Fantasy Baseball Injury Report: Houston’s Growing List of Injuries

The Houston Astros
The defending World Series champions are finding their path to a repeat a bit bumpier than expected. Injuries continue to pop up and are challenging the team's depth. The middle of their everyday infield remains on the disabled list with both Carlos Correa and Jose Altuve nursing minor injuries. Correa has been sidelined for more than a month by a back injury. Fortunately, he's progressing through the recovery process and recently had a complete game with Double-A Corpus Christi as part of a rehab assignment. He served as a designated hitter during the game and will likely need to finish an outing while manning shortstop before he will return. If he is able to do so without a setback, Correa should rejoin the Astros by Thursday. His absence has been arduous for fantasy owners, but it seems as though it's finally coming to an end.

Altuve's health status isn't quite as promising, as the discomfort in his knee continues to linger. He didn't travel with the club for their two-game series against the Giants, instead opting to head back to Houston for another meeting with team physicians. As a result, fantasy owners should anticipate Altuve missing at least one more week. Hopefully, the latest evaluation will provide more details regarding his injury, but for now keep Altuve stashed on the DL.

George Springer added his name to Houston's growing injury report after experiencing pain in his left thumb. It sounds like Springer got the digit hung up on the base following a headfirst slide into second. X-rays were negative, but he was diagnosed with a sprained left thumb after being reevaluated Monday morning and was placed on the 10-day DL.

Pitcher Lance McCullers is also awaiting a MRI on his injured elbow. He has already been placed on the DL after exiting his most recent start with pain and stiffness in his right elbow. While the problem could be linked to an assortment of things, the news seems a bit ominous. Surgery remains a possibility should the damage be extensive. Like Springer, fantasy owners should take the wait-and-see approach and hope the testing reveals nothing more than mild damage.

Chris Sale
The Red Sox sending their ace to the DL was a bit of a surprise. Sale appeared to be his normal dominant self in the games leading up to DL stint. However, Boston is taking no chances with the "mild inflammation" in Sale's throwing shoulder and plan on taking a conservative approach with his treatment. He was able to play catch on Sunday and plans on throwing again on Monday. Sale could be back in the rotation by the weekend if he continues to trend in the right direction, though the situation remains fluid.

Mike Trout
The former American League MVP has missed four straight outings with a right wrist contusion. The Angels outfielder was injured after attempting an awkward slide into third base. An MRI showed inflammation in the area but did not reveal any significant structural damage. He's no longer reporting pain while throwing but continues to have problems swinging the bat. The team is currently listing him as day-to-day but a trip to the DL wouldn't be a total shock. Trout is too good to keep benched, but scale back your expectations a bit when he inevitably returns.

Check Swings

Brandon Belt: The Giants first baseman remains out with a bone contusion on his right knee. The injury occurred when Belt hyperextended the joint, causing the bones to bang into one another. Bone contusions are more complex than a simple bruise. The body actually addresses the injury just as it would an actual break, laying down new bone tissue to repair the damage. As a result, time is a crucial part of the recovery process. Furthermore, bone contusions of the knee often require more time off, as the biomechanics of the knee itself tend to delay the healing process. Expect Belt to miss at least one more week.

Rafael Devers: The Red Sox expect Devers to return to action by the end of the week. Devers has not played since suffering a strained hamstring on July 28. He has progressed quickly through the rehab protocol and is slated to start a rehab assignment Monday. Devers' fast turnaround will be appreciated, though I'll keep my guard up for the next week or so. Hamstring injuries are notoriously fickle and prone to aggravation or reinjury. The same goes for Ian Kinsler, who expressed optimism that his hamstring injury will only sideline him for the minimal amount of time.

J.A. Happ: The newly acquired starter is expected to make his next start for the Yankees after being placed on the DL with hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD). It appears the viral infection has run its course, and Happ will feel well enough to return to the mound. As long as Happ is healthy and hydrated there's no reason to believe there will be any long-term effects of HFMD.

Yasiel Puig: Puig reported soreness in his right oblique and was held out of the lineup on Sunday. The Dodgers outfielder had previously appeared in six straight games after being reinstated from the DL for a strain of the same muscle. Another trip to DL remains an option though the team is hopeful the issue will resolve with extended rest. Puig becomes a risky play in weekly formats and may be worth cutting lose in standard leagues if the problem results in another lengthy absence.

Stephen Strasburg: The Nationals pitcher has been throwing off flat ground and hopes to throw a bullpen session later in the week. He recently received a scalene block injection to address a pinched nerve in his neck and shoulder. Though it is nice to see Strasburg resume throwing, he remains an untrustworthy fantasy option.