This article is part of our Fantasy Baseball Injury Report series.
Shin-Soo Choo and Prince Fielder
The Texas Rangers' offense was supposed to be a strength entering the 2014 season as Choo and Fielder were added to a lineup that already included Adrian Beltre, Alex Rios, and Elvis Andrus. Unfortunately, injuries derailed those plans quickly as the Rangers endured an injury plague of historical proportions.
Choo's problems started when he began experiencing "routine" soreness in his elbow. He was available for Opening Day but suffered a sprained ankle shortly after that. He rushed his return and limped through most of the season with lingering pain and soreness. With the season shot, Choo opted to undergo an elbow debridement to remove a bone spur that was causing his reoccurring elbow soreness. Less than a month later, Choo was back under the knife, this time having his left ankle debrided. He entered spring training cleared to play until he recently began experiencing soreness in his surgically repaired elbow. Fortunately, a subsequent MRI revealed tightness in his triceps to be the source of the problem. The team will take a slow and steady approach to his workload leading up to Opening Day, but Choo remain on track to be available.
Given his inherent risk and potential red flags, it's not surprising to see Choo drop down draft boards. However, he is slated to bat third in what could once again be a potent offensive lineup. Theoretically, both issues should have been addressed with his trips to the operating room and Choo
Shin-Soo Choo and Prince Fielder
The Texas Rangers' offense was supposed to be a strength entering the 2014 season as Choo and Fielder were added to a lineup that already included Adrian Beltre, Alex Rios, and Elvis Andrus. Unfortunately, injuries derailed those plans quickly as the Rangers endured an injury plague of historical proportions.
Choo's problems started when he began experiencing "routine" soreness in his elbow. He was available for Opening Day but suffered a sprained ankle shortly after that. He rushed his return and limped through most of the season with lingering pain and soreness. With the season shot, Choo opted to undergo an elbow debridement to remove a bone spur that was causing his reoccurring elbow soreness. Less than a month later, Choo was back under the knife, this time having his left ankle debrided. He entered spring training cleared to play until he recently began experiencing soreness in his surgically repaired elbow. Fortunately, a subsequent MRI revealed tightness in his triceps to be the source of the problem. The team will take a slow and steady approach to his workload leading up to Opening Day, but Choo remain on track to be available.
Given his inherent risk and potential red flags, it's not surprising to see Choo drop down draft boards. However, he is slated to bat third in what could once again be a potent offensive lineup. Theoretically, both issues should have been addressed with his trips to the operating room and Choo may be worth a late-round flier.
Choo's success could also ride on the shoulders (really the neck) of teammate Prince Fielder, Texas' other big-name acquisition in the 2014 offseason. Fielder also finished the season on the DL after he required a complicated surgery on a herniated cervical disc in his neck. Fielder underwent a cervical fusion of the C5-C6 discs in his neck and a microdiscectomy to remove the damage fragments after he began experiencing numbness and weakness in his arm. Nerves follow a very specific pathway. When damaged or pinched, the nerve's ability to transmit signals is hampered. As a result, both the motor and sensory functions of the affected nerve or nerves are diminished.
With the disc in Fielder's neck cleaned up and stabilized, the focus shifted to the injured nerve. Time is often the best and most important form of treatment, especially since nerve tissue takes a longer time to regenerate than bone or muscle tissue. Fortunately, Fielder has not reported any problems in his neck since the start of spring training, and he remains a viable candidate for Comeback Player of the Year. There is still an amount of associated risk but Fielder is worth consideration if you are lacking power options after the first few rounds.
Check Swings
Jason Kipnis
Time is running out for Kipnis, who continues to battle tightness and spasms in his back. He has yet return to baseball-related activities and no true diagnosis has been made publicaly available. The terms "spasms" and "tightness" are symptoms and not actually injuries. They do suggest the injury is muscular in nature but offer few specific details. Kipnis will remain sidelined until the root of the problem is addressed. As of now, the likelihood of his recovery carrying over into the start of the regular season is high.
Jon Lester
The Cubs got a mild scare when their newest ace was diagnosed with "dead arm." The classification is one of the vaguest (and frustrating) in baseball and generally applied when the pitcher is experiencing a non-specific bout of weakness. As long as some other diagnosis isn't provided, fantasy owners simply have to hope it's nothing more than fatigue. Lester has downplayed the episode and remains in line to start Thursday's spring training game.
Andrew McCutchen
The Pirates' All-Star outfielder has been battling lingering soreness in his lower extremities. While he has missed time recently, it appears the Pirates are just taking a conservative approach with the face of the franchise to ensure he can be prepared for the rigors of the regular season. McCutchen owners have no need to panic at the current moment.
Garrett Richards
Richards' performance this spring has been a pleasant surprise given the severity of his 2014 injury. Richards tore the patellar tendon in his left knee in August and underwent surgery a week later. The injury is largely unprecedented in pitchers and determining a return date was difficult, even with the expected recovery timeline of six-to-nine months. However, the 26-year old right hander has appeared comfortable on the mound this spring and should be back in the rotation by mid-April. Richards is unquestionably one of the most intriguing players coming off an injury.
Chris Sale
The White Sox's left-hander continues to take steps forward in his rehab for a fractured foot. He has advanced to running and is set to throw in game-like conditions by the end of the week. His performance in the simulation will be a good indicator of where he will be entering the season, but a mid-April return appears possible.
Drew Smyly
The tendinitis is Smyly's throwing shoulder is slowly improving as he made it through a bullpen session on Monday. Tendinitis isn't uncommon for pitchers, particularly early in the season when they are suddenly throwing an increased amount. Smyly should be fine moving forward, especially if the Tampa medical staff is able to treat the symptoms and address the root of the problem. Based on the timeline, fantasy owners shouldn't count on Smyly pitching in the first trip through the rotation. However, his absence shouldn't extend much beyond that.
Matt Wieters
Wieters' battle with tendinitis is a bit more problematic, as it complicates his return from Tommy John surgery. While it is a common occurrence following an extended absence, it is a definite setback. The recovery from Tommy John isn't quite as arduous for positional players as it is for pitchers but it still requires time and a patient approach to rehab. The inflammation in the elbow will limit his ability to perform baseball-specific activities and delay his return. Wieters is expected to start the season on the DL and a 15-day turnaround may be difficult.
