Ambulance Chasers: Burnes Business Boomin’ & The NL West Injury Preview

Welcome, officially, to the 2024 fantasy baseball season!

Hopefully, your league is fine only two days in, but if not, the ambulance is parked just around the corner.

In this edition of Ambulance Chasers, I have a few early injury notices and updates. Then, we can jump into the NL West Injury Preview, where a couple of other Razzball writers shared their injury-related buys and sells with me.

Editor’s Note: Be sure to sign up for one of our Razzball Commenter Leagues where you can play against Keelin, JKJ, MattTruss, and the rest of the Razzball Crew!

The Earliest of Early Injury Report

The biggest news of the week seems to be players are sporting at spring training. But the second biggest news of the week is Kodai Senga (SP, NYM) hitting the IL with a moderate capsule strain of the right shoulder. Senga’s return is estimated to be sometime in June with Tylor Megill (SP/RP, NYM) likely replacing Senga on the roster until then. In 2023, Megill had a 4.70 ERA with some control issues in 25 games.

The prognosis of a June return for Kodai Senga is consistent with recent recovery times on shoulder strain injuries for pitchers. Median and average recoveries in 2023 were just under 100 days. For Senga this would equal a return on or around June 1. https://t.co/6honSKtRmu pic.twitter.com/HDd4Deox0S

— The Metruvian Man (@Metruvian_Man) February 23, 2024

This seems like an incredibly traumatizing time of year for Mets fans who lost Edwin Diaz early last spring.

In other SP news, Kyle Bradish (SP, BAL) will be spending some time on the IL with a UCL sprain. This is a big loss as John Means may also go to the IL soon with a flare-up in his injured elbow. Bradish was seen doing some underhanded throwing at spring training. Some early estimates have Bradish returning in May.

Luckily, the Orioles picked up Corbin Burnes (SP, BAL), who just became even more important.

Kyle Bradish is participating in PFPs with the other Orioles pitchers, but throwing underhand to first base pic.twitter.com/nYDJAJAMVh

— Baltimore Banner Sports (@AllBannerSports) February 17, 2024

Adding to the “It’s tough out in Baltimore!” story is Gunnar Henderson (3B/SS, BAL) with a strained oblique. However, Henderson has shared that he will only miss a few games.

And that’s the most simple injury rundown I will write for the next 7 months.

NL West Injury Preview

While spring training has started, there is still time for some divisional injury previews and predictions (or in this case “educated decisions”). This week, I asked a few other Razzball writers to share some of their injury-based buys and sells.

The panel included (in alphabetical order because Daddy does not play favorites)

•  Coolwhip, a renaissance man
•  JKJ, SAGNOF & Bullpen Chart
•  Kelder, Dynasty Diaries & Corner Infield
• Truss, RCL
• Me

Buys

Coolwhip: “Joe Musgrove.” Coolwhip recently wrote an article about Joe Musgrove. San Diego’s Musgrove was Quentin Tarantino’s nightmare in terms of what happened to his toe last season. In his article, Coolwhip shared why he is a believer in Musgrove:

“Late-season interviews revealed that these might have been side effects of compromised mechanics due to his toe injury. Despite all of that, Joe Musgrove still finished the season with a 10-3 record, 3.05 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and 97 Ks through 97.1 IP. That was on pure effort. Before last year, Musgrove had thrown 181 innings in back-to-back years for the Padres. And since the Padres ultimately decided to fold up the chairs last season, Musgrove has had extra time to recover after not pitching in games during August and September. This allowed him to fully recover and begin regular offseason workouts without a setback. And as recently as this week, Mike Shildt reported that he is 100% good to go for spring training with no limitations.”

I’m sold.

JKJ: In the Justin Lawrence v. Tyler Kinley arms race (pun intended), JKJ picks Kinley. JKJ wrote “Tyler Kinley missed most of the year yet still enters 2024 as the best Rockies RP. It’s already been reported that he’s competing with Justin Lawrence for saves. I imagine he wins that battle sooner or later.”

Kelder: Kelder is high on Gavin Lux post-ACL and LCL tear recovery. “Gavin Lux is my guy to bounce back. Knee injuries aren’t what they were and he’s a year removed since he had it. Lots of playing time options. I’m in for one last ride. Also got Manny Machado who had surgery to address a troublesome elbow for two years.”

After his first game since tearing his ACL last year (in this same ballpark no less), Gavin Lux got some kind words from Manny Machado just now

Machado, who has dealt with his own knee injuries in the past, was empathizing with Lux about his rehab & wished him luck for the year pic.twitter.com/rMSVmRVimw

— Jack Harris (@ByJackHarris) February 22, 2024

Truss: “Robby Ray- stash.”

Keelin: I’m also on the Gavin Lux train. The side of me you’ll find on the Dolly Parton slots in the Las Vegas airport wants to gamble on Walker Buehler (that’s not a buy endorsement).

Sells

Coolwhip: “Drey Jameson not expected to pitch until end of season due to elbow injury. Other sources say not until 2025. Dbacks don’t really need to rush back onto the roster, let alone make a spot for him in the rotation this year. He’s young and still on a rookie contract so they’ll play it safe.”

Kelder: Kelder has my favorite take of the bunch. “I’m out on Ohtani early with his quick return from TJ. Bryce Harper had the same situation and his power was sapped for half the season. If you draft Ohtani this year you will be putting yourself in a hole.”

Truss: “THIS is the year I don’t fall for Kris Bryant in the Coors field tailpipe.” It’s those damn eyes, Truss.

Keelin: Not so much a sell, but I bet Tyler Glasnow is going to go way too early in some leagues where someone is tempted by the Dodgers wizardry. Maybe he won’t be as injured, but he may be well-rested, and in either case, that means less time on the mound. Also, I am not doing Randal Grichuk again.