Stephen Strasburg SP, Nationals: right shoulder inflammation
Strasburg was forced to leave last Friday’s start against the Giants due to soreness in his right shoulder. After the game he admitted this was something he had been dealing with for the past couple of starts. It was just gradually getting worse. An MRI revealed inflammation in his throwing shoulder, and the Giants placed the right-hander on the 10-day DL on Saturday. The good news is that the MRI did not reveal any structural damage, but there is still no official timetable for his return. We are calculating a three week Optimal Recovery Time, so he won’t be worth a start for at least a few weeks.
Shohei Ohtani SP/DH, Angels: grade 2 UCL sprain
We knew back in December that Ohtani was dealing with a mild UCL sprain. There was some long-term concern that he could do more damage to the ligament, with the possibility of eventually requiring Tommy John surgery. The Angels placed the right-hander on the 10-day DL with a Grade 2 UCL sprain, and he is expected to miss at least the next 3-4 weeks.
Ohtani left a start with a supposed blister before the Angels announced the UCL injury, but it then came out that he received platelet-rich plasma and stem cell injections. The Angels are sticking to their story that they believe Ohtani will return at some point this season as a hitter, but we aren’t convinced. It’s likely that Ohtani will eventually need the dreaded Tommy John surgery. If not now, a few years down the road.
Justin Turner 3B, Dodgers: wrist soreness
When Justin Turner returned from left wrist surgery earlier in the year, we knew that he would need periodic rest as part of his maintenance plan. He missed games at the end of May when he reportedly experienced soreness in his left wrist, and he was pulled from the starting lineup again last week when the soreness lingered. The third baseman has missed a total of five games in the past two weeks as the soreness continues, but he was able to return to the lineup on Tuesday. Turner is currently at a High Injury Risk, but his Above Average Health Performance Factor suggests he should be able to perform well until the next round of rest is required.
Asdrubal Cabrera 2B, Mets: tight left hamstring
The Mets pulled Cabrera from Sunday’s game against the Yankees with a tight left hamstring, but for now he has been able to avoid a DL stint. He received treatment on Monday and was back in the lineup for Tuesday’s game. Unfortunately, 48 hours was not enough time to heal the injury. Cabrera was not in the Mets’ starting lineup against the Braves on Wednesday, citing the hamstring injury, and it’s not clear how much more time he is expected to miss. We are calculating a three week Optimal Recovery Time for a mild hamstring strain, so he really should wind up on the DL.
Masahiro Tanaka SP, Yankees: hamstring strains
Tanaka is expected to miss multiple weeks as a result of tightness in both hamstrings that he experienced during Friday’s start. Yankees manager Aaron Boone suggested that it’s “very possible” Tanaka returns before the All-Star break, but we aren’t so sure. Hamstring injuries can be tricky, and an injury to both hamstrings will require Tanka to be fully healed before he is able to return to the starting rotation. His time on the DL should last much longer than the minimum 10 days.
Miguel Cabrera 1B, Tigers: ruptured biceps tendon
The Tigers suffered a huge blow Tuesday night when Miguel Cabrera suffered a ruptured left biceps tendon swinging at an off-speed pitch. He will undergo season-ending surgery Thursday. Doctors are expecting the veteran to be cleared for weight training in approximately 4 months, which is in line with our Optimal Recovery Time. John Hicks will likely serve as the Tigers’ first baseman for the rest of the 2018 season.
Bryce Harper OF, Nationals: left foot, right elbow bruise
Bryce Harper took a pitch to his left foot and right elbow in Tuesday’s game, but X-rays came back clean. He’s probably dealing with a minor contusion and maybe some soreness, but we aren’t expecting him to miss any time.
Jeurys Familia RP, Mets: right shoulder soreness
Mets manager Mickey Callaway said that Feurys Familia’s right shoulder injury is similar to the injury he dealt with in the spring, which would be great news for fantasy owners. Familia only missed a few days of action the first time around. An MRI on the ailing shoulder came back “pretty clean,” and the Inside Injuries algorithm is calculating a 1-2 week Optimal Recovery Time. It’s possible he is activated from the 10-day DL as soon as he’s eligible.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 3B, Blue Jays (prospect): left patellar tendon strain
Blue Jays top prospect Vladimir Guerrero exited Wednesday’s game at Double-A new Hampshire with an apparent left knee injury. Further testing revealed that Guerrero is dealing with a strained patellar tendon. The Jays are shutting Guerrero down for at least the next four weeks, which is in line with the Inside Injuries Optimal Recovery Time. The Jays will likely be cautious with their top prospect and his return, so he could be out until after the All-Star break.
