MLB Injury Report – The Need for Fried

Welcome to the Fantrax MLB Injury Report for Wednesday, July 21, 2026. In today’s edition, Bobby Witt’s back continues to give the Royals trouble, Kyle Teel’s ankle may alter the plans of the White Sox, and Max Fried will make his triumphant return to the mound today. You can read about all of this and so much more in today’s MLB Injury Report from Fantrax.

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MLB Injury Report

Bobby Witt Jr. – SS Kansas City Royals

#Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. is still "pretty stiff" as he deals with low back tightness.

KC manager Matt Quatraro categorized the injury as a back spasm and Witt will be day-to-day.

— Jaylon T. Thompson (@jaylonthompson) July 21, 2026

Definitely not what you want to hear if you are a fantasy baseball manager, as a day later, Witt is still experiencing spasms. This, after rejoining the team late on Monday, making the decision to play this week instead of taking time off to let his back heal. And now, weeks after a Grade 1 MCL sprain, Witt is full of injury concerns as we head to the stretch run. Will the team finally give him ten-plus days of rest to help him get right? Or will they ease him in, limiting his time on the field? And who’s to say that in September, if the Royals are out of the playoff hunt, they don’t shut down their superstar and let him get right for next year? There’s a lot to consider here, and none of it is overly optimistic. Hopefully we get some news soon.

Jac Caglianone – OF Kansas City Royals

Here is the play where #Royals outfielder Jac Caglianone got injured in Tuesday's game against the Giants.

Caglianone exited with right-shoulder soreness. pic.twitter.com/OA9L7OPwtt

— Jaylon T. Thompson (@jaylonthompson) July 22, 2026

Caglianone left early after making a diving catch in the outfield. There wasn’t any news regarding his status after the game, so hopefully the lack of updates means there isn’t anything to report. The Royals are one of the few teams to play tomorrow, so there’s no rest for the weary. There should be updates throughout the day today.

Kyle Teel – C Chicago White Sox

Will Venable said the broad range for Teel's absence is 6 to 12 weeks.

— Scott Merkin (@scottmerkin) July 21, 2026

This came after we learned that Teel had sprained his ankle, an injury that required him to be carried off the field on Monday. This is an absolutely brutal blow for the White Sox, who will be forced to use Edgar Quero and Drew Romo in the meantime. Lucky for them, the trade deadline is approaching. They already need a starting pitcher, and it remains to be seen if they put long-term needs on the back burner and make a push here. That being said, look for them to make a deal and replace Teel, who is likely done for the season.

Nick Lodolo – SP Cincinnati Reds

Francona on Lodolo: he wants to throw a bullpen tomorrow. It’s all subject to how he’s feeling. They want him to push but don’t want him to push too hard. He’s allowed to spin it if he wants. If he feels too much, he has to pull back.

— Charlie Goldsmith (@CharlieG__) July 21, 2026

Today will be a big test for Lodolo, who is aiming to return from a blister. Whether or not that happens soon after this bullpen is yet to be determined. However, it will be up to him to figure out how far he can push himself tomorrow, as this blister has been a recurring issue all season long.

Joshua Kuroda-Grauer – OF Sacramento Athletics

From the A’s :
Kuroda-Grauer was injured last night after fouling off a pitch in the fifth inning. He underwent emergency surgery to repair a ruptured testicle last night at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Phoenix and is resting comfortably.

— Jody Jackson (@Jody_Jackson) July 21, 2026

Kuroda-Grauer left Monday’s game after fouling a ball off of his groin, and he wound up rupturing his testicle. He needed emergency surgery to repair it and will be out of action for an indefinite amount of time. There is no timetable for a return, and it’s quite possible that he won’t play again in 2026.

Jack Flaherty – SP Detroit Tigers

Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said Jack Flaherty (right flexor inflammation) reported discomfort after his start last night and got evaluated today.

"It was ongoing throughout the day, just making sure that we got him looked at and trying to make a good decision for him and a good…

— Evan Woodbery (@evanwoodbery) July 22, 2026

Flaherty went to the Injured List yesterday with a right flexor strain. From the way the team is talking about it, this doesn’t seem like something that will keep him out for long. That being said, there have been countless instances where injuries seem minor at first, but then after a while it’s evident that the right decision was made to give them time off because more time was needed. Stay tuned.

Milwaukee Brewers – Team Update

This is a huge update for the Brewers, almost too much to cover here. That said, of fantasy relevance, Kyle Harrison’s accelerated plan here is quite surprising, given where we were not too long ago. He’s been given an MRI, and with everything structurally sound, the plan here makes sense, though it comes with precaution. It will be up to Harrison himself to not push himself too hard and too fast, and to be open and forthright on how he feels a day after the bullpen. As for Sal Frelick, we will hopefully know his next steps soon enough and understand the severity of the shoulder strain. Stay tuned.

Ranger Suarez – SP Boston Red Sox

Jake Bennett will start Game 1 for the Red Sox tomorrow.

Game 2 starter is TBD. Chad Tracy said it could be Ranger Suarez, but they haven’t decided yet. Suarez was a little sore today and is also a bit under the weather, which is why they decided not to push him today.

— Gabrielle Starr (@gfstarr1) July 21, 2026

To make a long story short, Suarez was supposed to pitch yesterday, but because he was sore and under the weather, the team decided to be cautious and wait a day. However, with yesterday’s game rained out, he may not even pitch today and could ultimately get activated in time for their series against the Blue Jays. Stay tuned.

Seattle Mariners – Team Update

Both Julio Rodriguez and JP Crawford missed Tuesday’s game with various injuries, though from the sound of it, Crawford’s is a bit more serious. That being said, while the explanation for Rodriguez getting pulled makes sense, it seems likely that he would be ready to go the next day, unless something is wrong or lingering there. We shall see what happens next, as the Mariners have tomorrow off.

Max Fried – SP New York Yankees

Change of plans:

The #Yankees say Max Fried will start Game 2 tomorrow against the #Pirates.

Gerrit Cole will start Game 1.

— Gary Phillips (@GaryHPhillips) July 21, 2026

Be prepared!