This article is part of our Fantasy Baseball Injury Report series.
The Dodgers shortstop joins an ever-growing list of MLB players to miss time after suffering an injury due to being hit by a pitch. So far this season Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, Trea Turner and Seager's teammate Mookie Betts have all missed at least one game after getting struck by the ball while batting. Former Rotowire contributor Will Carroll and Baseball Prospectus' Derek Rhoads confirmed that players who have been HBP have noticeably increased to start the season. Carroll continues to lead the charge that these injuries are largely preventable if the players would simply opt to wear the appropriate protective equipment. Unfortunately, in the case of Seager, the impact of the ball left him with a fractured fifth metacarpal.
The metacarpal bones form the majority of the hand, connecting the carpal bones of the wrist and the long bones that make up the fingers. The distal ends of the metacarpals form the knuckles of the hand, best seen when making a fist. As a result, the metacarpals are vulnerable to injury especially following a direct blow or axial load. Braves pitcher Huascar Ynoa may have best displayed this fact when he broke a bone in his hand by punching a dugout bench. Ynoa is expected to miss at least six weeks recovering.
Seager's injury involves his fifth metacarpal, the bone located below the pinkie finger. The fifth metacarpal is more mobile than the metacarpals located below the pointer and middle fingers, allowing for the pinkie to
The Dodgers shortstop joins an ever-growing list of MLB players to miss time after suffering an injury due to being hit by a pitch. So far this season Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, Trea Turner and Seager's teammate Mookie Betts have all missed at least one game after getting struck by the ball while batting. Former Rotowire contributor Will Carroll and Baseball Prospectus' Derek Rhoads confirmed that players who have been HBP have noticeably increased to start the season. Carroll continues to lead the charge that these injuries are largely preventable if the players would simply opt to wear the appropriate protective equipment. Unfortunately, in the case of Seager, the impact of the ball left him with a fractured fifth metacarpal.
The metacarpal bones form the majority of the hand, connecting the carpal bones of the wrist and the long bones that make up the fingers. The distal ends of the metacarpals form the knuckles of the hand, best seen when making a fist. As a result, the metacarpals are vulnerable to injury especially following a direct blow or axial load. Braves pitcher Huascar Ynoa may have best displayed this fact when he broke a bone in his hand by punching a dugout bench. Ynoa is expected to miss at least six weeks recovering.
Seager's injury involves his fifth metacarpal, the bone located below the pinkie finger. The fifth metacarpal is more mobile than the metacarpals located below the pointer and middle fingers, allowing for the pinkie to have greater mobility and assist with gripping. Unfortunately, this characteristic can delay the healing process.
On the plus side, the Dodgers have revealed that surgery will not be necessary to fix Seager's fracture. This suggests the broken bone remains aligned, making it a nondisplaced fracture. Seager is wearing a splint and will simply have to wait until the bone tissue heals. Those invested in the World Series MVP should anticipate his recovery to fall in a four- to six-week window.
Check Swings
Ronald Acuna: The hard-hitting Braves slugger missed a pair of games with an ankle sprain before returning as a pinch hitter on Sunday. Acuna was hurt running through first base when his left ankle stuck in the ground and was forced into inversion, the classic mechanism of injury for a lateral ankle sprain. Fortunately, it appears as though the sprain was mild and Acuna returned to the starting lineup Monday. He could receive routine days off as the ankle continues to heal but he remains a must start in all formats.
Cody Bellinger: Seager's injury isn't the only bone-related problem the Dodgers are dealing with, as Bellinger continues to work his way back from a broken fibula. Fortunately, he is progressing nicely and appears close to beginning a rehab assignment.
Adalberto Mondesi: Speaking of rehab assignments, I was lucky enough to attend Mondesi's first rehab game with Double-A Northwest Arkansas on Thursday. He looked fluid while batting and flashed his usual speed on the base path. Mondesi wants to continue getting reps from both sides of the plate as he works his way back from an oblique strain. It's important for him to test the muscle group with each swing, as the obliques are stressed in different ways depending on the direction of the swing. Mondesi will join Triple-A Omaha to complete the final phase of his rehab assignment and should be back with the Royals soon.
Giancarlo Stanton: The Yankees slugger lasted 37 games before suffering his first noteworthy injury of the 2021 season. Stanton has been sent to the IL after straining his left quadriceps. A definitive timeline has not been provided, but Stanton does have a history of missing extended stretches of time with lower extremity strains, including a left hamstring strain last year that sidelined him for 37 days. Based on this discouraging precedent, I wouldn't expect this situation to resolve itself quickly.
Aaron Hicks: Stanton isn't the only Yankees slugger out, as Hicks is sidelined indefinitely with a wrist injury. Hicks has torn the sheath surrounding one of the tendons in his wrist. Tendon sheaths surround the rope-like connective tissue and help make movement easier and aid in stability. If torn, the tendon can become inflamed and functional movement can become difficult. The Yankees will continue to evaluate all possible treatment options, but surgery has been mentioned as a possibility. Look for Hicks to miss multiple weeks recovering and a minimum of six weeks if he ends up in the operating room.
Michael Conforto and Jeff McNeil: The Mets will send a pair of hitters to the IL with hamstring strains. The injuries for both players were initially described as hamstring tightness but later changed to strains following in-depth evaluations. Look for both players to miss at least two weeks recovering.
Stephen Strasburg: The Nationals will welcome back Strasburg later in the week after he completed his rehab assignment with Triple-A Rochester on Sunday. He gave up two hits and two walks while striking out six before reaching his pitch limit in his final appearance. Strasburg has not pitched since April 13 due to inflammation in his right shoulder. He has progressed nicely and should be utilized as he normally would in all formats. Strasburg remains a high-risk, high-reward pitching option.
Christian Yelich: The former MVP has progressed much quicker through his recovery than initially expected and has looked sharp while playing for Triple-A Nashville. His balky back has held up and he has been able to play in consecutive games. He has yet to collect a hit in five at-bats but has moved well defensively. Hopefully, Yelich has addressed the root of his issue and will be able to return to the big-league club soon. Scale back your expectations initially as he works off any rust, but fantasy managers will be happy to have back in action.
Bryce Harper, J.T. Realmuto and Didi Gregorius: One of my biggest pet peeves regarding injury information is when teams report signs and symptoms like actual diagnoses. Terms like spasms, soreness, tightness or swelling are not actual injuries, but an indication of an underlying injury. Unfortunately, Philadelphia pulled off the trifecta over the weekend, listing three key contributors as out with soreness or tightness. Harper was limited by shoulder soreness, while Realmuto could not play due to wrist soreness. Gregorius has not played since May 15 with swelling and tightness in his elbow. The information doesn't provide much insight to each player's ailment, so patience remains the lone option for fantasy managers. All three are listed as day-to-day, though IL stints could be necessary. Hopefully more details will emerge in the coming days to allow those invested in the trio the opportunity to make informed roster decisions.
