Welcome to the Fantrax MLB Injury Report for Thursday, June 27, 2024. In today’s edition, Triston Casas, Josh Jung, and Devin Williams all get some good news, while Xander Bogaerts and Liam Hendriks take big steps forward in their recovery. It’s a good news edition (not all of it) in today’s Injury Report from Fantrax.
MLB Injury Report for Thursday, June 27, 2024.
Triston Casas – 1B Boston Red Sox (ribs)
Triston Casas said he swing in the cage this afternoon for the first time since his injury and felt great. The real test comes when he sees how sore he is tomorrow, but the initial return was like “riding a bike.”
— Alex Speier (@alexspeier) June 26, 2024
Casas got an MRI done on Monday, and days later this was revealed. It would seem that the results were positive and that his rehabbing could finally begin. As mentioned, the big test will be to see how he feels today, a day after the initial swinging. If everything feels good and there is no additional soreness, he could be cleared for a workload increase. Great news all around.
Liam Hendriks – RP Boston Red Sox (Tommy John Surgery)
Liam Hendriks estimated he threw about 15 pitches off a mound (all fastballs) in his first bullpen session since TJ last August. He thinks he can return in August, though notes that he’s the one who has come up with that timetable (rather than the team).
— Alex Speier (@alexspeier) June 26, 2024
This was his first time on the mound since he had Tommy John Surgery last August. It will be important to see and note how he feels today, a day after this initial throwing session, but it would appear that this is all good news. While an August return seems advantageous right now, it’s important to note that relief pitchers have somewhat of a shorter timeline to return because their daily pitch count is significantly less. As such, they have an endurance tolerance and a smaller workload to build up.
Milwaukee Brewers – Team Update
A few other notes from Matt Arnold:
* Robert Gasser had "regular" TJ surgery, which will lengthen his recovery period;
* Gary Sanchez's left calf strain appears to be on the minor side;
* It's possible Devin Williams could return earlier than mid- to late July but not certain.
— Todd Rosiak (@Todd_Rosiak) June 26, 2024
Robert Gasser (Tommy John Surgery) ended up not having the internal brace procedure. As such, his timeline to return is on the lengthier side of the usual timetable and could extend toward the 18-19 month period. Either way, he wasn’t a candidate to pitch in 2025. As for Gary Sanchez (calf), he is eligible to return from the Injured List on July 4, and the team is hoping that will be the day he does in fact come back healthy. Finally, Devin Williams appears to be on track for a return much sooner than anyone expected. He is worthy of a stash in all leagues if he’s still available. That being said, the hope is that he is not rushed back into action sooner than he should be. After a major injury like this that didn’t properly heal in the offseason, there are some concerns about him being pushed too soon.
Garrett Mitchell – OF Milwaukee Brewers (hamstring, finger)
Garrett Mitchell left the game in Nashville after this pitch today. He appears to grab his hamstring. pic.twitter.com/GPuGShaBpH
— Hunter Baumgardt (@hunterbonair) June 26, 2024
Mitchell was in the final stages of his rehab for a fractured finger and then this happened. The hope is that this doesn’t set him back even further.
Joey Ortiz – 2B Milwaukee Brewers (neck)
Pat Murphy says Joey Ortiz is dealing with a neck issue that first cropped up against the Angels.
It wasn’t running into the tarp that caused him to exit.
— Todd Rosiak (@Todd_Rosiak) June 26, 2024
Ortiz was lifted from yesterday’s game after just two at-bats. This has apparently been bothering him for quite a while, hence the removal when the pain was too much. It remains to be seen what the next move is for him and the Brewers. Stay tuned.
Justin Verlander – SP Houston Astros (neck)
Justin Verlander, who is eligible to come off the IL on Monday, will not accompany the team to New York, Joe Espada said. Verlander is getting better, but still hasn’t started playing catch.
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) June 26, 2024
If Verlander doesn’t travel with the team at all, his first chance to return to the mound would be at home against the Marlins on Tuesday, July 9, which is only a few days before the All-Star Break.
