Have you ever seen a Rube Goldberg machine in action? These devices are often complex contraptions that involve a series of intricate motions to perform a simple task. They've been made famous in Scooby Doo cartoons where an object strikes a bowling ball, which strikes another object, which then hits something else before the net ultimately ensnares the bad guy. If you have ever played the board game Mouse Trap, you've unknowing built a Rube Goldberg machine using the crank, seesaw, diving man, etc. to capture the mice. Without each action happening in a cascade fashion, the entire purpose of the machine is rendered useless.

The human body as a whole is a lot like a Rube Goldberg machine, with each body part relying on multiple muscles, ligaments and tendons working in unison to complete a motion like standing, walking and more advanced baseball-related activities. Unfortunately, injuries work in a similar fashion, disrupting the motion and starting a chain reaction of their own.

Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg is experiencing this breakdown first hand. In late May Strasburg was placed on the 15-day disabled list with tightness in his left trapezius, the muscle that spans the neck and shoulder. He returned nearly a month later after a brief stint with Double-A Harrisburg. However, his return lasted just three starts after the right-hander was removed from Saturday's game with pain in his left side. The official diagnosis is a left oblique strain, and he is now back on the DL without a firm timetable for recovery.

Like the aforementioned Rube Goldberg machine, it appears a cascade of events is occurring in Strasburg's kinetic chain. The limitation in the trapezius likely played a significant role in Strasburg's latest injury. In fact, the trap issue might not even be the root of the problem, as an ankle injury suffered in spring training reportedly altered Strasburg's mechanics to start the year. Until the initial breakdown in the kinetic chain is treated, fantasy owners simply cannot trust Strasburg to be a reliable option in the rotation. Given that Rays pitcher Jake Odorizzi has missed over a month with a similar injury and didn't have the previous problems Strasburg did, I'm guess the Nationals are without his services for four to six weeks. Fantasy owners heavily invested in Strasburg may want to start considering other, more reliable options for the remainder of the season.

Miguel Cabrera
The same sort of chain reaction is happening in Detroit, where their All-Star slugger is expected to miss at least six weeks recovering from a severe calf strain. Muscle strains are graded based on the severity of the sustained damage. A Grade I injury is the least severe and is considered minor. Grade I strains are marked by microtearing of the muscle tissue though the individual experiences little to no loss of function. These often occur when the muscle is simply overstretched or following a severe cramp. A Grade II strain is considered moderate and involves damage to actual muscle fibers. Grade II injuries are often referred to as partial tears. Anything given a Grade III or higher is considered severe with significant tearing of the muscle tissue. Grade III injuries are accompanied by a loss of both stability and function, and in some cases require surgery.

Cabrera's calf injury has unfortunately been diagnosed as a Grade III strain. While surgery isn't an option at this point, the length of time needed for recovery will be considerable. The six-week estimate provided by the team is likely a best-case scenario especially when you consider Cabrera's history of lower-leg injuries. Since 2013, the Triple Crown winner has endured a left hip flexor strain, undergone multiple surgeries to address a torn muscle in his left groin and bone spurs and a stress fracture in his right ankle. The surrounding musculature, as well as the muscles of the opposite leg, will need to be appropriately handled throughout the recovery process to minimize any potential cascade problems. As a result, I wouldn't be surprised if Cabrera's absence trickles into late August or early September.

Check Swings

Hunter Pence: While the 32-year-old outfielder isn't expected to rejoin the Giants until after the All-Star break, he has made significant progress in his rehab. Pence has been sidelined with wrist tendinitis that was irritated by a bone callus associated to his spring training forearm fracture. During his first attempt at batting practice, Pence flashed signs of power, launching multiple home runs during the session. I think he could be a sneaky addition for the second half of the season with plenty of upside.

Ben Revere: The Philadelphia outfielder has been recently hampered by a mild hamstring strain. He was given the day off Sunday but expects to be back in the lineup Monday. While I wouldn't advise benching Revere outright, don't expect him to be quite as active on the base paths until he puts the injury behind him.

Luis Valbuena: The Astros slugger has been slowed by a left big toe injury. A specific diagnosis has not been provided and Houston is simply calling the issue lingering soreness. Since Valbuena isn't reliant on his speed, I wouldn't worry too much about the injury at the moment, but don't be surprised if he gets a few more days off leading up to the All-Star break.

Yordano Ventura: The Royals right-hander may be back before the break after a positive bullpen session. He was slated for a rehab start on Monday but manager Ned Yost hinted it might not be necessary. Ventura, out since mid-June with an ulnar nerve irritation in his elbow, would then pencil in as Thursday's starter against the Rays. Those in weekly leagues may not want to take the gamble and opt to at least get a glimpse of how effective Ventura can be before inserting him back into the lineup. Owners in daily formats should begin to plan accordingly.