The only solace fantasy GMs can take from losing players to injury is the sense of relief when they return.  Losing key players to injuries can be quite difficult to navigate because there are few players on the waiver wire who can replace the statistics that are lost.  However, if GMs can tread water while those players are out then it becomes a huge boost when they are able to return. So without further ado, here is the next edition of the fantasy baseball emergency room.

 

Noah Syndergaard (SP-NYM)

The Mets placed Noah Syndergaard on the 10-day injured list with a strained right hamstring.  He was removed from his last start against the Cardinals and immediately underwent an MRI to determine the severity of the injury.  The good news is that it appears to be a minor strain and he is already scheduled to throw and do some exercises. It appears that he will only miss one start and could be activated immediately once he is eligible to return.  Thor has been an enigma this season going 5-4 with a 4.55 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 93 strikeouts in 95 innings over 15 starts. He should certainly be stashed while on the injured list but fantasy GMs have to be frustrated with his inconsistency and bloated ERA.  The Mets will likely turn to Wilmer Font to start in Thor’s place against the Cubs. That would be a great night to stack up on Cubs hitters in DFS.

 

Giancarlo Stanton (OF-NYY)

The Yankees continue to get reinforcements as slugger Giancarlo Stanton will be activated from the injured list in time for Tuesday’s game against Tampa Bay.  He has been out since April 1 with a variety of injuries but now he is ready to rejoin the team. He will see a lot of action in the outfield now that the Yankees have acquired Edwin Encarnación who will be the team’s primary designated hitter.  Stanton will provide a huge boost to GMs who have been stashing him for over two months. His prolific power being reinserted into lineups will be akin to a GM making a mid-season blockbuster trade.

 

George Springer (OF-HOU)

Fantasy GMs should be seeing the return of another star outfielder soon as George Springer took batting practice on Monday.  This is great news because it appears he is on the verge of starting a rehab assignment as he works his way back from a hamstring injury.  Springer has been out for almost a month which has cost fantasy GMs dearly as he is batting .308 with 17 home runs, 43 RBI, 41 runs scored and four stolen bases.  He could be back on the field by the end of June barring any setbacks.

 

Jose Altuve (2B-HOU)

Speaking of Astros coming back from injury, former MVP Jose Altuve could be in the lineup as early as Tuesday.  He has been playing in rehab games at Triple-A and appears ready to be activated after missing over a month with a hamstring injury.  He has also been battling issues with his knee that was previously operated on. Altuve is a must-start in any fantasy league but GMs should be aware that he may not steal as many bases as he normally does given all of these maladies with his legs.  Altuve is batting an uncharacteristic .243 thus far but we can expect that to change if he can stay healthy. He will be a welcome addition to fantasy lineups so long as he can avoid re-aggravating his hamstring and knee.

 

J.T. Realmuto (C-PHI)

The Phillies gave catcher J.T. Realmuto another day off on Monday as he is dealing with a groin issue.  He suffered the injury on Saturday and then has missed the past two games while Andrew Knapp started in his place.  Realmuto was a huge offseason acquisition by the Phillies and was expected to put up prolific statistics in their loaded lineup.  He is batting .277 with ten home runs, 36 RBI, 44 runs scored and three stolen bases. These are solid numbers but likely fall short of what fantasy GMs’ expectations were for 2019.

 

Byron Buxton (OF-MIN)

The Twins have been an offensive juggernaut all season and a big reason why is Byron Buxton ’s breakout season.  The phenom is batting .266 with nine home runs, 38 RBI, 40 runs scored and ten stolen bases. Fantasy GMs have been hearing about his five-category talent for years now, and we are finally seeing what he is capable of so far in 2019.  Buxton was hit by a pitch on his right wrist on Friday and has not played since then. X-rays were negative so he fortunately avoided any type of fracture. The good news is that he did hit in the batting cage on Monday so it would appear he should be ready to return any day now.  Buxton has become a must-start option thanks to his power and speed combination.

 

Kyle Hendricks (SP-CHC)

The Cubs have placed Kyle Hendricks on the 10-day injured list with inflammation in his right shoulder.  He has been very solid all season until his last start when he gave up five runs in less than five innings against the Dodgers.  This injury could explain those struggles as he saw his record fall to 7-5 with a 3.36 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 75 strikeouts in 88.1 innings over 14 starts.  We do not have a sense on how long Hendricks may be out yet, but it will likely be for several weeks given it is a shoulder injury. Fantasy GMs should try to stash Hendricks if possible, but he could become a roster casualty if you don’t have any available bench or IL slots.

 

Hunter Pence (OF-TEX)

Veteran outfielder Hunter Pence has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a right groin strain.  He suffered the injury attempting to catch a fly ball on Sunday and pulled up lame. At 36-years old, he has been experiencing a career renaissance batting .294 with 15 home runs, 48 RBI, 44 runs scored and three stolen bases.  It has been several years since Pence was a viable fantasy option but he has certainly re-established himself as a legitimate fantasy threat in his first few months in Texas. We do not know yet how long Pence may be out, so you should look for a replacement on the waiver wire and cut Pence if you don’t have roster flexibility.

 

Nomar Mazara (OF-TEX)

Mazara was removed from Saturday’s game against Cincinnati due to tightness in his right hamstring.  This was confirmed by an MRI on Monday and now Mazara is considered day-to-day. He has missed the past few games with the injury but Texas is not inclined to place him on the 10-day injured list just yet.  He will probably need at least a couple more days off, but the hope is that he will be back in the lineup later in the week. Mazara is batting .265 with nine home runs, 39 RBI, 39 runs scored and three stolen bases.  These are pedestrian numbers which is why he is available on the waiver wire in many standard 12-team mixed leagues.

 

Teoscar Hernández (OF-TOR)

The Blue Jays are in complete rebuild mode and Hernandez is a big part of that process given his power potential.  However, he has struggled mightily all season batting just .208 with only six home runs, 22 RBI, 18 runs scored and four stolen bases.  He was removed from Monday’s game against the Angels after he ran into the outfield wall and suffered a sprained left wrist. The good news is that x-rays came negative but we don’t know yet whether he will undergo an MRI to determine the extent of the injury.  Right now he should be considered day-to-day but a trip to the injured list could be in order if further testing reveals a serious sprain.

 

Jason Vargas (SP-NYM)

Mets starter Jason Vargas was taken out of his last start against St. Louis over the weekend with a cramp in his left calf.  The injury happened after he fouled a ball off his leg so he was removed as a precautionary measure. The Mets expect him to make his next start at the end of the week against the Cubs, which is not a good matchup for him.  Vargas has been much maligned since joining the Mets but he has pitched well of late raising his record to 3-3 with a 3.74 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 44 strikeouts in 55.1 innings over 11 starts.