This article is part of our Fantasy Baseball Injury Report series.
The Dodgers outfielder finally hit the injured list after missing six straight games and seven of the last eight. The injury is being called right hip inflammation, but the terms hip pointer and strain have been used. At the end of the day, something is causing the inflammation in Betts' hip, and the team's decision to use a cortisone injection suggests it's muscular in nature. Cortisone is a strong anti-inflammatory steroid that should provide Betts some pain relief as the symptoms subside. However, he will still need to rehab the root of the problem and allow the muscle or other affected tissue time to heal. Los Angeles had hoped this would occur with a bit of extended rest but opted for the IL after he failed to improve. Now he will be inactive until at least August 1. I suspect that date is fluid, and I won't be surprised if he misses more than the minimum amount of time. Hopefully, he will start to show signs of improvement in the next week, but make plans for this to be at least a two-week absence.
Scherzer is a question mark entering Thursday's start. The right-hander was scratched from his recent start after experiencing discomfort in his right triceps. While the injury appears mild, the triceps is an extremely important part of throwing. The three-headed muscle originates in the shoulder, attaching to the humerus and the shoulder blade. It extends down the backside of the arm and anchors
The Dodgers outfielder finally hit the injured list after missing six straight games and seven of the last eight. The injury is being called right hip inflammation, but the terms hip pointer and strain have been used. At the end of the day, something is causing the inflammation in Betts' hip, and the team's decision to use a cortisone injection suggests it's muscular in nature. Cortisone is a strong anti-inflammatory steroid that should provide Betts some pain relief as the symptoms subside. However, he will still need to rehab the root of the problem and allow the muscle or other affected tissue time to heal. Los Angeles had hoped this would occur with a bit of extended rest but opted for the IL after he failed to improve. Now he will be inactive until at least August 1. I suspect that date is fluid, and I won't be surprised if he misses more than the minimum amount of time. Hopefully, he will start to show signs of improvement in the next week, but make plans for this to be at least a two-week absence.
Scherzer is a question mark entering Thursday's start. The right-hander was scratched from his recent start after experiencing discomfort in his right triceps. While the injury appears mild, the triceps is an extremely important part of throwing. The three-headed muscle originates in the shoulder, attaching to the humerus and the shoulder blade. It extends down the backside of the arm and anchors to the elbow at the ulna. This positioning makes the triceps a "two-joint" muscle, meaning it plays a role in both shoulder and elbow motion. Any functional limitation in the muscle has the potential to cause other issues in both joints. He reportedly felt good after completing a bullpen session on Monday but wanted to wait to see how his arm felt following the outing before making a decision about his availability. Keep an eye on how he progresses over the next 24 to 48 hours to get a better gauge on if he will pitch against the Phillies.
The Reds placed Castellanos on the 10-day IL after further evaluation on his injured wrist showed the injury was worse than previously expected. The team initially believed the injury to be a simple contusion, as the primary X-rays were negative. However, his pain and discomfort lingered, and he was eventually sent for a more complex CT-scan. These tests revealed a "microfracture" in the wrist, leading to Castellanos' IL stint. I hinted this was a possibility in last week's column. The bones of the wrist are tiny, and X-rays can sometimes fail to detect small cracks in the bone. A CT scan can be more accurate and provide more angles of the involved bone. Furthermore, some cracks are so minute they only show up on imaging when healing has begun.
The term microfracture leads me to believe this is more of a bone contusion than acute fracture, but that is all a bit of semantics. Regardless of what the injury is called, the body's natural response is the same as to any bone injury, and specialized cells will need to create new bone tissue to repair the damage. Castellanos will be eligible to return by the end of the week, though time remains an integral part of the healing process. Look for his recovery to carry over into next week.
Check Swings
Ian Anderson: The Braves right-hander continues to progress in his rehab protocol, as the team gradually works him back from inflammation in his throwing shoulder. He has begun playing catch and hopes to throw off of a mound in the coming days. If that goes well, the team could opt to send him on a brief rehab stint to prepare him for a return to the regular rotation.
Javier Baez: The Cubs shortstop did not play Monday after injuring his foot on Sunday. Baez suffered what the team is calling a bruised heel when he awkwardly landed on base. The term heel contusion can be used to describe a wide range of injuries including a bruised calcaneus (heel bone), bruised fat pad or even a plantar fascia injury. Hopefully it's one of the more minor soft tissue injuries, and Baez can return with minimal time missed. Consider him day-to-day for now.
Alex Bregman: It's not all doom and gloom in this week's report, as Bregman appears to be nearing a return from the quadriceps strain he sustained in mid-June. He started a rehab assignment with Triple-A Sugar Land on Monday, playing five innings and finishing 0-for-2 with a walk. If he continues to progress, Bregman has a realistic shot at returning during the first week of August.
Aaron Judge: The Yankees are optimistic that Judge will complete the necessary steps of the COVID-19 protocol to return to the field this week. He has not played since the All-Star break but recently rejoined the team. It doesn't sound like Judge experienced any serious symptoms, so hopefully he is able to return without any lingering side effects.
Trevor Rogers: The 23-year-old All-Star hit the IL over the weekend with lower back spasms. There's been little indication about when the issue first surfaced, but Rogers was limited to five innings pitched in his final start before the designation. Hopefully the spasms are the result of a mild muscle-related issue and Rogers can resume throwing in the near future. Monitor his progression to get a better idea of just how much time he is likely to miss.
Mike Trout: The Angels outfielder hit a small snag in his recovery from a strained calf. Trout reported discomfort in the injured area and met with team doctors for further evaluation. Fortunately, their findings failed to uncover a new injury or setback, and confirmed the area is still healing. As a result, Trout is expected to scale back his activity for now, and Los Angeles will continue their cautious approach with recovery. Fantasy mangers invested in the three-time American League MVP will have to exhibit similar patience with Trout as he remains sidelined indefinitely.
