This article is part of our Fantasy Baseball Injury Report series.
The sheer amount of MLB injuries to end July was enough to create an all Check Swings injury report as the calendar shifts to August. Playoff races could start to influence decisions regarding the health status of short-term and long-term injured players. So buckle up as we jump right into the injury news.
Mike Trout: The Angels outfielder has been lost for the season, as an MRI on his troublesome knee revealed another tear in the meniscus. The tear is a new injury and in a different location of the cartilage disc. Surgery is needed to address the issue, likely a meniscectomy. If this type of procedure is carried out, the damaged area will be excised (removed), not repaired. True meniscus repairs can only occur if the tear is limited to a specific region of the disc, in a particular pattern. Meniscectomies have a quicker recovery window but, since the cartilage is gone, the chances for future issues like arthritis increases. Trout's career trajectory continues to follow an eerily similar pathway as Hall-of-Famer Ken Griffey Jr. Both players exploded on the season as rookies but saw injuries, including lower extremity strains, a fractured hamate bone and now meniscus issues, limit their long-term success. Trout will spend another offseason recuperating and hope routine maintenance and rehab can help offset any lingering issues with the knee. He will remain a talented fantasy option though his ceiling will likely be lower than in previous seasons.
Tanner Bibee: Bibee did not pitch over
The sheer amount of MLB injuries to end July was enough to create an all Check Swings injury report as the calendar shifts to August. Playoff races could start to influence decisions regarding the health status of short-term and long-term injured players. So buckle up as we jump right into the injury news.
Mike Trout: The Angels outfielder has been lost for the season, as an MRI on his troublesome knee revealed another tear in the meniscus. The tear is a new injury and in a different location of the cartilage disc. Surgery is needed to address the issue, likely a meniscectomy. If this type of procedure is carried out, the damaged area will be excised (removed), not repaired. True meniscus repairs can only occur if the tear is limited to a specific region of the disc, in a particular pattern. Meniscectomies have a quicker recovery window but, since the cartilage is gone, the chances for future issues like arthritis increases. Trout's career trajectory continues to follow an eerily similar pathway as Hall-of-Famer Ken Griffey Jr. Both players exploded on the season as rookies but saw injuries, including lower extremity strains, a fractured hamate bone and now meniscus issues, limit their long-term success. Trout will spend another offseason recuperating and hope routine maintenance and rehab can help offset any lingering issues with the knee. He will remain a talented fantasy option though his ceiling will likely be lower than in previous seasons.
Tanner Bibee: Bibee did not pitch over the weekend due to shoulder tightness. The right-hander admitted his shoulder has been an issue for a majority of the season and that the discomfort and tightness is the result of cramping. Cramps are classified as a muscular injury and can be the result of or cause a mild strain in the involved area. Hopefully Bibee's issue is minor and the skipped start allows him to avoid the IL. Rookie Joey Cantillo got the spot start on Saturday but has already been optioned back to Triple-A Columbus after giving up three runs over four innings of work.
Riley Greene: The Tigers outfielder is progressing in his recovery from a right hamstring strain, taking batting practice over the weekend. However, he has yet to resume running, an activity that stresses the hamstring muscle groups and is often a final steppingstone before receiving full clearance. As a result, those invested in Greene should not expect him back when he is first eligible. Remain patient here and hope he continues to improve.
Jared Jones: The Pirates right-hander is expected to begin a rehab stint "soon," according to Pirates general manager Ben Cherington. Jones has not pitched in over a month while recovering from a strained latissimus dorsi. Pitchers coming back from "lat" strains have a high success rate for return to play and return to performance, meaning Jones should be utilized as he normally would after he completes the medical assignment. He is expected to log multiple starts before rejoining the big-league club, setting up a return by mid to late August.
Evan Carter and Wyatt Langford: The Rangers' pair of rookie outfielders are both limited by back injuries. Carter, who has not played since late May, is likely out for the season due to the stress reaction in his lower back. He is not expected to undergo surgery but will not swing a bat for another nine to 10 weeks. Langford's injury is much less significant and is currently listed as lower-back tightness. He missed both Rangers' games over the weekend but should rejoin the lineup for their three-game series against the rival Astros.
Yandy Diaz: The Rays first baseman was struck by a pitch over the weekend but appears to have avoided a true fracture. X-rays on the injured joint came back negative and the current diagnosis is a wrist contusion. Tampa is considering him day-to-day with a scheduled off day on Monday. Hopefully the associated symptoms remain negligible, and Diaz can return on Tuesday against the Cardinals.
Luis Rengifo: The inflammation in Rengifo's right wrist resurfaced, forcing him back to the IL. The Angels infielder has been dealing with the issue since early July and missed 12 games while recovering. He appears to have tweaked the area during a swing on Friday and was placed back on the IL the following day. The involved structure has not been revealed, making it difficult to predict the treatment and subsequent recovery. The return to the IL may be a good thing, as he was clearly struggling at the plate. Rengifo was batting .188 with eight strike outs in the nine games following his initial IL stint.
Max Scherzer: The three-time Cy Young winner is back on the IL with right shoulder fatigue. Scherzer missed the first portion of the season recovering from offseason back surgery, a procedure and recovery that prevented him from a routine summer. Now he may be feeling the effects of the truncated offseason after reporting fatigue in two of his last three starts. The move does appear precautionary as the Rangers are optimistic he will be back when first eligible on August 17. Texas' rotation remains battered by injury with Jacob deGrom still working his way back from Tommy John and Jon Gray expected to miss at least a month with a groin strain.
Fernando Tatis: The Padres remain noncommittal on a timeline for their superstar. Out since June 22 with a stress reaction in his right femur, Tatis has been doing limited work in the cage or on the field. San Diego continues to insist he will return before the end of the regular season, though Tatis' value for the remainder of the season remains unclear. Those invested here simply must wait it out and hope the reports on his recovery remain positive.
Jordan Westburg: The Orioles versatile infielder is out for an extended period after a wild pitch resulted in a broken hand. It doesn't appear Westburg will need surgery, but he is still likely to miss six to eight weeks while the fracture heals. Prospect Coby Mayo took Westburg's spot on the active roster but is still looking for his first big league hit after finishing the weekend 0-for-5 in seven plate appearances over the weekend.
