This article is part of our Fantasy Baseball Injury Report series.
The Dodgers placed the left-hander on the15-day injured list with lower back tightness. The injury will prevent Glasnow from appearing in the All-Star game but will provide him extended rest. He is currently on pace for a personal high in innings pitched with 109. His previous best was last season when he tossed 120 innings for Tampa. If this remains tightness and not a true strain, Glasnow should be ready to return when first eligible. However, I'm betting the Dodgers slow play the situation. A conservative approach to a minor injury at this point of the season isn't shocking, especially for a team like Los Angeles, which has endured multiple injuries to key members of its rotation.
Another week, another broken hand on a hit by a pitch. This time it's the Chicago outfielder who will miss time, as Bellinger suffered a broken left middle finger. The four fingers (excluding the thumb) are made up of three phalanges, the proximal, intermediate and distal phalanges. The exact bone Bellinger fractured was not reported though surgery has been ruled out at this time. As a result, the Cubs should be without Bellinger's services for at least four to six weeks and an eight-week absence wouldn't be shocking. Pete Crow-Armstrong will take over in centerfield with Alexander Canario joining the active roster for outfield depth.
The Pirates pitcher will not pitch for at least one more week due to a latissimus dorsi strain on his throwing arm.
The Dodgers placed the left-hander on the15-day injured list with lower back tightness. The injury will prevent Glasnow from appearing in the All-Star game but will provide him extended rest. He is currently on pace for a personal high in innings pitched with 109. His previous best was last season when he tossed 120 innings for Tampa. If this remains tightness and not a true strain, Glasnow should be ready to return when first eligible. However, I'm betting the Dodgers slow play the situation. A conservative approach to a minor injury at this point of the season isn't shocking, especially for a team like Los Angeles, which has endured multiple injuries to key members of its rotation.
Another week, another broken hand on a hit by a pitch. This time it's the Chicago outfielder who will miss time, as Bellinger suffered a broken left middle finger. The four fingers (excluding the thumb) are made up of three phalanges, the proximal, intermediate and distal phalanges. The exact bone Bellinger fractured was not reported though surgery has been ruled out at this time. As a result, the Cubs should be without Bellinger's services for at least four to six weeks and an eight-week absence wouldn't be shocking. Pete Crow-Armstrong will take over in centerfield with Alexander Canario joining the active roster for outfield depth.
The Pirates pitcher will not pitch for at least one more week due to a latissimus dorsi strain on his throwing arm. The "lat" is a broad muscle that spans the back and anchors into the shoulder. It plays a pivotal role in motions at the spine and shoulder. Strains of the lat are relatively common among MLB pitchers, with the recovery generally measured in weeks, not days. Jones' injury received a Grade 2 classification, meaning it is a partial or incomplete tear. Noah Syndergaard suffered a comparable injury in 2017 and missed 145 days, though the Mets were particularly cautious with his recovery. A six- to eight-week recovery window is more likely, though a return in August is looking like a best-case scenario.
The Brewers reliever has yet to pitch for the team this season but is nearing a return. Williams, out with multiple stress fractures in his back, pitched a perfect inning in his rehab appearance with High-A Wisconsin, striking out all three batters in the process. There is growing optimism he won't need a lengthy rehab assignment, and a return to Milwaukee could occur shortly after the break. Stress fractures are tricky to manage, but the chances of a recurrence can be reduced if any underlying intrinsic or extrinsic factors are identified and addressed. Williams should slot back in as the Brewers' closer when he returns to the big-league club and could be a nice bullpen boost for teams in need of saves.
An ugly scene in Baltimore was made worse when Kjerstad was forced to the seven-day concussion IL. The outfielder was hit in the head by a pitch from Yankees closer Clay Holmes and both benches cleared. Kjerstad was evaluated after the game and initially in Saturday's lineup before getting scratched. It seems likely Kjerstad passed each step of the initial evaluation but saw symptoms develop during pregame drills. It is not uncommon for concussed individuals to report delayed symptoms, one of the many reasons managing the head injury can prove to be difficult. Fortunately, the Orioles medical staff was alert to the situation and moved swiftly to place the young slugger into the league's mandates protocol. If all goes well, look for Kjerstad to return to action the first full week after the All-Star break.
The Blue Jays decision not to place Bichette on the IL is making things difficult for fantasy managers, as the shortstop missed four straight games entering the All-Star break. Bichette continues to battle a calf strain that initially surfaced in mid-June. While the team remains optimistic the decision will allow Bichette to return to action after the break, I'm less confident. Calf strains, like most lower extremity strains, can be fickle and this has already taken longer than expected. Cross your fingers the break was enough, but I won't be surprised if this remains an issue for the immediate future.
The Twins shortstop avoided an acute injury when struck by a pitch earlier this month. However, a chronic issue has resurfaced for Correa and could result in missed time. Twins manager Rocco Baldelli revealed his All-Star is managing plantar fasciitis in his right foot. He did say it was not serious as the case of plantar fasciitis Correa dealt with last season. That issue involved the opposite foot and was a problem throughout the year and ultimately cost him two weeks to end the year. He will not play in the All-Star game and will likely be reevaluated when the team returns for the second half. Consider him day-to-day for now but start considering replacement options during the time off.
The Padres infielder will skip the All-Star game to rest his ailing thumb. The injury has been bothering Arraez since June and he decided rest was the best long-term plan. It doesn't sound like Arraez will miss any time for San Diego, but it is a situation worth monitoring.
Turf Burns
The truncated week not only allows the players to recuperate from nagging injuries, but it also provides me an opportunity to post my 12th Annual MLB All-Scar list. To earn the "honor" of making this dubious list, a player must have been (or is currently) limited by an injury or illness. Average draft position (ADP) is taken into consideration, and this year's list is a doozy. Included in this year's All-Scar selections include the players who held the No. 1, No. 3, No. 6, and No. 7 ADP (Acuna, Betts, Strider and Tucker, respectively).
AMERICAN LEAGUE
C- Jose Trevino
1B- Triston Casas
2B- Jorge Polanco
SS- Bo Bichette
3B- Royce Lewis
OF- Mike Trout
OF- Kyle Tucker
OF- Luis Robert
SP- Justin Verlander
RP- Jordan Romano
NATIONAL LEAGUE
1B- Christian Encarnacion-Strand
2B- Matt McLain
SS- Mookie Betts
3B- Max Muncy
OF- Ronald Acuna
OF- Nolan Jones
OF- Michael Harris
SP- Spencer Strider
RP- Devin Williams
