Memorial Day weekend is now in the rear-view mirror as we head towards summer. While barbecues and beer are fun, learning about injuries to some of your key fantasy players can sure be a buzzkill. It was a rough weekend with injuries to some impact players, so once again GMs will have to get creative in order to compensate for some of these losses.So, without further ado, here is the next edition of the fantasy baseball emergency room.
Mookie Betts (OF-BOS)
Betts has arguably been the best player in the league all season as he has compiled a .359 batting average along with 17 home runs, 37 RBI, 52 runs scored and 13 stolen bases. His value has been off the charts so any time he misses a game it is a huge deal. Betts was scratched from Sunday’s game with tightness in his left side and also sat out of Monday’s game against Toronto. Right now he is considered day-to-day and the hope is that he will be back in the lineup on Tuesday or Wednesday. It does not appear that he will need a stint on the disabled list so just be patient and ride this out.
Ronald Acuna (OF-ATL)
The Braves have been one of the biggest surprises thus far thanks in large part to the emergence of several of their young stars. Ronald Acuna has not disappointed since he made his big league debut batting .265 with five home runs, 13 RBI, 19 runs scored and two stolen bases. Unfortunately, he was placed on the disabled list with a sprained ACL as well as a contusion on his lower back. He should not need much more than the requisite ten days before he returns as he already reported feeling significantly better. Keep him stashed for the next week and a half and then reap the benefits once he comes back in early June.
Josh Donaldson (3B-TOR)
It has been a rough couple years for Donaldson who seemingly is injured every other week. He missed some time earlier this season and is now dealing with a calf injury which forced him out of Monday’s game against Boston. Donaldson has struggled thus far batting only .234 with five home runs, 16 RBI, 22 runs scored and two stolen bases. He is playing for a contract so expect him to pick things up once he is healthy again. He will likely miss another game but should be back on the field in the middle of the week.
Madison Bumgarner (SP-SF)
Bumgarner’s 2018 debut could be just days away as it is possible the Giants activate him to start this Friday as opposed to making his next rehab start on Thursday. He was dominant in his first rehab start striking out eight batters without allowing a hit in less than four innings. He will be on a pitch count once he comes back but he will be a huge boost for fantasy GMs plugging him back into the starting rotation.
Yu Darvish (SP-CHC)
The disappointing start to the 2018 season continues for Darvish as he is back on the disabled list with a triceps injury. He is scheduled to undergo an MRI on Tuesday so we should know more about his prognosis later in the week. Darvish has been limited to eight starts and is 1-3 with a 4.95 ERA, 1.43 WHIP and 49 strikeouts. Keep him stashed on your bench or a DL slot but be prepared to be without him for an extended period of time.
Rhys Hoskins (OF-PHI)
Hoskins burst onto the scene at the end of 2017 and was expected to be a major fantasy contributor for the upstart Phillies. However, he has struggled to a .229 batting average with only six home runs, 28 RBI, 27 runs scored and three stolen bases. He sustained a huge cut on his lip on Monday after he fouled a ball off which ended up striking him in the mouth. There was a lot of blood but Hoskins appeared to avoid any type of serious injury. He shouldn’t miss much time, if any, so plan on having him in your lineup hoping to burst out of his season-long malaise.
Franchy Cordero (OF-SD)
Padres rookie Franchy Cordero has been placed on the disabled list with a strained right forearm. He has apparently been dealing with this for a while and now will be given the opportunity to rest and recover. It isn’t know yet if he will need more than ten days, but you can expect San Diego will be cautious and conservative with their young slugger who is batting .237 with seven home runs, 19 RBI, 14 runs scored and five stolen bases since he was called up to the big leagues. Hunter Renfroe has been called back up and Wil Myers is expected back in the next couple weeks as well.
Brian McCann (C-HOU)
The Astros have placed veteran catcher Brian McCann on the disabled list due to soreness in his right knee. He has struggled mightily at the plate and has seen his batting average shrink to .219 to go along with his four home runs, 14 RBI and 15 runs scored. He has slumped badly of late and now Max Stassi will get a chance to play regularly while McCann is out. Stassi has hit well this year and is a viable replacement in most fantasy leagues.
Wilmer Flores (1B-NYM)
The Mets injury woes continued as they have now lost Wilmer Flores to the disabled list. He is suffering from soreness in his lower back and will be further evaluated this week. Flores has gotten a little more playing time of late with all the other injuries the Mets have endured, but he is still not a viable fantasy option despite playing all over the diamond. He was batting .248 with three home runs, 13 RBI and 11 runs scored which is not enough to warrant ownership except in very deep or NL-only leagues.
Andrew Miller (RP-CLE)
Miller just came off the disabled list on May 11 and has been ineffective since returning. However, he is now heading back to the DL with inflammation in his right knee which could be a reason for his struggles. The usually dominant reliever has a 1-3 record with a disappointing 4.40 ERA and 1.60 WHIP in 14.1 innings. He could be out longer than two weeks so be prepared for an extended absence.
Adam Ottavino (RP-COL)
Ottavino has been as dominant as a relief pitcher can possibly be with a 3-0 record along with a microscopic 0.95 ERA, 0.64 WHIP and 45 strikeouts in 28.1 innings. He is now on the disabled list due to a strained left oblique which could mean he will be out for several weeks. Ottavino has been very valuable for fantasy GMs with these incredible peripheral statistics. As valuable as he has been, you may not have the roster flexibility to stash him so don’t hesitate to make a transaction if need be.
By: Michael A. Stein (@FantasyJudgment)