UPDATED 5/9 @ 9:46pm ET

In the Fantasy Baseball Injury Report here at Fantasy Alarm, each week has typically seen more injuries to notable pitchers, but this week, we actually have a lot of hitters going to the injured list or battling some ailments. 

On the mound, while Joe Musgrove and Nathan Eovaldi are two of the more recent arms to hit the injured list, fantasy managers will welcome back Walker Buehler and Justin Steele from their respective injuries. 

Offensively, heralded rookie Wyatt Langford is expected to miss the next 3-4 weeks, while superstar infielder Trea Turner is out for the next month and a half. As you get ready to set your fantasy baseball lineups for the week ahead, be sure to check out the fantasy baseball injury report below, as well as Howard Bender’s article on the top fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups. 

Later this week, Matt Selz and I will break down some more waiver wire pickups and weekend streamers on Caught Stealing, so tune in there, too!

Without further ado, let’s dive into this week’s fantasy baseball injury report!

 

Fantasy Baseball Injury Updates - Starting Pitchers

Walker Buehler, Los Angeles Dodgers - Elbow

The wait is over. Buehler will start on Monday against the Miami Marlins in what will be his first start at the major league level since June of 2022.

Justin Steele, Chicago Cubs - Hamstring

Like Buehler, albeit a drastically different timeline, the wait is over for Steele. The Chicago southpaw will toe the rubber on Monday for the first time since injuring his hamstring on March 28.

Joe Musgrove, San Diego Padres - Elbow

Musgrove’s has had a rough start to the 2024 season, and now a bout of elbow inflammation will now send him to the injured list. Manager Mike Shildt talks about Musgrove a bit in the embedded tweet below, and it sounds like it may not be too lengthy of a stint on the injured list.

Nathan Eovaldi, Texas Rangers - Groin

The veteran right-hander left his last start earlier due to groin tightness, and the issue is impacting him enough that he was placed on the injured list. The team is still evaluating the severity of it, and Eovaldi is heading to New York to see a specialist.

George Kirby, Seattle Mariners - Knee

Kirby is battling a knee issue, and while it isn’t considered serious, the team still sent him for an MRI. His next start is scheduled for Wednesday against the Twins.

Cristian Javier, Houston Astros - Neck

UPDATED 5/9: Seems like Javier will take the ball this weekend (likely Saturday) agaist Detroit.

Fantasy baseball managers should have Javier back for this scoring period, as it’s expected that he’ll toe the rubber at some point this week. He made a start on Saturday, May 4, meaning that five days rest likely means his start will come later in the week.

Nick Pivetta, Boston Red Sox - Elbow

While not yet confirmed, there appears to be growing belief that Pivetta will return from his stint on the injured list and face the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday, May 8.

Dane Dunning, Texas Rangers - Shoulder

ADDED 5/9: Dunning has a rotator cuff strain and was placed on the IL in the middle of the week. The Rangers are starting to look like the Rays with their star-studded rotation currently on the IL. Dunning had a 4.10 ERA and 1.15 WHIP through his first seven starts of the season.

Edward Cabrera, Miami Marlins - Shoulder

ADDED 5/9: Cabrera's 2024 season was delayed due to a shoulder issue, and it's popped back up for the young righty. He hasn't been able to harness the command like he did in spring, and expect the team to be a bit cautious with his arm/shoulder.

Jesus Luzardo, Miami Marlins - Elbow

ADDED 5/9: HE'S BACK! Luzardo is expected to return to the Marlins rotation this weekend for a start against the white hot Philadelphia Phillies.

Ryan Pepiot, Tampa Bay Rays - Leg

ADDED 5/9: Pepiot was hit by a liner and it will send him to the injured list. His stay on the injured list shouldn't exceed much past the minimum 15 days.

 

Fantasy Baseball Injury Updates - Relief Pitchers

Evan Phillips, Los Angeles Dodgers - Hamstring

“Fortunately it’s about as mild as it could get.” Sounds like Phillips may not miss more than the minimum time required. During Phillips’ absence, I’d expect the Dodgers to go with a closer by committee approach, including Daniel Hudson, Joe Kelly, and Alex Vesia.

