Every injury this time of year is enough to make your heart sink.
We're to the point where anything that sidelines a player for multiple weeks has the potential to be a season-ender -- or at least all of the season that matters to Fantasy Baseballers.
Taking Week 20 (Aug. 5-11) off the table now that lineups are locked, there are technically seven weeks to go, but if you play in a Head-to-Head league, you could be eliminated well before then. You may even play in a league that doesn't include the final week or two of the season, making a player's window to come back and contribute even smaller.
So depending on your format, Edwin Encarnacion's broken wrist this weekend, which figures to sideline him for 3-5 weeks, ranges from disappointing to devastating. Ditto for David Dahl's high ankle sprain, which doesn't have as concrete of a timetable but figures to take him out of commission for weeks.
Craig Kimbrel's knee inflammation doesn't sound as bad and could potentially result in only a minimal stay, but even so, you're not putting him in your lineup this week or next. So what's he worth to you?
I can't break down every injury for every format, of course, so you'll have to tailor these designations of mine for your own specific needs. But recognizing that timetable is as much of a factor now as potential impact (or how good the player is), I've tweaked the way I'm presenting my top IL stashes, moving away from a straight rank list and instead grouping them by how much hope we can realistically have for them.
The designations are as follows:
- Impact expected and soon
- Impact probable, but it'll be a while
- Impact questionable but worth waiting to see
- Could be of some use when they return
- Potentially long wait for modest reward
- Not looking good
- How much should we care really?
I've included 44 names in all, which is I think the deepest I've ever gone. The way the injuries are piling up, though, it's worth taking the time to sort them all out.
| Player | Injury | Last update | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Max Scherzer
WAS SP
| strained back | eligible to return but not ready yet; soon? | ||
Hyun-Jin Ryu
LAD SP
| sore neck | could return Sunday | ||
Gary Sanchez
NYY C
| strained groin | on rehab assignment, expected back this weekend | ||
Corey Kluber
CLE SP
| fractured arm | set to make the first of possibly two rehab starts Thursday | ||
Craig Kimbrel
CHC RP
| knee inflammation | potentially a minimal stay | ||
Yoan Moncada
CHW 3B
| strained hamstring | more than the minimum but sounds like mid-to-late August | ||
Dansby Swanson
ATL SS
| bruised foot | quick return delayed but probably no more than a week away |
| Player | Injury | Last update | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Blake Snell
TB SP
| loose bodies in elbow | shooting for early September | ||
Brandon Woodruff
MIL SP
| strained oblique | two weeks into six-week timetable, early September possible | ||
Willson Contreras
CHC C
| strained hamstring | out four weeks, expected to return in early September | ||
David Dahl
COL CF
| sprained ankle | figures to miss a couple weeks, could be out until September | ||
Edwin Encarnacion
NYY DH
| fractured wrist | out 3-5 weeks, hoping to return in early September |
| Player | Injury | Last update | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Adalberto Mondesi
KC SS
| shoulder subluxation | able to swing a bat, likely still a few weeks away | ||
Giancarlo Stanton
NYY LF
| sprained knee | no baseball activities yet but could make quick progress thereafter | ||
Joey Gallo
TEX CF
| broken hamate bone | mid-September possible but may not be full strength | ||
Ramon Laureano
OAK CF
| stress reaction in shin | hoping to return in early September | ||
Luke Voit
NYY 1B
| sports hernia | cortisone injection for now but surgery possible and would likely prevent return | ||
Mitch Haniger
SEA RF
| ruptured testicle | taking part in baseball activities with an eye on rehab assignment | ||
Yonny Chirinos
TB SP
| finger inflammation | won't throw for two weeks, likely back in early September |
| Player | Injury | Last update | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Michael Pineda
MIN SP
| strained triceps | potentially a minimal stay | ||
Griffin Canning
LAA SP
| elbow inflammation | no UCL damage, hoping for a quick return | ||
Jay Bruce
PHI LF
| strained oblique | days away at last report but no word of rehab assignment | ||
Yadier Molina
STL C
| strained thumb | on rehab assignment, could return Friday | ||
Pablo Lopez
MIA SP
| shoulder inflammation | set for third rehab start, trying to build up to 100 pitches | ||
Shawn Kelley
TEX RP
| strained biceps | set to throw batting practice and rehab outing, end of week possible | ||
Ross Stripling
LAD RP
| stiff neck | beginning rehab assignment Tuesday but could return as reliever | ||
Sean Manaea
OAK SP
| torn shoulder labrum | felt side soreness on rehab assignment, shouldn't alter timeline too much | ||
Jose Alvarado
TB RP
| strained oblique | on rehab assignment, could return Friday |
| Player | Injury | Last update | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Yandy Diaz
TB 3B
| bruised foot | doing some running but still in discomfort, return unknown | ||
Tommy La Stella
LAA 2B
| fractured tibia | quiet recovery so far but early September remains the goal | ||
Brandon Lowe
TB 2B
| bruised shin | doing some fielding but no concrete timetable | ||
Johnny Cueto
SF SP
| Tommy John surgery | just began rehab assignment, could make it back when rosters expand | ||
Aaron Hicks
NYY CF
| strained elbow flexor | should begin throwing in a week, September return possible |
| Player | Injury | Last update | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Rich Hill
LAD SP
| strained forearm | three weeks away from even throwing off mound, so mid-September at best | ||
Luis Severino
NYY SP
| strained lat | nearing bullpen session, may have to settle for relief role | ||
Tyler Glasnow
TB SP
| strained forearm | throwing again after recent setback but may simply run out of time | ||
Carlos Carrasco
CLE SP
| leukemia | set for bullpen sessions, but you can't put a timeline on this one | ||
Byron Buxton
MIN CF
| shoulder subluxation | reevaluated in two weeks, doesn't sound promising | ||
Luke Weaver
ARI SP
| sprained elbow | playing catch but no word on rehab assignment |
| Player | Injury | Last update | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Dee Gordon
SEA 2B
| strained quadriceps | running without issue, could return this week | ||
Andrew Heaney
LAA SP
| shoulder inflammation | has thrown simulated game, expected back this weekend | ||
John Means
BAL SP
| strained biceps | scheduled to return Wednesday | ||
Zach Davies
MIL SP
| back spasms | potentially a minimal stay | ||
Nick Markakis
ATL RF
| fractured wrist | a week into 6-to-8 week timetable, not guaranteed to return |