This article is part of our Fantasy Baseball Injury Report series.
Tatis was a surprise addition to the weekly injury report after suffering a shoulder injury late Monday night. The Padres outfielder hit the ground after a failed swing attempt and was in visible pain and discomfort. He was helped off the field by a member of the San Diego medical staff and was later diagnosed with a left shoulder subluxation.
Despite multiple stabilizing structures, the shoulder is one of the most common joints forced out of alignment. An injury that results in joint displacement can be classified as a subluxation or a dislocation. A subluxation occurs when a joint is temporarily displaced and is also known as a partial dislocation. The joint is often reduced, or returned to its normal alignment, naturally and almost instantaneous by the surrounding stabilizing structures, including muscles and ligaments. A true dislocation occurs when the displacement of the joint is complete. When a dislocation occurs, the injured athlete often needs assistance by a medical professional to return the joint or articulation to its normal positioning.
Regardless of classification, the primary concern with a subluxation or dislocation involves the surrounding soft tissue structures. For a joint to come out of alignment, some sort of damage to ligaments, muscle, or cartilage must occur. Once the structures are injured or overstretched the stability of the joint is compromised, and a subsequent subluxation or dislocation is more likely. The Padres confirmed that this is not Tatis' first subluxation and that he has experienced several partial dislocations in the
Tatis was a surprise addition to the weekly injury report after suffering a shoulder injury late Monday night. The Padres outfielder hit the ground after a failed swing attempt and was in visible pain and discomfort. He was helped off the field by a member of the San Diego medical staff and was later diagnosed with a left shoulder subluxation.
Despite multiple stabilizing structures, the shoulder is one of the most common joints forced out of alignment. An injury that results in joint displacement can be classified as a subluxation or a dislocation. A subluxation occurs when a joint is temporarily displaced and is also known as a partial dislocation. The joint is often reduced, or returned to its normal alignment, naturally and almost instantaneous by the surrounding stabilizing structures, including muscles and ligaments. A true dislocation occurs when the displacement of the joint is complete. When a dislocation occurs, the injured athlete often needs assistance by a medical professional to return the joint or articulation to its normal positioning.
Regardless of classification, the primary concern with a subluxation or dislocation involves the surrounding soft tissue structures. For a joint to come out of alignment, some sort of damage to ligaments, muscle, or cartilage must occur. Once the structures are injured or overstretched the stability of the joint is compromised, and a subsequent subluxation or dislocation is more likely. The Padres confirmed that this is not Tatis' first subluxation and that he has experienced several partial dislocations in the past.
Treatment for the injury will dictate how long Tatis will be sidelined. Physical therapy can offset some of the instability by improving the strength of the muscles encompassing the shoulder. A brace can also be worn to aid in stabilization. However, the resulting increases must be able to offset the violent forces that come with Tatis' swing and other baseball-related activities. If extensive damage has occurred to any ligaments or the cartilage ring known as the labrum, Tatis could be staring at a trip to the operating room. Surgery would likely end his season. The Padres and Tatis could elect to push back surgery into the offseason, but the risk of reinjury will remain high. An update should come in the near future, and those invested in Tatis should brace for some sort of absence for the immediate future.
The Miami pitcher is dealing with shoulder inflammation that is believed to be associated with a muscle strain. The location of the problem is being reported as the back of his shoulder, suggesting the problem is likely with one of the rotator cuff muscles that sits on the posterior aspect of the shoulder blade. The team will begin a treatment plan that likely includes an anti-inflammatory and prolonged rest. From there they will gradually build back up his workload and monitor the area of concern. Miami has been notoriously conservative in their approach with their pitchers, particularly Sanchez, and it looks as though he will be sidelined for the foreseeable future.
Check Swings
Tim Anderson: The White Sox leadoff man has undergone an MRI on his tight left hamstring. He is currently considered day-to-day, but the results of the imaging will help provide a more definitive timeline. The team is already planning on holding him out through Wednesday and even a low-grade strain could result in a trip to the injured list. Hamstring injuries are notoriously fickle injuries, especially for speed dependent players, and insuring Anderson heals completely will be key for his long-term availability. Leury Garcia started at shortstop on Monday and could be a viable plug-in candidate until Anderson returns.
Josh Donaldson: Speaking of hamstring strains, Donaldson is back on the IL with another lower extremity strain. Donaldson has endured multiple strains to the calves throughout his career and is now nursing a strained right hamstring. While the strain is to a different muscle group, the hamstring and the calf are closely connected and influence one another. Donaldson's previous IL stints have been anything brief, costing him in average of 33 days per trip, so fantasy investors have a valid reason to expect an extended absence. However, the team is optimistic he can make a quicker return after he has already resumed limited work. Running the bases will be a key hurdle for Donaldson to clear, so keep a close eye on his progression in the days ahead.
Byron Buxton and Luis Arraez: Buxton was unable to finish Sunday's game, and Arraez was an early exit on Monday. Both players are suffering from non-COVID illnesses. The situation serves as an important reminder that even with the various COVID protocols in place, other pathogens still exist and can infect MLB players. The common cold and influenza are both viral infections that attack the respiratory system and present with symptoms similar to the coronavirus. Gastrointestinal illnesses, like the one impacting Arraez, are also common occurrences. Both players continue to present negative COVID-19 tests and should be back in action when feeling better. Jake Cave shifted to centerfield on Monday and will remain a fixture of the Minnesota outfield given the team's early-season injury woes.
Shohei Ohtani: The Angels hard-hitting ace appears to be fine following his collision with the White Sox's Jose Abreu on Sunday night. Ohtani limped off the field after Abreu inadvertently cleated his left ankle. The team downplayed the severity of the injury, describing it as "general soreness." Ohtani was available to pinch hit Monday, a good indication he will be fine moving forward. Look for him to return to the lineup and resume his normal spot in the rotation soon.
Cody Bellinger: The 2019 NL MVP was unable to finish Monday's contest after he was stepped on by Oakland pitcher Reymin Guduan in a close play at first base. The Dodgers are currently listing him as day-to-day with a calf issue so hopefully the issue isn't anything more than a simple contusion. A day off may be needed, but it appears as though he's avoided a serious injury.
