Here is the Fantrax Injury Report for Saturday, March 25, 2023.
The season is not here yet, but why not get a head start and jump in a Fantrax Classic Draft contest? Get a jump on the season with a Best Ball league or maybe a Draft and Hold. Or put some green on the line with a new season-long league to try and conquer. There’s no better time than now to get your baseball on!
MLB Injury Report for March 25
Jake McCarthy – OF Arizona Diamondbacks, Ketel Marte – 2B Arizona Diamondbacks
Both illnesses hamper the player’s ability to build and ramp up for the season. There is no timetable for McCarthy to return, though being in the clubhouse is a good thing. Marte looks to be DTD as it stands.
Eddie Rosario – OF Atlanta Braves, Michael Harris II – OF Atlanta Braves
Snit said he's just being cautious with Rosario and Harris. Both could be back in the lineup tomorrow or Sunday.
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) March 24, 2023
Despite the fact that back injuries tend to linger, it would appear that the team has avoided anything major with both outfielders. This is something to monitor, just in case there’s more to it.
Ramon Urias – 3B Baltimore Orioles
Ramón Urías has been scratched from the lineup. Terrin Vavra is now playing second.
In the clubhouse earlier, Urías said the bruise of his thumb wasn’t a big concern https://t.co/AlaWEH0OJM
— Andy Kostka (@afkostka) March 24, 2023
For now, this seems like a bruised thumb injury that just lingers. The plan is for him to return to the lineup before the season begins.
Kenley Jansen – Boston Red Sox
Alex Cora on Kenley Jansen, who left tonight’s game in the 9th inning: “Felt lightheaded on the mound… he should be fine.”#redsox
— Tom Caron (@TomCaron) March 25, 2023
A scary situation here as Jansen has a history of atrial fibrillation. It’s this diagnosis that can cause blood clots in the heart, as well as a rapid heartbeat. That being said he believes he’ll be fine going forward. As for the baseball aspect of this, it’s a difficult situation, in that the Red Sox have gone off the rails for their closer spot. Chris Martin seems like the most obvious choice here, while John Schreiber has some experience there too. Above all else, here’s hoping Jansen gets this corrected and is okay.
Nick Senzel – 2B Cincinnati Reds
Nick Senzel will start the season on the IL. But yesterday, he played in his first baseball game in six months. Afterward, he signed autographs for a half-hour.
“I’m just excited to be here again. It feels like it’s been a long road to get here.”https://t.co/jkH6OWNjMK
— Charlie Goldsmith (@CharlieG__) March 23, 2023
Senzel continues to play in order to get himself ready for the season. He will be on the Injured List to start the year but looks to be involved everywhere on the field if and when he’s healthy. The fact that he’s playing now shows it’s likely to be a short-lived Injured List stay.
Charlie Blackmon – OF Colorado Rockies, CJ Cron – 1B Colorado Rockies
#Rockies DH Charlie Blackmon will get multiple at-bats in a Minor League game. 1B C.J. Cron will do full practice — fielding and BP. Both have back issues but hope to be ready for Opening Day.
— Thomas Harding (@harding_at_mlb) March 24, 2023
Fantastic news for both as the team definitely needs them in the lineup if they’re going to compete. Blackmon is closer to a return than Cron, but both have a timeline to be back for Opening Day. Stay tuned to see how their bodies respond.
Michael Lorenzen – SP Detroit Tigers
AJ Hinch confirmed that Michael Lorenzen (groin) would not be starting the season on time. Joey Wentz will be in the Opening Day rotation. He did say Lorenzen was making good progress, so the IL stint could be minimal
— Chris McCosky (@cmccosky) March 24, 2023
Interesting that his replacement was named. With pitchers requiring fifteen days as a minimum, this could give Wentz three turns through the rotation to begin the year. That said, the Tigers have a brutal stretch to begin the year.
Hunter Brown – SP Houston Astros, Yordan Alvarez – OF Houston Astros, Kyle Tucker – OF Houston Astros
Some updates from Dusty Baker today:
— Hunter Brown played catch today and is "feeling a lot better."
