Welcome to the Fantrax MLB Injury Report for Friday, July 5, 2024. In today’s edition, we go through all of the fireworks from yesterday’s holiday action. Kyle Tucker and Justin Verlander won’t be back before the All-Star Break, Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, and J.T. Realmuto are progressing well, and the Dodgers continue to manage their injuries. All of that and so much more in today’s Injury Report from Fantrax.
MLB Injury Report for Friday, July 5, 2024.
Houston Astros – Team Update
Joe Espada acknowledged today that neither Justin Verlander nor Kyle Tucker will return to the Astros before the All-Star break.
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) July 4, 2024
Both of these injuries were considered minor at the time, and now, here we are, one month later pondering when exactly both KYle Tucker (shin) and Justin Verlander (neck) will return.
Triston Casas – 1B Boston Red Sox (side)
Casas has taken small but important steps forward in his development as of late. The biggest one will be for him to actually step onto the field and take live BP. Once that successfully happens, he should be able to head out on a lengthy rehab assignment.
Liam Hendriks – RP Boston Red Sox (Tommy John Surgery)
Hendriks continues to progress here, as he increases the intensity and the quantity of his bullpens. He is scheduled to throw two more this weekend, which should progress him closer to a rehab assignment.
Philadelphia Phillies – Team Update
Rob Thomson said Kyle Schwarber is doing drills at 90% intensity and Bryce Harper/J.T. Realmuto are at about 70-75%.
Though the All-Star break looms after next week’s homestand, the Phillies won’t hold any of them back if they’re ready to go before it.
— Corey Seidman (@CSeidmanNBCS) July 4, 2024
Judging by the latest update, it would appear that a prediction of the order of returns would be: Kyle Schwarber (groin) before the All-Star Break, Bryce Harper (hamstring) right after the All-Star Break, and then J.T. Realmuto (knee) late July.
Bo Bichette – SS Toronto Blue Jays (arm contusion)
News: Bo Bichette has been removed from today’s lineup with a right forearm contusion. He was hit by a pitch in his last at-bat yesterday (following through on a strikeout).
Leo Jimenez slides to SS for his MLB debut. #BlueJays
— Keegan Matheson (@KeeganMatheson) July 4, 2024
Bichette should be considered DTD here and likely back within the Jays’ lineup as early as today. Stay tuned.
Yimi Garcia – RP Toronto Blue Jays (elbow)
Yimi Garcia said his side session yesterday went well and feels good this morning. He’s joining Buffalo tomorrow and will pitch for the Bisons on rehab Saturday. Thinking is he’ll need at least a couple outings before next steps
— Shi Davidi (@ShiDavidi) July 4, 2024
Garcia’s first outing tomorrow should be monitored for velocity and quantity of pitches to see how he looks. He could be back before the All-Star Break, but will likely wait until after that.
Tommy Edman – 2B/SS/OF St. Louis Cardinals (wrist)
Tommy Edman will go to Springfield to continue baseball activities today (hit BP, fielding work before the game) while the Cardinals are on the road. He's scheduled to have a live BP session tomorrow and again on Saturday in Springfield.
— Lynn Worthy (@LWorthySports) July 4, 2024
Edman continues to progress, but it feels as if he or the team are reluctant to push him toward a rehab assignment.
Bryan Woo – SP Seattle Mariners (hamstring)
Bryan Woo came out of his bullpen session yesterday feeling good and will begin a Minor League rehab assignment this weekend at High-A Everett.
Scott Servais didn’t rule out the possibility of him returning before the All-Star break.
— Daniel Kramer (@DKramer_) July 4, 2024
Great news here on Woo, who is recovering from an injured hamstring that he suffered while pitching just over a week ago. With him trending in the right direction, fantasy owners should be ready to activate him before the All-Star Break, as he has defied the odds before and may do so again here.
Kodai Senga – SP New York Mets (shoulder)
Kodai Senga’s next rehab start will be with Triple-A Syracuse, probably Tuesday, Carlos Mendoza said. He’ll throw about 50 pitches.
It gets a little trickier after than with All-Star breaks and off days, but the Mets want him to get to 75-80 pitches before returning.
— Tim Healey (@timbhealey) July 4, 2024
Senga did well in his first outing and will like to build on that with a total of 50 pitches next week. Healey brings up a good point about the All-Star Break, and it will be interesting to see how the Mets handle the off-time.
Mike Trout – OF Los Angeles Angels (knee)
Mike Trout has started running on a treadmill, per Ron Washington.
That had been a hurdle he needed to clear in his rehab. He also hit on the field.
— Sam Blum (@SamBlum3) July 4, 2024
Trout continues his ascension back to the team as he has cleared an important hurdle. He himself advocated for a late-July return to the Angels, but he still has a long way to go before making that happen. He may go on a minor league rehab assignment too, but nothing has been mentioned as of yet.
Jayson Heyward – OF Los Angeles Dodgers (knee)
Dave Roberts said Jason Heyward landed awkwardly on his leg trying to rob Joc Pederson’s home run in the first inning.
Heyward will get an MRI tomorrow. Obviously won’t be in the lineup. https://t.co/lwMWyoNWGb
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) July 5, 2024
There should be updates on Heyward’s status after the results of the MRI are released, but for now, consider him DTD. If he requires additional time away from the team, James Outman returning from the minor leagues is an option too.
Clayton Kershaw – SP Los Angeles Dodgers (shoulder)
Clayton Kershaw also threw a roughly 30-pitch bullpen session today, Roberts said
Kershaw will next throw a sim game (perhaps as soon as Sunday), then will go back out for 2-3 more minor league rehab outings, per Roberts, assuming his shoulder continues to feel well
— Jack Harris (@ByJackHarris) July 4, 2024
This was a good step back into the grind for Kershaw, who experienced soreness following his first rehab outing last week. He has wanted to throw a BP sessions before heading back and will go through a sim-game too now. That said, the feeling and hope for now is a positive one going forward with that initial setback in the rear-view mirror.
Max Muncy – 3B Los Angeles Dodgers (oblique)
Max Muncy is still swinging off a tee, but his progress is “slow,” Dave Roberts said. Still dealing with some soreness in his oblique. Definitely something that’ll last longer than the 60 days on the IL.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) July 4, 2024
Muncy is eligible to return on July 19, but it’s looking more and more like that won’t happen.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto – SP Los Angeles Dodgers (shoulder)
The Dodgers are planning for Yoshinobu Yamamoto to start playing catch again late next week, per Dave Roberts
Yamamoto has only thrown plyo balls to this point
— Jack Harris (@ByJackHarris) July 4, 2024
Yamamoto recently said that he was pain-free, so throwing actual baseballs seems like a logical next step. He will likely need a lengthy rehab assignment, so he’s probably about one month away from returning.
Edward Cabrera – SP Miami Marlins (shoulder)
#Marlins vs. Red Sox lineups
Roster moves as of now:
Andriese’s contract selected, Maldonado optioned to Triple-AFWIW, Cabrera is in the clubhouse. Perhaps he gets activated Sunday when he’s eligible to do so off the 60-day IL. pic.twitter.com/34WIivSQf3
— Christina De Nicola (@CDeNicola13) July 4, 2024
Be prepared.
Jared Jones – SP Pittsburgh Pirates (lat)
Roster move: The Pirates placed RHP Jared Jones on the 15-day injured list with a right lat strain.
OF Joshua Palacios has been recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis.— Kevin Gorman (@KevinGormanPGH) July 4, 2024
The hope and expectation is that this is a minor injury, as there have been no major concerns from Jones or the team.