This article is part of our Fantasy Baseball Injury Report series.
The Yankees shortstop may be headed to the disabled list after injuring his foot over the weekend. Gregorius injured his left heel following a collision with Toronto's Kendrys Morales. The injury was diagnosed as a contusion, but manager Aaron Boone hinted the injury will still force him to miss an extended period of time.
The heel is a bit more complex than most people realize. The heel itself is formed by the posterior end of the calcaneus (heel bone). The calcaneus serves as the anchor point for the Achilles and is protected by an intricate layer of fat and protein fibers. This heel fat pad is designed to cushion and assist with weight bearing and load distribution, particularly with running.
A heel contusion generally involves the fat pad, though more severe cases may involve the bone itself. Regardless of severity, the injured individual often experiences swelling and pain with weight bearing during movements like walking and running. Modalities like ice can help with the associated symptoms, but time remains the best course of treatment.
The Yankees will continue to evaluate the injury, but fantasy owners should prepare for him to miss at least a few games. The team may also limit his activity on the basepath when he does make his return to limit the amount of stress placed on the area.
It's clear that Judge's wrist injury remains an issue, as the Yankees' slugger has yet to resume swinging a bat. Judge hasn't played
The Yankees shortstop may be headed to the disabled list after injuring his foot over the weekend. Gregorius injured his left heel following a collision with Toronto's Kendrys Morales. The injury was diagnosed as a contusion, but manager Aaron Boone hinted the injury will still force him to miss an extended period of time.
The heel is a bit more complex than most people realize. The heel itself is formed by the posterior end of the calcaneus (heel bone). The calcaneus serves as the anchor point for the Achilles and is protected by an intricate layer of fat and protein fibers. This heel fat pad is designed to cushion and assist with weight bearing and load distribution, particularly with running.
A heel contusion generally involves the fat pad, though more severe cases may involve the bone itself. Regardless of severity, the injured individual often experiences swelling and pain with weight bearing during movements like walking and running. Modalities like ice can help with the associated symptoms, but time remains the best course of treatment.
The Yankees will continue to evaluate the injury, but fantasy owners should prepare for him to miss at least a few games. The team may also limit his activity on the basepath when he does make his return to limit the amount of stress placed on the area.
It's clear that Judge's wrist injury remains an issue, as the Yankees' slugger has yet to resume swinging a bat. Judge hasn't played since July 26 when he suffered a chip fracture in his wrist. The team had hoped he would have a bat back in his hand after three weeks, but that marker has come and gone. Generally speaking, the initial emphasis of rehab following this type of injury is range of motion. After pain-free motion has returned, the focus of rehab would shift to regaining strength before finishing up with functional movement. It's hard to tell where in this timeline Judge currently is though it's likely somewhere in the range of motion and strengthening phases. As a result, look for Judge's absence to continue into late August.
The Mariners left-hander has battled injuries all season long, though his latest ailment isn't as problematic as those in the past. Paxton was struck by a comebacker on his left forearm, leaving the area heavily bruised. He has resumed throwing but remains restricted in his approach. The primary reason for Paxton's limitation is linked to the grip strength in his assortment of pitches since the muscles of the wrist and hand sit in the area contused. The associated swelling continues to make throwing a breaking ball difficult, but there's hope that it will taper off quickly. Paxton hopes to throw a bullpen session by midweek, making a return in seven-to-10 days possible. Keep an eye on his progress to see when you can expect Paxton to be officially activated.
Check Swings
Jose Altuve: The Astros are preparing to have their MVP back on Tuesday after he made the first AAA appearance of his career during a rehab assignment. Right knee soreness has kept Altuve sidelined for the past three weeks, but he notched four at-bats while with Triple A Fresno Sunday before getting hit by a pitch. He was removed from the game, but it doesn't appear the stray pitch will have any lasting effect. Houston and fantasy owners alike will be happy to welcome back Altuve into their lineups and should do so with confidence.
Yu Darvish: Darvish's weekend rehab appearance was brief, as the Chicago right-hander was pulled after just one inning. Darvish reported renewed discomfort in his injured arm while warming up for the second inning and an MRI is now on tap. Darvish has struggled with triceps issues throughout the year, and an imminent return now seems doubtful. The team will evaluate the injury when he returns to Chicago though a definitive timeline seems unlikely. It may be time for fantasy owners to simply move on for the remainder of the season.
Edwin Encarnacion: The Indians slugger is improving and plans on taking batting practice as soon as Monday. Encarnacion was initially managing a bruised hand after getting hit by a Chad Green pitch in mid-July. He attempted to play through the pain, but the change in his swing resulted in a cascade injury, causing pain in his biceps. However, it appears both ailments have improved, and Encarnacion could be activated when first eligible on Tuesday. The pair of injuries shouldn't have any long-term effects, and fantasy owners should feel confident utilizing Encarnacion as they normally would.
Jose Martinez: Martinez did not start over the weekend due to lingering hip soreness. He did manage to make a pinch hitting appearance on Saturday, though his absence on Sunday is a solid indicator the soreness remains. Consider him day-to-day for now and look for a more definitive diagnosis to start the week.
Ervin Santana: The Twins right-hander is back on the DL as he continues to battle problems linked to calcium deposits in his right middle finger. Santana missed time to start the season after undergoing offseason surgery to remove the build ups. Unfortunately, calcium deposits and bone spurs can resurface over time if the necessary stresses are resumed. There have been no clear reports about whether the calcium deposits have returned, though Santana remains in pain and functionally limited. He plans on taking extended time off to address the issue, meaning his season could be done. It's hard to put much trust in Santana moving forward, especially when you pair the inherent risk with his lack of productivity so far this season.
Stephen Strasburg: Strasburg is slated to return to the mound on Wednesday for the Nationals after missing the last month with an impinged nerve in his neck. The Nationals pitcher received an injection in the area of concern in late July and has gradually resumed a throwing program. Like Santana, there's no guarantee the root of the problem won't resurface with an increase in workload. As a result, Strasburg remains the ultimate high-risk, high-reward pitcher.
