Welcome to the Fantrax MLB Injury Report. In this edition, we were given three major pitching injuries to Grayson Rodriguez, George Kirby, and Gerrit Cole this past weekend, all of which have huge ramifications in drafts. Also, Francisco Alvarez will miss the start of the season, but Brandon Nimmo may not. All of that and so much more in today’s Injury Report from Fantrax.
MLB Injury Update for March 10
Grayson Rodriguez – SP Baltimore Orioles
#Orioles RHP Grayson Rodriguez has right elbow inflammation and got a cortisone shot. Shut down for 7-10 days, then will start a throwing program, per manager Brandon Hyde.
— Jake Rill (@JakeDRill) March 9, 2025
This news came through yesterday, two days after it was announced that Grayson Rodriguez would be shut down with elbow inflammation. Following a start where he couldn’t get his velocity to where he wanted it, the Orioles’ ace announced that his triceps was sore, which led to the diagnosis of his ailing elbow. With him being shut down for at least seven days, it is all but official that he will miss Opening Day, which was discussed earlier in the weekend. Rodriguez has a long injury history that has two separate issues of lat injuries. Both he and the team were purposeful this off-season to develop a new approach to his delivery, which could have, in fact, hurt him here. Anytime you change the way you’ve been doing something for most of your life, chances are you’re overcompensating and using other muscles in ways they’re not used to being used. All in all, this is a disastrous start to their season for the Orioles.
George Kirby – SP Seattle Mariners
#Mariners General Manager Justin Hollander shares an injury update on George Kirby. https://t.co/Evwi5GBVh0 pic.twitter.com/lAPmZOU42u
— Seattle Sports (@SeattleSports) March 7, 2025
On Friday, Mariners GM Justin Hollander dropped this bombshell onto the baseball world, announcing that ace George Kirby would be shut down from throwing for a while due to shoulder inflammation. To summarize, Kirby will be evaluated on a week-to-week basis, rather than a day-to-day basis, simply because this cannot be rushed. And while he will be reassessed every week, the medical team can assuredly say that there is no structural damage here, just inflammation. In addition to this, once he does return to throwing, he will need an entire spring’s worth of time and games to work himself back up to the point of being ready like he normally would. Kirby has a history of shoulder problems, as this will be his third time suffering the injury. The hope here is that he can return, but a timetable for that is unknown.
Gerrit Cole – SP New York Yankees
According to source, Gerrit Cole has been recommended to have TJ surgery… but they are now waiting for a 2nd opinion to confirm the diagnosis #Yankees
— Jim Bowden⚾️ (@JimBowdenGM) March 10, 2025
The bad news continued this weekend, this time in the form of an elbow injury to Gerrit Cole, and this one seems ominous. Cole felt discomfort following his last outing, and the team sent him in for some testing to get an idea of the problem. The belief right now is that he will require Tommy John Surgery to fix the problem, but a second opinion is what is preventing it from happening. All of this is one year after he missed a big chunk of the 2024 season with elbow inflammation. From the look of things here, Cole will be out for an extended time and ultimately miss most if not all of this season. If the reports are to be believed, he may not pitch again until the end of the 2026 season. Stay tuned.
Francisco Alvarez – C New York Mets
New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez needs surgery to repair a fractured left hamate bone and will be out for six to eight weeks, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 9, 2025
The plan is for Alvarez to have surgery today, though as it stands, it is unclear exactly how this injury took place. It’s a terrible break for both him and the Mets, who continue to lose players before the regular season begins. At just 23 years old, the catcher has now missed time in both the Major and Minor Leagues because of hand and thumb ailments, making this a problem in and of itself. In the meantime, Luis Torrens is likely the benefactor of this with additional playing time.
Brandon Nimmo – OF New York Mets
It’s been an uphill battle for Brandon Nimmo this spring, as not only is he recovering from plantar fasciitis, but he is now dealing with an inflamed knee. It’s unclear if these two are connected, as sometimes the foot ailment leads to overcompensation of other body parts to help alleviate the pain. That being said, the team also said that they will hopefully see him ramp up activities beginning today, so it looks like they anticipate a return sooner rather than later.
Jurickson Profar – OF Atlanta Braves
Jurickson Profar's CT Scan showed a bone bruise. The expectation is he'll be ready for Opening Day.
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) March 9, 2025
Profar injured his wrist while attempting to make a catch in left field on Saturday. It was initially feared that he had fractured his wrist and would miss an extended amount of time. Now, with it being just a bone bruise, he looks to be someone poised to be ready for Opening Day. This is a big relief for a team that will be contending for a championship and be without their star player Ronald Acuna Jr. for the foreseeable future.
Carlos Estevez – RP Kansas City Royals
#Royals reliever Carlos Estévez (back tightness) is scheduled for a live BP on Tuesday, and then hopefully game action on Friday.
Outfielder Dairon Blanco (Achilles tightness) will play 3 innings in a Minor League game today.
— Anne Rogers (@anne__rogers) March 9, 2025
This is great news for Estevez, as once healthy, he looks to have the inside edge on save opportunities in Kansas City but has been hampered by lower-back tightness. Tomorrow will be a big day for him, and he has the potential to be ready for Opening Day.
Zach Neto – SS Los Angeles Angels
Angels Manager Ron Washington on Zach Neto’s progression. pic.twitter.com/tVyNCcaHDr
— Sammy Miller (@sidelinesammy) March 9, 2025
An interview yesterday from manager Ron Washington confirms that Neto has yet to throw across the diamond while at practice. The good news is that he is participating in defensive drills and is throwing to second base, but until he throws to first base, he is not close to returning. The team does expect it to happen soon, though Washington pointed out that Neto is ahead of schedule. That said, we still don’t know what the procedure was and what his original schedule was to begin with.
For more of the great fantasy baseball rankings and analysis you’ve come to expect from FantraxHQ, check out our full 2025 Fantasy Baseball Draft Kit! We’re here for you all the way up until Opening Day and then on into your championship run.
