Memorial Day weekend is officially here which marks the end of the “early” part of the baseball season.  It has been a rough couple weeks for fantasy GMs losing several key players to injury.  There was not a ton of activity over the past couple days, so GMs can relax just a little bit for now that no new crisis has been sprung on them in 48 hours.  Of course, that could all change by the next time we talk.  So, without further ado, here is the next edition of the fantasy baseball emergency room.

Gary Sánchez (C-NYY)

Yankees catcher Gary Sánchez had been taken out of Tuesday’s game due to cramps in his calf but appeared as a pinch hitter the next day.  This is good news for fantasy GMs as he should be back in the lineup for Friday’s game against the Angels.  Sanchez’s skills as a catcher are in question, but what is not debatable is his offensive prowess which makes him so valuable.  Sanchez has 12 home runs and 33 RBI already and should confidently be in your lineup on Friday.

Raisel Iglesias (RP-CIN)

It has been a miserable season for the Reds thus far, but one bright spot has been the continued emergence of Raisel Iglesias as an effective closer.  He is currently 0-1 with eight saves and a 2.08 ERA and 0.92 WHIP making him a solid RP2.  The Reds won’t win a lot of games this year, but he will save a majority of them making him a valuable fantasy asset.  Unfortunately, he was placed on the disabled list with a left biceps strain.  It had been over a week since he last pitched so it was evident something was wrong.  The injury is to his non-throwing arm which is good news, but he is still expected to miss a couple weeks at least.  Look for a combination of possible options to close games including Jared Hughes , Amir Garrett and David Hernandez .

Adam Eaton (OF-WAS)

Oft-injured Nationals outfielder Adam Eaton just recently had arthroscopic surgery on his left ankle and is already playing catch.  He has missed almost the entire season and is targeting a return for the end of June.  Eaton was batting .345 with two home runs, five RBI and ten runs scored before suffering the injury and would be a big boost to fantasy lineups when he does come back.  Keep him stashed and hope he can remain on the field once he is activated.

Josh Reddick (OF-HOU)

Reddick was placed on the disabled list due to a leg infection which caused a lot of soreness.  The roster move was retroactive to May 21 so he should be able to return immediately once eligible to be activated.  Reddick has slumped to a .227 batting average to go along with his six home runs, 18 RBI, 26 runs scored and one stolen base.  He is only a fantasy option in very deep leagues with four or five outfield spots.

Dustin Pedroia (2B-BOS)

Pedroia is finally set to make his season debut on Friday as he comes back from offseason knee surgery.  The gritty veteran leader of the Red Sox is expected to slide right back into where he belongs in Boston’s batting order and immediately becomes a viable middle infield option in fantasy leagues thanks to his propensity for a high batting average.  He may get some additional rest here and there at first, but you can expect Pedroia to fight his way into the lineup every day if possible.  Eduardo Núñez will cede second base duties over and now goes back to his super-utility role for Boston all over the diamond.

Mark Trumbo (OF-BAL)

Trumbo has missed the past two games with a knee injury and is in danger of landing back on the disabled list.  He has been limited to 81 at bats this year but has been productive with a .309 batting average along with two home runs, eight RBI and ten runs scored.  Craig Gentry replaced Trumbo on Thursday and could see additional playing time if a roster move is in fact made.  Trumbo provides solid power but has not proven he can stay on the field on a consistent basis.

Francisco Cervelli (C-PIT)

Cervelli has been a pleasant surprise this season batting .282 with seven home runs, 27 RBI and 17 runs scored.  He has been one of the most productive catchers in fantasy baseball which comes out of nowhere given his history of being more defensive-oriented.  He was taken out of Wednesday’s game against Cincinnati with some discomfort in his right hand and finger, and then was held out of Thursday’s game as well.  Cervelli has been dealing with this for a while so he will likely avoid a trip to the disabled list and just get some additional rest here and there to manage the pain.

Welington Castillo (C-CHW)

Castillo has been suspended for 80 games after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug and will be out until August.  He had been a viable fantasy option in two-catcher leagues batting .267 with six home runs, 15 RBI and 12 runs scored.  Now he can be dropped without hesitation and his replacement, Omar Narváez , should remain on the waiver wire as well.

Nathan Eovaldi (SP-TB)

It has been almost two years since we last saw Nathan Eovaldi pitch in the big leagues when he was with the Yankees in 2016.  He had gone 9-8 with a 4.76 ERA in 21 starts that season before suffering an elbow injury requiring Tommy John surgery.  He now joins a depleted Tampa Bay starting rotation and is scheduled to make his debut next Monday against Oakland.  He has always been a hard thrower but was never able to really put things together in his career.  He is worth taking a flyer on if you have flexibility on your roster and like his upside.