This article is part of our Fantasy Baseball Injury Report series.
The fantasy playoffs are on the horizon, so let's do an all Check Swings version of the Injury Report, hitting as many ailing or recovering players as possible.
The Padres' starting unit has been hit hard by injury with Darvish joining Paddack on the injured list. Darvish's issue is a lower back injury that is being described as spasms and tightness. Both words are commonly associated with muscle-related injuries, though San Diego is optimistic this problem is mild. It sounds like the team is taking a proactive approach to treatment by placing him on the IL to insure he takes the appropriate amount of time to rest and recuperate. Despite some optimism that Darvish could be back in the minimum amount of time, the Padres signed veteran Jake Arrieta to add depth to their rotation. Arrieta is expected to start Wednesday against the Rockies.
Paddack is progressing through his treatment for an oblique strain, though not as quickly as originally hoped. It doesn't appear that he has suffered any sort of setback and is instead taking a conservative approach to treatment. He has yet to throw off a mound, suggesting his absence could last through the end of the month.
Lamet will be shifted back to the bullpen when he is eventually cleared to return. However, he has suffered an additional injury, unrelated to his strained forearm. The right-hander recently underwent a procedure to address an infection that had developed in his hip.
The fantasy playoffs are on the horizon, so let's do an all Check Swings version of the Injury Report, hitting as many ailing or recovering players as possible.
The Padres' starting unit has been hit hard by injury with Darvish joining Paddack on the injured list. Darvish's issue is a lower back injury that is being described as spasms and tightness. Both words are commonly associated with muscle-related injuries, though San Diego is optimistic this problem is mild. It sounds like the team is taking a proactive approach to treatment by placing him on the IL to insure he takes the appropriate amount of time to rest and recuperate. Despite some optimism that Darvish could be back in the minimum amount of time, the Padres signed veteran Jake Arrieta to add depth to their rotation. Arrieta is expected to start Wednesday against the Rockies.
Paddack is progressing through his treatment for an oblique strain, though not as quickly as originally hoped. It doesn't appear that he has suffered any sort of setback and is instead taking a conservative approach to treatment. He has yet to throw off a mound, suggesting his absence could last through the end of the month.
Lamet will be shifted back to the bullpen when he is eventually cleared to return. However, he has suffered an additional injury, unrelated to his strained forearm. The right-hander recently underwent a procedure to address an infection that had developed in his hip. For now, specifics regarding the infection are limited, but it doesn't appear to be overly concerning. Unfortunately, the time missed to address the problem threw off his rehab protocol, which appeared to be nearing an end. Hopefully he will be able to resume throwing by the end of the week.
I promise I will talk about teams other than the Padres, but we have to mention Tatis' remarkable return. After missing time with another shoulder subluxation, the All-Star slugger has returned with a vengeance. He has hit 5-for-9 since being activated, including a pair of home runs in his first game back. He's added two doubles and four RBI to go with four runs. The shoulder will remain a risk moving forward, and surgery on his glenohumeral joint seems inevitable, but it is clear he can remain productive as long as he does not aggravate the area. Start him without hesitation.
The Dodgers have yet to put a firm timetable on Betts' return from his hip injury. He recently received an injection, likely an anti-inflammatory injection, in the area. While the injection should help alleviate the symptoms of his injury, they will not fix the root of the problem, a bone spur in the area. Bone spurs (clinically known as osteophytes) often develop in response to repetitive stress on the body. They are often non-issues until they start irritating nearby tendons, muscle or nerves. We most commonly associate bone spurs with pitchers and their elbows. However, osteophytes can develop other areas of the body, like the heel, spine, and yes, the hip. Surgery to remove the spur could be performed, but it would likely cost Betts the remainder of the year. Instead, the Dodgers will take a nonsurgical approach to treatment and do their best to manage his associated symptoms with routine maintenance. Sadly, it does not appear as though a return is close, and Betts is likely to miss at least another week or two.
The Red outfielder was placed on the IL Monday after testing revealed a low-grade strain of an intercostal muscle. The intercostal muscles sit between each rib of the rib cage and are active during breathing. For reference, the meat you eat when you order a plate of barbeque short ribs is intercostal muscle. Like an oblique strain, an injury to the intercostals is functionally limiting, especially with trunk rotation. Fortunately, intercostal strains generally have a quicker recovery rate, and Winker hopes to be back after his allotted 10 days. Aristides Aquino and Shogo Akiyama will move up the depth chart to cover the outfield in Winker's absence.
Mondesi continues to battle injury concerns this season as his lingering oblique strain remains a problem. The team recently revealed his current setback is linked to scar tissue that developed following the initial strain. When a muscle is strained, microfibers or complete fibers of the muscle are damaged. The body's natural healing response kicks in and begins repairing these gaps. The newly formed tissue is considered "scar tissue," as it does not have the same characteristics or strength as true muscle. Unfortunately, athletes often report feeling better with the damaged repaired, even though the healing process is incomplete. As a result, athletes can return prematurely and disrupt the newly formed scar tissue, pressing a reset button on the entire healing sequence. This happens more frequently than you would expect, especially in dynamic muscle groups like the calf and hamstring, and is the reason these injuries are often aggravated or reinjured.
Mondesi has not been shut down completely but determining a timeline for a potential return has become increasingly difficult. Hopefully we will see some signs of improvement and progression in the days ahead, but for now consider him out indefinitely.
The White Sox left-hander threw from 90 feet Monday and could be back by early next week. He was placed on the IL with shoulder fatigue but has improved with extended rest. Subsequent MRIs have yet to show any signs of a strain or other injury. As long as he continues to remain symptom-free, look for Rodon to return to action in Chicago's upcoming series against Toronto.
Injuries have limited Springer's first season in Toronto, but it looks as though his most recent injury is not severe. The outfielder suffered a sprained ankle while trying to make a play in centerfield. While he did not play Sunday, there is hope the team's scheduled day off will provide him with enough of a buffer to return to action. He did report improvement Sunday and was not sent for an MRI, suggesting he should be good to go as soon as Tuesday.
