This article is part of our Fantasy Baseball Injury Report series.
The Indians starting rotation took a major hit last week when Clevinger was diagnosed with a muscle strain in his upper back. Originally Clevinger was optimistic abut the severity of the injury, though further testing revealed a significant strain of his right teres major muscle.
The teres major sits atop the latissimus dorsi and connects to the shoulder blade and the head of the upper arm bone known as the humerus. This positioning allows the muscle to not only move the arm in multiple directions, including internal rotation, but also allows it to help stabilize the ball-and-socket joint of the shoulder. Furthermore, it influences movement of the shoulder blade itself. For pitching, the teres major also plays a major role in generating pitch velocity.
Based on its importance to the shoulder, it's easy to see how an injury to the teres major can be extremely detrimental to a pitcher. The magnitude of the injury was not lost on the Indians medical staff, as they immediately shut down Clevinger for at least six weeks. Cleveland doubled-down on the approach, placing him on the 60-day injured list. The team is also said to be considering surgical intervention, though a trip to the operating room will not drastically alter his current recovery timeline.
Fantasy owners who can stash Clevinger in a vacant IL spot should exhibit patience, while those without that luxury likely are best suited sending him to the waiver wire. I firmly suspect the team will handle his recovery
The Indians starting rotation took a major hit last week when Clevinger was diagnosed with a muscle strain in his upper back. Originally Clevinger was optimistic abut the severity of the injury, though further testing revealed a significant strain of his right teres major muscle.
The teres major sits atop the latissimus dorsi and connects to the shoulder blade and the head of the upper arm bone known as the humerus. This positioning allows the muscle to not only move the arm in multiple directions, including internal rotation, but also allows it to help stabilize the ball-and-socket joint of the shoulder. Furthermore, it influences movement of the shoulder blade itself. For pitching, the teres major also plays a major role in generating pitch velocity.
Based on its importance to the shoulder, it's easy to see how an injury to the teres major can be extremely detrimental to a pitcher. The magnitude of the injury was not lost on the Indians medical staff, as they immediately shut down Clevinger for at least six weeks. Cleveland doubled-down on the approach, placing him on the 60-day injured list. The team is also said to be considering surgical intervention, though a trip to the operating room will not drastically alter his current recovery timeline.
Fantasy owners who can stash Clevinger in a vacant IL spot should exhibit patience, while those without that luxury likely are best suited sending him to the waiver wire. I firmly suspect the team will handle his recovery conservatively, and it wouldn't be shocking if he sat for a majority, if not all, of the season.
The 25-year-old left-hander has gotten off to a slow start this season and is now dealing with a troublesome injury. Freeland was removed from Saturday's start against the Giants after developing a blister on his middle finger.
Blisters may seem like a minor issue but they are deceptively irritating. In sports, blisters usually occur in areas of high friction. Repetitive chafing, like from the seams of the baseball or a neighboring finger or fingernail, can cause fluid to accumulate between the upper layers of skin forming a blister.
Friction blisters can be extremely painful and, even worse, are vulnerable to infection if they rip or tear. Unfortunately, treatment options remain limited. As a result, MLB players have turned to unproven home remedies to treat blisters, including toothpaste, vinegar, and even urine. While some insist their approaches are sound, blister treatment remains an inexact science without a true cure.
MLB rules don't help the situation either, as league rules prohibit pitchers from pitching with athletic tape or bandages on their hands or fingers. As a result, players are often unable to pitch through blisters. Instead, individuals with blisters are forced to wait for the skin to harden and the blister to resolve.
The Rockies don't think Freeland will miss any time, though there is no guarantee he will be available for his next start, a home game against the Phillies. Because blisters can be difficult to gauge and even harder to manage, fantasy owners should consider sitting Freeland for the week ahead.
Check Swings
Dellin Betances: The Yankees reliever suffered a setback in his rehab while pitching ineffectively during a simulated game. Further testing revealed renewed inflammation in his shoulder near a pre-existing bone spur. Betances has reportedly had the spur for the entirety of his professional career, though it was a nonissue up to this point. However, the team has now pinpointed the osteophyte as the source of the problem and opted to address the problem with an anti-inflammatory injection. The cortisone injection should help minimize the inflammation and reduce Betances' discomfort. However, the injury could easily flare up if the spur remains. As a result, Betances will be remain an inherently risky play if and when he eventually returns.
Alex Bregman: Over the weekend, the Astros welcomed back Bregman from a two-game absence. The shortstop did not play in back-to-back games due to lingering soreness in his right hamstring. He struggled in his return, collecting one hit in eight plate appearances. While it's nice to have Bregman in the lineup, keep a close eye on his health, as hamstring injuries are fickle injuries that are easily irritated.
Billy Hamilton: The Royals outfielder remains day-to-day with a mild medial collateral ligament (MCL) sprain in his left knee. The injury occurred when Hamilton collided with the outfield wall. He has not played since sustaining the injury but was available off the bench over the weekend. The team opted not to play him at all and are optimistic he will return to action Monday against the White Sox. Don't be surprised if the team limits him on the base path until they are certain his knee is 100 percent.
Francisco Lindor: The Cleveland shortstop is nearing a return and is slated to begin a rehab assignment Monday. Limited by a calf strain and a sprained ankle, Lindor is expected to suit up for Triple-A Columbus for an undetermined amount of time. The team wants to see how his body responds to playing at a high level before bringing him back to the big-league club. Barring a setback, look for Lindor to return to the Indians by the start of next week.
Mike Trout: The $400 million-dollar man is expected back in the lineup Monday after missing three games due to a groin strain. Tests taken by the Angels' medical team revealed improvement in the injury, and Trout is expected to join the team in Texas for the upcoming series against the Rangers. Even a limited Trout is too good to bench, but scale back your expectations for a few days or at least until he is able to prove the injury was nothing more than a minor inconvenience.
Gary Sanchez: The injury bug continues to infest New York with Sanchez joining the ever-growing list of injured Yankees players. Sanchez hit the IL with a calf strain after reporting tightness in his leg. The team is taking the cautious approach with the issue, and Sanchez is hopeful that he misses the minimal amount of time. He is eligible to return on April 21 with Austin Romine filling-in for the time being.
Luis Severino: Severino's long-term status took a hit recently as the Yankees pitcher suffered another injury during his rehab from rotator cuff inflammation. Testing revealed Severino is now also dealing with a Grade 2 latissimus dorsi strain. The injury was previously discussed when Mariners reliever Hunter Strickland suffered a similar injury just a few weeks ago. I detailed then that lat strains have been historically problematic for pitchers, limiting players like Jon Lester, James Paxton and Gerrit Cole. As a result, look for Severino's absence to extend into the All-Star break.
