This article is part of our Fantasy Baseball Injury Report series.
Matt Duffy and Kevin Kiermaier
Tampa Bay continues to battle a wave of injuries to their veteran players. To start, the Rays have transferred infielder Matt Duffy to the 60-day disabled list as he continues to have problems with his surgically repaired heel. The shortstop's recovery has stalled as soreness in the area has lingered, raising "definite concern" about his health. Duffy hasn't played since undergoing surgery on his heel last September. Duffy underwent a bone debridement and bursectomy in hopes of alleviating the recurring inflammation in his Achilles. Unfortunately, the success rates of procedures in this area have been mixed. The inability to string together any semblance of sustained health has made for a difficult scenario and it appears Duffy is simply too unreliable at this point to warrant a fantasy roster spot.
To make matters worse, Kevin Kiermaier now will miss at least six weeks after an awkward slide into first base. The resulting force left Kiermaier with a hairline fracture in his hip region. The hip is comprises three fused bones, the ilium, ischium and pubis. Each of these bones comes together to form the acetabulum, a concave groove that forms the socket of the hip joint. According to one report Kiermaier's injury is a "nondisplaced small fracture (of the hip socket)," though surgery won't be necessary. This type of fracture makes sense based on the initial description of a "jammed" hip. Thankfully, it appears Kiermaier avoided any significant damage to the hip labrum, which should allow
Matt Duffy and Kevin Kiermaier
Tampa Bay continues to battle a wave of injuries to their veteran players. To start, the Rays have transferred infielder Matt Duffy to the 60-day disabled list as he continues to have problems with his surgically repaired heel. The shortstop's recovery has stalled as soreness in the area has lingered, raising "definite concern" about his health. Duffy hasn't played since undergoing surgery on his heel last September. Duffy underwent a bone debridement and bursectomy in hopes of alleviating the recurring inflammation in his Achilles. Unfortunately, the success rates of procedures in this area have been mixed. The inability to string together any semblance of sustained health has made for a difficult scenario and it appears Duffy is simply too unreliable at this point to warrant a fantasy roster spot.
To make matters worse, Kevin Kiermaier now will miss at least six weeks after an awkward slide into first base. The resulting force left Kiermaier with a hairline fracture in his hip region. The hip is comprises three fused bones, the ilium, ischium and pubis. Each of these bones comes together to form the acetabulum, a concave groove that forms the socket of the hip joint. According to one report Kiermaier's injury is a "nondisplaced small fracture (of the hip socket)," though surgery won't be necessary. This type of fracture makes sense based on the initial description of a "jammed" hip. Thankfully, it appears Kiermaier avoided any significant damage to the hip labrum, which should allow for an easier recovery. However, the location remains a factor, and I'm betting he returns on the latter end of the six-to-eight-week recovery timeline announced by the Rays. Mallex Smith joined the team from the Rays' Triple-A affiliate in Durham and has impressed in three outings, going 5-for-11 at the plate including four runs, four stolen bases and a home run. Owners in deeper formats should take a look at Smith, especially if injuries have decimated your outfield.
Despite all the recent talk about the dangers of sliding, we tend to forget that the safety of the defensive player covering the base is impacted by the approach of his opponent. A hard foot-first slide is particularly problematic if the cleat of the person sliding comes in spikes up. Machado fell victim to this exact scenario when applying a tag to Andrew McCutchen. The direct impact resulted in a minor puncture wound and deep bruise on Machado's glove hand. Additionally, the resulting force forced the wrist into flexion resulting in a strained left wrist. The Orioles have Machado listed as day-to-day though he was available to pinch hit on Sunday. Look for him to be back in action Monday against the White Sox.
The Astros ace is back on the DL as his neck continues to be a problem. The 2015 American League Cy Young winner missed a start in late May due to a pinched nerve in his neck. He looked solid in his return, recording two wins in back-to-back starts while giving up just one combined run. However, the neck pain resurfaced and a nasty viral illness compounded the problem. Now the Astros will shut him down for at least one week, setting up an extended absence. The injury continues to sound like a soft tissue problem and not something more challenging to manage like a disc issue. However, Keuchel will remain in this vicious cycle until the root of the problem is directly addressed. Move him to the DL and be prepared to proceed without his services for the foreseeable future.
Check Swings
Madison Bumgarner: San Francisco's ace was able to throw off of a mound on Friday, clearing a significant hurdle in his rehab. He has been sidelined since his ill-fated spin on a dirt bike left him with bruised ribs and a sprained acromioclavicular (AC) joint in his throwing shoulder. He's slated to toss a few more bullpen sessions before progressing to a simulated game. Bumgarner will finish his recovery protocol with a five-game rehab assignment if he can continue to improve without suffering any setbacks. A July return remains the most likely scenario, but at least the four-time All-Star is making progress.
Kyle Hendricks: The Cubs right-hander was placed on the 10-day DL with tendinitis in his throwing hand. Reports indicate the problem is on the posterior aspect of his hand. The extensors of the hand sit in this area and are generally weaker than the more commonly injured flexor muscles. Still the extensors are important in pitch delivery, especially as the ball leaves the hand and during arm deceleration. Hopefully the allotted time off will allow the inflammation to subside and give Hendricks a chance to return to this 2016 form. Mike Montgomery assumed the open spot in the rotation.
A.J. Pollock and Yasmany Tomas: Both Arizona outfielders are working their way back from groin injuries, though it sounds like Pollock is closer to returning. Pollock plans on running the bases this week, an exercise that sounds simple but taxes the area of concern. Look for Pollock to begin a rehab assignment if he can sprint without any problems. Tomas is eligible to come off the DL later this week but is expected to remain at the team's spring training facility. Like Pollack, Tomas will have to continue to progress without any setbacks, particularly with lateral movements, before a return to the active roster is possible.
Jonathan Villar: The Brewers second baseman was carted off the field on Friday with what was later deemed a lower back strain. It was apparent from Villar's inability to move that the strain was very painful, though the final diagnosis likely was a best-case scenario. Villar's injury will provide Milwaukee's top prospect Lewis Brinson the opportunity to make an impact at the big-league level. Brinson has hit the ball well during his stint with Triple-A Colorado Springs and has value in most formats. Villar owners should anticipate this stretching beyond the initial 10 days.
