**These reports are prepared by Ryan Dumouchel and Jose Maldonado.
Welcome to the Last Word On Sports 2015 Weekly Baseball Injury Report. This will be a series of reports updated every week to give you the insight and advantage you need to make any necessary changes to your fantasy lineup. It can be tough trying to decipher whether a particular injury is serious enough to keep a player off the field for an extended amount of time and we here at LWOS want to provide you with the best up to date information available. We will also provide analysis and, at times, bench and minor league player recommendations that will gain more playing time because of an injury. Be smart and don’t let the injury bug ruin your team and your chance for a Fantasy Baseball Championship.
LWOS 2015 BASEBALL INJURY REPORT WEEK OF MAY 10
OSWALDO ARCIA, OF, MINNESOTA TWINS
The Injury: Arcia is on the 15-day DL with a right hip flexor strain.
What It Means: At a minimum, Arcia will miss the next couple weeks. One concerning thing so far is that no official timetable has been established for when he will be able to return to action.
HOMER BAILEY, SP, CINCINNATI REDS
The Injury: Bailey is out with a right elbow strain and was placed on the 60-Day DL.
What It Means: The decision has been made that Bailey will have Tommy John surgery. He will be out for the rest of the season and will not return until 2016.
ARCHIE BRADLEY, SP, ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
The Injury: Bradley is on the 15-day DL from a right sinus fracture that occurred after being hit by a line drive.
What It Means: There is optimism that he will be able to return after the 15 days are up and we should all be fortunate as this injury could have been much worse.
MATT CAIN, SP, SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS
The Injury: Cain is currently on the 15-day DL with a right flexor tendon strain.
What It Means: Cain has been working towards rehabbing from this injury. Currently, he is throwing from 90 feet from a flat surface and is working towards the next step which is throwing in a bullpen session.
ALEX COBB, SP, TAMPA BAY RAYS
The Injury: Cobb is currently recovering from right forearm tendinitis and is now also dealing with a right elbow partial ligament tear.
What It Means: Initially, Cobb was expected to be back around May. However, it has now been reported that Cobb will miss the remainder of this season and part of 2016, as he will opt for Tommy John surgery o fix the tear in his elbow.
CARL CRAWFORD, OF, LOS ANGELES DODGERS
The Injury: Crawford is on the disabled list with a right oblique strain and he could possibly be back by late-May.
What It Means: Crawford has been very injury prone over the last few seasons and this injury is continuing this trend. On average these injuries do take about a month to heal. However, this can vary based on how serious the strain is.
TRAVIS D’ARNAUD, C, NEW YORK METS
The Injury: Travis d’Arnaud is currently out with a right hand fracture.
What It Means: The initial timetable is that he will be re-evaluated in a few weeks to determine if he will have to miss additional time.
SEAN DOOLITTLE, RP, OAKLAND ATHLETICS
The Injury: Doolittle is currently recovering from a left rotator cuff tear. He is currently on the 15-day DL and he could possibly be back by May.
What It Means: Doolittle has been making progress towards his return. However, he is still at least a couple of bullpen sessions away from facing live hitting.
JOSE FERNANDEZ, SP, MIAMI MARLINS
The Injury: Fernandez is currently recovering from Tommy John surgery and could possibly be back by June.
What It Means: Fernandez continues to make progress in his recovery. He recently got past another barrier as he faced live hitting for the first time since having surgery.
YAN GOMES, C, CLEVELAND INDIANS
The Injury: Gomes was placed on the 15-Day DL with a right MCL sprain and could possibly be back in June.
What It Means: Gomes appears to be making progress on recovery from this injury. The reports indicate that he has been going through the recovery process faster than usual. It has not yet been determined whether this will be enough to cut down on the initial 6-8 week timetable.
JOSE IGLESIAS, SS, DETROIT TIGERS
The Injury: Iglesias is day-to-day with groin soreness.
What It Means: With this injury, Iglesias has already missed a couple of days. It is not expected that this injury will be serious enough to land him on the disabled list.
HISASHI IWAKUMA, P, SEATTLE MARINERS
The Injury: Iwakuma is out with a right lat strain and could be back by mid-May.
What It Means: Iwakuma is expected to miss 2-4 weeks. To replace him in the rotation, the Mariners called up Roenis Elias from Triple-A. In his first 2 starts, Elias has a 3.86 ERA and 10.8 K/9.
