Howdy, Razzfolks!
Really great to be back to blessing all of you with my wisdom and A+ puns/jokes. But seriously, massive thanks to EWB for filling in for me while I was taking some time off with family. My wife lost her mom to pancreatic cancer. Prayers and good vibes still appreciated, but we’re doing well, all things considered.
Anywho, let’s get on with the injury updates you’re here for!
Infielders
Cavan Biggio: IL (neck/back/elbow) – On top of his neck and back issues, Biggio now has a sprained UCL and won’t be allowed to hit for at least a week (as of Wednesday).
Eduardo Escobar: IL (hammy) – Escobar strained the ol’ hammy and found himself on the Irritating List earlier in the week. He’s been slumping a bit lately, but overall his numbers since joining the Brew Crew are pretty solid. News came Wednesday that they expect around a two-week absence.
Ketel Marte: DTD (hip) – Marte left Thursday’s game early with a hip problem and sat again yesterday…UNTIL HE CAME IN LATE AND SMACKED A GO-AHEAD TWO-RUN DINGER IN THE 10th!
Ketel Marte – Arizona Diamondbacks (8) pic.twitter.com/pI2yjRRGif
— MLB HR Videos (@MLBHRVideos) August 28, 2021
Kris Bryant: DTD (side) – Bryant left Friday’s game early due to some side tightness. If you’re rostering him, I know you’re hoping and praying it’s not an oblique. *prayer hands emoji*
Rhys Hoskins: IL (abdomen) – Welllllll, poo poo. Hoskins’s season is officially done: he’s scheduled for abdominal surgery next week. Drop in redrafts.
Willy Adames: DTD (quad) – Adames was pulled early Tuesday for precautionary reasons. Quad discomfort. Arguably the biggest fantasy surprise of the year, hopefully, he can get back at it today, as expected.
Outfielders
Byron Buxton: HE’S FINALLY BACK. Activated yesterday!
George Springer: IL (knee) – Springer was able to run the bases before Tuesday’s game and has been progressing well. Odds are he’s activated today.
Mike Trout: IL (calf) – I’m almost ready to say Trout is done for the year. I mean, seriously. Capital double-yew, capital tee, capital eff. I’ve even got half a mind to suggest something else is actually happening and this calf injury is just a cover-up. I have no grounds for that, but I just don’t even know what else to say or think right now. Apparently, the scar tissue in his calf needs breaking up? Trout had been feeling sore after workouts, though that has reportedly subsided. Even so, he’s not ready to rehab. Ugh.
Raimel Tapia: IL (toe) – Tapia ran bases before Sunday’s game. If he could get back to hitting for a good average and stealing bases for me again, *Bill Lumbergh voice* that’d be greeeeaaaaat.
Starters
Chris Bassitt: IL (face) – By now we’ve all seen and heard about what happened to Bassitt. Horrifying stuff, but at least we now know he underwent surgery to repair some fractures and that surgery went well. EWB told you earlier this week in his not to expect Bassitt back this year, and I have to echo that sentiment, sadly. Real-life Oakland fans can maybe expect a playoff return, but fantasy folks will have to do without.
Corey Kluber: IL (shoulder) – I keep forgetting about this guy…but good news! He’ll be activated and will start Monday’s game. If’n you need SP help down the final stretch, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Klubot serve thee well. Also wouldn’t be surprised to see him suck, but hey, 2021’s been good to him when he’s played. Pretty damn good indeed.
Freddy Peralta: IL (shoulder) – Peralta hit the IL over a week ago with shoulder inflammation but should be back this coming week. No rehab needed most likely. I’d bet he’s back by this time next week.
Jack Flaherty: IL (shoulder) – Well neat. Flaherty came back for a little while but now he’s got a brand new injury. Shoulder strain! Yippity doo. Severity isn’t clear yet. More like Jack Flahurty, amirite?
