The non-waiver MLB trade deadline has come and gone which means many fantasy leagues’ trade deadline have also passed.  We are heading into the dog days of summer and the pennant stretch, so making sure your roster has sufficient depth is as important as ever.  Injuries are inevitably going to happen to key players, so the best thing you can do is try and be prepared for any scenario.  Teams are going to start giving young players opportunities so it is critical that you continue scouring the waiver wire to keep accumulating depth.  So, without further ado, here is the next edition of the fantasy baseball emergency room.

Mike Trout (OF-LAA)

If there is one name you ever fear seeing on the injury report, it is this one.  Trout suffered a jammed right wrist on Wednesday while sliding and then missed Thursday’s game.  Fantasy GMs can breathe a sigh of relief as an MRI and x-rays were both negative.  Trout has already stated he hoped to be back in the lineup on Friday so the injury does not appear serious at all.  The MVP candidate is having another stellar season batting .309 with 30 home runs, 60 RBI, 82 runs scored and 21 stolen bases. 

Chris Sale (SP-BOS)

Sale was placed on the disabled list earlier this week with a shoulder injury but is expected to only miss one start.  It was huge news that Boston shut him down in advance of their weekend series with the Yankees, but they made a wise decision being cautious with their ace who has been nearly unhittable for the past couple months.  Sale started his third consecutive All Star Game and is currently 11-4 with a 2.04 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 207 strikeouts in 141 innings.  Keep him benched for the weekend and plan on putting him back in your lineup next week when he is scheduled to start against Toronto on Wednesday.

Kris Bryant (3B-CHC)

The Cubs got some good news when Kris Bryant ’s MRI came back negative and did not reveal any structural damage.  However, Bryant reported some discomfort when doing range of motion exercises so he is still a long way off from returning.  Chicago has used different options at third base in Bryant’s absence and will likely continue to do so unless they feel they need to make a deal before the waiver trade deadline.  Keep Bryant stashed and hope can come back and provide some value before the year is over.

Dee Gordon (2B-SEA)

Gordon was removed from Seattle’s game against Toronto on Thursday with an ankle injury.  He sustained the injury covering second base late in the game and had to be helped off the field while limping badly.  Right now there is no indication how severe the injury is or how much time Gordon might miss.  We can expect further updates from the Mariners later today.  Gordon is batting .288 with one home run, 22 RBI, 49 runs scored and 26 stolen bases. Robinson Canó is set to return within the next couple weeks so he could step back in at second base if Gordon requires a stint on the disabled list.

Wil Myers (1B-SD)

Myers suffered a contusion on his left foot on Thursday and had a walking boot on when he was leaving Wrigley Field.  The initial good news is that x-rays came back negative, but he is scheduled to have an MRI and a CT scan to see whether there is any structural damage.  It has been a very disappointing season for Myers who is batting .273 with nine home runs, 30 RBI, 21 runs scored and five stolen bases in only 44 games.  Now it looks like he may go back on the disabled list for the third time this season.

J.A. Happ (SP-NYY)

First Noah Syndergaard contracted hand, foot and mouth disease last week, and now J.A. Happ has come down with the same condition.  The Yankees sent him home the other day but still seemed hopeful he could make his next start.  However, they have now placed him on the disabled list which means he will miss this weekend’s showdown with Boston.  Happ was a big trade deadline acquisition and should provide great fantasy value on a team with a loaded offense and dominant bullpen.  Keep Happ stashed as he is only expected to miss one start.

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (2B-TOR)

Gurriel has been placed on the 10-day disabled list with both an ankle and knee injury he sustained when sliding into second base last weekend.  He was diagnosed with a high ankle sprain and a Grade 1 sprain of his left knee and is expected to miss between two to six weeks.  The range of time Toronto put out there is awfully wide so we really do not have any sense of how long he might be out.  The timing is very unfortunate as Gurriel was in the midst of an epic 11-game streak of multiple hit games.  He raised his batting average to .322 to go along with seven home runs, 22 RBI, 16 runs scored and one stolen base.  Only stash him if you have sufficient roster space.

Mike Fiers (SP-DET)

Fiers survived the trade deadline and took his start with Detroit on Wednesday.  However, he was hit in the left shin by a line drive and was removed from the game after suffering a contusion.  X-rays were negative so Fiers avoided any type of serious injury and should be considered day-to-day for right now.  He is 7-6 with a 3.48 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 87 strikeouts in 119 innings and very likely will be traded in August to a playoff contender.

Steven Matz (SP-NYM)

The Mets are going to place Matz on the disabled list with a flexor-pronator strain after he was battered for seven runs in just one inning during his last start against the Nationals.  Matz has a long history of injuries so this is just another one to add to the list and yet another reason why he can never be trusted from a fantasy perspective.  Matz has been lit up over his last few starts which has raised his ERA to 4.35 after being respectable much of the year.  He can be dropped in all league formats.

Chase Utley (2B-LAD)

The Dodgers placed Utley on the disabled list with inflammation in his left wrist.  The reality is that Los Angeles now has a crowded infield since Justin Turner was activated and they acquired Brian Dozier at the trade deadline.  Utley has no fantasy value anymore but his inclusion in this report is merely a show of respect for the career that he has had since he will be retiring at the end of 2018. 

Jake Lamb (3B-ARZ)

Lamb’s disastrous 2018 season has mercifully come to an end now that it has been decided he will have surgery on his left shoulder.  It was discovered that he had fraying in his left rotator cuff so surgery was the only option.  It was a lost season for Lamb who finishes hitting .222 with six home runs and 31 RBI.  This was especially disappointing for fantasy GMs who likely drafted him expecting similar performances to 2016 and 2017.  He can be dropped in all formats and will likely be off people’s radar heading into 2019.