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Dr. Reuven's (@mlbinjuryguru) fantasy baseball injury updates for Week 21 of the 2021 MLB season. His medical background helps analyze the injured MLB players and their recoveries.
In the second half of the baseball season, the playoffs races and the weather are all heating up now during these dog days of summer. Knowing injury timelines is now a crucial part of the fantasy baseball season. There are still many players that have injury questions yet to be answered. I will continue to highlight players on the IL with their hopeful return time frame. Some teams still do not give us enough information to have a time frame for a few of the previously injured players on the IL and their hopeful return time frame.
Starting pitchers returning from injuries do not necessarily have the same timeline to return as do everyday players. Most commonly, players coming back from injuries require rehab stints in the minors prior to activation from the IL. Pitchers coming back from injury usually have a few rehab assignment starts prior to being activated from the IL. This trend may begin to change as teams are thinking about possibly having these starters rehab in the majors and act as their openers or long men to help speed up this process.
Now, let's look at the latest injury breakdown as we enter Week 21 of the 2021 fantasy baseball season.
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Injured Players - New Listings
Mookie Betts- (OF, LAD): Betts was placed on the IL with right hip pain. He is scheduled to undergo further testing to know the extent of his injury. AJ Pollock should see a bigger role for the Dodgers for the time being.
Willson Contreras- (C, CHC): Contreras was placed on the IL with a right knee strain. Severity is not yet known but it is not considered serious at this time. It is not yet clear whether he'll be sidelined longer than the minimum of 10 days. Robinson Chirinos is in line to see more playing time and Austin Romine was activated off of the IL.
Niko Goodrum- (1B/2B/SS/OF, DET): Niko Goodrum was placed on the IL with a left groin strain. Severity is not yet known. Jacob Robson was called up by the Tigers. Renato Nunez was also called up by the Tigers. and could see playing time while Goodrum is out.
Drew Pomeranz- (RP, SD): Pomeranz was placed on the IL with right forearm tightness. Padres manager Jayce Tingler indicated was "very similar" to what he dealt with off and on throughout the season. This may mean that Pomeranz may not be sidelined for too long.
Akil Baddoo- (OF, DET): Baddoo was placed on the concussion IL. He will be out for an undetermined length until his symptoms resolve.
Ryan Mountcastle- (OF, BAL): Mountcastle is on the concussion protocol/IL after he took a hard tag to the head. Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said Mountcastle will not be reinstated from the IL on Sunday when first eligible. His symptoms must decrease prior to his return. DJ Stewart should get more playing time.,
Carlos Rodon- (SP, CHW): Rodon was placed on the IL this week with left shoulder fatigue. Severity is not yet known. White Sox manager Tony La Russa said that he is not overly optimistic that Rodon will be ready to return from the IL when first eligible on August 18.
Gleyber Torres- (SS, NYY): Torres was placed on the IL with a sprained left thumb. Severity is not yet known. Torres suffered the injury while sliding into second base Sunday. Torres' sprained left thumb is expected to sideline him for 10 days to three weeks. Tyler Wade should fill in for the Yankees for now.
Kwang Hyun Kim- (SP, STL): Kim was placed on the IL with left elbow inflammation, retroactive to August 8. Severity and replacement not yet known. Jack Flaherty should take his spot in the Cardinals rotation when he returns.
Aroldis Chapman- (RP, NYY): Chapman was placed on the IL with left elbow inflammation retroactive to August 6th. Severity is not yet known. Chad Green and Zack Britton should be the leading candidates to close games for the Yankees until Chapman returns.
Roberto Perez- (C, CLE): Perez was placed on the IL with right shoulder inflammation. The Indians called up Wilson Ramos, who should share catching duties with Austin Hedges.
Kole Calhoun- (OF, ARI): Calhoun was placed on the IL with a left hamstring strain. This is his third stay on the IL (knee, hamstring). Based on this year alone, it is not out of the realm of possibility that Calhoun may not come back again this year based on what the severity of the injury is. Pavin Smith now has a clearer path to more playing time for the Diamondbacks.
Injured Players - Updates
Jacob deGrom- (SP, NYM): deGrom is on the IL with forearm tightness. He has said that he will not return until the tightness has subsided, which means there is no current timeframe. He continues to throw bullpen sessions. Although deGrom has said he plans on pitching again this year, do not expect him back any sooner than September 1. He is scheduled for an updated MRI which will give both him and the Mets a better idea as to when he could return. Also, a source of mine saw deGrom on a plane heading from Los Angeles to New York on Thursday night, presumably for a second opinion which is neither good nor bad news. This is the Mets and deGrom doing their due diligence prior to making a decision as to when and if deGrom will come back this year.
