This article is part of our Fantasy Baseball Injury Report series.
The A's have shut Blackburn down for the remainder of the season due to a finger injury on his throwing hand. The team placed him on the 15-day injured list on August 10 with middle finger inflammation. Additional testing revealed the cause of the inflammation was a torn tendon sheath in the digit.
A tendon sheath surrounds the tendon of a muscle, creating a tunnel for the connective tissue. This layout allows the associated tendon to glide smoothly through the area while also securing the tendon in place. To further ease movement and reduce friction, tendon sheaths often contain a natural lubricant known as synovial fluid. If the sheath tears, the muscle can have trouble moving efficiently and can become vulnerable to excessive movement and injury.
To combat the injury, Blackburn will be placed in a splint for the next six weeks. If the digit does not adequately heal on its own, the All-Star right-hander will undergo surgery to repair the damage. Oakland factored in the initial conservative approach into their calculations, and Blackburn should be ready for Spring Training, even if surgery is deemed necessary.
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Yordan Alvarez: The Astros slugger endured a scary incident over the weekend, experiencing shortness of breath that ultimately sent him to the hospital for additional observations and evaluations. Alvarez reported feeling the symptoms earlier in the game, but they reportedly worsened due to the smoke from in-game fireworks. Fortunately, medical tests ruled out any serious issue, and Alvarez
The A's have shut Blackburn down for the remainder of the season due to a finger injury on his throwing hand. The team placed him on the 15-day injured list on August 10 with middle finger inflammation. Additional testing revealed the cause of the inflammation was a torn tendon sheath in the digit.
A tendon sheath surrounds the tendon of a muscle, creating a tunnel for the connective tissue. This layout allows the associated tendon to glide smoothly through the area while also securing the tendon in place. To further ease movement and reduce friction, tendon sheaths often contain a natural lubricant known as synovial fluid. If the sheath tears, the muscle can have trouble moving efficiently and can become vulnerable to excessive movement and injury.
To combat the injury, Blackburn will be placed in a splint for the next six weeks. If the digit does not adequately heal on its own, the All-Star right-hander will undergo surgery to repair the damage. Oakland factored in the initial conservative approach into their calculations, and Blackburn should be ready for Spring Training, even if surgery is deemed necessary.
Check Swings
Yordan Alvarez: The Astros slugger endured a scary incident over the weekend, experiencing shortness of breath that ultimately sent him to the hospital for additional observations and evaluations. Alvarez reported feeling the symptoms earlier in the game, but they reportedly worsened due to the smoke from in-game fireworks. Fortunately, medical tests ruled out any serious issue, and Alvarez rejoined the team, playing in Sunday's win over Atlanta. The fact that he was allowed to return to action suggests Houston isn't worried about a serious underlying condition. However, the team may opt to hold him out of a game or two in the week ahead to ensure he's moved past the problem.
Jose Altuve: While his injury wasn't as scary as Alvarez's, Altuve was also out of the Houston lineup on Sunday. The team is calling the issue a sore shoulder, though specifics suggest it's a low-grade strain. Altuve shouldn't need to miss an extended period of time, but it is likely the team opts to provide him with routine days off as the postseason quickly approaches. Consider him day-to-day for now.
Byron Buxton: Buxton was removed from Monday's game due to right hip tightness. The Twins downplayed the severity of the issue and will list him as day-to-day. However, it is worth mentioning that Buxton missed roughly six weeks last season with a strain of this same hip. Keep your fingers crossed that his early exit was more of a precautionary move than an actual injury.
Wander Franco: The phenom's return to action has been delayed after he suffered a setback while on a rehab assignment. Franco has not played since July 9 after undergoing surgery to address a fractured hamate bone in his wrist. He reported lingering soreness in the area while with Triple-A Durham and has since returned to the Rays' St. Petersburg facility. The team will likely shut him down for a brief stint before attempting a second rehab assignment. Fortunately, Tampa is currently fighting for a wild card spot and still has plenty of motivation to get Franco back in the lineup. A September return seems likely, though his fantasy value takes a major hit with this development.
Bryce Harper: The Phillies outfielder is slated to begin a minor league rehab assignment Tuesday with Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He will be with the IronPigs through the weekend and could rejoin the Phillies on Monday. Harper underwent surgery to address a thumb fracture in late June and had a second procedure to have the surgical pins removed. Despite the time off, his sprained elbow remains an issue and will prevent him from returning to the outfield. Instead, he will slot in as Philadelphia's designated hitter. A dip in power should be anticipated, but fantasy managers have to be excited for him to return just in time for the fantasy postseason.
Shohei Ohtani: The Angels right-hander was pulled from his most recent start due to a stomach virus. Ohtani struggled throughout the outing, throwing 47 strikes on 85 pitchers while surrendering three runs and issuing four walks. Stomach ailments can be very detrimental for athletes, often leaving them dehydrated. It shouldn't be a long-term issue, but the effects can linger for days after the virus runs its course. Ohtani should be in line for his next start on Saturday but received an additional day off on Monday.
George Springer: Springer was limited to a pinch-hitting role in Toronto's final three games in New York as he continues to be snake-bitten by injury. The Blue Jays has battled through multiple injuries this season, including a sprained ankle and lingering inflammation in his right elbow. He's now nursing an undisclosed knee injury after fouling a ball off the joint on Thursday. Fortunately, his current ailment is to his right knee, not the left knee. Springer missed time last season with a left knee sprain. Those invested in Springer have gotten use to him missing time, as he made four trips to the IL since joining Toronto. It doesn't appear that the latest injury will result in a fifth IL stint, but the team may limit him to pinch hitting duties or a designated hitter role until the knee improves.
Giancarlo Stanton: I briefly touched on Stanton last week, predicting a return before the end of the month. Now, after a brief rehab assignment with Double-A Somerset, the 32-year-old is slated to return to the Yankees on Thursday. He will take over as the team's designated hitter to ease the load on his Achilles and will likely receive scheduled days off initially. Stanton remains a high-risk, high-reward fantasy option.
Trevor Story: The Red Sox second baseman is nearing a return from his fractured wrist. He recently returned to batting practice and traveled with the team on its recent six game road trip. He is progressing nicely and should begin a rehab assignment in the near future. Still the recent setback for Franco should serve as a cautionary tale, and Story will need to play in back-to-back games without any lingering issues before fantasy managers can get excited about a possible return.
