This article is part of our Fantasy Baseball Injury Report series.
The Dodgers welcomed Betts back to the lineup on Sunday after he missed a pair of games with a foot injury. Betts suffered the injury after fouling a ball of his left foot. X-rays and a CT scan were performed on the area and the injury was ultimately ruled a bone bruise. Bone bruises should not be taken lightly as they do involve damage to the bone tissue. The body's natural healing response treats a bone contusion just like a fracture with specialized cells creating new bone tissue to repair the injury. This takes times and, while it is encouraging to see Betts back in action, it wouldn't be shocking to see the Dodgers provide their MVP candidate with routine days off down the stretch. Los Angeles has a 13-game lead in the NL West standings and can afford to focus on Betts' health for the postseason.
The Yankees phenom saw his first extended run with the big-league team come to an end in just eight games. Dominguez was diagnosed with a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right elbow. The outfielder will now undergo Tommy John surgery and it seems like his recovery could bleed over into next season. Philadelphia's Bryce Harper returned 160 days after Tommy John surgery, but his recovery is an outlier so far. Expecting Dominguez to replicate that feat is unreasonable, and the Yankees seem to agree with early reports hinting at a minimum of nine months out. It
The Dodgers welcomed Betts back to the lineup on Sunday after he missed a pair of games with a foot injury. Betts suffered the injury after fouling a ball of his left foot. X-rays and a CT scan were performed on the area and the injury was ultimately ruled a bone bruise. Bone bruises should not be taken lightly as they do involve damage to the bone tissue. The body's natural healing response treats a bone contusion just like a fracture with specialized cells creating new bone tissue to repair the injury. This takes times and, while it is encouraging to see Betts back in action, it wouldn't be shocking to see the Dodgers provide their MVP candidate with routine days off down the stretch. Los Angeles has a 13-game lead in the NL West standings and can afford to focus on Betts' health for the postseason.
The Yankees phenom saw his first extended run with the big-league team come to an end in just eight games. Dominguez was diagnosed with a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right elbow. The outfielder will now undergo Tommy John surgery and it seems like his recovery could bleed over into next season. Philadelphia's Bryce Harper returned 160 days after Tommy John surgery, but his recovery is an outlier so far. Expecting Dominguez to replicate that feat is unreasonable, and the Yankees seem to agree with early reports hinting at a minimum of nine months out. It is an unfortunate setback for the slugger, but he is young and should be able to return to form following a lengthy rehab process.
The Rangers offense is down two key contributors as Garcia joined Jung on the injured list. The All-Star outfielder injured his right knee when he landed awkwardly after an attempted catch at the right field wall. The injury was diagnosed as a right patellar tendon strain.
The quadriceps muscle sits on the anterior aspect of the upper thigh. It is a muscle group comprising four different muscles that share a conjoined tendon. This tendon, the patellar tendon, attaches to the tibia (shinbone). It is anatomically unique, as the patella (kneecap) is embedded within the tendon. Fortunately, it sounds like Garcia's injury is isolated to the tendon and does not involve the patella. Manager Bruce Bochy said the team is "optimistic that he'll be ready" for the final week of the regular season. The injury clearly limits his fantasy value for the remainder of the year, but he should retain his value in keeper and dynasty formats.
Jung, out since August 6, is making progress on his way back from a fractured left thumb. He recently began field work and has been hitting off a tee. He is scheduled to meet with a specialist later this week and could take live batting practice if that meeting goes well. Like Garcia, Jung has a chance at returning before the end of the regular season, but it's hard to imagine him making much of a fantasy impact.
A sprained elbow is keeping Ohtani off the mound while an oblique strain has kept him out of the batter's box. Ohtani has missed seven straight games nursing the oblique injury, but the team is optimistic he will return soon, perhaps as early as Monday. However, Ohtani has not been the same player since suffering the UCL tear on August 23. Ohtani has zero homeruns and just four RBI in the 10 games since moving to a purely hitting role. He continues to make contact, batting .286 over that same stretch, but his value for the remainder of the season is very shaky. A decision to place him on the IL for the oblique strain could begin the process of a more proactive treatment for the elbow injury.
Check Swings
Sandy Alcantara: Alcantara hit the 15-day IL with a right forearm flexor strain. The Marlins continue to evaluate the injury, and the right-hander remains without a definitive return timeline. However, it seems unlikely he is back when first eligible on September 19. A moderate or severe strain would be season-ending, and the team is likely examining any possible involvement of his UCL. Those invested here should prepare for this to be an extended absence, possibly season-ending. It has been a disappointing season for the 2022 NL Cy Young Award winner who has complied a 7-12 record and carries an elevated 4.14 ERA.
Corbin Burnes: The Brewers right-hander suffered a mild left ankle sprain in his most recent start. Burnes said the ankle was sore, but he did not expect to miss his next start. Having a stable lead leg is vital to pitch control, and Burnes will likely test the ankle during his normal off-day routine. He was able to pitch one inning after sustaining the injury, so all signs point to him pitching Friday against the Nationals.
Luis Rengifo: The Angels lost Rengifo for the remainder of the year after the infielder ruptured his biceps tendon while swinging in the on-deck circle. Surgery will almost certainly be needed and Rengifo will likely spend the entire offseason rehabbing. There is a good chance his recovery could carry over into next year's spring training. He finishes the year with 16 home runs and 56 RBI.
Spencer Strider: The Braves right-hander was slated to pitch Monday but will now pitch Wednesday after coming down with an undisclosed illness. The issue does not appear to be serious, but it will dash any chances of him recording two starts in a pivotal fantasy week.
Christian Yelich: Yelich sat in back-to-back games over the weekend due to lingering back soreness. The root of the soreness has not been revealed, though the team said the decision to sit him on Sunday was precautionary. For the moment, this appears to be a mild injury, but keep a close eye on his availability to start the week. Any additional time missed could force Milwaukee's hand and result in a brief IL stint.
