Baseball is back as we head towards the first weekend of the season.  It has been an exciting Week 1 in fantasy baseball despite pitching continuing to dominant offense (except for Adrian Gonzalez).  But as expected, injuries are already wreaking havoc on your lineup and you need to be prepared to make adjustments and utilize your free agent budget wisely.  So without further adieu, here is the next installment of the walking wounded.

Michael Brantley (OF-CLE)

Brantley was scratched from Wednesday’s game with back stiffness and was also held out of the lineup on Thursday.  The injury doesn’t appear to be serious as Cleveland expects him back in the lineup on Friday.  Even still, this is frustrating for fantasy GM’s who likely drafted Brantley in the second or third round and are relying upon his five-category production.  Right now there is no need to panic, but keep an eye on this situation because it is an injury that could re-surface later on during the season.

Brandon Belt (1B-SF)

An MRI revealed that Belt has a mild groin strain and he was held out of the lineup again on Thursday.  Belt was a strong candidate to have a breakout season, but it cannot be denied at this point that he is an injury risk.  At only 26-years old, there is plenty of time for him to blossom into a consistent fantasy player.  But he has suffered from far too many injuries over his short career to be trusted as a starting first baseman on your roster.  At this point it is unknown whether he can avoid the DL, but you can at least expect him to miss a few games.

Ian Kennedy (SP-SD)

Kennedy was forced out of his first start of the season on Thursday with a hamstring strain.  This is not good news for fantasy owners because we all know how hamstring injuries play out.  We don’t have enough information at this moment to know what the prognosis is, but you should consider adding Odrisamer Despaigne who would be Kennedy’s replacement in the Padres’ rotation if he lands on the disabled list.

Matt Cain (SP-SF)

The once durable and dependable Matt Cain is now a major question mark after being placed on the disabled list with a right flexor tendon strain.  He had an injury-marred 2014 season which ended with surgery, but fantasy GM’s were hopeful that he would bounce back and provide some late round value.  There is no time table for when he may return but he is not worth even stashing on your DL unless you have unlimited spots.

Joe Nathan (RP-DET)

It didn’t take long for the closer carousel to start spinning in Detroit.  Veteran Joe Nathan recorded a save on Opening Day but paid a price as he experienced discomfort in his arm which has been diagnosed as a right flexor strain in his elbow.  Nathan was placed on the disabled list which means Joakim Soria immediately becomes a waiver wire target.  The Tigers’ bullpen has been a mess over the past several years, so don’t be surprised if Soria falters and we see other pitchers get opportunities in the ninth inning down the road.

Jenrry Mejia (RP-NYM)

Mejia experienced pain in his elbow while warming up for the save opportunity on Opening Day.  He was placed on the disabled list with posterior inflammation in his right elbow but does not appear to have any structural damage.  There is good reason to be skeptical and expect the worst when it comes to Mets pitchers and conservative prognoses.  Mejia will likely miss several weeks, so Jeurys Familia will be the new closer at least until Bobby Parnell returns. 

John Jaso (C-TB)

Jaso is dealing with a wrist injury which will likely land him on the disabled list.  While he is by no means a fantasy stud, he does provide value because he is pretty much a full-time designated hitter who qualifies at catcher.  He is more valuable in leagues that count on base percentage, but you could certainly do worse if you waited until the end of your draft and landed him as your catcher.

Michael A. Stein, Esq. is the Chief Justice of Fantasy Judgment, the industry's premier dispute resolution service, and is also the co-host of the Fantasy Alarm podcast. You can contact him at michael.stein@fantasyjudgment.com or on Facebook and Twitter (@FantasyJudgment),