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Dr. Reuven's (@mlbinjuryguru) fantasy baseball injury updates for Week 5 of the 2021 MLB season. His medical background helps analyze the injured MLB players and their recoveries.
There has been an injury trend that is hard to miss for the first three weeks of the 2021 season. There have been a lot of muscle/tendon sprains and strains to start the season. These injuries include oblique, groin, hamstring, and back injuries. Not all of the injuries are alike for each player and should be treated and evaluated on a case-by-case basis. They should not be lumped together. Key words to listen for while getting updates on these injuries include what grade the strain is to determine how severe it is. That is the best way to help evaluate how long that player will be out for.
Baseball has seen the rate of injury continue to rise over the past few years. In fantasy, if someone is not in the medical field, it is hard to gauge how long a player will be out and whether they need to be replaced in a lineup. Sometimes this could mean playing a dead roster spot and losing the opportunity to have a full week of stats. Watching a play and watching the mechanism of injury can say a lot about the type of injury that has been sustained.
I am a practicing physician's assistant in the state of New York in the fields of orthopedics and physical medicine/pain management. I have been treating patients with the same type of injuries that have been affecting athletes in a private practice setting for the past 16 years. Having this base of knowledge, it is easier to “predict” what the injury could be and how much time a player may miss. During the course of the season, I will continue to provide the latest injury updates with diagnoses and discuss the extent of injury and how long the player will be out. I will also be listing the “next man up” when it comes to playing time if the player will be out.
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Body Part Average Days on IL
The best reference for how long players are out for certain injuries would be the last full season, 2019. Below is a listing of how long players (broken down by hitters and pitchers) spent on the IL based on the type of injury.
HITTERS
Hamstring 29
Hand/Finger 46
Neck/Back 50
Oblique 35
Knee 84
Shoulder 62
Concussion 30
Groin/Hip 57
Wrist 35
Calf 49
Ankle 29
Quad 37
Foot/Toe 68
Elbow 45
Biceps/Arm 51
PITCHERS
Shoulder 51
Elbow 92
Arm 71
Back/Neck 37
Knee 53
Oblique 35
Hamstring 28
Finger 25
Biceps 75
Hip 56
Groin 24
Wrist 98
Pectoral 46
Foot/Toe 41
Calf 28
Injury "Guy"de for the week of April 25, 2021
Injured Players - New Listings
Juan Soto (OF, WAS) - Soto was placed on the IL with a left shoulder strain. He says that he only feels pain when he throws the ball and not when swinging a bat, and he's hoping to return to the lineup April 30 after a minimum IL stay. "We've got 10 days in quarantine again," Soto said. "Be ready and come back stronger. I don't mind."
Christian Yelich (OF, MIL) - Yelich was placed on the IL low back soreness. Yelich was placed on the IL immediately after being taken out of last Sunday's game. The earliest he could return would be over this weekend, but it is already known that he will not be activated at least until Sunday.
Jean Segura (2B/3B, PHI) - Segura was placed on the IL due to a right quadriceps strain. He had an MRI performed. The severity is not yet known. The soonest he could return is May 1. Brad Miller should fill in and Scott Kingery was called up.
Ross Stripling (SP, TOR) - Stripling was placed on the IL with left forearm inflammation. Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said Stripling threw a bullpen session earlier this week and went on to say that he "could be back in the mix in days."
Donovan Solano (SF, 2B) - Solano was placed on the IL with a right calf strain on Wednesday. Giants manager Gabe Kapler said Solano will miss "some time." Severity is not yet known. Mauricio Dubon and Wilmer Flores, who also benefits with more playing time due to Longoria's injury, will get more at-bats.
Evan Longoria (SF, 3B) - Longoria left Thursday's game with a tight left hamstring. Severity is not yet known. Wilmer Flores could fill in at third for the Giants should Longoria miss some time.
Brian Anderson (MIA, OF) - Anderson was placed on the IL with a left oblique strain. Severity is not yet known. Jon Berti is expected to see more playing time for the Marlins until Anderson comes back.
Chad Kuhl (SP, PIT) - Kuhl was placed on the IL with right shoulder discomfort. Severity is not yet known. Pirates Manager Derek Shelton said that Sean Poppen, Luis Oviedo and Duane Underwood "provide significant length" out of the bullpen and for his rotation spot until Kuhl is able to return.
Joc Pederson (CHC- OF) - Pederson was placed on the IL with left wrist tendinitis retroactive to April 21. No MRI is currently scheduled and the hope is rest will do the trick. This is a little strange though that Pederson's wrist is bad enough for him to go on the IL, yet no testing has been ordered. Jake Marisnick and Nico Hoerner should see more playing time in the OF for the Cubs.
Austin Nola (C, SD) - Nola began the 2021 season on the IL with a fractured left middle finger. As of Tuesday, Nola was given the go-ahead to begin playing games at the Padres alternate training site. Barring any setbacks, he should make his season debut in the next few days.
Starling Marte (OF, MIA) - Marte was placed on the IL with a non-displaced fracture in his 12th rib seen on MRI. Healing time is usually about four to six weeks, depending on the extent of the fracture. Lewis Brinson was called up by the marlins to help in the outfield.
