Fantasy Baseball Injuries - Week 8: Blake Snell, Shohei Ohtani, & More
UPDATED: 5/17 @ 10:31am
The fantasy baseball landscape is still marred by injuries to fantasy superstars, but fortunately, we should have avoided any major injury to Shohei Ohtani. On the other hand, Kenta Maeda, Dansby Swanson, and Michael Conforto weren’t as lucky, as all three were recently placed on the injured list.
We’ll also touch on some MLB injury updates to starters Blake Snell, Kodai Senga, and Max Scherzer in this week’s MLB injury report. As you get ready to set your fantasy baseball lineups for the week ahead, be sure to check out the fantasy baseball injuries 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 Report: Starting Pitchers
Blake Snell, San Francisco Giants - Adductor
UPDATED 5/16: Snell figures to make one more rehab start, and if all goes well, he should return to the big league club by end of next week.
Snell continues to work his way back to big league action, and he made his first rehab start on Sunday. He struck out seven batters across four shutout innings, and he threw 46 pitches in that outing. Expect another rehab outing towards the back half of this week.
Kodai Senga, New York Mets - Shoulder
Senga is still working his way back, and it sounds like the team will continue to be very cautious with him. While the next step could be coming soon, things could change at the drop of a hat.
Max Scherzer, Texas Rangers - Thumb
The thumb issue has popped up recently for Scherzer, and at this point, that is the impediment in Scherzer’s return to Texas’ rotation. Scherzer alluded to the thumb soreness being related to a nerve issue, which doesn’t sound all that positive if you ask me. His progress has been halted with no definitive timetable.
Grayson Rodriguez, Baltimore Orioles - Shoulder
Rodriguez last pitched for the Orioles on April 29th, but the hope is that his return to the rotation won’t be too long after his eligible return date of May 15th (Wednesday). The young right-hander reported no issues following a 30-pitch bullpen on Sunday, so that’s a step in the right direction.
Ryan Pepiot, Tampa Bay Rays - Leg
I’m no doctor, but I’d expect Pepiot to be ready to go upon being eligible to return from the injured list. He reported no issues after a recent bullpen, and a leg contusion shouldn’t be a problem by the time he’s ready to come off the IL.
Kenta Maeda, Detroit Tigers - Illness
A viral illness has gone around the clubhouse in Detroit, but it hit Maeda particularly hard. Chills, aches, fever, etc.
Garrett Whitlock, Boston Red Sox - Oblique
UPDATED 5/16: Expect Whitlock back in the big league rotation at some point next week when the Red Sox take on the Rays in Tampa.
Whitlock will be making a rehab start on Wednesday of this week, setting up a potential return to the big-league rotation as early as the beginning of next week. The team could opt to send him for a second start, which still likely puts him back in the big-league rotation by the end of next week.
Taijuan Walker, Philadelphia Phillies - Foot
ADDED 5/16: Walker took a line drive off his foot and exited his Thursday start earlier. More info should be made available in the coming days.
Nick Lodolo, Cincinnati Reds - Groin
ADDED 5/16: Just one thing after another for Lodolo, who hits the IL this time with a groin strain. After his 2024 season got off to a late start, Lodolo had posted a 3.34 ERA and 0.94 WHIP across six starts.
Joe Musgrove, San Diego Padres, Elbow
ADDED 5/16: It sounds like Musgrove should be rejoining the big league rotation at some point by the end of this week or at the very beginning of next. Per FanGraphs, Musgrove will toe the rubber on Sunday the 19th.
Fantasy Baseball Injury Report: Relief Pitchers
Adbert Alzolay, Chicago Cubs - Forearm
ADDED 5/16: Alzolay was placed on the injured list earlier in the week with a forearm strain. Alzolay has four saves with a 4.67 ERA and 1.44 WHIP on the season. Hector Neris will receive the majority of the saves while Alzolay is on the shelf.
Fantasy Baseball Injury Report: Hitters
Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers - Back
UPDATED 5/16: Ohtani is fine. No worries!
Ohtani reported some back tightness that caused him to leave the game early on Saturday, before getting the day off on Sunday. The team expects him to be in there today, but even if they decide to hold him out another day or two, I wouldn’t consider this to be a serious injury.
Austin Riley, Atlanta Braves - Side
UPDATED 5/16: The MRI didn't reveal anything significant with Riley, which is good. However, the inflammation is still present, as he hasn't played since May 12.
Riley was removed from Sunday’s game with left side tightness and given the quirky nature of side/oblique/rib issues, unless he’s not in a lot of pain, I’d expect him to sit the first few days this week. An IL stint could be likely, but more information should be made available today or early this week clarifying the severity of this injury.
Jung Hoo Lee, San Francisco Giants - Shoulder
ADDED 5/16: Turns out to be a bit worse than just a strain for Lee. He'll hit the injured list with what is being called a dislocated left shoulder. Expect him to miss a good bit of time.
Lee exited Sunday’s game after a rather tough collision with the center field wall (video below). It’s reportedly a shoulder strain for the outfielder, who missed time in the middle of last week with a foot issue. Consider him day-to-day for the time being.
Michael Conforto, San Francisco Giants - Hamstring
Conforto hit the injured list with his hamstring injury. Prior to hitting the IL, Conforto was hitting .280 with seven home runs and 20 RBI through 38 games.
Brandon Nimmo, New York Mets - Intercostal
UPDATE 5/17: Nimmo's intercostal doesn't seem to be much of an issue, but an illness got in the way mid-week. Nimmo is hitting just .136 with. a. 409 SLG over his last seven games.
