RADIO
We are now two full months into the 2021 season. Most MLB teams have played at least 60 games, or the equivalent to last year’s shortened season. Most in the sports medicine field did expect there to be an uptick in injuries this year especially because of the broken/unusual offseason the players had, the stopping and going from last year and the return to the daily grind of this year’s 162-game schedule.
Baseball has seen the rate of injury continue to rise over the past few years. In fantasy, if someone is not in the medical field, it is hard to gauge how long a player will be out and whether they need to be replaced in a lineup. Sometimes this could mean playing a dead roster spot and losing the opportunity to have a full week of stats. Watching a play and watching the mechanism of injury can say a lot about the type of injury that has been sustained.
We continue to see a barrage of injuries in the majors, with an emphasis on soft tissue injuries. These injuries include oblique, groin, hamstring, and back injuries. Not all of the injuries are the same for each player and should be treated and evaluated on a case-by-case basis. They should not all be lumped together. Key words to listen for while getting updates on these injuries include what grade the strain is to determine how severe it is. That is the best way to help evaluate how long that player will be out for.
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Injury Stints +/- from 2020-2021
Here is a look at how some of the top injuries compare this year to last year.
Thank you to Spotrac.com for these numbers.
| Injury Type | 2021 | 2020 | +/- |
| UCL (TJS) | 30 | 17 | 56% |
| Shoulder | 66 | 59 | 11% |
| Elbow | 37 | 47 | -22% |
| Arm | 39 | 39 | 0% |
| Hamstring | 55 | 28 | 100% |
| Back | 23 | 31 | -26% |
| Knee | 20 | 18 | 10% |
| Finger | 19 | 19 | 0% |
| Calf | 16 | 6 | 266% |
| Quad | 9 | 10 | -10% |
| Neck | 7 | 4 | 57% |
| Oblique | 25 | 19 | 25% |
| Groin | 24 | 17 | 30% |
| COVID | 90 | 109 | -18% |
This chart is basically telling us, using actual figures, what we have already assumed. Joint injuries such as elbows, knees, and wrist have been pretty much in line with last year. But muscle injuries such as calf, hamstring, groin, quad, and oblique have been up this year. This may be due to the “different” season and off-season most players experienced this year due to COVID-19.
Speaking of COVID, thanks to in large part vaccinations and league/team policy, players who have gone through COVID/Covid protocols are down almost 20%. Hopefully, the MLB training staff for each team understands this and tries to help the players avoid further muscle sprain and strain-type injures.
Injured Players - New Listings
Adbert Alzolay- (SP, CHC)- Finger- Alzolay was placed on the IL with a blister on his right middle finger. Blisters are tricky because if they are not given time to heal properly, it could end up being an issue that could pop up again. Kohl Stewart could fill in for the Cubs.
Travis Shaw- (3B, MIL)- Shoulder- Shaw was placed on the IL with a dislocated left shoulder. This occurred while diving in the field. More will be known about how long he will be out after further testing is done to see if surgery is necessary. Reliever Patrick Weigel was called up. Daniel Robertson, Pablo Reyes and Jace Peterson could see more playing time for the Brewers.
Sonny Gray- (SP, CIN)- Groin- Gray was placed on the IL with a right groin strain. Gray will miss at least two starts due to this injury. Severity is not fully known yet. Riley O'Brien is expected to fill Gray's spot until he's ready to return for the Reds.
Alex Dickerson- (OF, SF)- Back- Dickerson was placed on the IL with an upper back strain. Giants manager Gabe Kapler is optimistic that he won't require a long stint on the IL. Severity, however, is not yet known. Mike Tauchman and Austin Slater could fill in for the Giants.
Ian Kennedy- (RP, TEX)- Hamstring- Kennedy was placed on the IL with a mild left hamstring strain retroactive to June 6. The timeline for return is not yet known as severity is not yet known. Josh Sborz could close for Rangers until Kennedy is able to return.
Garrett Cooper- (1B, MIA)- Back- The Marlins placed Cooper on IL with a lumbar strain. Cooper had been dealing with back stiffness heading into last weekend before playing this past Monday. His earliest possible return date is June 18. Lewin Diaz was called up.
Nick Madrigal- (2B, CHW)- Madrigal tore the proximal aspect tear of his right hamstring and is now on the 60-day IL. He will miss at least two months and surgery has not been ruled out yet. If surgery is needed, his season may be over. Danny Mendick and Leury Garcia should see increased time at second base going forward and Brian Goodwin was called up.
Injured Players - Updates
Stephen Strasburg- (SP, WAS)- Neck- Strasburg was placed on the IL with a neck strain. Strasburg has not yet resumed throwing but has been doing lower-body workouts only. Nationals manager Dave Martinez said he wants the nerve irritation to subside before he resumes throwing. Thereis no timeline for his return yet. Eric Fedde should be activated off of the IL over the weekend to help the Nationals starting rotation.
Ramon Laureano- (OF, OAK)- Groin- Laureano was placed on the IL with a right groin strain. Laureano anticipates going on a rehab assignment to build up his stamina. He has already participated in full workouts and batting practice. He could be activated some time next week barring any setbacks.
Jack Flaherty- (SP, STL)- Oblique- Flaherty was placed on the IL with a "significant" oblique injury. Flaherty's left oblique strain is expected to keep him out through the All-Star break.
Kyle Lewis- (OF, SEA)- Knee- Lewis was placed on the IL with a meniscus tear in his right knee. A tear usually will need arthroscopic surgery and a four to five-week recovery period. Lewis went for a second opinion for his knee. Manager Scott Servais remains "optimistic" that Lewis will return to action at some point this season.
