This article is part of our Fantasy Baseball Injury Report series.
The veteran second baseman fouled a ball off his foot in Friday's game against the Cardinals. The resulting pain and soreness kept him sidelined through the weekend. The team hasn't disclosed the location of his current ailment but it could complicate another long-standing injury. Phillips was limited throughout the month of June after suffering a left big toe injury following a collision with the wall at Miller Park. A custom orthotic helped alleviate the pain and allowed Phillips to put together an impressive month of July. However, this latest injury could exacerbate the previous one even if it doesn't directly involve the big toe. Any shift in his stance could relieve pressure on the new injury but overload the previous injury site. Phillips recently admitted the initial toe injury altered his approach at the plate and in the field. As a result, look for Cincinnati to provide Phillips with ample time to appropriately heal. Downgrade his overall value for the immediate future.
The Cubs outfielder didn't play over the weekend due to an ingrown toenail. An ingrown nail may seem like a minor inconvenience, but it can cause a great degree of pain and significantly limit an individual's mobility. Ingrown toenails generally occur on the big toe and develop when excessive pressure from tight cleats or improper clipping forces the nail to grow in the side of the nail bed. The toenail is often removed to help alleviate the associated symptoms and the resulting "wound" is
The veteran second baseman fouled a ball off his foot in Friday's game against the Cardinals. The resulting pain and soreness kept him sidelined through the weekend. The team hasn't disclosed the location of his current ailment but it could complicate another long-standing injury. Phillips was limited throughout the month of June after suffering a left big toe injury following a collision with the wall at Miller Park. A custom orthotic helped alleviate the pain and allowed Phillips to put together an impressive month of July. However, this latest injury could exacerbate the previous one even if it doesn't directly involve the big toe. Any shift in his stance could relieve pressure on the new injury but overload the previous injury site. Phillips recently admitted the initial toe injury altered his approach at the plate and in the field. As a result, look for Cincinnati to provide Phillips with ample time to appropriately heal. Downgrade his overall value for the immediate future.
The Cubs outfielder didn't play over the weekend due to an ingrown toenail. An ingrown nail may seem like a minor inconvenience, but it can cause a great degree of pain and significantly limit an individual's mobility. Ingrown toenails generally occur on the big toe and develop when excessive pressure from tight cleats or improper clipping forces the nail to grow in the side of the nail bed. The toenail is often removed to help alleviate the associated symptoms and the resulting "wound" is then monitored to prevent reoccurrence. He's considered day-to-day and could very easily miss a few more games recovering.
Check Swings
Jose Altuve: The Astros second baseman is trying to merit serious American League MVP consideration. However, these attempts were slowed over the weekend after Altuve experienced discomfort in his right calf while trying to beat out a game-ending double play. The injury forced Altuve into a designated hitter role on Sunday, though he finished the day 0-for-3 with two walks. Look for him to remain in the lineup but be limited on the base path until the calf is no longer a problem.
Charlie Blackmon: Two weeks ago, a minor toe injury sidelined Blackmon for a pair of games. Now a back injury kept him out of back to back games over the weekend. He was a late scratch on Saturday after his lower back tightened and the reported symptoms didn't improve following the one-game respite. The Rockies are calling him day-to-day, though the injury has allowed prospect Raimel Tapia to receive the first two starts of his professional career. Tapia has looked like a capable fill-in, finishing the weekend 5-for-10 with one run and a stolen base.
Jacob deGrom: The Mets right-hander will miss multiple starts after developing soreness in his forearm. He has been placed on anti-inflammatory medication and isn't currently throwing. While a MRI failed to show any structural damage in the elbow, there's plenty of reason for concern here. Forearm soreness is usually related to a flexor injury. The flexor bundle works with the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) to stabilize the elbow joint. Any limitation on one of the two structures puts undue stress on the other. Considering deGrom has previously undergone Tommy John surgery to repair the UCL in his throwing elbow, the Mets should handle the situation with extreme caution. Don't be surprised if deGrom is ultimately shut down.
Carlos Gomez: Playing against his ex-team, the former Astros and current Rangers outfielder suffered a laceration above his left eye during a stolen base attempt. He performed a headfirst slide into second base, and his helmet was jarred loose and appeared to cause the cut. The area was bandaged and Gomez remained in the game. Following the loss, he received three stitches and his status moving forward is unknown. The stitches could negatively affect his vision and limit his perception at the plate. After a stretch in which he went 0-for-19 at the plate, Gomez has hit well lately and is in the middle of a five-game hitting streak.
Billy Hamilton: The Reds center fielder is poised to miss time after suffering a strained left oblique on Sunday. He suffered the strain on a check-swing in the third inning and was pulled from the game. The team has already admitted the injury will keep him out of the lineup for the next few days, and history suggests it will be a much longer absence.
Clayton Kershaw:The Dodgers ace pitched three scoreless innings over the weekend in a rehab start for High-A Rancho Cucamonga. Assuming no associated symptoms appear over the next few days, Kershaw will return to the lineup on Friday against the Marlins. Fantasy owners should curtail their initial expectations, as Los Angeles will likely ease him back into a moderate to heavy workload. Expanded rosters could allow the team to add some additional bullpen relief to help lighten Kershaw's load during his first few games back. The risk of re-injury will linger for the rest of the season though his return is bound to bolster the productivity of any and every fantasy roster.
Matt Shoemaker: The Angels pitcher is under observation at a Seattle hospital after taking a line drive off the side of the head. The terrifying incident left Shoemaker with a skull fracture, hematoma, and laceration. The injury will likely end Shoemaker's season and is scary reminder how vulnerable pitchers are to these types of traumatic injuries. There have been several failed attempts to create headgear that better protects the area, but a reliable options remains unavailable.
Stephen Strasburg: The Nationals are optimistic that Strasburg will be able to take the mound on Wednesday after the right-hander completed multiple bullpen sessions without pain in his troublesome elbow. He will be a welcome addition to any fantasy roster but will continue to carry a high level of injury risk. The 28-year-old has spent time on the DL on eight separate occasions during his seven seasons in the bigs, including two this year.
