This article is part of our Fantasy Baseball Injury Report series.
Jarrod Parker
The Athletics' pitcher suffered a significant injury in his attempt to return from a second Tommy John surgery on this throwing elbow. The latest injury doesn't directly involve his ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) but will require surgery.
Parker has been diagnosed with an avulsion fracture of his right medial epicondyle. The medial epicondyle is the rounded knob on the end of the upper arm bone, the humerus. When you bang your funny bone, you've generally hit your medial epicondyle and irritated the nearby ulnar nerve. The medial epicondyle is important because it serves as the attachment site for the UCL. In Parker's current injury, the reconstructed ligament did its job and remained intact. However, the force of his pitch actually caused the ligament to tear away a small piece of bone at the epicondyle. These types are an uncommon complication of Tommy John surgery but not completely unprecedented. Now the 26-year old right hander will need a third elbow surgery to reattach the displaced bone fragment. He will not pitch again this season and his career could be in jeopardy.
While fantasy owners invested in Parker are left empty-handed, the situation is a reminder that Tommy John doesn't guarantee a return to form. Complications are common and re-injury can occur, especially if the reason the UCL gave out in the first place remains undetermined and untreated. It's not always easy to identify the issue in an individual's mechanics but major league teams would be wise to invest in
Jarrod Parker
The Athletics' pitcher suffered a significant injury in his attempt to return from a second Tommy John surgery on this throwing elbow. The latest injury doesn't directly involve his ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) but will require surgery.
Parker has been diagnosed with an avulsion fracture of his right medial epicondyle. The medial epicondyle is the rounded knob on the end of the upper arm bone, the humerus. When you bang your funny bone, you've generally hit your medial epicondyle and irritated the nearby ulnar nerve. The medial epicondyle is important because it serves as the attachment site for the UCL. In Parker's current injury, the reconstructed ligament did its job and remained intact. However, the force of his pitch actually caused the ligament to tear away a small piece of bone at the epicondyle. These types are an uncommon complication of Tommy John surgery but not completely unprecedented. Now the 26-year old right hander will need a third elbow surgery to reattach the displaced bone fragment. He will not pitch again this season and his career could be in jeopardy.
While fantasy owners invested in Parker are left empty-handed, the situation is a reminder that Tommy John doesn't guarantee a return to form. Complications are common and re-injury can occur, especially if the reason the UCL gave out in the first place remains undetermined and untreated. It's not always easy to identify the issue in an individual's mechanics but major league teams would be wise to invest in detailed analysis of their injured players.
Stephen Strasburg
Strasburg could be a good case for the importance of smooth and balanced mechanics. The hard-throwing righty has dealt with a myriad of shoulder and elbow issues since undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2010. He missed time with a strained latissimus dorsi muscle in the summer of 2013, and he then needed surgery to remove bone chips in his throwing elbow prior to the start of last season. Now, after a rocky start this year, he is dealing with an irritation in his throwing shoulder.
The latest injury appears to be a minor strain to one of the rotator cuff muscles, but it's believed the root of the problem is a different injury altogether. Strasburg recently admitted that a minor ankle sprain during spring training altered his delivery, causing him to throw across his body more than he normally would. As a result, his shoulder muscles have become overworked and are causing him problems. Fortunately, the Nationals appear to have pinpointed the root of the issue and tweaked his mechanics accordingly. The change in delivery and the additional treatment from the medical staff and chiropractors will allow Strasburg to avoid the disabled list for the immediate future. His next start has been bumped back a day but will still allow him to record two starts this week. Now may be a good time to buy low on Strasburg, especially if the adjustments allow him to pitch pain free and return to performing at a high level.
Drew Smyly
After losing Alex Cobb and Burch Smith for the season, the Tampa pitching staff took another hit as Smyly has been diagnosed with a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder.
The joint most people associate with the shoulder is the glenohumeral joint. It is the ball and socket joint of the shoulder and, anatomically, loosely resembles a golf ball on a tee. The joint is made up of the head of the humerus (the golf ball) moving within a groove of the scapula known as the glenoid cavity (the tee). The ball (head of the humerus) freely pivots on the tee (glenoid) allowing for a large degree of motion at the joint. However, in order to increase stability, the glenohumeral joint is equipped with a fibrocartilaginous ring known as the labrum. The labrum widens the surface area of the glenoid, and, along with neighboring muscles, ligaments, and other soft tissue structures reinforces the stability of the area and helps keep the shoulder in place.
Unfortunately, the labrum is susceptible to tearing and can do so in a variety of ways in an assortment of patterns. Direct impact or acute dislocations can result in labrum damage but for pitchers, the injury usually develops as a result of repetitive microtrauma. Surgery is often the best form of treatment but it would effectively end Smyly's season. The long-term results are mixed and Smyly will face an uphill battle during recovery and rehabilitation. Erasmo Ramirez appears to be the next man up for the Rays, but he holds limited value.
Check Swings
Yasiel Puig
The Dodgers' outfielder suffered a minor setback in his rehab for a hamstring strain and is slated for a MRI on Monday. Given Puig's history of hamstring issues and the trickiness of the associated recovery, I wouldn't be surprised if his return is delayed by at least a week, if not longer. Fantasy owners in weekly leagues definitely should avoid him for the time being.
David Wright
Speaking or problematic hamstrings, Wright is expected to resume baseball-related activities this week after completing a round of anti-inflammatory medication. With the inflammation under control, Wright can begin utilizing the muscle in more explosive ways. However, he will have to do so very carefully as to avoid a setback similar to Puig. If Wright can continue to progress, a return by the end of next week is a possibility. However, expect the Mets to play things extremely conservatively during the remainder of the process.
Jose Reyes
The Blue Jays got a positive report on Reyes' most recent evaluation, as the MRI showed significant healing in his fractured rib. Once the union is complete, Reyes can begin more aggressive rehab and work himself back into playing shape. If all goes well, I suspect we see him back with the Jays in late May or early June.
George Springer
The Astros' outfielder is eligible to come off the seven-day concussion DL on Wednesday but it sounds like the team may opt to give him a few more days to recover. Springer has been out since crashing into the outfield wall but is expected to increase his activity Monday. He must be symptom-free at rest and with exertion before he can move on to the final few checkpoints of the return-to-play guidelines.
