Welcome to the Fantrax MLB Injury Report for Saturday, May 18, 2024. In this weekend’s edition, Jung Hoo Lee’s season is officially (and sadly) over, Max Muncy heads to the Injured List for his oblique, and fantasy owners play the waiting game on Austin Riley and Nicor Hoerner. All of that and so much more in today’s Injury Report from Fantrax.
MLB Injury Report for Saturday, May 18, 2024.
Jung Hoo Lee – OF San Francisco Giants (shoulder)
Jung Hoo Lee will undergo season ending surgery to repair a torn labrum. He will have surgery in the next few weeks, Giants say.
— Shayna Rubin (@ShaynaRubin) May 17, 2024
Lee’s debut season will come to an unfortunate and sudden end here after surgery was determined to be the best outcome. He is looking at approximately six months’ worth of rehab and recovery here, making it impossible for him to return this season. Luis Matos seems destined to see an uptick in playing time for the rest of the year, though don’t rule out the Giants making a trade if they find themselves in contention.
Keaton Winn – SP San Francisco Giants (forearm)
Winn to IL with forearm strain, Soler comes off IL. Mason Black recalled, Casey Schmitt optioned back out. Luciano time at SS.
— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) May 17, 2024
A flurry of moves here, one of which was Winn heading to the Injured List for his forearm strain. While there is no timetable and the level of concern inside the clubhouse is reportedly minimal, the team would be wise to take things slowly with Winn and forearm strains because they have a tendency to escalate in nature over time.
Garrett Whitlock – SP Boston Red Sox (elbow)
Garrett Whitlock felt soreness in his elbow yesterday following his start Wednesday. The Sox are shutting him down for now.
— Julian McWilliams (@byJulianMack) May 17, 2024
This setback for Whitlock is deflating, given that he was in line to return soon. That being said, given his injury history, this was not a surprise, as he is known to have setbacks in his recovery. A return later this year with effectiveness should not be ruled out.
Max Muncy – 3B Los Angeles Dodgers (oblique)
Muncy had an MRI and revealed a Grade 1 oblique strain. Muncy won’t swing the bat for 2-3 days. #Dodgers
— David Vassegh (@THEREAL_DV) May 17, 2024
Muncy injured himself while swinging a bat during batting practice the night prior. The good news is that it is Grade 1 in nature, meaning that it is the least strenuous on the body. As such, his timeline is smaller and much more flexible in terms of a return date. Some players are actually able to recover more quickly than usual (i.e. Zack Gelof), so there is a chance that he misses a minimum amount of time. We should know more regarding his timeline once he starts swinging a bat after the weekend.
Cade Cavalli – SP Washington Nationals (elbow), Lane Thomas – OF Washington Nationals (MCL)
Cade Cavalli is ready to begin a rehab assignment in the Florida Complex League. Once he makes his first start there, that will start his 30-day rehab clock.
And Lane Thomas could be ready to start his rehab assignment next week.
— Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) May 17, 2024
Cavalli had been pushing past 45 pitches while rehabbing at the Nationals’ complex. He had also been throwing at 98mph, which is a positive sign. He could be looking at a mid-June return if all goes well. As for Thomas, he has missed less than a month of games but is aiming to return to action soon. If all goes well for him, he could be back with the Nationals by the beginning of June, as a lengthy rehab assignment is likely on tap.
Brandon Lowe – 2B Tampa Bay Rays (oblique)
#Rays B. Lowe will play for AAA @DurhamBulls Saturday and Sunday and if all goes well #Rays would be looking to activate him as soon as Monday.
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) May 17, 2024
Be prepared.
Travis D’Arnaud – C Atlanta Braves (head)
D’Arnaud diagnosed with head contusion, for now. Snitker said he passed the initial concussion tests, but they’ll check him out again tomorrow before making any decision.
— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) May 18, 2024
D’Arnaud will be re-evaluated today, but dizziness right after a foul tip is not ideal for health moving forward. There is a legitimate chance that he does have a concussion. Once the team evaluates him today, we should know more.
Austin Riley – 3B Atlanta Braves (side)
"He's trending in the right direction."
Braves manager Brian Snitker provides updates on Pierce Johnson and Austin Riley ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/VyYWgEKDij
— Bally Sports South (@BallySportsSO) May 17, 2024
The team remains adamant that Riley is trending in the right direction. They don’t want to rush him back because if they do and his side acts up again, it could be extended time away. All that being said, they may need to make a decision regarding him pertaining to a spot on the Injured List soon, as he has now missed four games in a row.
Taijuan Walker – SP Philadelphia Phillies (toe), Trea Turner – SS Philadelphia Phillies (hamstring)
Taijuan Walker couldn't move toe last night but doing better today, Thomson said. Status for next start TBD, more will be known this weekend. He'll throw again Monday
They're encouraged by Trea Turner's progress. Today was a recovery day but he ran & did one-knee fielding drills
— Corey Seidman (@CSeidmanNBCS) May 17, 2024
Walker’s status for his next start is wide open, and there is a legitimate chance that he won’t make it. Spencer Turnbull remains an optimal option for them in the bullpen. As for Turner, he had a great week of agility exercises and drills. It is unclear as to whether or not all of that moved the needle ahead for a speedy return, but it’s still just comforting knowing that he hasn’t had any setbacks.
Ke’Bryan Hayes – 3B Pittsburgh Pirates (back)
Ke'Bryan Hayes will resume baseball activities on Monday, per Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomcyzk.
The plan is for Hayes to play catch and field ground balls Monday, and swing the bat on Tuesday
— Andrew Destin (@AndrewDestin1) May 17, 2024
Hayes has been shut down since being sent to the Injured List last week. While his resumption of baseball activities is a good thing, it will mean that he is likely going to need more than the ten-day minimum on the Injured List. He has had back injuries in the past and the team would be wise to their time here.
Nico Hoenrer – 2B Chicago Cubs (hamstring)
Some Cubs injury updates from Craig Counsell this morning:
– Nico Hoerner, who's out of the lineup again today, still felt the hamstring issue yesterday. Still day to day and hoping to avoid an IL stint, but Counsell did say, "if it's still lingering, then it's on the table."
— Ryan Herrera (@ryan_a_herrera) May 17, 2024
Hoerner has missed four games with a hamstring ailment, and every day has sounded more negative than the last. That being said, him returning any day now has not been ruled out, though it seems likely that he is destined for the Injured List. Stay tuned.