Lorenzo Cain- (OF, MIL)- Hamstring- Cain was placed on the IL with a strained right hamstring. Cain will return no sooner than the beginning of July. Tyrone Taylor will continue to fill in for the Brewers.
Michael Kopech- (RP, CHW)- Hamstring- Kopech has been placed on the IL with a strained left hamstring, retroactive to May 28. Kopech will resume throwing bullpen sessions and likely throw a simulated game in the coming days. He was still dealing with discomfort earlier in the week.
Corey Seager- (SS, LAD)- Hand- Seager is currently on the IL after fracturing the fifth metacarpal on his right hand. This is known as a Boxer's fracture. Seager was wearing a cast and is wearing a splint. Dodger manager Dave Roberts said that an early July return for Seager is a "totally fair" timeline. Gavin Lux and Chris Taylor will continue to fill in for him for the Dodgers.
Mike Moustakas- (2B, CIN)-Heel- Moustakas was placed on the IL with a right heel contusion. According to manager David Bell, Moustakas should be able to start a rehab assginment this coming week.
Kenta Maeda- (SP, MIN)- Groin- Maeda is on the IL with a groin strain. Maeda completed his first rehab game this past week and could be activated to join the Twins rotation this week if the Twins want to have him on a pitch count in MLB games as opposed to another rehab start.
Didi Gregorius- (SS, PHI)-Elbow- Gregorius was placed on the IL with a right elbow impingement. Gregorius began a rehab assignment this past Wednesday and could be ready to be activated early next week.
George Springer- (OF, TOR)- Quad- Springer was placed on the IL with a right quadriceps strain. He had a similar injury while rehabbing his earlier oblique injury. He is currently "very close" to a rehab assignment.
Dylan Moore- (2B, SEA)- Calf- Moore was placed on the IL with a left calf strain. He is currently on a rehab assignment and could be back next week barring any setbacks.
Kolten Wong- (2B, MIL)- Oblique- Wong is currently on the IL with a left oblique strain. Brewers manager Craig Counsell said Wong is expected to return from the IL before the end of June, or around June 25.
Trent Grisham- (OF, SD)- Heel- Grisham is on the IL with a left foot/heel contusion. Grisham began a rehab assignment on Thursday in El Paso, Texas. The Padres are in New York over the weekend and they start a series on Monday in Colorado. There is a chance he could be activated by then.
Zac Gallen- (SP, ARI)- Elbow- Gallen is on the IL with a right elbow UCL strain. Gallen threw a thirty-two pitch simulated game on Monday and is scheduled for another bullpen session. Assuming all goes well, Gallen will throw in another simulated game over this weekend with a possible return by the end of June.
Lance McCullers Jr.- (SP, HOU)- Shoulder- McCullers was placed on the IL with a sore right shoulder. McCullers is scheduled to go about four innings or 65 pitches when he makes his next rehab start. If all goes well and no further rehab is thought to be necessary, Tuesday could be the earliest he is activated.
Luke Voit- (1B, NYY)- Oblique- Voit was placed on the IL this week with a grade two oblique strain. Manager Aaron Boone had said that Voit is expected to possibly begin a rehab assignment over this weekend.
Luis Arraez- (2B, MIN)- Shoulder- Arraez was placed on the IL with a right shoulder strain. Severity is not known but he is expected to begin a rehab assignment in the coming days. Until then, Jorge Polanco will continue to get more playing time for the Twins.
Harrison Bader- (OF, STL)- Rib- Bader was placed on the IL with a right rib hairline fracture. He injured himself diving in the outfield. Manager Mike Shildt said that Bader is still resting and will be sidelined "a little bit longer than we anticipated." Bader has right rib hairline fracture and has been taking part in light baseball activities, but Shildt said Bader has been unable to "get over the hump" in his recovery. Bader is already eligible to be activated, but he should be out for at least another two weeks.
Miguel Rojas- (SS, MIA)- Finger- Rojas dislocated his finger and had it put back into place by the training staff. An X-Ray revealed that he is also dealing with a small fracture. There is no timetable yet for his return, but he did participate in batting practice this past Thursday.
Trevor Rosenthal- (RP, OAK)- Shoulder- Rosenthal is on the IL and had thoracic outlet surgery in April. Rosenthal is participating in a strength program, but is yet to resume throwing. Rosenthal was described as "rapidly progressing" through the strength program by manager Bob Melvin. A mid-August return is the tentative timetable for activation.
Nick Senzel- (2B, CIN)- Knee- Senzel is on the IL following left knee surgery. Reds manager David Bell said that he anticipates Senzel could return from the IL in mid-July.
Jeff McNeil- (2B, NYM)- Hamstring- McNeil is on the IL with a left hamstring strain. Mets manager Luis Rojas said that McNeil is on track to begin his rehab assignment some point over the weekend. “He’s been progressing in every aspect, in every area from doing his ground balls, from doing his high-speed running, swinging the bat.” Michael Conforto, who is also dealing with a hamstring injury and on the IL, is said to be about one week behind McNeil in the recovery phase from his injury.
Noah Syndergaard- (SP, NYM)- Elbow- Syndergaard is recovering from Tommy John surgery performed last year. Syndergaard was shut down from throwing for six weeks on May 27 after an MRI revealed inflammation, but no structural damage. He will need to again build his arm strength up. Mets president Sandy Alderson said this week that September 1 is a potential return date for Syndergaard.
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