Here is the Fantrax Injury Report for Saturday, April 1, 2023.
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MLB Injury Report for April 1
Michael Soroka – SP Atlanta Braves
Mike Soroka will make his first start with Gwinnett on Tuesday. He says he’ll work as a starter and reliever in Triple-A as he continues his path back to the majors.
— Gabe Burns (@GabeBurnsAJC) March 31, 2023
The path to returning begins on Tuesday, as Soroka will work as a starter to ramp himself up. He looks to end his long road to recovery after an extensive injury history.
Garrett Whitlock – SP Boston Red Sox
Whitlock opened the season for the WooSox, throwing in the mid 90’s for the first few innings. While all of that sounds good, digging deeper shows how unprepared he really is. Whitlock’s velocity dropped closer to 90 mph by the fourth inning. He will likely need a few more outings like this in order to prepare himself for the rigors of being a starter.
Michael Brantley – OF Houston Astros
Michael Brantley takes some swings pic.twitter.com/5EMMN39qnZ
— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) March 31, 2023
Very encouraging development here as he’s able to take some swings. Brantley is aiming for a mid-to-late April return from season-ending shoulder surgery.
Luis Urias – INF Milwaukee Brewers
Luis Urías injured his left hamstring in the ninth inning of Opening Day against the Cubs. Presuming he’s down, then Brian Anderson could move from RF to 3B and Joey Wiemer could play RF.
Brewers haven’t confirmed Urías’ status or Wiemer’s pending promotion. https://t.co/B1UHV4pnov
— Adam McCalvy (@AdamMcCalvy) April 1, 2023
Very discouraging news here as Urias was looking to rebound in a big way this season. Joey Wiemer is one of the team’s best prospects and offers some power and speed. He should be added in most leagues due to the promise and playing time opportunities.
Royce Lewis – SS Minnesota Twins
Royce Lewis is running the bases. If he continues to progress, Lewis could start to see limited action in games by mid-April before then eventually starting a rehab assignment.
Also, an update on Alex Kirilloff.#MNTwins https://t.co/ke04FiSk7k
— DanHayesMLB (@DanHayesMLB) March 31, 2023
Wow! Great news regarding the team’s best prospect. A healthy Lewis helps the Twins’ lineup immensely due to his versatility. Still, the team shouldn’t be too quick to bring him back, given what happened last time they did. All that being said, great news from the Twins’ organization.
Justin Verlander – SP New York Mets
As expected, Justin Verlander (right teres major strain) did some light throwing today at loanDepot Park. With the blessing of team doctors, he intends to continue playing catch as he recovers, which will allow him to avoid a longer build-up once he's able to return to the mound.
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) March 31, 2023
The good news is that he is not shut down from throwing, indicating that the strain is quite minor. It is hopeful that he can keep his arm built up so that an extended return is avoided.
Willson Contreras – C St. Louis Cardinals
INJURY UPDATE:
After undergoing tests today, C Willson Contreras (right knee contusion) is listed as day-to-day. pic.twitter.com/yw4hBJAZV2
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) March 31, 2023
There was some concern that this could have been more than it is, but all signs seem to point to Contreras being okay. He is DTD and will likely be back before the end of the weekend.
Mitch White – SP/RP Toronto Blue Jays, Hyun-Jin Ryu – SP Toronto Blue Jays
The #BlueJays officially announce their Opening Day roster.
Mitch White starts on the 15-day IL with right elbow inflammation.
Hyun Jin Ryu, coming back from Tommy John, will open on the 15-day for now but can be moved to the 60-day if needed for 40-man purposes. pic.twitter.com/FhW20jxOGS
— Keegan Matheson (@KeeganMatheson) March 30, 2023
The hope is that White can return sooner, rather than later, but elbow inflammation is never something to rush. Meanwhile, Ryu is still aiming for a post-All-Star Break return, but that might be too advantageous for everyone.