AUSTIN JACKSON, OF, SEATTLE MARINERS
The Injury: Jackson is on the 15-day DL with a right ankle sprain and could possibly be back by late-May.
What It Means: Jackson initially was hoping to avoid going on the DL. However, he wasn’t recovered from his injury fast enough. It is expected that Justin Ruggiano will get most of the playing time at CF in his absence. Even with an increase in playing time, Ruggiano’s value is likely to be limited at best. This year, he hit .194 with 0 HR and 4 RBI in his first 36 PA.
KENLEY JANSEN, RP, LOS ANGELES DODGERS
The Injury: Jansen is recovering from left foot surgery and could be back by mid-May.
What It Means: Jansen has been making progress towards returning to the field. He made his second rehab appearance and is on track to return and take back the Dodgers closing role soon.
JONATHAN LUCROY, C, MILWAUKEE BREWERS
The Injury: Lucroy was placed on the DL with a broken left toe and could possibly be back in May.
What It Means: The initial prognosis was that this injury would cost him 4-6 weeks which would put him on track to return in late-May.
LEONYS MARTIN, OF, TEXAS RANGERS
The Injury: Martin is day-to-day with a left wrist sprain.
What It Means: Currently, Martin is in a brace to help him recover from this injury. The good news is that the X-Rays taken show no fracture and that currently there are no plans for him to go on the DL.
JAKE MCGEE, RP, TAMPA BAY RAYS
The Injury: McGee is currently recovering from left elbow surgery and could possibly be back this month.
What It Means: McGee has been getting closer to returning as he is currently in the middle of his rehab assignment. He is expected to make a few more rehab appearances before returning to action.
JENRRY MEJIA, P, NEW YORK METS
The Injury: Mejia is on the 15-day DL with right elbow stiffness.
What It Means: Right now, injuries are the least of Mejia’s concerns. He is currently serving an 80-game suspension for testing positive for Performance Enhancing Drugs. If you are holding out hope that he may help you at the end of his suspension, the reality is that the closer job (or a spot in the Mets bullpen) is not guaranteed upon the end of this suspension.
DEVIN MESORACO, C, CINCINNATI REDS
The Injury: Mesoraco is currently day to day with left hip impingement.
What It Means: Mesoraco has been day-to-day for a while and outside of a few pinch-hitting appearances, he has primarily been out of action but taking up a roster spot. However, it is starting to look like his hip will require surgery which would officially place him on the DL.
BRANDON MORROW, P, SAN DIEGO PADRES
The Injury: Morrow is on the 15-Day DL with right shoulder inflammation.
What It Means: Morrow was off to a strong start this season. However, that progress is stalled for the time being due to this injury. There is a possibility that he could be back by the end of May. However, that is far from guaranteed at this point. For the time being, Odrisamer Despaigne will temporarily take his spot in the Padres starting rotation.
JAKE ODORIZZI, P, TAMPA BAY RAYS
The Injury: Dealing with the flu, he is currently day-to-day.
What It Means: Odorizzi missed his scheduled start on Saturday because of flu like symptoms. As of now the Rays are unsure when he will make his next start but a DL stint is unlikely. Matt Andriese was called up from AAA to make a spot start on Saturday.
HUNTER PENCE, OF, SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS
The Injury: Pence suffered a broken left forearm from a HBP during a spring training game. He is currently on the 15-day DL.
What It Means: Pence has finally gotten the green light for game action as he works to come back from a broken arm. His first game was on Friday for AAA Sacramento and he went 0-2 with 1 K and a sac fly. I would imagine he would only need about a weeks worth (or less) of games before being activated in the Giants lineup. In the mean time Gregor Blanco and Justin Maxwell have taken the majority of reps at RF. Maxwell has looked good slashing .253/.321/.427. Maxwell is a possible option for deep leagues if you are stashing Pence.
DAVID PRICE, P, DETROIT TIGERS
The Injury: Suffering from a mild right hamstring strain and is currently day-to-day.
What It Means: Price tripped over a bat while trying to back up home plate during Friday night’s game against the Royals. The Umpire had taken the bat from the batters box and tossed it to the side so it was not in the base path but it ended up right in the way of Price. An MRI was taken on Saturday, which revealed the strain but as of now he will not be headed to the DL. If the Tigers need a replacement starter until Price is ready, look for Buck Farmer to get the call.
