This article is part of our Fantasy Baseball Injury Report series.
The Nationals catcher saw his massive home run surge finally come to an end, but it wasn't in the way many suspected. Schwarber suffered a "significant" hamstring strain Friday while rounding first base. Imaging performed on the area determined the severity of the damage, and Washington anticipates he will miss a considerable amount of time.
My colleague and long-time friend of Rotowire, Will Carroll, recently highlighted the serious problem the MLB is facing with lower-extremity strains, particularly hamstring strains. Will called the problem "an absolute crisis," and noted the league is facing the "largest increase in injuries during the documented era." The list of players to suffer hamstring problems seems to grow every week. In the past seven days, Schwarber and Arizona pitcher Zac Gallen added their names to an ever-growing list that already includes David Price, Javier Baez, Byron Buxton, Michael Brantley, Cody Bellinger, Ketel Marte, Anthony Rendon and Carlos Carrasco.
And it's not just baseball that is having issues. Anyone who's played fantasy basketball or watched the NBA postseason is well aware of the injury woes that have plagued that league as well. Soft tissue injuries were a problem there, too, particularly as the season progressed. The NFL and multiple soccer leagues, including the Premier League, have also faced mounting injury concerns.
Determining the exact root of the rising rates is problematic. Player health and injury trends are rarely linear and usually the result of multiple variables at play.
The Nationals catcher saw his massive home run surge finally come to an end, but it wasn't in the way many suspected. Schwarber suffered a "significant" hamstring strain Friday while rounding first base. Imaging performed on the area determined the severity of the damage, and Washington anticipates he will miss a considerable amount of time.
My colleague and long-time friend of Rotowire, Will Carroll, recently highlighted the serious problem the MLB is facing with lower-extremity strains, particularly hamstring strains. Will called the problem "an absolute crisis," and noted the league is facing the "largest increase in injuries during the documented era." The list of players to suffer hamstring problems seems to grow every week. In the past seven days, Schwarber and Arizona pitcher Zac Gallen added their names to an ever-growing list that already includes David Price, Javier Baez, Byron Buxton, Michael Brantley, Cody Bellinger, Ketel Marte, Anthony Rendon and Carlos Carrasco.
And it's not just baseball that is having issues. Anyone who's played fantasy basketball or watched the NBA postseason is well aware of the injury woes that have plagued that league as well. Soft tissue injuries were a problem there, too, particularly as the season progressed. The NFL and multiple soccer leagues, including the Premier League, have also faced mounting injury concerns.
Determining the exact root of the rising rates is problematic. Player health and injury trends are rarely linear and usually the result of multiple variables at play. There is no denying the altered schedules in game play and training following the COVID-19 pandemic have influenced these issues, but no one is exactly sure to what degree. Hopefully as sports timelines begin to normalize, we will see these injury rates begin to stabilize, too. In the meantime, fantasy managers in all sports will simply have to be proactive in roster management and hope their players can avoid the injury bug that is infesting professional sports.
Check Swings
Corbin Burnes: The Brewers are optimistic Burnes will make his next start despite him leaving his most recent start prematurely. Burnes downplayed the issue and said he simply aggravated some lingering soreness in his knee. If continues to progress, look for him to take the mound Wednesday against the Mets.
Nelson Cruz: The 41-year-old slugger continues to rake but has been slowed in recent days by a stiff neck. He was a late scratch Sunday and was unable to play Monday. He consulted with a doctor Monday, as the stiffness is apparently linked to a persistent cough. Coughing is a surprisingly demanding action that requires forceful contraction of core and trunk muscles. Cruz should avoid the IL if the team can treat the source of the cough and help the neck stiffness to subside. Consider him day-to-day for now.
Zac Gallen: The aforementioned Gallen was placed on the 10-day IL with a low-grade hamstring strain. The team is calling it "very mild" and, with the All-Star break looming, hope he will only miss one start. Keep an eye on his progression during the time off to determine if he will return when the second half of the season resumes.
Yasmani Grandal: It appears the veteran catcher is bound for the IL after he aggravated a calf injury. The problem was originally called left calf tightness and cost him both games over the weekend. He returned to action Monday but hurt the area when attempting a check swing. The team is now calling the injury a calf strain, though the severity of the strain has yet to be determined. Unfortunately, it sounds like Chicago is anticipating a prolonged absence, as the team's season-long injury woes continue.
Buster Posey: It sounds like Posey avoided a major injury to his thumb after taking a ball off the digit in Sunday's game against the Diamondbacks. Further testing revealed all major structures are intact, and the team is calling the injury a left thumb contusion. Posey did not play Monday against St. Louis but isn't expected to miss a considerable amount of time.
Sixto Sanchez: The Miami right-hander will not pitch this season after it was determined he will need surgery on his problematic shoulder. He has endured an up-and-down recovery since being diagnosed with shoulder inflammation in early April. However, a recent MRI revealed a small tear in the posterior capsule of the shoulder that will require a trip to the operating room to fix. The shoulder capsule includes connective tissue, ligaments and tendons that stabilize the ball-and-socket joint of the shoulder. The shoulder capsule also connects with the labrum and has multiple attachment sites onto the shaft of the humerus. The team is optimistic he will be able to participate in spring training, but, given the rollercoaster ride he just withstood, it would be wise for managers to see how he progresses through the offseason before considering making a major investment.
Corey Seager: The Dodgers shifted Seager to the 60-day IL after he reported lingering soreness in his broken hand. The shortstop appeared to be close to a return from his fractured fifth metacarpal, but renewed pain and discomfort altered those plans. Despite the setback, the shift to the 60 day-IL should be viewed purely as procedural, given his current time lost. The other Los Angeles team recently made a similar move with Mike Trout and his strained calf. Look for Seager to now target a return after the All-Star Break.
Kyle Tucker: The Astros outfielder hopes to return to action Tuesday after back spasms forced him out of back-to-back outings. Tucker recently spent time on the IL with a stomach illness that caused him to lose 10 pounds, and the current problem could be linked to his still recovering body. He has struggled a bit at the plate since his return, hitting just .235 with just one extra base hit. Hopefully he can continue to make progress with some additional rest and rediscover the swing he flashed in the six weeks before he got sick. From May 1 to June 13, Tucker hit .324 with a .977 OPS while driving in 28 runs and hitting eight home runs.
Trea Turner: A finger injury put a bit of a damper on an extraordinary performance from Turner last week. The Nationals shortstop hit for the cycle, stole two bases, scored four run and drove in another in a 15-6 win over the Rays. However, he jammed his left middle finger in his final plate appearance and did not play in Washington's next five outings. Fortunately, Turner was able to return to action on Monday and showed no ill-effects of the injury, finishing 2-for-5 with a home run. The team could opt to give him the occasional day of rest if the symptoms persist, but it looks like he should be utilized as he normally would in all formats.
