This article is part of our Fantasy Baseball Injury Report series.
The Chicago Cubs
Javier Baez will be sidelined indefinitely with a hairline fracture of his left thumb. The 26-year-old shortstop injured the digit on a slide on September 1 and missed four straight games before an MRI was performed revealing the extent of the injury. Fractures are often given classifications based on the manner in which they occur and the pattern of the resulting damage. The various types of fractures include spiral, greenstick, oblique and many other unique patterns. While the hairline designation indicates the fracture was tiny, the subsequent treatment plan will likely dictate how long Baez sits. If the fracture resulted in any type of displacement, season-ending surgery could be warranted. The Cubs have sent their All-Star to a hand specialist and should make a decision based on their findings in the near future. Fantasy owners would be wise to fear the worst and have a long-term fill-in readily available.
Addison Russell would normally be the automatic replacement for Baez, though he too is managing an injury. The Cubs infielder was hurt Sunday when a stray fastball from Milwaukee pitcher Adrian Houser struck him in the face. He initially stayed in the contest but eventually left with what was diagnosed as a nasal contusion. Russell was also being monitored from concussion-related symptoms. He did travel with the team to San Diego, but Chicago's decision to promote prospect Nico Hoerner could be an indicator they expect Russell to miss some time.
To add to their injury woes, Cubs third
