic Looking for Another High Finish
Thriston Lawrence

a Decent Fit For John Deere Classic
Tom Kim

Not Finding Much to be Happy About Ahead of John Deere Classic
Si Woo Kim

is a Prohibitive Fade at John Deere Classic
Ben Griffin

is the Appropriate Favorite at TPC Deere Run
Daniel Suarez

and Trackhouse Racing Parting Ways After 2025 Season
Ilia Topuria

Becomes The New Lightweight Champion
Charles Oliveira

Knocked Out At UFC 317
Kai Kara-France

Alexandre Pantoja Submits Kai Kara-France
Kai Kara-France

Submitted At UFC 317
Joshua Van

Extends His Win Streak
Brandon Royval

Drops Decision
Renato Moicano

Loses Back-To-Back Fights
Beneil Dariush

Gets Back In The Win Column
Felipe Lima

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Payton Talbott

Bounces Back
Alex Bowman

Competitive Run Ends With Third-Place Finish at Atlanta
Erik Jones

Secures A Top-Five Finish After Adversity In Atlanta
Tyler Reddick

Collects A New Career-Best Finish At Atlanta
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF