MLB Injury Report: José Ramírez falls victim to hamate fracture, Spencer Strider shut down for four weeks
In this week’s Injury Report, hamate fractures claim José Ramírez and Vinnie Pasquantino. Spencer Strider has been shut down for the next four weeks with right elbow inflammation. And the Mariners will be getting their slugging catcher, Cal Raleigh, back from the injured list on Tuesday. All that and more as we recap all of the relevant injury news around baseball.
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José Ramírez (hand)
This one is really a bummer. Ramírez was pulled from Saturday’s game against the Tigers after five innings with a hand injury and was later diagnosed with a fractured left hamate bone. The 33-year-old star third baseman was placed on the 10-day injured list and will likely miss at least a month of action. Gabriel Arias was recalled to help fill in at third base alongside Daniel Schneemann. Ramírez was slashing .239/.339/.418 with 10 homers, 42 runs scored, 33 RBI, and 24 steals across 314 plate appearances.
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D.J. Short,
Vinnie Pasquantino (hand)
Pasquantino also fell victim to the dreaded hamate injury. He left Saturday’s contest against the Astros in the fifth inning following a pop-up, grabbing his wrist and heading to the locker room. The team confirmed the hamate fracture shortly after. He was placed on the 10-day injured list with a typical recovery timeline of 4-6 weeks. It’s an unfortunate setback in an already disappointing season for the 28-year-old first baseman. He’s hit .224/.309/.350 with six homers and 32 RBI through 291 plate appearances. Jac Caglianone should take over primary first base duties.
Spencer Strider (elbow)
Strider’s fastball velocity took a sharp dip to 88 mph in the fourth inning against the Mets on Friday, leading to his departure with a trainer with right arm soreness. JR Ritchie stepped in and fired five scoreless innings following Strider’s exit. Strider underwent an MRI and landed on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation. The 27-year-old right-hander met with the renowned Dr. Keith Meister to determine the next steps and will be shut down for the next four weeks before a follow-up MRI. But Strider reportedly has no ligament damage and is not expected to require any surgery.
Christian Scott (hip)
This news came out of nowhere on Monday, but Scott heads to the 15-day injured list with an apparent hip injury. The issue is reportedly minor, but the 26-year-old right-hander will now have the next two weeks to rest. He was scheduled to start on Tuesday against the Reds in Cincinnati. Instead, Jonah Tong is the likely option to be recalled and step in. Kodai Senga, recovering from back and arm injuries, was scheduled to make one more rehab start, but could return early.
Corey Seager (concussion)
Seager sat out the entire weekend series against the Red Sox with mild concussion symptoms following a collision at the plate against the Royals on Thursday. He was set to miss his fourth straight game on Monday against the Twins, so the team opted to put him on the 7-day concussion injured list, retroactive to June 12. He’s eligible to be activated on Friday, but there’s currently no timetable for his return.
Drake Baldwin (oblique)
Baldwin had started a rehab assignment on Friday and needed just a weekend of games with Triple-A Gwinnett before he was deemed ready to return following a one-month absence with a Grade 1 right oblique strain. Expect the 25-year-old catcher to be back in the Braves lineup on Tuesday. It’s a much-needed return for fantasy managers after Baldwin hit .303/.389/.543 with 13 home runs over 216 plate appearances.
Kyle Teel (hamstring)
Noah Schultz (knee)
The White Sox are sending Teel and Schultz on rehab assignments with Triple-A Charlotte this week. It’ll be Teel’s second go at a rehab assignment after suffering a sprained LCL a month ago. It’s been a lengthy process for him after he went down with a strained right hamstring just before the start of the season. He’ll likely need a week or so without setbacks before making his season debut with Chicago before the end of June. Meanwhile, Schultz will start for Charlotte on Tuesday. He’s been out for the last three weeks with right knee patellar tendonitis and will need a start or two before returning to the White Sox rotation.
Andrés Muñoz (back)
Randy Arozarena (hamstring)
Cal Raleigh (oblique)
Fantasy managers will want to keep an eye out for news out of Seattle on Tuesday before the team’s series opener against the Orioles. Muñoz was on the mound in the eighth inning to get some work in against the Nationals on Sunday and faced two batters before leaving with a trainer. He was apparently dealing with lower back tightness. Working in a non-save situation, there was no reason to push it. But his status should be monitored over the coming days. Back issues aren’t new for Muñoz, who’s pitched through back discomfort before without landing on the injured list. We hope to see Arozarena back in the lineup after leaving Friday’s contest with a hamstring injury. He sat out Saturday and Sunday, but stated he would just need a couple of days’ rest. One player confirmed to be returning on Tuesday is Raleigh. The 29-year-old slugger has wrapped up his rehab assignment with Triple-A Tacoma and will be activated ahead of Tuesday’s game against the Orioles following his one-month absence with an oblique injury.
Elly De La Cruz (hamstring)
De La Cruz received a follow-up MRI on Friday and came away with encouraging news in his recovery from a strained right hamstring. He’s ramped up his baseball activities and is expected to begin a minor league rehab assignment this week. On the shorter side of the 2-4 week timeline, he’d likely only need a few games before returning to the Reds lineup.
