Stars on the Shelf: TheFantasyFix.com’s week 6 DL Report
Here is your fantasy baseball week 6 update on notable injured players. Here you will find an update on a player’s progress as well as my spin on their expected return dates and fantasy impact upon return. The players are listed by expected return date. This will be a weekly posted list so you can stay ahead of the game when it comes to information about injuries across baseball that at one point or another affect all fantasy rosters. The big additions this week are Roy Halladay and Hanley Ramirez, with Doc possibly out for the season and Ramirez out until possibly mid-June. This will be a weekly posted list so you can stay ahead of the game when it comes to information about injuries across baseball that at one point or another affect all fantasy rosters.
NEW ON THE SHELF: Roy Halladay, Hanley Ramirez, Andrew Bailey, Joel Hanrahan, JJ Putz, AJ Pierzynski
OUT FOR THE SEASON: Jason Motte
| PLAYER | EXPECTED RETURN DATE | LATEST UPDATE |
|---|---|---|
| Andrew Bailey | 5/14/2013 | Bailey is going to resume throwing today and hopes to return after the 15-day DL stint. His injury history is a concern going forward. He is just simply not very reliable in that regard. |
| Curtis Granderson | 5/15/2013 | Granderson is participating in rehab games and is trying to get a decent amount of at bats, he should join the Yankees as scheduled next week, perhaps as soon as Tuesday when they return home. |
| Brett Anderson | 5/15/2013 | Anderson sprained his ankle, was thought of as day-to-day, then the A’s used him in emergency relief and he injured it further. If a team these days used a guy knowing he was already hurt, it can’t be a bad sprain so I am saying 15 day DL and he’ll be good to go. |
| Kevin Youkilis | 5/17/2013 | The Greek God of Injuries is back in familiar territory. Youkilis has a bulging disc in his back, and although he claims an epidural shot and a quick 15 day vacation on the DL will take care of it, you never know with this guy. I’ll take him at his word for now. He was dropped hard in Yahoo leagues (-17%) so if you are hurting bad for 3B help and have a DL spot open, scoop him up if he’s out there, but don’t waste a high waiver on him. |
| Ryan Madson | 5/17/2013 | Madson has progressed well from the April setback and is set to pitch in extended spring training this weekend, and barring any setbacks will play in rehab games next week. He could return in 2 weeks and could ascend back into the closer role at some point. The struggling Angels haven’t had many opportunities for saves in the early going, but current closer Ernesto Fieri has a loss and a blown save no decison in his last 4 save opportunities. |
| Johnny Cueto | 5/22/2013 | Cueto had that minor oblique setback that stopped him from making his rehab start last week. He had a short bullpen session a few days ago and is slated to throw again today or tomorrow. Assuming all goes well I figure one or two rehab starts and he should be back. |
| Matt Garza | 5/25/2013 | Garza is on the DL with a strained lat muscle. He has made his second rehab start and all went well. He is throwing all of his pitches effectively, and for strikes. He is on target to come back in three weeks or less once he gets his pitch counts up to a normal level. |
| Cameron Maybin | 5/25/2013 | Maybin hurt is wrist in February, and was put on the DL because he has felt recurring pain. The fact that this has gone on for over two months isn’t great news. Wrist injuries are tricky to estimate healing and return, it could be a 15 day thing or it could be something that affects him all year. He is slated to get back to “baseball activities” in two weeks, then after a short rehab assignment he could be back at the end of the month, but I can’t lock that in. |
| Josh Johnson | 5/28/2013 | Johnson, on the DL with an injured tricep, will need to get back up to speed where he is throwing a bullpen before going out on rehab starts. His replacement Ricky Romero was simply awful yesterday so they need him back. But Johnson is no stranger to injury so its probably wiser they take their time with him and bring him back when he is 100% ready, so maybe end of May but I wouldn’t be shocked if that took longer. |
| Jered Weaver | 5/29/2013 | Weaver is rehabbing from that fracture in his left arm, after throwing a bullpen session he will hit a rehab assignment for two or three turns before rejoining the Angels during the last week of the month, likely against the Dodgers. |
