The 2022 MLB regular season is underway and today's injury report is going to be fairly short since we've only had a few games since Opening Day. We had a lot of great baseball, including exciting young players, returning veterans, and several outstanding individual performances. However, luckily so far, we haven’t seen too many players go down with injuries. Of course, someone reading this has a team with two or three guys in this article on their team and they hate me right now. As we enter the first full week of the fantasy baseball season, let’s take a look at who is already on the sidelines.

 

 

 

 

 

Uh oh. Blake Snell was a late scratch from his start on Sunday with left adductor tightness. That is a muscle in your hip, and it is also the same injury that cost Snell the last start of his 2021 season. Not only is it a concern because it is an injury he has dealt with before, but he also has a fairly lengthy injury history. While we still don’t have a timetable for his return, reports are that Snell is likely headed to the injured list. This could open the door for the exciting MacKenzie Gore to get his chance in the Padres' rotation. 

 

 

 

The Pale Hose ace didn’t waste any time landing on the shelf after the Chicago opener. The White Sox ace threw four scoreless innings and then left the game with an issue with his abdominal muscle. Lucas Giolito is going on the 10-day injured list and it seems like there’s a chance that it goes beyond that. Giolito will now undergo further testing to determine the severity of the injury and a timetable for his return. It is a tough blow for a White Sox rotation that is already without Lance Lynn for the next month. 

 

 

 

One of the guys the Rangers paid this offseason, Jon Gray didn’t make it through his first start before being removed. A blister on the middle finger on his right hand ended his outing after just four innings against the Blue Jays on Friday. I am a little surprised, but Texas did put Gray on the 10-day injured list. Blister issues usually aren’t long-term injuries, and I wouldn’t expect Gray to miss more than two or three starts at the most. This isn’t too devastating of a blow to your fantasy rotation, and you likely could find a reasonably similar starter on the waiver wire in 12-team leagues. Check out Ray Kuhn’s Week 2 Waiver article here for some help.

 

 

 

There’s still a ways to go for the Astros hurler, but we will take any news we can get. Manager Dusty Baker said that Lance McCullers Jr. could start a throwing program as soon as this coming week. Assuming there are no setbacks, he would progress to bullpen sessions before a possible Minor League rehab assignment. McCullers is a guy that I avoided this draft season as I worried that this injury would linger most of the year – but even this little bit of good news is encouraging. This is certainly one we will be following in this article as news becomes available. 

 

 

 

Ian Happ had five hits in the first two games, but was removed in the seventh inning on Saturday after being hit on the knee. The good news is that X-rays came back negative, but Happ did miss Sunday’s game. There is no word of an MRI coming, and I would imagine that Sunday was more of a precautionary rest day than this being a long-term issue for Happ. Even if you are in a league with weekly roster moves, I would feel comfortable with using the Cubs outfielder for the upcoming matchup period. 

 

 

 

 

 

It is never a good thing to be injured before the year even starts, especially in a marathon like the MLB season. That could be why the Rays are sending Ryan Yarbrough to the Injured List with a minor groin injury. This really seems like a minor issue and a move that is being done in an abundance of caution. Stash Yarbrough if you can, as I would be surprised if he missed more than the required ten days. 

 

 

 

Another Chicago player who missed Sunday was South Sider A.J. Pollock. He left Saturday’s game with some tightness in his hamstring, so it was no surprise that he wasn’t in there yesterday. The team is off on Monday, so it remains to be seen how much time he misses. Pollock has said he believes it is a short-term issue, but the player always says that – and Pollock has a long history of injuries in his career. Even if this does turn out to be no big deal, Pollock is also going on the paternity list. While I am fairly confident about Happ getting back out there, I would look for a better option this week than Pollock. 

 

 

 

In his first start, Jordan Montgomery was hit in the left knee by a comebacker off the bat of Boston Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts. The good news is that X-rays came back negative and, while he has some swelling, it seems that Montgomery will be able to make his next start for the Yankees without issue. 

 

 

 

I know he isn’t exactly lighting the fantasy world on fire, but it's worth noting that Aníbal Sánchez might be missing his Monday start with a stiff neck. Sanchez is often a popular streamer because of his decent strikeout ability, especially when he could be a two-start pitcher this week. A lot of leagues combine this coming week with the first four days of the season, so it might not be as important in matchups this time around. Monday’s start is also against Atlanta, which isn’t the easiest matchup either. If he is able to go, though, Sanchez could have a decent week with two starts on the schedule.

 

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