Here is the Fantrax Injury Report for Monday, July 31, 2023. Inside this edition, Chris Sale may have a new role with the Red Sox when he returns. How will that alter his rehab? Also, Jonathan India’s injury could change the way the Reds attack the Trade Deadline. Finally, the Dodgers have the potential to be in a big injury mess with a lot of unknowns. All of Will Smith, J.D. Martinez, Mookie Betts, and Clayton Kershaw have their own ailments, but when will any of them be back? All that and more in today’s Ijury Report from Fantrax.
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MLB Injury Report
Chris Sale – SP Boston Red Sox
It’s an interesting development here for Sale, as the team could change his role with the club. He starts a rehab assignment this tomorrow, and this timeline would line him up for ten more days before re-activation. The team has said that the future of their rotation will be determined after the trade deadline.
Jonathan India – 2B Cincinnati Reds
Jonathan India said plantar fasciitis can be a scary injury, and he’s grateful he caught it when he was still in the inflammation stage. He said an IL stint is the safest way to play at 100% and not 80%.
David Bell said his goal is to miss the minimum nine days.
— Charlie Goldsmith (@CharlieG__) July 30, 2023
This is unfortunate timing for India who was allegedly on the trade market ahead of tomorrow’s deadline. It’s still possible that he gets dealt, but plantar fasciitis is a difficult injury to not only play through but also recover from.
Nolan Jones – OF Colorado Rockies
Nolan Jones was removed from left field in the ninth after cramping up during his at-bat in the eighth.
Ultimately, it was a precautionary move, according to #Rockies manager Bud Black. pic.twitter.com/eZQvxytpgC
— Patrick Lyons (@PatrickDLyons) July 30, 2023
Jones cramped up and the team was concerned that it wasn’t necessarily a minor one that would go away without some rest. Consider him DTD while they figure out what can be done.
Taylor Ward – OF Los Angeles Angels
Taylor Ward will miss basically the rest of the regular season. He's going on the 60-day IL. He could be back for the playoffs in theory, but this is clearly a significant injury. Tough news for him.
— Sam Blum (@SamBlum3) July 31, 2023
The injury to Ward is significant enough to warrant an almost immediate 60-day Injured List designation. He will miss most, if not all of the remainder of the ANgels’ season, with the hope of returning in the playoffs. The team wasted no time in utilizing their assets to replace Ward with Randal Grichuk.
Clayton Kershaw – SP Los Angeles Dodgers
#Dodgers MGR Dave Roberts said Clayton Kershaw will face live batters in another simulated game on Thursday, pushing the LHP's return to rotation back to early next week.
— Mike DiGiovanna (@MikeDiGiovanna) July 30, 2023
Kershaw gave the possibility of returning soon after this weekend’s simulated game, but apparently, it wasn’t good enough. It’s unknown if he just didn’t feel good enough afterward or if the team is cautiously waiting on his return. Either way, he will continue along the path he’s been on since he went on the Injured List.
J.D. Martinez – UT Los Angeles Dodgers
J.D. Martinez is getting an MRI on his left hamstring.
Dave Roberts said Martinez couldn't run or swing a bat today.
— Matthew Moreno (@Matthew__Moreno) July 30, 2023
It is all but certain that Martinez will end up on the Injured List. The MRI looks to be to determine the severity of the situation.
Will Smith – C Los Angeles Dodgers
Will Smith left today’s game with a left elbow contusion.
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) July 30, 2023
X-rays came back negative for Smith, and there was no structural damage done. Smith and the Dodgers hope to avoid the Injured List.
Mookie Betts – 2B/OF Los Angeles Dodgers
#Dodgers MGR Dave Roberts on Mookie Betts, who is nursing sore right ankle: "I think for me, just looking at where he's at, it's day to day. Could he play today? Certainly. With an off day tomorrow, is it more beneficial to potentially give him three days off? Absolutely."
— Mike DiGiovanna (@MikeDiGiovanna) July 30, 2023
Betts missed a second consecutive game on Sunday, but the thinking was that today’s off day would be enough for him to return healthy. Stay tuned.
Brandon Woodruff – SP Milwaukee Brewers
Sunday roster notes:
Peter Strzelecki is in the Brewers clubhouse.
Brian Anderson is headed out to start a rehab assignment in Nashville this week.
Brandon Woodruff confirmed he’s pitching Tuesday in Nashville.
— Curt Hogg (@CyrtHogg) July 30, 2023
Woodruff will pitch in Triple-A Nashville in what he hopes is his final rehab appearance. Nothing has been officially announced yet, but both he and the team have speculated this to be the end.
Alex Kirilloff – 1B Minnesota Twins
Caleb Thielbar is here in KC and being activated today. To make room, the Twins are placing Alex Kirilloff on the IL with the shoulder soreness that's been bothering him this week. Rocco Baldelli is optimistic it won't be a long term issue.
— Audra Martin (@Audra_Martin) July 30, 2023
Kirilloff’s shoulder has been bothering him for a while, and the hope is that ten days will be enough for him to return.
Nestor Cortes – SP New York Yankees
Nestor Cortes' next rehab start is going to be Wednesday. It's expected to be his last. #Yankees
— Gary Phillips (@GaryHPhillips) July 30, 2023
If all goes well, Cortes could be activated and starting in about one week.
Ha-Seong Kim – INF San Diego Pagres
Ha-Seong Kim has a jammed right shoulder and is day to day, according to Padres manager Bob Melvin.
Probably won’t play tomorrow.— Kevin Acee (@sdutKevinAcee) July 30, 2023
Kim hurt his shoulder while sliding into home plate. He had to be removed from the game early. With it all but determined that he won’t play today, there’s an outside shot that an Injured List designation is happening too. Stay tuned.
Mike Yastrzemski – OF San Francisco Giants
The Giants say Mike Yastrzemski has left hamstring tightness. That's the third time this year he has dealt with that left hamstring.
— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) July 30, 2023
Yastrzemski may end up missing time with this injured hamstring, though the severity of the injury is not yet known.
Nolan Gorman – 2B St. Louis Cardinals
Nolan Gorman has been scratched from the lineup due to back tightness. He missed time on the recent road trip with the same discomfort. #stlcards
— Derrick Goold (@dgoold) July 30, 2023
Consider Gorman DTD with a chance to end up on the Injured List because of a recurring injury.
Nathan Eovaldi – SP Texas Rangers
Bruce Bochy said he expects Nathan Eovaldi to just take the 15 days and be back afterwards.
He’ll see Dr. Meister when the club gets back to Texas, but they’re feeling “pretty confident” with the situation.
— kennedi landry (@kennlandry) July 30, 2023
Eovaldi has been dealing with the need for rest, over-exertion, and a forearm injury for quite a while now. The team hopes that rest will be the key to unlocking first-half Eovaldi, but this feels like putting a band-aid on a deep wound.
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