| Corey Hart | 5/30/2013 | Hart is recovering from surgery to repair the torn meniscus in his knee. He will need to go on a 7-10 day rehab assignment to show he can do everything necessary to play full time being that the Brewers are in the NL and he can’t DH. He should rejoin his team once his 60-Day DL stint expires at the end of May. |
| Coco Crisp | 5/31/2013 | Crisp strained his left hamstring, and has just started feeling better enough to try and get back to baseball related activity. The A’s are taking this one slow, probably considering his age and the fact that Cespedes has been doing some work in CF. He should be back by the end of the month though. |
| Mark Teixeira | 5/31/2013 | Teixeira is set to take full on-field batting practice Friday which will be a huge test and indicator of projecting his return. He will need to go on a rehab assignment for I’m guessing at least 10 days. I think barring any pain reoccuring he can be back by around Memorial Day. |
| Colby Lewis | 5/31/2013 | Lewis is recovering from Tommy John Surgery, and is making his first rehab assignment today. After a few turns through, once he gets his pitch count and endurance up, he could return to Texas before June. |
| Adam Eaton | 6/1/2013 | Eaton is rehabbing from his sprained UCL and my estimation appears to have been accurate. Although mid-May was a target, his inability to play the field fully due to his arm strength is a problem. He will continue to DH in rehab games until they clear him to play the field. He will need a few games in the field before they bring him back into the mix so I am still stubbornly stuck on early June. |
| AJ Pierzynski | 6/1/2013 | Pierzynski has been trying to play through a sore oblique and the Rangers finally shut him down and sent him to the DL. It has been reported that they were concerned with the results of an MRI so a normal 15 day stint wont happen. I have set the bar at a month for him to return and be able to catch full time. |
| Zack Greinke | 6/3/2013 | Greinke must be taking his vitamins, because he is coming back from this broken collar-bone much faster than anyone imagined, he is already throwing bullpen sessions, popping 90mph out of the gate and can go on a rehab assignment soon. If all goes well after a couple of goes in the single-A rotation he could be back by month’s end. I am thinking June 3rd though, when they return home to face, yup you guessed it, Carlos Quentin‘s Padres. I’ll make the popcorn. |
| Aaron Hill | 6/7/2013 | Like I said last week, always bank on the latter when it comes to hand injuries. Hill’s healing isn’t going as quickly as anticipated so not only could it be the latter of the 4-6 week timetable, it is very realistic to be exceeded. I will hold firm with my estimate of June 7th though. |
| Jason Heyward | 6/11/2013 | “SAMSONITE! I was way off” I didnt’ like what I was hearing regarding Heyward’s return but my concerns were unwarranted. He is scheduled to make his first rehab appearance today, and after a weekend of games could be back early next week. |
| Brandon Beachy | 6/15/2013 | Beachy is a bullpen and side session away from hitting the rehab trail. it’s reported he will need a half dozen or so starts to build his pitch count up and fine tune his mechanics. He could still make the Brave’s rotation by mid-June, which is impressive considering he was targeted for after the All-Star Break after having Tommy John Surgery last year. |
| Giancarlo Stanton | 6/15/2013 | initial reports had Stanton likely out until late May, but being that he is figuratively the entire franchise and they are clearly not going anywhere, the Marlins will take their sweet time with Stanton. If trade rumors are true that they could be sellers mid-season, the Marlins will certainly want to shop a full healthy, 500 foot bomb hitting Stanton so he will not be rushed. my initial guess was mid-June, and even though he has done zero baseball related exercises to this point, I am sticking with it. |
| Hanley Ramirez | 6/18/2013 | Ramirez is back on the shelf and I will now refer to him as Kaiser Soze because he is a usual suspect when it comes to injuries. Hanley strained his hamstring running from second to third and should be out until mid-June at the earliest. The timetable was 4-6 weeks but Ramirez no longer gets the benefit of the doubt from me. I think he could be back on June 18th when the Dodgers go to NY to play the Yankees. |
