This article is part of our Fantasy Baseball Injury Report series.
It didn't take long for the first major injury of the season to occur. The Mets right-hander will start the year on the injured list after a stress reaction in his throwing shoulder was discovered when deGrom reported tightness in the area.
The bones of the skeleton are constantly being remodeled based on the pull of gravity and the various stresses applied to it during activity. Normally specialized cells known as osteoblasts can create enough new bone tissue to offset any weaknesses or breakdowns in the various bones. However, if the stress becomes too much, the bone tissue fails. If the bone is irritated but remains intact, the injury is classified as a stress reaction. If the bone develops an actual crack or displaces, it is diagnosed as a stress fracture.
In the case of deGrom, the stresses associated with hurling a 100 MPH pitch are overwhelming his scapula (shoulder blade). The shoulder blade acts an anchor for multiple muscles, including the rotator cuff, trapezius and latissimus dorsi. Any of these muscles could lead to a stress reaction, and while the location of deGrom's injury has not been revealed, it is at least worth mentioning that deGrom has had latissimus dorsi problems in the past.
Rest remains the best course of treatment to allow the specialized bone cells to adequately mend the area. Unfortunately, precedent suggests deGrom could be sidelined for a considerable amount of time. Former Cardinals pitcher Michael Wacha missed 79 days during the 2014 season with
It didn't take long for the first major injury of the season to occur. The Mets right-hander will start the year on the injured list after a stress reaction in his throwing shoulder was discovered when deGrom reported tightness in the area.
The bones of the skeleton are constantly being remodeled based on the pull of gravity and the various stresses applied to it during activity. Normally specialized cells known as osteoblasts can create enough new bone tissue to offset any weaknesses or breakdowns in the various bones. However, if the stress becomes too much, the bone tissue fails. If the bone is irritated but remains intact, the injury is classified as a stress reaction. If the bone develops an actual crack or displaces, it is diagnosed as a stress fracture.
In the case of deGrom, the stresses associated with hurling a 100 MPH pitch are overwhelming his scapula (shoulder blade). The shoulder blade acts an anchor for multiple muscles, including the rotator cuff, trapezius and latissimus dorsi. Any of these muscles could lead to a stress reaction, and while the location of deGrom's injury has not been revealed, it is at least worth mentioning that deGrom has had latissimus dorsi problems in the past.
Rest remains the best course of treatment to allow the specialized bone cells to adequately mend the area. Unfortunately, precedent suggests deGrom could be sidelined for a considerable amount of time. Former Cardinals pitcher Michael Wacha missed 79 days during the 2014 season with a stress reaction in the same area. Brandon McCarthy's injury history paints an even bleaker picture. McCarthy's shoulder blade injury advanced to a stress fracture during the 2007 season and sidelined him for nearly a month. However, the injury resurfaced multiple times throughout his career, resulting in time lost in 2009, surgery in 2010 and another IL trip in 2011.
The Mets will shut down deGrom for the foreseeable future and reevaluate his status in four weeks. If the bone has adequately healed, he can begin to gradually build up the arm for a return to the mound. His recovery window will remain fluid, but a June return seems like a best-case scenario.
Lingering shoulder inflammation will force Flaherty to start the year on the IL. Flaherty's injury is complex. In March he received a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection in the joint to address bursitis. Bursae are small fluid-filled sacs that act like ball bearings for joints, reducing friction. If irritated they can become inflamed, eliciting pain and discomfort while hampering functional motion. Flaherty's bursitis appears to be a cascade injury that developed due to mechanical changes that occurred following his left oblique strain last season. Normally, this alone would be manageable, especially if the breakdown in mechanics could be pinpointed.
However, Flaherty also revealed he has a SLAP tear in the labrum in this same shoulder. The labrum is a cartilage ring that stabilizes the ball-and-socket joint of the shoulder. Unfortunately, the labrum can tear in a variety of ways. The SLAP designation means the tear in Flaherty's shoulder is in the Superior Labrum running from Anterior (front) to Posterior (back). Labrum tears can be addressed surgically or with a non-operative method that focuses on building up the supporting musculature. It sounds like Flaherty has been taking the conservative approach for several seasons.
Now, he will need to take time off for multiple weeks before beginning a throwing program. The protocol will need to fix his previous injury without placing undue stress on his already compromised labrum. It will be a delicate balance, but the Cardinals medical staff should be up for the task. However, the multiple red flags should give fantasy investors plenty of reason to pause. He won't carry a definitive timeline and, though the upside is huge, there is no guarantee Flaherty is going to be readily available. Tread cautiously here.
The White Sox pitcher will miss at least four weeks with a knee injury. There have been conflicting reports on the specifics of the injury, with some suggesting the injury involves a tendon in the area while other outlets are describing it as a meniscus injury. The response and provided timeline seem more in line with a meniscus tear that is being address with a meniscectomy (removal). With the root of the inflammation removed, Lynn should bounce back relatively quickly, though he will move forward with an increased risk of future issues like osteoarthritis. Like deGrom, if Lynn avoids any setbacks he should be back at some point in June.
Check Swings
Ronald Acuna: In an unsurprising move, Atlanta has placed Acuna on the IL as he continues to work his way back from his torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). The Braves outfielder should be back in action as the team's designated hitter in late April, before returning to the field in May.
Max Scherzer: The Mets other ace is also dealing with an injury, though it involves his lower-extremity and not his throwing arm. Scherzer's issue appears to be a low-grade hamstring strain, making it a mild injury. However, mild injuries can have lasting effects if they negatively influence biomechanics or functional movement. Look for Scherzer to throw a bullpen session Tuesday to see if he is ready to take the mound on Opening Day. However, with deGrom already sidelined, I wouldn't be surprised if the Mets handle Scherzer very conservatively and push back his first start or opt to place on the IL to begin the season.
Zack Wheeler: It's not all gloom and doom here, as Wheeler is making progress in his rehab protocol and successfully tossed 45 pitches in an intrasquad game over the weekend. The Phillies pitcher reported lingering soreness in his shoulder way back in December, but Philadelphia has gradually built up his arm since he was able to rejoin the team. If all goes as planned, he is slated to make a rehab start in Lakeland on Thursday with the intent of pitching for the Phillies on April 12 against the Mets.
