The second half of the MLB season has officially begun as we start the stretch run towards the playoffs. It was a chaotic first half with several devastating injuries to impact players, but some of those players have returned or are on pace to be back in the near future. The trade deadline in many leagues is on the horizon so now is the time to be creative and aggressive in pursuing upgrades as well as depth to your roster. So, without further ado, let’s delve into the next edition of the fantasy baseball emergency room.

Day to Day

Nolan Arenado (3B-COL) – Fantasy GMs held their collective breaths when Arenado slipped rounding first base during Friday’s loss to the Mets. He got up and appeared in some pain holding his hip, so the Rockies took him out of the game which was a blowout anyway. The injury does not appear serious as Colorado was likely just being cautious and conservative in a game that was lost anyway. Arenado is one of the top fantasy players in the league so any games he misses will have a severe impact. He should be back in the lineup on Saturday but check for updates in case there is more to this than initially reported.

Ian Kinsler (2B-DET) – The Tigers held Kinsler out of the lineup on Friday due to the flu. He has had a disappointing season thus far batting only .240 with nine home runs and 23 RBI, so his absence from the lineup doesn’t have too much of an impact. That being said, he is a solid veteran player with a proven track record at a scarce position so plan on plugging him back in the lineup over the weekend when the flu symptoms subside.

Stephen Piscotty (OF-STL) – The Cardinals outfield has been like Swiss cheese all season with several holes at all times. Piscotty suffered a groin strain on Friday and could be heading back to the disabled list. He has been a disappointment this year much like most of the Cardinals as he only has six home runs and 31 RBI. He is not worth rostering at this point so feel free to drop him and scour the waiver wire for an upgrade.

Aaron Altherr (OF-PHI)Altherr was taken out of Friday’s game with a leg injury after running out a double. He has been the Phillies best hitter with 14 home runs and 44 RBI. Altherr likely isn’t on many fantasy rosters in standard leagues, but his numbers warrant ownership despite being on a terrible team without any protection in the lineup. The nature and extent of his injury is unknown at this point so check back for further updates over the weekend.

On the DL

Jason Kipnis (2B-CLE)Kipnis began the season injured and is at it again landing on the disabled list with a hamstring injury. He will likely miss up to four weeks so plan on being without him until August. He has had a dreadful season thus far batting only .232 with eight home runs and 26 RBI. Despite his poor statistics, you should still stash him if you have the roster space because he is capable of being one of the better offensive second basemen in the league.

Lonnie Chisenhall (OF-CLE)Chisenhall has landed on the disabled list with a right calf injury. The roster move was made retroactive to July 10 after he had been taken out of last Sunday’s game when he sustained the injury. He had been on fire before the All-Star break and was a must-start after raising his batting average to .305 to go along with 12 home runs and 51 RBI. Cleveland’s offense has been clicking so he can’t get back into the lineup soon enough. Look for Tyler Naquin and Brandon Guyer to see most of the at bats in Chisenhall’s absence which will hopefully not be much longer then the requisite ten days.

Michael Pineda (SP-NYY) – Bad news for Pineda as he has been diagnosed with a partially torn UCL in his right elbow and Tommy John surgery has been recommended. Pineda will get a second opinion so it isn’t a sure thing whether surgery will happen. However, the prospects for him are bleak given this initial diagnosis so his fantasy value is all but shot for the rest of the season. If Pineda does undergo surgery, it would likely derail him until 2019 at this point. He is set to hit free agency after the season so the injury could not have happened at a worse time for him. Despite his eight wins and solid strikeout numbers, he has been wildly inconsistent and offers very little with ERA and WHIP. Minor leaguer Chance Adams could get the call to take his place and should be snatched off the waiver wire immediately if he is called up.

Joe Ross (SP-WAS) – The Ross Brothers seem to have trouble staying healthy, and this time it is Joe going on the disabled list. He was removed early from his last start before the All-Star break with what appeared to be a triceps injury. The Nationals have since reported that Ross underwent an MRI on his right elbow but we don’t know what it revealed just yet. Either way, it is likely that Ross will be out for an extended period of time so you should not hesitate to drop him if you need the roster flexibility. Ross has been very inconsistent this season pitching a few gems in between mostly stinkers. This fluctuation in his starts has led to an unbearable 5.01 ERA and 1.47 WHIP.

Hunter Renfroe (OF-SD) – The Padres placed Renfroe on the disabled list with a neck injury he sustained last weekend before the All-Star break. The roster move is retroactive to July 9 and he is expected back when eligible to return. Renfroe has shown good power this season with 16 home runs but he also has shown a lack of discipline with 95 strikeouts in the first half of the season. His home run totals make him a viable option in deep leagues but he does not provide much else besides that.

Randal Grichuk (OF-STL)Grichuk has been abysmal thus far and finds himself on the disabled list with a strain of his lower back. St. Louis has had a myriad of health issues in their outfield and they have recalled Jose Martinez again in the corresponding roster move. Grichuk was hitting only .215 with nine home runs and 30 RBI (including five RBI in one game a few weeks ago). He also has struck out 74 times in 223 at bats which is an awful ratio, so there is no need to hold onto him except in deep NL-only leagues.

On the Mend

Ian Desmond (1B-COL) Desmond has been on the disabled list the past couple weeks with a calf injury and is expected to be back in the lineup on Saturday. He missed the first month of the season with a fractured hand and hasn’t really caught fire since making his debut for the Rockies. He is still a very productive fantasy player with a .283 batting average along with five home runs, 26 RBI, 31 runs scored and ten stolen bases. His eligibility at multiple positions makes him even more valuable down the stretch of the season, so he will provide a boost for GMs once he is back.  

David Dahl (OF-COL) – Dahl has been on the disabled list all season with a rib injury but finally appears to be heading towards his season debut. He is in the middle of a rehab assignment and could be recalled soon barring any setbacks. Most Rockies batters have fantasy value with the advantage of playing home games at Coors Field, but Dahl has even more upside after his productive rookie campaign in 2016. Grab him now if he is still available on the waiver wire because he will slide right into a deep and potent Colorado lineup once activated.

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