YASIEL PUIG, OF, LOS ANGELES DODGERS
The Injury: Suffering from a tight hamstring. He is currently on the 15-day DL.
What It Means: Puig suffered a setback in his rehab assignment on Friday playing for the club’s high-A affiliate. He was running to 1B on a grounder and came up short holding his hamstring. He did not re-enter the game. The weather might be a small factor, as Puig stated that he felt it tighten up when the temperature dropped. He is back in L.A. to be re-evaluated. In the meantime look for Scott Van Slyke or Andre Either to get extra playing time.
ARAMIS RAMIREZ, 3B, MILWAUKEE BREWERS
The Injury: Suffering from lower back tightness and is currently day-to-day.
What It Means: Ramirez was scratched from the lineup on Friday and Saturday with the ailment. Not too much more information is available right now but we can assume he is getting all the proper medical tests to see if he will require a stint on the DL. Elian Herrera has gotten the start on Friday and Saturday but he has extremely limited fantasy value so hopefully there are replacements on the waiver wire for you or you have a backup.
ANTHONY RENDON, 3B, WASHINGTON NATIONALS
The Injury: Suffered a MCL sprain in his left knee and an oblique strain. He is currently on the 15-day DL.
What It Means: Well, we all knew about the MCL sprain but now skipper Matt Williams stated that he is also dealing with an oblique strain and has been shut down indefinitely until it heals. The injury occurred during his rehab stint for his knee and these types of injuries can be tricky so expect the Nationals to play it safe with their All-Star 3B. Have faith in the baseball Gods that he can get back on the diamond soon. Yunel Escobar has been manning 3B in Rendon’s absence and even though his value is limited, he is slashing .303/.358/.394 so a look is warranted for deep leagues and he has SS eligibility.
JOSE REYES, SS, TORONTO BLUE JAYS
The Injury: Suffering from a cracked rib. He is currently on the 15-day DL.
What It Means: Reyes has been cleared to resume baseball activities and he could be activated as soon as his 15 days are up. If he does he will begin a rehab assignment and we could see him back in Toronto by next weekend. Ryan Goins and Jonathan Diaz have been splitting duties at 2B with Goins getting the majority of the playing time. Both options have limited fantasy upside but if you are in a deep league with no options, Goins may have to be your guy until Reyes returns.
ALEX RIOS, OF, KANSAS CITY ROYALS
The Injury: Suffered a fractured fifth metacarpal in his left hand. He is currently on the 15-day DL.
What It Means: Skipper Ned Yost is hopeful Rios can return in two weeks. He is doing hand-strengthening exercises now and could possibly skip a rehab assignment and join the team immediately when he is ready. Jarrod Dyson has 42 PA compared to the 71 PA for Paulo Orlando. Orlando started off blazing hot but has since cooled down not recording any multi-hit games since April 24th.
ALEX RODRIGUEZ, 3B, NEW YORK YANKEES
The Injury: Suffering from leg tightness. He is currently day-to-day.
What It Means: Skipper Joe Girardi opted to sit Rodriguez after he complained about the tightness. Chalk it up to being a routine day off for Rodriguez with a little extra soreness mixed in and expect him to be in the lineup Sunday if he wakes up feeling better. He is 39-years-old and the veteran legged out a triple on Friday night.
HYUN-JIN RYU, P, LOS ANGELES DODGERS
The Injury: Suffering from left shoulder tightness. He is currently on the 15-day DL.
What It Means: Ryu was planning on traveling to Milwaukee with the team this past week to throw to live hitters but that was cancelled after his velocity was down during his last bullpen session. The concern is growing in L.A. as the rotation is already on shaky ground. Carlos Frias, however, has been doing a good job filing in with a 2.13 ERA and 11 K in 12.1 IP.
DREW SMYLY, P, TAMPA BAY RAYS
The Injury: Suffering from left shoulder tightness. He is currently on the 15-day DL (again).
What It Means: Smyly returned from the DL in late-April and made three starts but some concern over the dip in his velocity, among other things, prompted the Rays to put Smyly back on the DL. With Alex Cobb out for the year and now Smyly back out for some time, there is going to be more opportunities for Nate Karns, Alex Colome, and Matt Andriese. Matt Moore is getting closer to a return from the 60-day DL as well.