Fantasy Baseball Injury Updates - Hitters

Trea Turner, Philadelphia Phillies, Hamstring

Turner hit the injured list with a strained hamstring and the expectation is that he’ll miss six weeks, meaning fantasy managers will be without his services until the middle of June. Turner had been on a roll of late, hitting .379 with a .500 SLG in the 15 games prior to this injury.

Ryan Pressly, Houston Astros - Back

ADDED 5/9: Pressly hasn't pitched since May 3 due to some back soreness, but it doesn't seem serious enough to send him to the injured list. Sounds like the team is going to be extra cautious now, in hopes of avoiding having to send him to the IL.

Wyatt Langford, Texas Rangers - Hamstring

Langford hits the injured list, and the team expects him to miss the next three to four weeks. It’s been a tough start for Langford, who has slashed just .224/.295/.588 with one home run and one stolen base across his first 116 ABs

Jake Burger, Miami Marlins - Intercostal

Fantasy managers should be getting Burger back some time this week, most likely in the beginning of the week. Burger last played on April 14th, and the Marlins desperately need his bat back in the lineup.

Cody Bellinger, Chicago Cubs - Ribs

Bellinger has been ramping up his workload of late, as he progressed to running the bases. A return this week seems a bit quick for Bellinger, but it shouldn’t be too much longer until Chicago welcomes his presence back into its lineup.

 

Seiya Suzuki, Chicago Cubs - Oblique

Much like Bellinger, a return for Suzuki should be on the precipice. Suzuki is reportedly a bit behind Bellinger in their respective rehab programs, but there’s optimism that a return is near for the slugger.

Steven Kwan, Cleveland Guardians - Hamstring

After exiting Saturday’s game earlier with hamstring tightness, Kwan hits the injured list, and the team has promoted prospect Kyle Manzardo to the big league club. More information regarding a potential timetable for Kwan should be made available in the coming days.

Brandon Lowe, Tampa Bay Rays - Oblique

Lowe will head out on a rehab assignment early this week, and seeing as he hasn’t played since April 7th, he’ll need at least a handful of at-bats before the team recalls him to the big league club.

Josh Lowe, Tampa Bay Rays - Hamstring/Oblique

It’s been an injury-plagued start of the season for Lowe, but if he can stay healthy, he should be joining the big league club soon. Over his last four rehab games, he’s hitting .286 with two home runs and six RBI. The strikeouts are a bit elevated, which isn’t ideal, but Tampa Bay could use his bat in the lineup.

 

Logan O’Hoppe, Los Angeles Angels - Hand

O’Hoppe doesn’t expect to miss much time with a hand contusion he suffered over the weekend. As a former catcher, I feel his pain here, and it’s no fun whatsoever.

Masataka Yoshida, Boston Red Sox - Hand/Thumb

UPDATED 5/9: The hope is that Yoshida can avoid surgery, but no substantial update at this juncture.

What was first called a “jammed hand” has now become a thumb strain, and specifics regarding his injury have yet to be made available. He’s seeking additional opinions to determine whether or not he’ll need surgery, but fantasy managers should be prepared to be without him at least for the next few weeks at least.

TJ Friedl, Cincinnati Reds - Wrist

UPDATED 5/9: Friedl is back with the club. He made his season debut on May 7.

Friedl’s rehab assignment could be coming to an end, and he should rejoin the big league club at some point this week. While he didn’t tear the cover off the ball during his rehab stint (.250/.333/.771), he should immediately return as a regular atop the Cincinnati lineup.

Byron Buxton, Minnesota Twins - Knee

Some knee inflammation will send Buxton to a place that he’s unfortunately all too familiar with… The injured list. He last played for the Twins on May 1.

Jorge Soler, San Francisco Giants - Shoulder

ADDED 5/9: Soler hits the injured list with a shoulder strain. He hasn't played since injuring the shoulder on May 4.

Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Cincinnati Reds - Hand

ADDED 5/9: Encarnacion-Strand took a mid-90s heater right to his right hand, and he was placed on the injured list. His stint there is expected to be far longer than the minimum required time, as it's been reported he's expected to miss up to month and a half.

Willson Contreras, St. Louis Cardinals - Forearm

ADDED 5/9: Contreras' injury was quite hard to watch, especially as a former catcher. He's expected to be out six to eight weeks, and Ivan Herrera should be the team's primary backstop while Contreras is sidelined.