Jeimer Candelario – 3B Cincinnati Reds (hamstring)
David Bell said Jeimer Candelario is day to day with hamstring tendon tendinitis.
— Charlie Goldsmith (@CharlieG__) June 26, 2024
While Candelario remains DTD with this ailment, it’s important to note that it hasn’t been getting better and has been around for a while He may need some time on the Injured List to help himself fully heal, though the upcoming All-Star Break may take care of that.
Josh Jung – 3B Texas Rangers (wrist)
Josh Jung is back with the club today. He met with a surgeon in Phoenix yesterday and got good reports on the structural status of his bone, etc. No damage there, just soreness. He expects to start swinging again in the next couple of days.
— Shawn McFarland (@McFarland_Shawn) June 26, 2024
This is great news after Jung was experiencing soreness in his wrist and needed a check-up from the team doctors. It would appear that after a few days, he will be right back on the course to recovery that he was previously on. There is no word on exactly when he’ll be officially back, but consider this a good day for Jung.
Spencer Turnbull – SP Philadelphia Phillies (shoulder)
Spencer Turnbull felt "a little grab" in his right shoulder on his second-to-last pitch in the third inning. He will undergo further evaluation Thursday, but he didn't appear to be concerned. He joked that he can't seem to stay healthy in Detroit.
— Scott Lauber (@ScottLauber) June 26, 2024
The hope is that this grab is something minor and that Turnbull can make his next scheduled start. The Phillies are getting thin at the back end of their rotation and need his services. That said, perhaps the movement to and from the rotation, thus altering his workloads, is a main contributor here and his body just couldn’t withstand that sort of juggling.
Tommy Edman – 2B/SS/OF St. Louis Cardinals (wrist, ankle)
Tommy Edman sprained his ankle while taking ground balls yesterday, so he’ll be off his feet for a few days recovering from that before he resumes his wrist rehab. Not a huge setback but not one anyone is excited about.
— Jeff Jones (@jmjones) June 26, 2024
Yet another setback for Edman who has yet to play in the 2024 season. He was projected in the offseason to miss about a month of action during the season. Instead, we are weeks away from the All-Star Break and he has yet to start any sort of rehab assignment.
Lars Nootbaar – OF St. Louis Cardinals (oblique)
Lars Nootbaar could be sent on a rehab assignment as early as this weekend, per manager Oli Marmol.
Nootbaar (oblique strain) took on-field batting practice yesterday. It was his first on-field batting practice since he went on the IL near the end of May.
— Daniel Guerrero (@TheDanGuerrero) June 26, 2024
Nootbaar has picked up the intensity of his workouts this past week and the team feels that he is just about ready for a rehab assignment. Good news all around for Nootbaar.
Gavin Sheets – OF Chicago White Sox (heel)
Sox say X-rays were negative for Gavin Sheets, who is described as day-to-day with a bruised heel.
— Vinnie Duber (@VinnieDuber) June 27, 2024
Sheets jammed his heel while tracking down a foul ball near the side wall. He is currently DTD.
Xander Bogaerts – 2B San Diego Padres (shoulder)
Xander Bogaerts taking batting practice on the field, a notable step in his recovery from a fracture in his left shoulder.
— AJ Cassavell (@AJCassavell) June 26, 2024
This was a huge step forward, as the video footage of him doing so made him look comfortable in the process. Depending on how he feels today, the team may continue him along this trajectory with the hope of returning sometime in August, though a more specific timeline may be released in the coming days.
Josiah Gray – SP Washington Nationals (elbow)
Davey Martinez confirmed Josiah Gray will make one maybe two more rehab starts with Triple-A Rochester.
— Bobby Blanco (@Bobby_Blanco) June 26, 2024
Gray will remain on his rehab assignment despite his stellar performance in his last rehab outing. While he looks ready to return, the team wants to give him more time away to be sure.