This article is part of our Fantasy Baseball Injury Report series.
The Dodgers' All-Star missed back-to-back games over the weekend after injuring his ankle Friday. The problem began after he twisted his ankle avoiding a fastball at the plate. The injury is currently being described as "ankle soreness" but that could be a myriad of things. A mild ankle sprain seems like the most plausible injury, though a strain of any of the surrounding musculature is also possible. When the ankle is forced inward in a direction known as inversion the lateral ligaments are overloaded and put on stretch. When these structures are injured, a sprain occurs. However, the motion can also affect the muscles and tendons of the ankle and foot, as they are also stretched in the process. Furthermore, the ankle stabilizers may also be injured when they violently pull the ankle to right the foot. It is also common for the ankle to be both sprained and strained, leaving the ankle unsurprisingly sore. A more definitive diagnosis may be provided if Betts continues to miss time.
The Rangers' All-Star starter has landed on the IL with a forearm strain. The team had hoped extended rest would allow Eovaldi to resume pitching without complications but opted to shut him down as the soreness persisted. The situation becomes a bit more precarious when you consider Eovaldi's lengthy injury history that includes multiple Tommy John surgeries and a flexor tendon repair. The Rangers' decision to be aggressive on the trade market and add starters Max Scherzer and
The Dodgers' All-Star missed back-to-back games over the weekend after injuring his ankle Friday. The problem began after he twisted his ankle avoiding a fastball at the plate. The injury is currently being described as "ankle soreness" but that could be a myriad of things. A mild ankle sprain seems like the most plausible injury, though a strain of any of the surrounding musculature is also possible. When the ankle is forced inward in a direction known as inversion the lateral ligaments are overloaded and put on stretch. When these structures are injured, a sprain occurs. However, the motion can also affect the muscles and tendons of the ankle and foot, as they are also stretched in the process. Furthermore, the ankle stabilizers may also be injured when they violently pull the ankle to right the foot. It is also common for the ankle to be both sprained and strained, leaving the ankle unsurprisingly sore. A more definitive diagnosis may be provided if Betts continues to miss time.
The Rangers' All-Star starter has landed on the IL with a forearm strain. The team had hoped extended rest would allow Eovaldi to resume pitching without complications but opted to shut him down as the soreness persisted. The situation becomes a bit more precarious when you consider Eovaldi's lengthy injury history that includes multiple Tommy John surgeries and a flexor tendon repair. The Rangers' decision to be aggressive on the trade market and add starters Max Scherzer and Jordan Montgomery should allow them to slow play Eovaldi's recovery. Those invested here should brace for a multi-week absence.
The Angels' outfielder suffered one of the scarier injuries in baseball when he was struck in the face by an Alek Manoah fastball. The impact left Ward bloodied with multiple facial fractures. The injury occurred even though Ward was wearing a batting helmet with a C-flap, as the pitch struck him just inside the jaw guard.
The facial skeleton is comprised of 14 interconnected bones, including the frequently broken nasal bone. However, Ward's injury appears to involve an area of the face known as the orbit. The orbit, better known as the eye socket, is made up of bones from both the neurocranium and the facial skeleton and includes the upper jaw (maxilla), the forehead (frontal bone), and the cheekbone (zygomatic). The floor of the orbit is particularly vulnerable to injury. The severity of the injury and subsequent treatment plan often depends on multiple variables including the size of the fracture, whether the affected bone(s) have shifted, and if any associated soft tissue and muscle damage occurred. Surgery is often required if the broken bone(s) have displaced or any significant damage to the eyeball has occurred.
The Angels continue to assess the injury, though manager Phil Nevin revealed Ward is not experiencing any vision problems. However, Ward has already been placed on the 60-day IL, meaning surgery to stabilize the fracture site is probable and his season is likely over. Like Texas, Los Angeles filled a gap created by injury by acquiring Randal Grichuk from the Rockies.
Check Swings
Jazz Chisholm: Let's try this again. The Marlins speedster is expected to return after his second prolonged stint on the IL. He missed six weeks earlier this year with a case of turf toe and then suffered a strained oblique in his sixth game back. He has spent the majority of July rehabbing but returned Monday. Plug him back into your lineups in all formats and keep your fingers crossed that he remains healthy for the remainder of the season.
Max Fried: Fried is expected back this week after completing a rehab assignment with Triple-A Gwinnett. He has not pitched for Atlanta since suffering a forearm strain in early May. Fortunately, the injury has improved over time, and he has gradually been able to build up his workload over four starts with the Stripers. The team will continue to monitor his pitch count as he returns to the big-league club, which could limit his fantasy ceiling initially. However, Fried remains a must start in all formats.
Jonah Heim: The Rangers' catcher has been one of the biggest surprises in fantasy this season, putting together an impressive All-Star campaign. Unfortunately, his season could be over after he suffered a wrist tendon strain on a swing-and-miss. Texas is planning on reevaluating the injury in August to determine the best course of treatment and, sadly, surgery seems like an option. Those invested in Heim should remain patient for the next few weeks before making a roster decision for the remainder of the year.
Jonathan India: The Reds placed India on the IL with plantar fasciitis in his left foot. While the team is hoping he will return in the minimal amount of time, plantar fasciitis is a chronic condition that often lingers. Furthermore, the risk of reinjury or aggravation will remain, even if he does return when first eligible. Rookie Christian Encarnacion-Strand should see a bump in usage with India sidelined.
J.D. Martinez: Betts' absence only complicates things with Martinez also nursing a hamstring strain. The veteran designated hitter was removed from Sunday's game and underwent an MRI on Monday, the results of which haven't yet been released. While a DH role isn't as demanding as playing in the field, a hamstring strain is still functionally limiting and an IL stint will likely be needed.