It sounds like the team made the call on Nimmo’s status after he hurt his side. He may miss a game or two in the beginning of this week, or be limited to pinch-hitting duty, but I doubt Nimmo hits the IL.
TJ Friedl, Cincinnati Reds - Thumb/Hand
UPDATED 5/16: Well, it wasn't just a contusion. Turns out it was a broken thumb, and he's back on the injured list. The 2024 season has not been friendly to Friedl to say the least.
After fracturing his wrist in spring training, Friedl made his season debut earlier in the week, and then took a pitch to his hand. Fortunately, it’s just a thumb contusion for Friedl, so he shouldn’t be expected to miss much time. Consider him day-to-day.
J.T. Realmuto (Knee) & Kyle Schwarber (Back), Philadelphia Phillies
UPDATED 5/16: Realmuto returned to the lineup on May 15th, and Schwarber returned on May 13th.
Both of these guys missed Sunday’s game due to their respective issues, but neither player is expected to be dealing with a serious injury. It’s worth noting that Schwarber also missed Saturday’s game, but again, neither should be thought of as overly serious.
Dansby Swanson, Chicago Cubs - Knee
A right knee sprain will send Swanson to the injured list, and with the placement being retroactive to Wednesday, May 8th, the earliest he can return would be Saturday, May 18th. Manager Craig Counsell mentioned when placing Swanson on the IL that he wasn’t getting better, and it was potentially getting worse; that gives me a little bit of pause about a return on the 18th for Swanson.
Nico Hoerner, Chicago Cubs - Hamstring
ADDED 5/16: Hoerner has been held out of the lineup the past couple of days with some hamstring tightness, but the plan is to have him in the lineup on Friday.
Rhys Hoskins, Milwaukee Brewers - Hamstring
ADDED 5/16: Hoskins was placed on the IL earlier in the week with a hamstring strain and is expected to miss anywhere between two weeks and one month.
Luis Rengifo, Los Angeles Angels - Illness
ADDED 5/16: Rengifo had been battling a viral infection, but the plan is for him to return to the lineup on Friday. Rengifo last played on May 3, and across 91 ABs this year, Rengifo posted a .330/.378/.840 line with two home runs and nine stolen bases.
Jason Heyward, Los Angeles Dodgers - Back
ADDED 5/17: Heyward has struggled during his minor league rehab assignment, but his activation could be coming here very soon. Today (Friday) is the earliest potential activation date, but if that doesn't come Friday, it shouldn't be long after.
Player News
Xander Bogaerts went 2-for-4 with a home run, three RBI, and two runs scored in the Padres’ 7-4 win over the Giants on Tuesday.
Bogaerts put the Padres on the board early with a base hit in the first to score Manny Machado from second base before coming around to score on a hit by Jose Iglesias. Bogaerts later extended the lead with a two-run blast off Randy Rodríguez in the seventh for his first home run of the season. The 32-year-old shortstop is hitting .253/.342/.364 with 13 runs scored, eight RBI, and four steals over 114 plate appearances.
Willy Adames went 2-for-4 with a home run and two runs scored against the Padres on Tuesday.
Adames led off the fourth inning with a solo homer off Nick Pivetta to put the Giants on the board. He later led off the sixth with a double and scored on a base hit by Jung Hoo Lee. It was one of Adames’ better days at the plate as he had just five total extra-base hits on the season before adding two on Tuesday. The 29-year-old shortstop is slashing .212/.286/.305 with two homers, 16 runs scored, and 15 RBI across 133 plate appearances.
Robert Suarez pitched a clean ninth inning to earn the save against the Giants on Tuesday.
Suarez was summoned with a three-run lead in the ninth to close it out against the Giants. He needed just six pitches to shut the door for his 11th save of the season. The 34-year-old right-hander has posted a 0.69 ERA, 0.54 WHIP, and a 14/2 K/BB ratio across 13 innings.
Nick Pivetta allowed three runs with nine strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings in a win over the Giants on Tuesday.
Pivetta tossed three quiet innings before Willy Adames took him deep for a solo homer in the fourth inning. He gave up two hits to start the sixth that would bring in a run. Pivetta would be relieved with one out and one runner on. The inherited runner would eventually come in to score. He struck out nine. The 32-year-old right-hander will take an excellent 1.78 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, and a 39/8 K/BB ratio across 35 1/3 innings into a start against the Pirates in Pittsburgh on Sunday.
Logan Webb allowed five runs with six strikeouts over five innings in a loss against the Padres on Tuesday.
Webb was a victim of some bad in this one. After two quick outs to start the game, the Padres brought three runs in to score on four hits and a walk in the first inning. Three more hits would plate two more runs in the fourth. Only two of the nine hits had an exit velocity over 88 mph, so Webb wasn’t giving up much hard contact. He’d end his day after five innings with six strikeouts. The 28-year-old right-hander will take a strong 2.83 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, and a 50/11 K/BB ratio across 41 1/3 innings into a start against the Rockies in San Francisco on Sunday.
Jorge Polanco went 2-for-3 with two home runs and five RBI to lead the Mariners to a 5-3 win over the Angels on Tuesday.
Polanco is on an incredible tear at the plate. He took Jack Kockanowicz deep for a three-run homer in the second inning. He was then robbed of a home run at the wall in the fifth before going deep for a second time with a two-run blast in the seventh. It was the second two-homer game for Polanco in the last four days. The 31-year-old is hitting .389/.423/.819 with nine homers and 25 RBI across 79 plate appearances.