The calendar is about to turn to July which means we are essentially at the halfway point of the season. By now, you have probably ripped all of your hair out from dealing with the daily and weekly trials and tribulations of injuries ravaging your roster. Fear not, as many of these players will eventually return to hopefully salvage what is left of the season. Now is the time to really pursue trades to bolster your roster and set yourself up for the stretch of the season. Identify your needs and utilize the depth and surplus you have hopefully been accruing over the past couple months to leverage in a deal. So, without further ado, here is the next edition of the fantasy baseball emergency room.
Kris Bryant (3B-CHC)
Fantasy GMs expected more from Kris Bryant at this point in the season than a .280 batting average with nine home runs, 36 RBI, 40 runs scored and two stolen bases. These are relatively pedestrian numbers for such an elite player who is now dealing with a shoulder injury which could possibly land him on the disabled list. He missed his third game in a row on Monday due to soreness in his left shoulder but seems to be progressing in the right direction. The Cubs seem to think Bryant could be back very shortly but they will understandably be cautious with their star third baseman.
Gary Sánchez (C-NYY)
The Yankees have been so good this season that no one except fantasy GMs in Roto leagues seems to notice or care that Gary Sánchez is well below the Mendoza line. He is batting an absurd .190 but does have 14 home runs, 41 RBI and 36 runs scored. Sanchez has been placed on the disabled list with a Grade 1 strain of his right groin and is expected to miss up to a month. Austin Romine will see regular playing time now which makes him a viable replacement if you are desperate and there are no other options on the waiver wire. Perhaps this break will help Sanchez re-focus and demonstrate better plate discipline when he comes back.
Carlos Carrasco (SP-CLE)
Carrasco has been on the disabled list with a bruised right elbow after he was struck by a batted ball a couple weeks ago. He had a successful bullpen session on Monday and could possibly make a rehab start this coming weekend. It is possible he could be back as soon as next week if all goes well, so fantasy GMs should prepare to have him back in their lineups sooner than later. Carrasco has been wildly inconsistent this season compiling an 8-5 record with a 4.24 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 96 strikeouts in 91.1 innings.
Nomar Mazara (OF-TEX)
Mazara was taken out of Monday’s game against San Diego due to some tightness he felt in his left hamstring. Texas was being cautious with their young outfielder who is batting .272 with 14 home runs, 51 RBI, 42 runs scored and one stolen base on the season. Right now there does not appear to be concern that this is a serious injury, but you can expect Mazara to miss at least a game or two to allow his hamstring to feel better.
J.T. Realmuto (C-MIA)
The Marlins traded away all of their star players except for Realmuto has emerged as one of the best offensive catchers in the league. He missed Monday’s game after he had a ball fouled off of his wrist on Sunday but it does not appear that he will miss much more time than that. Miami will obviously want to be careful with Realmuto who is batting .308 with ten home runs, 32 RBI, 38 runs scored and one stolen base. Bryan Holaday played in place of Realmuto who should be back on Tuesday or Wednesday.
Travis Shaw (3B-MIL)
Shaw was removed from Sunday’s game after re-injuring his right wrist but as of now the Brewers don’t think he will need to be placed on the disabled list. Milwaukee was off on Monday so the extra day of rest could do him well. The concern is that this was a re-aggravation of the injury so clearly there was not enough time given to allow the problem to subside. Shaw is a solid fantasy third baseman batting .242 with 14 home runs, 47 RBI and 39 runs scored. Hernán Pérez will likely fill in for Shaw if he does miss any more time.
Arodys Vizcaíno (RP-ATL)
The Braves will face a challenge over the next week or two as their closer, Arodys Vizcaíno , has been placed on the disabled list due to inflammation in his right shoulder. The roster move is retroactive to June 18 so he could technically be activated by the weekend. The prevailing thought is that he won’t be ready by then so relievers such as A.J. Minter and Dan Winkler are in the mix to get save opportunities in Vizcaino’s absence. Both have pitched well this year and are options to target on the waiver wire. Vizcaino has been solid as a second tier closer with a 1.82 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 15 saves thus far. Stash him if you have the roster flexibility because the Braves are proving they will be in the pennant race down the stretch.
Dylan Bundy (SP-BAL)
Here is another example of why the designated hitter will eventually be introduced into the National League. Bundy injured his ankle when he was running the bases against the Braves and now his status for his next start is in jeopardy. Bundy had that one awful performance against Kansas City earlier in the year, but besides that he has been a serviceable fantasy option going 6-7 with a 3.75 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 108 strikeouts in 96 innings. Check back over the next day or two for a further update on his status and whether he lands on the disabled list.
Daniel Mengden (SP-OAK)
Mustache Mengden was taken out of his last start on Saturday with a sprained right foot. He was scheduled for an MRI on Monday so we will know more about his status once the results are disclosed. Mengden has had flashes of brilliance this year but his overall numbers are nothing to write home about. He is 6-6 with a 4.47 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 55 strikeouts in 90.2 innings making it an easy decision to set him free if he does indeed land on the disabled list.
Clay Buchholz (SP-ARZ)
Buchholz has enjoyed a renaissance of his career in Arizona through seven starts as he is 2-1 with a 2.56 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 31 strikeouts. Unfortunately, the injury bug cannot escape him as he has been placed on the disabled list with a left oblique strain. He sustained the injury on Sunday against Philadelphia and will be shut down for several days. Oblique strains are tricky and usually require extended amounts of time to heal, so there is a good chance Buchholz will be out for at least a few weeks.