This article is part of our Fantasy Baseball Injury Report series.
The Rangers knew the calculated gamble they were taking when they invested $185 million in deGrom. The former Cy Young Award winner has a lengthy history of injury that includes a stress reaction in his shoulder blade and multiple elbow surgeries, including Tommy John surgery and an ulnar nerve transposition.
Unfortunately, deGrom will hit the injured list after just six starts with Texas after leaving Friday's game with forearm tightness. The official reason for the IL stint is right elbow inflammation, a designation that doesn't provide much clarity on the true injury. Inflammation is a symptom that can be linked to injuries involving ligaments (sprain) or muscle (strain or tendinitis). Each ailment comes with its own associated recovery window.
Digging through deGrom's history shows a wide variety of possible outcomes. In 2018 and 2019, deGrom missed the minimal amount of time with nondescript elbow injuries. However, in July of 2021, deGrom reported tightness in his forearm that resulted in an IL trip. While out, the issue lingered, resulting in another MRI that revealed what was described as right forearm inflammation. The Mets ultimately transferred deGrom to the 60-day IL and later revealed the inflammation was linked to a G2 sprain of his UCL. He progressed through recovery but was ultimately ruled out for the season.
These scenarios make predicting a possible return date nearly impossible. However, the Rangers admitted they will take a conservative approach with his recovery, and a multi-week absence seems like the safest outcome.
The Rangers knew the calculated gamble they were taking when they invested $185 million in deGrom. The former Cy Young Award winner has a lengthy history of injury that includes a stress reaction in his shoulder blade and multiple elbow surgeries, including Tommy John surgery and an ulnar nerve transposition.
Unfortunately, deGrom will hit the injured list after just six starts with Texas after leaving Friday's game with forearm tightness. The official reason for the IL stint is right elbow inflammation, a designation that doesn't provide much clarity on the true injury. Inflammation is a symptom that can be linked to injuries involving ligaments (sprain) or muscle (strain or tendinitis). Each ailment comes with its own associated recovery window.
Digging through deGrom's history shows a wide variety of possible outcomes. In 2018 and 2019, deGrom missed the minimal amount of time with nondescript elbow injuries. However, in July of 2021, deGrom reported tightness in his forearm that resulted in an IL trip. While out, the issue lingered, resulting in another MRI that revealed what was described as right forearm inflammation. The Mets ultimately transferred deGrom to the 60-day IL and later revealed the inflammation was linked to a G2 sprain of his UCL. He progressed through recovery but was ultimately ruled out for the season.
These scenarios make predicting a possible return date nearly impossible. However, the Rangers admitted they will take a conservative approach with his recovery, and a multi-week absence seems like the safest outcome.
It's been a rough start to the year as Maeda as already suffered multiple injuries. On April 20, he was struck on the left ankle by a rocket comebacker off the bat of Boston's Jarren Duran. Fortunately, the painful injury did not result in any lost time. However, his next start ended prematurely, this time caused by a right elbow injury. Subsequent testing revealed a triceps strain, and he was placed on the IL over the weekend.
The triceps brachii muscle is located on the back portion of the upper arm, running from the shoulder to the elbow. This positioning allows the three-headed muscle to influence motion at both joints. Its primary responsibility is elbow extension (straightening of the arm), but it does assist in shoulder adduction (pulling the arm toward the body) and shoulder stabilization.
The distal tendon of the triceps anchors to the elbow at the olecranon process, the same bony process that serves as an attachment site for the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL). A weakened or functionally limited triceps could place the UCL at risk for injury. Considering Maeda is just two years removed from Tommy John, it will be extremely important the strain is appropriately treated to avoid any undue stress being placed on and through the surgically repaired UCL. As a result, it seems likely his absence extends beyond the 15-day minimum. Bailey Ober replaced Maeda in the rotation and put together a strong start allowing one run on four hits and two walks over 5.2 innings.
Maeda will have company on the Minnesota IL as Mahle is expected to miss substantial time with an elbow injury of his own. Testing on Mahle's troublesome right elbow revealed a flexor pronator strain and posterior impingement. The flexor pronator mass anchors at the same location as the UCL. The mass is considered a dynamic stabilizer working with the UCL to stabilize the elbow against excessive stress. As a result, the two structures are linked, meaning if one is strained or weakened, the other one absorbs the load, making it vulnerable to injury. While it's a win that the UCL remains intact, extra care will be needed during the rehab process to ensure its integrity moving forward. The posterior impingement aspect of the injury means some sort of soft tissue is being pinched in the backside of the elbow. Mahle will be shut down for the next four weeks, meaning he will require additional time to complete a throwing protocol if he is cleared at that point. It's looking like this absence could extend into June, and a return before the All-Star break may be a best-case scenario.
Check Swings
Yordan Alvarez: Alvarez missed four consecutive games with neck discomfort. Like mentioned with deGrom and inflammation, discomfort isn't a medical diagnosis but more a description of an associated symptom. Injury reports like this do little to provide insight on the injury or severity of the player's ailment. Neck discomfort could be caused by an assortment of underlying problems ranging from a mild strain to a more significant disc issue. Alvarez was back in action over the weekend, though it would not be surprising to see him get a day or two off in the week ahead.
Bryce Harper: The two-time NL MVP is scheduled to meet with the surgeon who performed his Tommy John surgery in hopes of getting final clearance to return to play. If all goes well, Harper could DH for the Phillies as soon as Tuesday, 160 days after undergoing the procedure. Those who rolled the dice on draft day have to be ecstatic to get Harper back way ahead of schedule, though look for him to get routine days off moving forward.
Aaron Judge: The Yankees MVP has missed three straight outings after reporting right hip discomfort. He underwent an MRI that revealed a mild hip strain. The Yankees are hoping the issue will improve enough to allow Judge to avoid the IL though he's expected to miss a few more days. A backdated trip on the IL seems plausible at this point and would at least give fantasy managers a bit of roster flexibility.
Julio Rodriguez: The Mariners phenom was not in the starting lineup Sunday after leaving Sunday's loss with a tight lower back. He was able to take part in cage work, and it doesn't look like he will miss an extended period of time. Seattle has a scheduled day off on Monday that will hopefully provide Rodriguez enough additional rest for a quick return.