— Yordan Alvarez will be back in the lineup tomorrow.
— Kyle Tucker could play tomorrow, as well.— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) March 24, 2023
One piece of good news and two pieces of great news. Brown was supposed to replace Lance McCullers Jr., but instead may not make it for Opening Day. He has a long way to go, though Dusty Baker said that he was moving around well after playing catch. He will need to ramp up in order to be ready. As for Tucker and Alvarez, both superstars should be ready for Opening Day, which is fantastic for owners everywhere.
Rhys Hoskins – 1B Philadelphia Phillies
Dombrowksi says that Hoskins will get a second opinion but it’s clear there’s a tear. They say they expect him to be out for the season. Added that they “like Darick Hall a lot” and feel that he’ll get the majority of playing time at first base.
— Alex Coffey (@byalexcoffey) March 24, 2023
It’s unclear what the search for a second opinion is hoping to accomplish, but Hoskins is out there seeking it. Manager Dave Dombrowski believes that he will need surgery and the team is convinced that there is a tear in his knee. The plan is to be without him for the entire 2023 season. Look for Darick Hall to get time at first base.
Xander Bogaerts – SS San Diego Padres
Xander Bogaerts is wearing a splint on his left wrist after receiving a cortisone shot. He is expected to be held out the next two days, play the final two Cactus League games and be good to go for season.
This is described as issue he usually experiences in spring training.— Kevin Acee (@sdutKevinAcee) March 24, 2023
Interesting development here. The last sentence of this being the usual for Bogaerts is the only comforting part of this entire news item. It’s unclear what will come from this, but looking back, he’s hit well over .300 in the first month of the past two seasons. Assuming this is par for the course, Bogaerts should be ready for Opening Day and able to continue as he has for years. That said, this might explain his dip in power over the last little while.
Juan Soto – OF San Diego Padres
Juan Soto doing some dry swings today. That’s seen as a big development in terms of his possible progression toward being ready for opening day.
Outfield spot has likely opened up on the initial 26-man roster, as Adam Engel suffered a hamstring injury Thursday.
— Kevin Acee (@sdutKevinAcee) March 24, 2023
For an injury that wasn’t originally thought of as major, Soto sure is taking his time to come back the right way. There may be more than what the team has been letting on, but for now, let’s take them at their word. Consider Soto DTD and that he’ll be ready for Opening Day.
Mitch Haniger – OF San Francisco Giants
Mitch Haniger is unlikely to be ready to be ready for Opening Day, per Gabe Kapler. With Haniger and Austin Slater likely to open the season on the IL, the Giants will probably turn to Blake Sabol and Bryce Johnson to help fill their voids in the outfield.
— Maria I. Guardado (@mi_guardado) March 24, 2023
Haniger was trying to ramp things up and be ready, but alas it looks like he won’t be able to play. The team is desperately trying to salvage the start of their season by mixing and matching bodies to fill a lineup card.
JP Crawford – SS Seattle Mariners
Manager Scott Servais said JP Crawford will have x-rays on his foot tomorrow. He fouled a ball off his foot in the batting cage, but still participated in the full workout afterward. They decided to scratch from the lineup when it was still sore.
— Ryan Divish (@RyanDivish) March 25, 2023
First, it was his shoulder, and now this. Even if Crawford is fine and DTD, he might be someone to avoid altogether given that he hasn’t been able to properly ramp himself up for the season. He’s spent so much time rehabbing his body, his bat hasn’t had time to get right.
Leody Taveras – OF Texas Rangers
While it’s great that he’s ramping up and preparing to play, the team is considering keeping him off the Injured List for all the wrong reasons. Not having enough healthy position players is never the right reason to roster an injured player. That said, back to Taveras, the team is leaning toward him being ready to play after a handful of games.
For more great analysis check out the 2023 FantraxHQ Fantasy Baseball Draft Kit!