Tony Gonsolin- (SP, LAD): Gonsolin was placed on the IL with right shoulder inflammation. Severity is not yet known. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that he is currently in "idle mode" and has done no baseball activities since he was placed on the IL July 31.
Domingo German- (SP, NYY): German is on the IL with a right rotator cuff strain. Severity is not yet known. He was shut down and did not throw for a week. German was scheduled to throw a bullpen session this past Thursday. After that, the Yankees will have a better idea if he would need more time or some rehab outings.
Chris Paddack- (SP, SD): Paddack was placed on the IL with a strained left oblique. The move was made retroactive August 4th. Paddack threw on the field on flat ground last week, but remains without a timeline for a return.
Jason Heyward- (OF, CHC): Heyward was placed on the IL with index finger inflammation and could be activated as early as August 14th. He was seen playing catch with Nico Hoerner this week, which is a good sign that he could be back from the IL sooner rather than later.
Rhys Hoskins- (1B, PHI): Hoskins is on the IL with a groin strain but is recovering well. Hoskins is expected to be reinstated from the IL this coming Tuesday. Until then, look for Brad Miller to fill in for the Phillies.
Francisco Lindor- (SS, NYM): Lindor is currently on the IL with an oblique strain. Lindor took batting practice on the field for the first time since he strained his right oblique last month. Hitting on the field is a big step for injured players, especially those with oblique issues.
Shane Bieber- (SP, CLE):- Bieber has been on the IL for the past few months with a subscapularis strain. Bieber is expected to throw his first bullpen at some point this weekend.
Corey Kluber- (SP, NYY): Kluber has been on the IL for the past few months with a subscapularis strain. Kluber has been throwing to live hitters and was scheduled to begin a rehab stint this past Thursday,. Due to the length of his absence, expect Kluber to need three to four rehab outings before he is activated from the IL.
Mike Trout- (OF, LAA): Trout has been on the IL with a calf strain. Trout took batting practice and has been doing baseball activities as well as running the bases. He has been feeling better but has not yet ramped up his running. Mike Trout has not made any significant strides in his recovery from a Grade 2 calf strain recently but is working hard to return this season.
Luis Severino- (SP, NYY): Severino is currently on the IL rehabbing from Tommy John surgery last year. He then suffered a Grade 2 groin strain during his rehab stint. Severino is set to make one more rehab start and then he could be activated from the IL, barring any setbacks.
Huascar Ynoa- (SP, ATL): Ynoa is on the IL with a broken hand. Ynoa continues his rehab at Triple-A and could be activated this coming week, knocking either Touki Toussaint or Kyle Muller out of the rotation.
Chris Archer- (SP, TB): Archer has been on the IL since the start of the season due to right lateral forearm tightness. Archer threw a simulated game this week and will restart his rehab assignment at Triple-A.
Taylor Rogers- (RP, MIN): Rogers was placed on the IL with a left middle finger sprain. Severity is not yet known, but he has opted not to go forward with surgery. Alex Colome has become the closer de facto for the Twins.
Eddie Rosario- (OF, ATL): Rosario is on the IL with an abdominal strain and was traded to the Braves while on the IL. He is currently on a rehab assignment and could return as early as this coming week.
Alex Bregman- (3B, HOU): Bregman is on the IL with a quad strain. He was scheduled to resume his rehab assignment on August 12.
Jose Urquidy- (SP, HOU): Urquidy has been on the IL with shoulder inflammation. He has begun a rehab assignment and the earliest he could be activated is September 1.
Gio Urshela- (3B, NYY): Urshela is on the IL with a hamstring strain. He was scheduled to come off the IL this week but suffered a setback. Urshela has now been shut down after he received a PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injection. There is no timetable for his return.
Byron Buxton- (OF, MIN): Buxton has been out with a broken hand since late June. He still doesn't have a clear timetable for his return. Buxton did field fly balls, hit, and ran the bases prior to this past Monday's game.
Clint Frazier- (OF, NYY): Frazier has been on the IL with head/eye issues since July 2nd and that was due to dizziness. Frazier does have a history of concussions in the past. He is currently on a rehab assignment. Once he does come back, his role will be limited as the Yankees acquired Joey Gallo at the trade deadline.
Justus Sheffield- (SP, SEA): Sheffield has been on the IL with a forearm strain. Sheffield confirmed he will begin a rehab assignment this Sunday. He may require three or more rehab starts prior to his activation from the IL.
Elieser Hernandez- (SP, MIA): Hernandez is on the IL with a quad injury. He made the third rehab start this past week- five innings and allowing one run, two hits and no walks while striking out ten. he could be activated from the IL this coming week.
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