This article is part of our Fantasy Baseball Injury Report series.
Biggio is looking at a prolonged absence after suffering a new injury during his recent rehab assignment. The 26-year-old was working his way back from neck and back injuries when he suffered a sprained ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his left elbow. The UCL is the ligament repaired in the infamous Tommy John surgery. While Biggio's injury has been classified as a Grade I sprain, even a low-grade injury involving the UCL may need a trip to the operating room. The team has halted his activity and is considering him week-to-week for now. The Blue Jays are likely to explore all non-operative approaches before considering surgery. However, based on the early estimates, it does seems likely Biggio is done for the year. If he does eventually go under the knife, his recovery will not be as lengthy as a pitcher's but still will require a prolonged rehab. Other positional players have undergone the surgery and returned to play at a high level including Corey Seager and Didi Gregorius. He's staring at a six- to eight-month recovery if surgery is warranted, meaning the issue could spill over into Spring Training.
The Phillies shifted Realmuto to first base after Rhys Hoskins suffered a season-ending abdominal injury. Unfortunately, he was unable to complete his first start at the new position after fouling a ball off his left ankle. The Phillies initially called the injury left ankle soreness, but it seems more likely a contusion. He did not play
Biggio is looking at a prolonged absence after suffering a new injury during his recent rehab assignment. The 26-year-old was working his way back from neck and back injuries when he suffered a sprained ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his left elbow. The UCL is the ligament repaired in the infamous Tommy John surgery. While Biggio's injury has been classified as a Grade I sprain, even a low-grade injury involving the UCL may need a trip to the operating room. The team has halted his activity and is considering him week-to-week for now. The Blue Jays are likely to explore all non-operative approaches before considering surgery. However, based on the early estimates, it does seems likely Biggio is done for the year. If he does eventually go under the knife, his recovery will not be as lengthy as a pitcher's but still will require a prolonged rehab. Other positional players have undergone the surgery and returned to play at a high level including Corey Seager and Didi Gregorius. He's staring at a six- to eight-month recovery if surgery is warranted, meaning the issue could spill over into Spring Training.
The Phillies shifted Realmuto to first base after Rhys Hoskins suffered a season-ending abdominal injury. Unfortunately, he was unable to complete his first start at the new position after fouling a ball off his left ankle. The Phillies initially called the injury left ankle soreness, but it seems more likely a contusion. He did not play Monday, though the team is optimistic he will back shortly.
Any type of extended absence by Realmuto would be particularly problematic for a Phillies team lacking depth at catcher. Andrew Knapp is currently on the COVID-19 list, leaving Rafael Marchan the only available catcher behind Realmuto.
The Pirates third baseman has suffered his second hand injury of the season. Hayes missed more 50 games with a nagging wrist injury that was labeled left wrist inflammation but was hit by a pitch on the opposite hand over on Sunday. X-rays on the area were negative, and the team has diagnosed the injury as a contusion. The key here will be what type of tissue is contused. If the damage is isolated to the soft tissue, then he may not miss any time following Monday's scheduled day off. However, if any of the bones in his hand were contused, then Hayes could miss a game or two or require a brief IL stint. Bone contusions heal just like a break with specialized cells filling in the damaged area with new bone tissue. The process is effective but requires time. Furthermore, bone injuries can be missed on the initial X-rays if the crack(s) are small. Keep a close eye on Hayes' availability over the next few days to get a better idea of the severity of the injury.
Check Swings
Corey Kluber: The surging Yankees got another boost on Monday when Kluber returned from a subscapularis strain in his throwing arm. The subscapularis is one of the four muscles that make up the rotator cuff and is particularly active during the acceleration phase of throwing. Kluber spent the past three months rehabbing and entered the game with a pitch count. He finished Monday's game with five earned runs on five hits and two walks while striking out six over four innings of work. New York is likely to slowly build up his workload over his next few starts, putting a ceiling on his fantasy upside. However, he could be worth a speculative add and has a favorable matchup later this week with the Orioles.
Anthony DeSclafani: The Giants right-hander left the mound with an athletic trainer in his first start back from the IL, though the team insists he did not suffer a setback and the early exit was by design. DeSclafani was placed on the IL on August 22 with right ankle inflammation. He progressed quickly through his rehab protocol and returned to action Sunday. He reported discomfort in the area during his return, but it is not believed to be serious. However, fantasy managers invested in DeSclafani may want to consider other options until he can prove he is pitching at full strength without a possible pitch count.
Shohei Ohtani: The Angels MVP candidate will not pitch for the team Tuesday after being struck on his right hand by a rogue pitch. The injury is not serious enough to prevent Ohtani from swinging a bat, but the team believed it would be an issue on the mound. He should be fine moving forward and seems likely to make his next scheduled start.
Noah Syndergaard: The return of the Mets right-hander has been further delayed, this time by the coronavirus. Syndergaard recently tested positive for COVID-19 and was scratched from a rehab assignment. The road back to the majors continues to be a long one for Syndergaard. He has not appeared in a game with the big-league club since September of 2019 and recently revealed he will not be throwing his slider or curveball to limit the stress on his surgically repaired elbow. His fantasy value for the remainder of the season remains low given his limited pitching arsenal and a reduced role out of the bullpen.
Gleyber Torres: The Yankees could welcome back Torres by the end of the week after he completes a rehab assignment. Torres joined Double-A Somerset over the weekend and was slated to play in two more games on Tuesday and Wednesday. He has not played since suffering a left thumb sprain in early August. The sprain did not require surgical intervention, and he should be fine moving forward, barring some unforeseen setback.
Mike Trout: The three-time MVP had begun "aggressively" running the bases, appearing to take a major step forward in his prolonged recovery from a calf strain. Unfortunately, he has since reported lingering soreness in the area, putting his availability for the remainder of the year in doubt. The Angels' place in the standings will also play a factor in the team's decision, one that is expected to come in the next week or two. Those hoping for a bit of late-season productivity seem likely to be left emptyhanded.
