Hamstrings strains are one of the most common ailments in sports with studies identifying the injury as the most frequently occurring injury in the NFL and MLB. The regularity in which hamstring ailments occur is only complicated by the intricate process that these strains must complete to adequately heal.
A strain occurs when part of the muscle or tendon is damaged, often with overstretching or stress overload. If the accrued damaged is mild and isolated to microfibers of the muscle, the strain is classified as a Grade 1 strain. A Grade 2 strain is also known as a partial tear and is marked by incomplete tearing of muscle or tendon fibers. A Grade 3 is considered a complete tear or rupture and may require surgical intervention to fix.
Healing for a hamstring strain occurs in overlapping phases. During this process, the damaged tissue is removed, and new fibers are laid down. Over time the new fibers grow stronger and more organized and begin to resemble healthy muscle tissue.
Think of this like a construction team diligently working to restore a pothole in the road. The hole in the street is cleared of debris, reshaped and filled with new asphalt. The workers then compact and seal the newly filled hole to make it look and feel as seamless to the rest of the road as possible. Unfortunately, even upon completion, the hole remains susceptible to failure if cars prematurely drive over it or weather conditions negatively impact the newly formed
Hamstrings strains are one of the most common ailments in sports with studies identifying the injury as the most frequently occurring injury in the NFL and MLB. The regularity in which hamstring ailments occur is only complicated by the intricate process that these strains must complete to adequately heal.
A strain occurs when part of the muscle or tendon is damaged, often with overstretching or stress overload. If the accrued damaged is mild and isolated to microfibers of the muscle, the strain is classified as a Grade 1 strain. A Grade 2 strain is also known as a partial tear and is marked by incomplete tearing of muscle or tendon fibers. A Grade 3 is considered a complete tear or rupture and may require surgical intervention to fix.
Healing for a hamstring strain occurs in overlapping phases. During this process, the damaged tissue is removed, and new fibers are laid down. Over time the new fibers grow stronger and more organized and begin to resemble healthy muscle tissue.
Think of this like a construction team diligently working to restore a pothole in the road. The hole in the street is cleared of debris, reshaped and filled with new asphalt. The workers then compact and seal the newly filled hole to make it look and feel as seamless to the rest of the road as possible. Unfortunately, even upon completion, the hole remains susceptible to failure if cars prematurely drive over it or weather conditions negatively impact the newly formed area of road.
Scar tissue in a healing hamstring acts similarly. Although the damage has been repaired, the scar tissue is not as initially strong as true muscle tissue and can fail if an athlete returns to action too quickly. Even when the athlete is cleared to return, his risk of a future hamstring injury will be elevated.
Last week, Munetaka Murakami, Teoscar Hernandez and Maikel Garcia all suffered hamstring injuries. Murakami's injury was classified as a Grade 2 strain, and he is expected to miss four to six weeks. Hernandez's injury was less severe, but he too is expected to miss at least four weeks. Garcia has managed to avoid the IL for now and will continue to be evaluated over the next few days. The Royals are optimistic he avoided a significant injury.
Cincinnati is also in the evaluation phase, as Elly De La Cruz came up limping Sunday. The team is currently calling the injury right hamstring tightness, but the two-time All-Star is slated to undergo an MRI and is currently considered day-to-day. Even a mild strain could be particularly problematic for a speed-dependent player like De La Cruz. Look for an update to come Monday following the scheduled testing.
Perez also hit the IL with a lower extremity strain, but his injury occurred to the gracilis, a long thin muscle located on the inner thigh. The gracilis is part of the adductor muscle group, a collection of muscles more commonly known as the groin. What separates the gracilis from other adductors is its relationship with the hamstring. The gracilis' positioning also allows it to act on both the hip and knee. As a result, the gracilis works synergistically with the hamstrings to bend the knee while also assisting in trunk stabilization. This also explains why the injury was initially listed as a hamstring spasm.
The work done by the gracilis makes it an important part of pitch delivery, particularly with energy transfer and control. It also means an injury here can be very limiting as evidenced by the lengthy recovery window provided by Miami. Perez is expected to miss at least eight weeks recovering, though he hopes to beat that estimate. Despite the optimism, a late July return seems like a best-case scenario.
Stay up to date on who is in and who is out with RotoWire's MLB Injury Report!
Check Swings
Drake Baldwin and Cal Raleigh: Both catchers remain without timetables as they slowly work their way back from oblique strains. Baldwin has a low-grade strain and has yet to resume baseball activities. In Seattle, Raleigh recently began swinging a bat but isn't expected to be back any time soon. Stay patient here and hope both can progress smoothly over the next few weeks.
Konnor Griffin: The rookie shortstop hit the 10-day IL with a lingering right forearm strain. The team does not think the issue is a long-term problem and hopes he can return in the minimum amount of time. Jared Triolo will start at shortstop in Griffin's absence.
Corey Seager: Seager's recovery from lower back inflammation has not gone as smoothly as hoped. His initial look at live pitching was pushed back after he reported lingering discomfort. Fortunately, his second attempt went a bit smoother, as he completed both fielding work and a live batting practice session over the weekend. He will now head out on a rehab assignment this week where he will be constantly reevaluated. Those managers in weekly formats will need to wait at least one more week before plugging Seager back into their lineups.
Wyatt Langford: Seager's teammate is a step ahead of him in his recovery timeline, as he has already been out on a rehab assignment. Langford, out since April 21 with a forearm strain, is currently acting as the designated hitter for Triple-A Round Rock and hopes to return to an outfield role in the coming days. Texas is hopeful he will then be able to rejoin the Rangers on their next home stand starting Friday.
Luis Severino: The A's right-hander landed on the IL with a right shoulder strain. The severity of the strain and the muscle involved has not been revealed, making it difficult to estimate a possible return date. Unfortunately, Severino has a lengthy history of upper extremity strains including triceps, latissimus dorsi and rotator cuff injuries. Consequently, brace for an extended absence.
Tarik Skubal: The nanoscope performed on Skubal's troublesome elbow appears to have worked, as the ace is already throwing less than a month after the procedure. The minimally invasive approach removed loose bodies from the joint while setting the stage for a quick recovery. He threw a 39-pitch simulated game last Tuesday and is scheduled to throw another simulated game Monday. If all continues to go well, a rehab assignment would be the next step, setting the stage for a possible return in mid-June.
