Fantasy Baseball Injury Report: See You in the Spring

Ryan Braun
The Brewers outfielder has been shut down for the remainder of the season and is slated to undergo back surgery in the near future. Braun has been battling a herniated disc in his lower back and will likely undergo a lumbar microdiscetomy to address the problem. In the procedure, the problematic portion of the intravertebral disc will be excised in hopes of eliminating any impingement in the area. The timing of the surgery should allow Braun to be an active participant in spring training next year. Braun bounced back nicely this year and was able to put his chronic thumb injuries behind him. Sadly, he's droppable in all one-year formats.

Carlos Gomez
Gomez's return from a left intercostal strain continues to move slowly though the outfielder does appear to be making some progress. After missing 13 consecutive games, Gomez was able to pinch-hit Sunday against the Rangers, despite the fact that he has yet to complete a full batting practice session. He managed to reach base, add a stolen base and score a run in his appearance. Gomez is admittedly less than 100 percent but plans to attempt BP on Monday prior to the team's game against the Mariners. If he avoids any kind of setback, he could return to the starting lineup. However he will remain a risky play for the remainder of the fantasy season and should only be utilized in desperate situations.

Carlos Martinez
The Cardinals pitching rotation took another hit over the weekend as Martinez suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. Martinez lasted just seven pitches into Friday's start before he began experiencing tightness in his shoulder. A MRI taken Saturday revealed the strain, though no damage to the labrum or neighboring ligaments was discovered. This injury obviously makes him waiver wire fodder in standard leagues and I think it clouds his value in keeper or dynasty formats as well. He's expected to rest for the next few months but keep a close eye on how he progresses during the offseason before opting to hold onto him for next season.

Huston Street
The Angels will have to finish their push for the postseason without their closer after Street suffered a Grade 1 strain to his left groin. The injury occurred when Street was attempting to play defense following a late-inning hit. It was apparent immediately that something was wrong as Street came up limping and had to be helped off the field. Fortunately, the MRI revealed a low-grade strain but the issue will not be resolved before the conclusion of the regular season. To complicate things, Street has a history of lower extremity issues, including a previous groin strain this season. Fantasy owners looking to pick up saves for the remainder of the year will be frustrated to learn the team will use a committee of relievers in the ninth inning, as set-up man Joe Smith continues to rehab a sprained left ankle. Mike Morin collected the first save of his career Sunday with a 1-2-3 inning against the Mariners.

Masahiro Tanaka
The Yankees continue to play it cautiously with Tanaka and have not determined when he will return to the mound. The right-hander has not pitched since suffering a Grade 1 hamstring strain on Sept. 18. Manager Joe Girardi said Tanaka could be back as early as Tuesday but the team remains focused on having him available for the postseason, particularly the wild-card game. Given the uncertainty surrounding the situation and the finicky nature of hamstring strains, fantasy owners would be wise to look elsewhere for the final week of the season.

Check Swings

Zack Greinke
The Dodgers ace will make his scheduled start Monday after missing his previous outing with soreness in his calf. He successfully completed a bullpen session and the Cy Young contender should be utilized in all formats. The team could opt to limit his workload but he remains too valuable to bench.

Adam Jones
Baltimore welcomed their starting center fielder back Sunday after Jones missed six straight games with back inflammation. He hit clean up in his return and finished the day 1-for-4 with one strike out. Barring a setback, Jones should be available for the remainder of the season and is worth using by teams still alive in the fantasy playoffs.

Kendrys Morales
The rejuvenated slugger missed Sunday's game after getting hit by a pitch the night before. Manager Ned Yost said Morales was still experiencing swelling and soreness in the area. The injury and the Royals shift to Wrigley Field for an interleague matchup against the Cubs make it unlikely that Morales will be available Monday as well. Overall, the injury appears minor and I expect we see Morales back in the lineup when the Royals take on the White Sox and Twins to round out the season.

Jose Reyes
The Rockies shortstop did not play Sunday as he continues to manage an Achilles problem. He's played in just one of the last six games after he began experiencing soreness. The Achilles is the conjoined tendon of the calf muscle complex and plays a key role in acceleration. An injury to the area could be very limiting for a player dependent on their speed and even worse for one with a history of hamstring problems. Colorado has already hinted Reyes could be done for the season, so play it safely and use a more reliable and healthy middle infielder for the remainder of the season.

Jered Weaver
If the bullpen problems weren't enough, the Angels are also managing an injury to a key member of their starting rotation. The 32-year-old right-hander left Sunday's start after five innings because of shoulder discomfort. The team wouldn't elaborate on the nature of the injury but Weaver hopes to pitch in Texas for his final appearance of the regular season. Unfortunately, a shoulder injury for a player already struggling with his velocity is a bad combination that only gets dicier given the matchup.