The curse of the first half of the first round continues as Juan Soto and Mike Trout make appearances on this week’s injury roundup. Luckily for fantasy managers, neither of those two injuries are thought to be serious. Hyun-Jin Ryu and Trea Turner are other big names to get hurt this week. On the flip side, most of the Astros have returned to action after their COVID outbreak, and so have Ronald Acuna Jr., Kyle Lewis, and Ozzie Albies.
Injured Players: Alex Verdugo, Mike Moustakas, Jonathan India, Jake Odorizzi, Corey Knebel, Zach McKinstry, Mike Trout, Brian Anderson, Miguel Sano, Jean Segura, Tommy Pham, Dinelson Lamet, Yadier Molina, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Juan Soto, Trea Turner,
Potential Beneficiaries: Christian Arroyo, Marwin Gonzalez, Kyle Farmer, Alex Blandino, Kent Emanuel, David Price, Luke Raley, Scott Schebler, Jon Berti, Jose Devers, Willians Astudillo, Brad Miller, Jurickson Profar, Ryan Weathers, Yadiel Hernandez, Jordy Mercer.
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Injury Roundup
Alex Verdugo (OF – BOS)
Alex Verdugo (hamstring) tweaked his hamstring on Saturday and was out of the lineup on Sunday. He’s considered day-to-day and expects to be out until Wednesday. Managers will need an early week replacement on deck in case he misses time. Kike Hernandez would cover Verdugo in Center Field, with Christian Arroyo coming in off the bench to cover the keystone.
Mike Moustakas (3B – CIN)
Mike Moustakas (illness) is on the IL with a non-COVID illness and expects to miss the minimum amount of time. He’ll be eligible to return on Tuesday, April 27th. Kyle Farmer has been filling in at third for Moustakas while he’s out.
Jonathan India (2B – CIN)
Jonathan India (head) got hit in the head by a pitch on Sunday. He’s passed concussion protocol and should be considered day-to-day. Alex Blandino or Kyle Farmer could fill in if India misses time.
Jake Odorizzi (P – HOU)
Jake Odorizzi (forearm) had to leave Saturday’s start early because of tightness in his forearm. It’s never good when a pitcher experiences a tight forearm because it’s usually an indication of something more serious. Odorizzi went for further testing, but the results are not publicly available yet. He’s likely to miss some time which could mean more starts for Kent Emanuel, who came on after Odorizzi on Saturday and pitched eight and two-thirds innings.
Corey Knebel (RP – LAD)
Corey Knebel (lat) expects to miss a lot of time after being removed from Friday’s game with a lat injury. He’s going the rest and rehab route and won’t need surgery. Manager Dave Roberts said it could take him months before he returns. The injury will open a high-leverage role in the Dodgers bullpen, and David Price could be the guy to benefit.
Zach McKinstry (2B/OF – LAD)
Zach McKinstry (oblique) hit the IL on Thursday. He has an oblique strain which usually takes at least four weeks to recover. It looks like Luke Raley will be the first man up to take McKinstry’s spot in the lineup.
Mike Trout – (OF – LAA)
Mike Trout (elbow) has been out of the lineup since Thursday when he was hit on the elbow by Christian Javier. Manager Joe Madden said Trout won’t require a trip to the IL and is just day-to-day. Scott Schebler is playing Center Field with Trout out, but managers should expect Trout’s return imminently. Update: Trout is in the lineup for Monday’s matchup against the Texas Rangers.
Brian Anderson (3B – MIA)
Brian Anderson (oblique) went to the IL on Thursday. Anderson’s injury makes room for speedster Jon Berti to get everyday at-bats. Oblique injuries tend to linger, so this is an excellent opportunity for speed-needy teams to see what Berti can do for them. The Marlins also recalled Jose Devers for his Major League debut, but the young infielder has no experience above Single-A, so he’s just someone to watch for now.
Miguel Sano (1B – MIN)
Miguel Sano (hamstring) left early on Tuesday with a tight hamstring and later went on the IL. The average amount of missed time for a hamstring injury in MLB is approximately fourteen days. While Sano is out, Willians Astudillo has been playing first base for the Twins.
Jean Segura (SS – PHI)
Jean Segura (quad) injured himself last Tuesday, and the Phillies placed him on the IL later in the week. Brad Miller, who was good last season for the Cardinals, will replace Segura in the lineup. Segura’s recovery time can be anywhere from two weeks to two months, depending on the severity of the strain. Miller’s worth a look in deeper leagues.
Tommy Pham (OF – SD)
Tommy Pham (calf) has been struggling at the plate, and now he’s battling a calf injury after leaving Sunday’s game early. Managers will need to follow this situation closely because the Padres haven’t released any details about Pham’s injury. Managers will also need to have a plan B ready in case Pham misses time. Jurickson Profar will probably cover left field while Pham is out.
Dinelson Lamet (SP – SD)
Dinelson Lamet (forearm) left Wednesday’s start early, and the Padres sent him to the IL on Thursday. Lamet has a long history of arm injuries, and managers who drafted him knew that. Lamet scheduled an MRI initially, but then Lamet canceled the MRI, and manager Jayce Tingler said that he was feeling better. It’s unclear exactly what the problem is, but forearm tightness is never good. Managers will need to monitor this situation to get a clearer picture of when Lamet might return. Ryan Weathers will take his spot in the rotation until he’s healthy.
Yadier Molina (C – STL)
Yadier Molina (foot) left Friday’s game because of soreness in his right foot. He went for further testing, and the test results came back clean, so Molina is considered day-to-day, and his return is imminent.
Hyun-Jin Ryu (SP – TOR)
Hyun-Jin Ryu (glute) suffered a minor glute strain and had to leave early on Sunday. Fortunately for fantasy managers, the injury appears insignificant, and Ryu expects to be ready for his next start.
Juan Soto – (OF – WSN)
Juan Soto (shoulder) was placed on the IL Tuesday after an MRI revealed a strain in his shoulder. Manager Dave Martinez said the injury is not severe, and Soto expects to miss close to the minimum, which would place his return around April 30th. Yadiel Hernandez is playing Right Field in Soto’s absence.
Trea Turner (SS – WSN)
Trea Turner (forearm) left Sunday’s game early after being hit by a pitch. X-rays were negative, and the speedy shortstop is considered day-to-day. Jordy Mercer took over for Turner after the injury.
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Lucas Babits-Feinerman is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Lucas, check out his archive and follow him @WSonFirst.