Jacob deGrom: IL (forearm) – Latest MRI was crystal clear; he’ll ramp up and try to get back in the latter half of September. Fantasy season will be just about wrapped up by then, though, and honestly it’s just sounding like he’s not gonna make it back at all this regular season. *shrug emoji*
Source: Playoff race or not, the Mets are taking it very slow with Jacob deGrom. They are unsure of how long it will take to ramp him up and if he doesn't make it back in the reg season, he could potentially throw a sim game ahead of the offseasonhttps://t.co/4mGdxx5zb0
— Pat Ragazzo (@ragazzoreport) August 28, 2021
Kenta Maeda: IL (forearm) – Maeda is gonna have surgery and is 100% done for the rest of this year. One of fantasy’s biggest busts goes out not with a bang, but a whimper.
Noah Syndergaard: IL (TJS recovery) – At this point, I see no reason to expect fantasy value in redrafts from Thor, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t at least toss your way the fact that he began a rehab stint. He’s been strictly ordered to throw zero sliders, since doctors wager that’s what caused his setback last time he rehabbed. There’s zero percent of me interested in this for fantasy in 2021, and believe it or not I’m in no dynasty leagues, so I have no vested interest at all in Thor.
Pablo Lopez: IL (shoulder) – Rehab start numero dos was on Thursday. I love me some PabLo as a somewhat sneaky arm to potentially propel you down the stretch. Dude is a low-key fantasy ace when he’s on, and he’s been on in 2021. In his 19 starts, he’s got a 3.03 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 7.57 H/9, 2.23 BB/9, and 9.89 K/9. Those are ace-esque numbers, folks!
Patrick Sandoval: IL (back) – It’s official now that Sandoval will miss the remainder of the season. Boooooooooo.
Trevor Rogers: DTD (personal) – Rehab start one of two began Tuesday. Rogers has been with family these last few weeks. His mom and dad both had came down with COVID, and his mom narrowly survived the ordeal. On top of that, Rogers lost both grandfathers within days of each other. Kudos to him for prioritizing family time over a game. According to a recent Miami Herald piece, Rogers won’t be held back when he returns. Maybe he’ll be a little rusty, but dude could be a borderline fantasy ace ROS, too. What’s Miami got to lose letting him do his thang?
Triston McKenzie: IL (shoulder) – Shoulder fatigue put Sticks on the IL. Is it much of a surprise those bony shoulders couldn’t handle ace innings lately? Dude looks like a game of catch would wear him out. If he were in the NL and had to take his lumps at the plate, I wouldn’t know where the arms ended and his bat began. Haha lol I’m funny. I swear I’m not ableist! Or arm-sizeist! I’m genuinely impressed as hell with McKenzie’s early numbers and it sucks to see him injured. Hopefully the time off is enough to get back up to snuff and get him back on the mound before fantasy uselessness kicks in.
Zach Eflin: IL (knee) – Eflin was supposed to start Wednesday, but it’s 2021 so of course he “felt something” in his knee and was thusly scratched.
Relievers
Diego Castillo: IL (shoulder) – Castillo had an MRI that revealed nothing whatsoever. Good old-fashioned case of shoulder fatigue. He’s eligible to be activated August 30, so I’d expect that’s what’ll happen.
Tejay Antone: IL (forearm) – His season is done. And, spoiler alert, next season is done too. Hurt again in his first game back, and he had Tommy John surgery yesterday. Suuuuucks. Michael Lorenzen and Mychal Givens are the guys to roster in that pen. Lucas Sims ain’t it, as much as earlier-in-the-season me wanted him to be. Lorenzen has allowed 4 ER all season and they all came in one outing. Givens has allowed exactly 2 ER since July 17, and you guessed it, both came in one outing.
Find me on Twitter: @jkj0787. DMs are always open for questions, comments, concerns, complaints, etc. Odds are good I’m drinking black coffee, dark beer, or some form of bourbon at any given time.
