2014 Fantasy Baseball: The Fix DL Report — Week Eight
Welcome to the eighth week of the Fix DL Report. Each week I (@Rich_Migs) will cover significant fantasy baseball injuries. As the season continues, the report will address some of the most recent injuries and their fantasy implications.
OUT FOR THE SEASON: Patrick Corbin, Brandon Beachy, Kris Medlen, Jarrod Parker, Cory Luebke, Bruce Rondon, Bobby Parnell, Jameson Taillon, Avisail Garcia, Matt Moore, Maicer Izturis, Ivan Nova, A.J. Griffin, Jose Fernandez, Marin Perez
PLAYERS TO WATCH (Not on DL/DL Updates): Joey Votto (quad), Prince Fielder (neck), Tim Hudson (hip), Martin Prado (eye/blurred vision), Aaron Hill (shoulder), Tyler Pastornicky (calf), Jonathan Villar (thumb), Salvador Perez (thumb), Jed Lowrie (neck), Angel Pagan (shoulder), Starling Marte (hamstring), Jose Tabata (hamstring), Carlos Quentin (groin), Ryan Hanigan (hamstring), Rougned Odor (wrist)
- Votto owners aren’t out of the woods yet, but right now it appears the slugger’s knee is fine. He still may require a DL stint, but the initial reports were much worse.
- Apparently, Fielder has been dealing with a herniated disc in his neck. The pain started in March. Not good. He got an injection for the injury and isn’t expected to miss much time. Owners can only hope that the injection works and helps turn around a slow start.
- Hudson will miss this week’s start, but isn’t expected to miss much more than that.
More Tommy Johns, more fantasy aces who hit the DL, and at least one big slugger goes down. It continues to be a season dominated by injuries.
Here is week seven’s DL report. I will be doing my best to avoid too much repetition each week, so be sure to refer back to the past DL reports to keep track of all the injuries. Let’s take a look at some of the key fantasy players on the disabled list entering the week.
Week Eight:
Pitchers |
Injury |
Expected Return |
Fantasy Implications |
Martin Perez (SP) |
Elbow |
Out for the Season |
Another week, another Tommy John surgery. I believe I have used that line before. Perez is out for the season. The Rangers rotation is in shambles. |
Gio Gonzalez (SP) |
Shoulder |
June |
The MRI showed no structural damage, just some inflammation. After two bumpy starts, this is probably the best possible news for everyone involved. Gonzalez will still miss some time, but owners should be relieved. |
Andrew Cashner (SP) |
Elbow |
Unknown |
When you bought into Cashner this season, it was likely with the idea that he could only give you 170-180 innings. The MRI showed no structural damage, so he, his owners and the Padres appeared to have dodged a bullet. Cashner will likely miss several weeks, but at least it isn’t the whole season. |
Dillon Gee (SP) |
Lat |
Unknown |
Strained lats are tricky, but it would be a bummer if Gee misses a lot of time. He was doing well. Rafael Montero will get a chance to prove himself and should be considered for his strikeout upside. |
Matt Lindstrom (RP)
|
Ankle |
Unknown |
Uh Oh. Run to the waiver wire. If you have daily waivers (as you should), the pickup I’d go with is Ronald Belisario. Lindstrom hasn’t been very good, so there is a chance he could lose his job even when he returns from the disabled list. |
Matt Harrison (SP) |
Back |
Pending |
Harrison may need spinal infusion surgery, which would end his season and possibly career. |
Tyler Lyons (SP) |
Shoulder |
Unknown |
Lyons was pitching pretty well until he ran into the Cubs and it wouldn’t be crazy to assume the shoulder injury would have something to do with that. Lyons will undergo an MRI and Jaime Garcia looks to be a solid pickup in deep leagues. |
Others on the DL: Anthony Bass (intercostal strain), Shawn Kelley (back)
Hitters |
Injury |
Expected Return |
Fantasy Implications |
Jose Abreu (1B) |
Ankle |
Early June |
Abreu is awesome, but this ankle injury has been a bugaboo since spring training. The MRI didn’t show anything worth worrying about, but we can only hope a few weeks off his feet gets rid of the issue on a permanent basis. Hawk needs his microphone to be disconnected, but even these bombs are hard to ruin…Although Hawk tries his best. |
Ben Zobrist (IF/OF) |
Thumb |
Early June |
Zobrist dislocated his left thumb. That doesn’t sound like much fun, but there is some hope he will be back in only a couple of weeks. |
Carlos Beltran (OF) |
Elbow |
Pending |
Beltran has bone spurs in his elbow and will soon be visiting with Dr. James Andrews. If he undergoes surgery, which is a possibility, he could miss anywhere from six to twelve weeks. Ouch. If healthy, Ichiro should get most of the playing time and deserves a look in deep leagues and rosters that are desperate for steals. |
Will Middlebrooks (3B) |
Finger |
June |
A fractured finger is just another blow to what has been a disappointing start for the third baseman. He will be out at least a couple of weeks, but his return date is still a bit up in the air. |
Travis d’Arnaud (C) |
Head |
Late May/Early June |
d’Arnaud received a concussion from a back swing. If all goes well, he should be back in late May. |
Nyger Morgan (OF) |
Knee |
June |
Morgan has a strained PCL. The injury doesn’t require surgery, but Morgan should be out for a while. |
Corey Hart (OF) |
Hamstring |
June |
Hart hasn’t been hitting all that well and is now down with a hamstring injury which could keep him out for longer than a couple of weeks. |
Colby Rasmus (OF) |
Hamstring |
Early June |
Rasmus’s hamstring injury isn’t considered serious and he should be back in a couple of weeks. |
The Author