GEORGE SPRINGER, OF, HOUSTON ASTROS
The Injury: Suffered a concussion. He is currently on the 7-day DL.
What It Means: Springer was running full speed towards the right field wall (close to 20 MPH according to Statcast) and made a fantastic catch, but also went head first into the wall and stayed down for a bit. The 7-day DL was created specifically for concussions and hopefully Springer will be able return once he is eligible. Preston Tucker has been called up to take the vacant spot on the 25-man roster. Tucker has hit well at every level in the Minors but this will be his first taste of the big leagues.
STEPHEN STRASBURG, P, WASHINGTON NATIONALS
The Injury: Suffering from a sore shoulder/ankle. He is currently day-to-day.
What It Means: Strasburg left his start on Tuesday with the injury but played catch hours after the game and he also played catch on Friday. He saw a chiropractor as well and he stated that the difference after seeing the doctor was “night and day.” On Saturday he threw a successful bullpen and reported no discomfort so look for him to make his next scheduled start on Monday. A recent report from sportingnews.com states that it was his ankle, and not his shoulder, that was the reason for him leaving his start early. Either way he looks to be just fine.
MASAHIRO TANAKA, P, NEW YORK YANKEES
The Injury: Suffering from a forearm strain. He is currently on the 15-day DL.
What It Means: Tanaka was shut down after he reported feeling discomfort during a bullpen session. He threw 50 times from flat ground on Friday and reported no discomfort in his arm. He’s still in the early process of his returning back to the field but having no discomfort is an encouraging sign. To be honest we wouldn’t be shocked if at some point this year Tanaka gets shut down permanently for Tommy John surgery, but for now the Yankees are rolling the dice. Chase Whitley will continue to start in Tanaka’s absence and could be an interesting choice for deep leagues.
JUSTIN VERLANDER, P, DETROIT TIGERS
The Injury: Suffering from a strained right triceps. He is currently on the 15-day DL.
What It Means: Verlander had a third MRI on his right triceps and was cleared to resume throwing again. Verlander has always been known as a workhorse and one can’t help but wonder that maybe all of those pitches and deep playoff runs are creeping up on him. No timetable has been set for his return but Jon Morosi predicts possibly sometime in June. Kyle Lobstein was called up to make a spot start and will continue to start until Verlander returns.
MATT WIETERS, C, BALTIMORE ORIOLES
The Injury: Recovering from Tommy John surgery he received in June of 2014. He is currently on the 15-day DL.
What It Means: Wieters caught 7 innings in an extended Spring Training game on Thursday as he works his way back from TJ. The Orioles still want Wieters to catch back-to-back games without abnormal discomfort before sending him out on a rehab assignment. In the meantime, Caleb Joseph is starting behind the dish and is tearing the cover off the ball slashing .311/.407/.500 through 22 games as of Saturday night. His .385 BABIP though shows some regression is likely in the future but his plate discipline is very positive. If Joseph continues to produce, Wieters may find himself in a backup role upon his return, which the Orioles are hoping is before the All-Star break.
DAVID WRIGHT, 3B, NEW YORK METS
The Injury: Suffered a pulled hamstring/tight lower back. He is currently on the 15-day DL.
What It Means: Wright is now dealing with another injury as he has reported tightness in his lower back. An MRI gave the all clear and he can resume baseball activities again once the pain has subsided. He is fortunate there was no structural damage shown. In the meantime, Eric Campbell was replacing Wright but has been below average so the Mets called up Dilson Herrera who started at 2B while Daniel Murphy shifted over to 3B.
BEN ZOBRIST, OF, OAKLAND ATHLETICS
The Injury: Suffered a left medial meniscus tear. He is currently on the 15-day DL.
What It Means: Zobrist will have anthroscopic knee surgery and will be out approximately six weeks. The good news is that he should be back by June so it’s not season threatening and he’s reporting that he’s feeling good. The Oakland Athletics called up Max Muncy to take Zobrist’s spot on the 25-man roster. Billy Burns will look to get more reps in the OF while Eric Sogard and Muncy will share 2B. We can see why Billy Beane likes Muncy as his BB% never dipped below 12% in his Minor League career.
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