Welcome to the Fantrax MLB Injury Report for Wednesday, January 15, 2025. In this week’s edition, we learn about Spencer Strider’s progression, Shohei Ohtani makes a surprise visit to a school, and Josh Jung gets some great news. All that and more in today’s MLB Injury Report from Fantrax.
Fantasy Baseball Injury Report
Spencer Strider – SP Atlanta Braves
This recent update is encouraging for many reasons. First, it reveals that he hasn’t had any setbacks since the last time we received updates around the Winter GM Meetings. He is continuing to rehab and recover at a pace that is perfect for him. Secondly, the team must be pleased with his progress because he will be having a normal offseason, which is crucial for players. They always like to prepare for a season the same way they’ve done it over the years, as it helps their bodies adjust and it helps their mindset. Finally, knowing that Strider will appear in games this spring, whether it be right away or late, is a great sign that things are moving smoothly. All that being said, his progress will be one to monitor. Seeing how often he is used, what kinds of pitches he is throwing and any velocity readings will be imperative when analyzing his progress. A reminder though that the Braves are playing for October, so if they feel that they can only get a certain number of innings out of Strider, they won’t hesitate to delay his debut.
Shohei Ohtani – SP/DH Los Angeles Dodgers
Shohei Ohtani appears to have been captured pitching recently at Maranatha High School in Los Angeles amid the offseason.
The Dodgers champion is rehabbing from two surgeries & just never stops working 💪
🎥: 甜心麻麻 Binbin @小紅書
pic.twitter.com/Ibq3RBNVyF— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) January 5, 2025
It is unclear the context or the length of this activity, but the fact that Ohtani was doing this in public demonstrates that he has improved physically and is confident enough to be doing this. A reminder that by season’s end, he was throwing bullpen sessions with whispers of him possibly pitching in the playoffs. The team refuted those claims stating that his long-term health wouldn’t be worth the risk. Now, three months later, he is spotted pitching at a random high school and looks good with healthy form. He is also recovering from shoulder surgery alongside his elbow procedure. He is expected to see his pitching delayed to start the season.
Masataka Yoshida – OF Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox swore up and down for six months that Yoshida’s lack of OF time was because they had better options, even after the injury was revealed on the last day of the season.
Today: “Yeah, our outfield defense was great last year, but in a perfect world, if he was healthy,…
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) January 11, 2025
With Yoshida playing through injury last year, he saw his production drop all over the place. He had surgery immediately following the season to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder. The plan is for him to return healthy in 2025 and to also play in the outfield more often. Last season, he was limited to just one outfield appearance, thus hurting his positional eligibility for 2025. Once he returns and is back to the hitter fantasy owners were hoping to see, he should be a productive player, especially in points leagues.
Garrett Whitlock – SP/RP Boston Red Sox
Garrett Whitlock just confirmed he’s moving back to the bullpen for 2025.
— Gabrielle Starr (@gfstarr1) January 11, 2025
Whitlock is returning from season-ending elbow surgery after transitioning into a starter for the 2024 season. He will be returning as a multi-inning reliever for 2025, which is a role where he’s found success in the past. It’s unclear if he will be ready for Opening Day, but as a reliever, he can prepare as a reliever which is less of a grind and build-up. There will be more updates as we get closer to the start of the season, but for now, he is trending in the right direction.
Liam Hendriks – RP Boston Red Sox
https://twitter.com/JamieGatlin17/status/1877035077823045855
Hendriks has been throwing bullpen sessions all offseason intending to be the team’s Opening Day closer. He has said that everything feels fine and that it has been a normal offseason for him. His comeback will be a feel-good story, given what he has had to overcome in his past.
Josh Jung – 3B Texas Rangers
This very positive update is fantastic news, as Jung’s wrist had been an ongoing issue throughout most of his 2024 season. With multiple setbacks throughout the 2024 season, he entered the off-season with much confusion and doubt over what was going to happen next. His off-season surgery was intended to relieve the irritation of the tendon, and it looks like it’s working. We shall see once he starts swinging a bat and playing the field how things are, but for now, a sigh of relief.
Brandon Woodruff – SP Milwaukee Brewers
This excerpt comes from a very informative interview that is worth reading for anyone considering drafting Woodruff in fantasy this season. As it stands, he had what was supposed to be a normal offseason, as instructed by doctors after a meeting in October. He’s also throwing bullpens twice a week and will have likely eclipsed the 30-pitch mark by the time you’re reading this. Additionally, he will simulate multiple innings of work, face live batters, and travel to Arizona to get feedback on his stuff from the Brewers’ pitching lab. The overall feeling from this is that he is feeling good, and that’s what matters most. It has yet to be determined what his role will be in Milwaukee this season and when he will make his 2025 debut. Draft accordingly with caution.
Braxton Garrett – SP Miami Marlins
Marlins News : Starting Pitcher Braxton Garrett will miss the 2025 season following a left elbow UCL revision surgery with an internal brace in December.
— Craig Mish (@CraigMish) January 8, 2025
The news came out last week that Braxton Garrett will miss all of 2025 because of surgery that he had in December for his elbow. He last pitched in June and was rehabbing late in the summer with the intent of returning at some point. He had worked his way up to three innings pitched in a rehab outing, but alas, a setback proved to be a fatal one.
Xavier Edwards – SS Miami Marlins
It turns out that Edwards was dealing with shoulder issues this season. The article later explains that he has been at Driveline this offseason, working on throwing at various distances and trying to get the most out of his arm. He said that this is the best he’s felt in years, which is a great sign for a player whose offense can be limited for fantasy purposes.
