Welcome to the Fantrax MLB Injury Report for Wednesday, April 16, 2025. Today’s edition is full of team reports, as we learn more about fantasy-relevant players on the Orioles, Tigers, Rangers, Padres, and Twins. With so much going on these days, it’s important to keep up with the latest news to help you prepare your rosters. Read all about what’s happening here at the Fantrax MLB Injury Report.
MLB Injury Report
Ronald Acuna Jr. – OF Atlanta Braves
Ronald Acuña Jr. was cleared to ramp up activity and begin progressing toward a rehab assignment. No timetable, but seems like he’s on schedule to return at some point in the next month, as we’d originally thought.
— Justin Toscano (@JustinCToscano) April 15, 2025
Yesterday was the big day that Braves fans and fantasy owners had been waiting for, and the news here was positive. Acuna Jr. was cleared to ramp up his progress to the point of doing this, such as increased running speeds, defensive drills, and more, all under the watchful eye of the team. There is no real timetable set in stone, but the original one of a mid-May debut seems within play and something worth putting on the calendar as achievable. A lot needs to happen before then, but if anyone can do it, it’s him.
Baltimore Orioles – Team Update
Orioles injury updates, per Mike Elias:
• Zach Eflin (lat): “Hopeful” it’s weeks, not months.
• Grayson Rodriguez (elbow/triceps): Two bullpens so far. No timetable yet. “Still a lot ahead of us.”
• Kyle Bradish (Tommy John): “Feeling great” and “flying along.” Still long way…— Jacob Calvin Meyer (@jcalvinmeyer) April 15, 2025
This was a massive update from GM Mike Elias, who gave clarity on some unknown situations. Of note, while it’s good news that the team believes that Zach Eflin’s injury isn’t overly serious, the word hopeful is a precarious one that can sometimes lead people into a dangerous path of disappointment. His progress is something to monitor, as any setback could proclaim that the months-long absence will come true. As for Grayson Rodriguez, this was a touch of reality in some ways, as while his bullpens were positive with no setbacks, both he and the team realize that he has a ways to go. Kyle Bradish could return later this season, but there’s that word hope again, giving pause for an actual debut. Chances are he is back at some point in September, but any setback could mean 2026. Finally, Andrew Kittredge is someone to monitor in saves and holds leagues, as he could be a factor in the team’s high-leverage bullpen situations by the second half of the season.
Detroit Tigers – Team Update
Tigers' medical report… pic.twitter.com/Lgh8CD2VQV
— Evan Woodbery (@evanwoodbery) April 15, 2025
It’s updates like this that help put a team’s situation into perspective. Despite having this many injuries to impactful players, the Tigers are still quite competitive. Of note here, Alex Cobb will have a big day today to see if he is ready to take that next step forward. He has a long way to go before he’s back on the mound, but throwing a bullpen session is big. As for Manual Margot and Parker Meadows, both seem to be on the same path for a recovery, though the difference here is that Margot has been in games while Meadows has not. As such, we can expect Margot long before Meadows, though for talent alone, Meadows is worth waiting for. Wencel Perez continues to work on his back, but he has a long way to go as well, making his recovery time tricky to track. Back pains tend to linger, and some days are worse than others. That said, they can also disappear quickly. Finally, Matt Vierling continues to ramp up his arm to return to the Tigers. He will likely need a rehab assignment, mind you.
Texas Rangers – Team Update
Rangers injury updates:
– Wyatt Langford (oblique) will swing a bat today. If all goes well, he could play this weekend– Jack Leiter (blister) will throw a live BP later this week. He said he feels good. TBD on rehab assignment or right back into the rotation
— kennedi landry (@kennlandry) April 15, 2025
Both pieces of news here were positive and could be quite actionable. Wyatt Langford was placed on the Injured List on April 9, making this weekend the time when he’s first eligible to return. Given the nature of his injury, the oblique, this could be a dangerous game if he returns too soon or pushes it. Oblique injuries tend to linger and usually take weeks to recover, even in their mildest forms. Still, this writer is not a doctor and is nowhere near the Rangers’ facility, so for now, we take them at their word, but prepare for the worst, just in case. As for Jack Leiter, his blister was an issue when it first arrived, but it can be easily overcome with rest.
San Diego Padres – Team Update
Updates:
-Merrill is slowly ramping up to baseball activity. He was on the field for early BP and did some bunting. No running yet.
-Darvish played catch off the mound; no date set for his first true bullpen.
-Hoeing threw another 'pen today, his first with breaking pitches.
— AJ Cassavell (@AJCassavell) April 15, 2025
Good update here for everyone involved. For fantasy purposes, Jackson Merrill is getting close to resuming his baseball activities, which is a great sign for a quick(er) return. Running will likely be the last hurdle that he needs to clear before baseball activities are fully back. As for Yu Darvish, playing catch is in the beginning stages of his recovery, but at least he’s progressing.
Minnesota Twins – Team Update
Rocco Baldelli said Matt Wallner (hamstring) and Carlos Correa (wrist) will "likely get some imaging done" and "see what we're looking at tomorrow morning."
"I don't have much to add on those guys, except we're going to monitor them, get some testing done and see what they say."
— Aaron Gleeman (@AaronGleeman) April 16, 2025
The Twins were hit with two big injuries yesterday that could impact their lineup moving forward. First, Matt Wallner was running out a base hit and said he experienced tightness, not pain, in his hamstring. He noted that he had never experienced something like this before and that while it wasn’t painful, it was quite uncomfortable. If he needs to miss time on the Injured List, the only healthy outfielder on the 40-man roster is Emmanuel Rodriguez. As for Carlos Correa, he whinced while swinging a bat last night, re-aggravating an injury he said was hurting him since last season. This is noteworthy since this is the first time it’s been reported. With Jose Miranda and Autin Martin on the Minor League Injured List, it will be interesting to see how the team adapts if Correa should miss time as well.
