It’s week 16 of the Fantasy Baseball season and one of the most exciting for Waiver Wire warriors because the trade deadline is this Saturday. So make sure you stay active on the wire, especially if you need saves. There were several significant injuries this week, but we’re also getting to the point in the season where the guys who were injured long-term early on are getting healthy. Aaron Judge, Corey Seager, Alex Bregman, Carlos Carrasco, and Chris Sale are close to their returns.

Players Injured: Josh Rojas, Trevor Rogers, Alek Manoah, Danny Duffy, Garrett Cooper, Nick Castellanos, Brandon Crawford, Mike Trout, Mookie Betts

Potential Benefactors: Josh VanMeter, Ross Detwiler, John Curtiss, Braxton Garrett, Jordan Holloway, Thomas Hatch, Daniel Lynch, Magneuris Sierra, Lewis Brinson, Aristides Aquino, Thairo Estrada, Billy McKinney

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Injury Roundup

Josh Rojas (2B – ARI)

Josh Rojas (finger) dislocated his pinkie finger, sliding headfirst into second base on Wednesday. It looked as if he might avoid the IL when the Diamondbacks left him on the active roster for a couple of days after the injury but ultimately, he couldn’t play through the injury. As a result, the D’Backs expect a short stay for Rojas on the IL with Josh VanMeter filling in at Second Base.

Trevor Rogers (SP – MIA)

Trevor Rogers (back) is in the midst of a brilliant rookie season with a 2.37 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP in 106 and 1/3 innings. He pitched well in his start on Tuesday, but the Marlins have been tapering his innings to limit his workload, and now he’s on the IL with a mysterious back injury. There’s no timeline for his return, and the exact nature of the damage is unknown – it’s being labeled as back spasms right now, which usually requires a short stint on the IL. The Marlins are in dire straits right now; only Sandy Alcantara and Zach Thompson are healthy in their starting rotation. They’ve been using bullpen games and giving starts to guys like Ross Detwiler, John Curtiss, Braxton Garrett, and Jordan Holloway.

Alek Manoah (SP – TOR)

Alek Manoah (back) went on the IL retroactive to July 16th with a back contusion. Unfortunately, it’s an off-the-field injury for Manoah, who hurt himself falling down the stairs. Fortunately, it’s not severe, and he will not miss much more than the minimum. Thomas Hatch is filling in while Manoah is out.

Danny Duffy (SP – KC)

Danny Duffy (forearm) is back on the IL with a flexor strain. He missed a considerable amount of time earlier this season with the same injury. There’s no timeline for his return but judging from the last time, this is a medium to long-term IL stint. He’s also a candidate to be traded ahead of Saturday’s deadline. Daniel Lynch is going to replace Duffy in the rotation.

Garrett Cooper (OF – MIA)

Garrett Cooper (elbow) suffered an arm injury when Travis Jankowski collided at first base on a bang-bang play. He is scheduled for an MRI today, and the results will help inform a timeline for his return. Unfortunately, Cooper’s injury happened amid a hot streak slashing .351/.490/.622 in July. Magneuris Sierra is in the starting lineup with Cooper out. Lewis Brinson will also pick up extra at-bats.

Nick Castellanos (OF – CIN)

Nick Castellanos (wrist) has a microfracture in his wrist and will miss at least a couple of weeks. He suffered a hit by a pitch on July 16th, went for X-rays, and then tried to play through the discomfort until a CT scan showed a microfracture. Sometimes hand and wrist injuries can sap a player’s power after returning; hopefully, that’s not the case with Castellanos, who is having a great season with a .965 OPS. The Reds will use Aristides Aquino in Right Field with Castellanos out.

Brandon Crawford (SS – SF)

Brandon Crawford (oblique) tweaked his side a week ago on Sunday, and the Giants put him on the IL the next day with an oblique strain. They expect him back in 10-14 days, but usually, Oblique strains take a little longer than that to recover. On the other hand, Crawford’s having the best season of his career, so hopefully, the injury doesn’t take the wind out of his sails. Thairo Estrada is playing shortstop with Crawford out.

Mike Trout (OF – LAA)

Mike Trout (calf) suffered a setback this week. He had been progressing in his rehab and was close to returning, but after ramping up his running, he felt pain and will go to a doctor on Monday. The Angels say it’s a minor setback, but we’ll see what happens after he sees the doctor.

Mookie Betts (OF – LAD)

Mookie Betts (hip) went on the IL with a nagging hip injury. The Dodgers waited as long as they could, hopeful that Betts would be able to play through the pain, but finally, they made a move to put him on the IL. It’s not a severe injury; he should be back soon. Newly acquired, Billy McKinney is in the starting lineup with Betts out.

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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.