Jorge Alfaro (C, MIA) - Alfaro was placed on the IL with a left hamstring strain. Severity is not yet known, but he has been dealing with this on and off this year. Chad Wallach should fill in while he is out as a starter and Sandy Leon was called up.
Anthony Santander (OF, BAL) - Santander was placed on the IL with a left ankle sprain. Manager Brandon Hyde said that he should miss two to four weeks due to the sprain. Ryan McKenna was recalled and Austin Hays and DJ Stewart could see an increase in playing time while Santander is out.
Miguel Sano (3B, MIN) - Sano was placed on the IL with a right hamstring injury. He had missed the prior two games before going on the IL. Severity is not yet known. Willians Astudillo has filled in at first base, and the Twins called up Alex Kirilloff.
Injured Players - Updates
Cody Bellinger (1B/OF, LAD) - Bellinger was placed on the IL due to a left calf injury. He was diagnosed with a hairline fracture in his left fibula. He took batting practice prior to Thursday's game. “It’s just a slow process,” Bellinger said. “It’s more pain tolerance at this point. I’ve been in the training room, been working out, can’t really do much until the bone heals.”
George Springer (OF, TOR) - Springer was placed on the IL to start the season with a Grade 2 oblique strain. While Springer was rehabbing, he injured his quad. MRI showed a low-grade quadriceps strain. He is scheduled to play in an intra-squad game on Friday and earlier this week GM Ross Atkins said Sunday that Springer is "running and doing all of the baseball activities...Not quite at 100 percent".
Dinelson Lamet (SP, SD) - Lamet was on the IL recovering from an elbow injury. Lamet pitched two innings and then felt forearm discomfort/tightness. The Padres continue to publicly state that his elbow and forearm are structurally sound and he will not be sent for an MRI yet. Lamet is expected to try to throw Friday and the team is shooting for him to make a start in 10 days.
Ke'Bryan Hayes (3B, PIT) - Hayes has been out since April 4 due to left wrist inflammation. He had been making progress at the team's alternate training site, but he aggravated his left wrist injury this week. Hayes was with the team and appeared set to return within a few days, but his wrist felt worse again after taking some swings. He'll be reexamined by a hand specialist for a new return timeline.
Nate Pearson (SP, TOR) - Pearson started the season on the IL with a groin injury. Pearson is now "absolutely pain free" and throwing at 100% intensity on the mound. Pearson will throw a few innings in an intra-squad game Friday and may need one or two more of these outings prior to activation.
Lorenzo Cain(OF, MIL) - Cain was placed on the IL with a left quad strain. Cain was dealing with a similar quad issue during the course of spring training. The severity is still not yet known. He has not yet begun baseball activities.
Julian Merryweather (RP, TOR) - Atkins has said that Merryweather will be shut down for "a couple of weeks" before resuming a throwing program.
Max Fried (SP, ATL) - Fried was placed on the IL with a right hamstring strain which he injured while running the bases. Manager Brian Snitker is stil calling Fried's injury as a "day to day" thing.
Cristian Pache (OF, ATL) - Pache has been placed on the IL with left groin tightness. The earliest he is eligible to return is on April 24, however no timetable for his return was given. Guillermo Heredia is currently the only healthy center fielder on their active roster.
Christian Walker (1B, ARI) - Walker was placed on the IL with a strained right oblique. No word on severity. Andrew Young was recalled. Asdrubal Cabrera and Pavin Smith may see additional time in his absence.
Anthony Rendon (3B, LAA) - Rendon was placed on the IL with a groin strain that at first was labeled minor. Word is that he should be ready to be activated from the IL as soon as Monday.
Ketel Marte (2B/OF, ARI) - Marte is on the IL with a hamstring strain. He continues to get treatment and recently began taking batting practice.
Johnny Cueto (SP, SF) - Cueto was placed on the IL with a grade one lat strain. It is considered be a "low-level strain", which hopefully means less time of the IL. He is only scheduled to miss two starts, barring a setback.
Nomar Mazara (OF, DET) - Mazara was placed on the IL after suffering a left abdominal strain on a swing. Severity is not yet known, but he is not likely to miss much more than the allotted ten days.
Drew Smyly (SP, ATL) - Smyly was placed on the IL with forearm inflammation. The inflammation/injury was not considered particularly serious and is currently scheduled to start on Saturday.
Joakim Soria (RP, ARI) - Soria was placed on the IL with a calf strain. He should pitch off the mound one to two more times before the Diamondbacks activate him from the IL.
Luke Voit (1B, NYY) - Voit is currently on the IL following knee surgery. Voit is now set to report to the Yankees' alternate training site early next week. According to Manager Aaron Boone, Voit is about two weeks away from returning. DJ LeMahieu and Mike Ford should continue to fill in at first base.
Stephen Strasburg (SP, WAS) - Strasburg is on the IL with a shoulder strain and inflammation. He threw some 75 feet toss earlier this week and "felt okay," according to Dave Martinez. Next step will "probably" be a light bullpen, then eventually a sim game or two, barring any setbacks. Eric Fedde continues to fill in for him.
Adalberto Mondesi (SS, KC) - Mondesi is on the IL with an oblique strain. Royals manager Mike Matheny said today that Mondesi has not yet resumed swinging.
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