| Daniel Hudson | 7/1/2013 | Hudson who is recovering from Tommy John Surgery tweeted his excitement of pitching his first outs in 11 months in a simulated game on Monday. He is progressing well and after his rehab appearances, he should be back by the end of June, perhaps a start or two before the All-Star break. |
| Ryan Ludwick | 7/5/2013 | Ludwick is on the 60-Day DL recovering from a torn labrum in his shoulder. The late round thumper should be back around the All-Star break, he may be available on your FA list if you are hurting for a UTIL/OF power spot upon his return. |
| Alex Rodriguez | 7/17/2013 | Rodriguez has started baseball activities in Tampa. He has begun hitting off of a tee, so he is currently hitting a first grade level (that was a joke, yes). Although he is ahead of projected timelines, the Yankees wont rush to bring him back so I still think we wont see the headline grabbing star until after the All-Star break. |
| Cory Luebke | 7/17/2013 | Luekbe felt discomfort in his surgically repaired pitching elbow recently and was shut down from throwing. His trainer’s expressed little concern though, and feel its merely normal soreness but you can rule out any early return from initial projections of mid-July. At this point that is no guarantee either. But if you have a DL spot to use, he is stash worthy for a late season playoff push. |
| Jose Reyes | 7/17/2013 | Reyes (60 Day DL) was photographed out of his walking boot around batting cages, but that doesn’t really mean all that much, it could have been a temporary break from it. Reyes thinks he’ll be back in June, but I, like the Blue Jays apparently see July as a more realistic timeframe. Based on his famous DL resume, I don’t see him coming back until after the All-Star break. |
| Michael Pineda | 7/17/2013 | Pineda has been throwing between 93-95 mph on his fastball in extended spring training, a good sign considering he topped off at 91 last year before going down for shoulder surgery. The Yankees haven’t announced a rehab game schedule for him, but all signs seem to be pointing in the right direction for him to return, as previously estimated, around the All-Star break. |
| Derek Jeter | 8/1/2013 | Jeter is doing light exercises as he rehabs from the second crack in his ankle. He is still in a walking boot and there is nothing on the horizon in terms of baseball related activity. If we see a 100% Jeter by August 1st I’ll be surprised. He seemed to have rushed himself back in spring training before the second fracture was identified so he probably has little say about his rehab this time around. |
| Jason Motte | OUT FOR SEASON | Motte threw in the towel for 2013 and accepted his fate. He had successful Tommy John Surgery which will put him out of action until around June-July 2014. |
| Matt Harrison | UNKNOWN – OUT INDEFINITELY | Harrison is falling apart at the seams. Harrison had his second back surgery in two weeks and words being used to describe him pitching again this season are words like “hopeful”. Maybe a September return at best? |
| Roy Halladay | UNKNOWN – OUT INDEFINITELY | Doc Halladay was told by actual Docs that he needs shoulder surgery to remove bone spurs and assess a rotator cuff problem. Halladay and the Phillies are optimistic about a return this season, but it should be considered doubtful, considering its multiple areas of his shoulder, and his age. If you have avaiable DL spots store him away, but don’t let him rot on your bench. He has been dropped in 31% of Yahoo leagues already. |
| Joel Hanrahan | UNKNOWN – OUT INDEFINITELY | Handrahan got his closer job back when Bailey went down but that didn’t last long at all. Handrahan is now on the DL with “forearm tightness” which usually points to elbow issues. They have sent x-rays to the famous Dr. James Andrews and it is possible Handrahan can join the long list of Tommy John Surgery recipients. He is out indefinitely. |
| JJ Putz | UNKNOWN – OUT INDEFINITELY | Putz left a game in a save situation with a shooting pain from his elbow down to his fingers. Tommy John Surgery has been ruled out and they believe rehab will suffice. However, they have already thrown out scenarios of him possibly returning towards the end of the season so his fantasy value is shot for 2013. Heath Bell will close for now, and my guess is David Hernandez will eventually be the long term closer for the 2013 campaign. |
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