This article is part of our Fantasy Baseball Injury Report series.
It's a shortened week and I will breakdown some of the pressing injuries that could influence fantasy rosters once the All-Star break ends, but first it's time to name the Fifth Annual MLB All-Scar teams. The squad is compromised of players that have altered the outcomes of fantasy leagues by spending more time in the athletic training room than on the field.
Catchers
AL- Matt Wieters
The Orioles catcher makes his second straight appearance as an All-Scar as the recovery from last year's Tommy John surgery has spilled over into this season. While Baltimore initially believed Wieters would be available Opening Day, lingering inflammation in his surgically repaired elbow delayed his debut until early June. He's spent the last month in-and-out of the lineup as part of his rehab plan.
NL- Devin Mesoraco
Many took a risk on Mesoraco hoping he would crack the top-5 in a position lacking deep talent. However, the injury bug derailed those plans as a nagging hip injury flared up in mid-April. His balky hip limited him to a pinch hitter role for weeks before the Reds finally placed him on the disabled list. A month later, after a plan to move him to the outfield was scraped, Mesoraco went under the knife and was ruled out for the year.
First Base
AL- Miguel Cabrera
Cabrera's Grade 3 calf strain occurred just 10 days ago but the impact of his prolonged absence will hurt. The two-time AL MVP has since undergone a platelet-rich plasma injection
It's a shortened week and I will breakdown some of the pressing injuries that could influence fantasy rosters once the All-Star break ends, but first it's time to name the Fifth Annual MLB All-Scar teams. The squad is compromised of players that have altered the outcomes of fantasy leagues by spending more time in the athletic training room than on the field.
Catchers
AL- Matt Wieters
The Orioles catcher makes his second straight appearance as an All-Scar as the recovery from last year's Tommy John surgery has spilled over into this season. While Baltimore initially believed Wieters would be available Opening Day, lingering inflammation in his surgically repaired elbow delayed his debut until early June. He's spent the last month in-and-out of the lineup as part of his rehab plan.
NL- Devin Mesoraco
Many took a risk on Mesoraco hoping he would crack the top-5 in a position lacking deep talent. However, the injury bug derailed those plans as a nagging hip injury flared up in mid-April. His balky hip limited him to a pinch hitter role for weeks before the Reds finally placed him on the disabled list. A month later, after a plan to move him to the outfield was scraped, Mesoraco went under the knife and was ruled out for the year.
First Base
AL- Miguel Cabrera
Cabrera's Grade 3 calf strain occurred just 10 days ago but the impact of his prolonged absence will hurt. The two-time AL MVP has since undergone a platelet-rich plasma injection in the area but is still expected to miss between six and eight weeks. If the Tigers slip the standings, they could opt to hold him out even longer.
NL- Ryan Zimmerman
Zimmerman makes his third All-Scar appearance but his first at a position besides third base. The shift is slightly humorous as the move from third to first was supposed to help keep him healthy. However, he's developed a nagging case of plantar fasciitis and been on the DL for over a month.
Second Base
AL- Robinson Cano
Cano hasn't missed time this season with an injury but has been a significant disappointment considering his ADP. The Mariners second baseman has just six home runs and is batting a paltry .251 with a .290 OBP. The cause of Cano's decline appears to be health-related, as a stomach parasite has left him with chronic acid reflux that has altered his diet and drained him of his normal energy. He still has time to rebound but his performance merits an inclusion on the All-Scar team.
NL- Anthony Rendon
The injury prone tag has followed Rendon for a majority of his young career and this year has been no different. A sprained medial collateral ligament (MCL) in March and an oblique strain during rehab delayed his 2015 debut until June. Just three weeks later he was back on the DL with a quadriceps strain with a return date still unknown.
Third Base
AL- Adrian Beltre
Beltre was already having a quiet year before a sprained and lacerated thumb cost him 19 games. The injured digit may still be affecting his power grip as he just one home run since returning on June 23.
NL- David Wright
The Mets third baseman originally hit the DL with hamstring problems. However, during his recovery it was discovered the problems were likely linked to a chronic lower back injury and narrowing of his spinal column. He's hoping to be cleared for baseball activity sometime in the next week but a firm timetable for a return has still yet to be established.
Outfield
AL- Jacoby Ellsbury, Alex Gordon, Alex Rios
Ellsbury joins two-thirds of the Royals starting outfield after missing 43 games with a right knee sprain. He's back for the Yankees and has a chance to rebound in the second half. Gordon won't get the same opportunity, as he is expected to miss at least two months with a significant groin strain. Rios could help ease the loss if he can find any kind of consistency at the plate. He's struggled since missing six weeks with a fractured fifth metacarpal.
NL- Giancarlo Stanton, Corey Dickerson, Hunter Pence
Stanton was among the league leaders in home runs and RBI before breaking the hamate bone in his hand. He's since undergone surgery to excise the broken bone and hopes to be back within four weeks. Dickerson's battle with plantar fasciitis earned him his spot on the squad as he's appeared in just 38 games this season. Normally an iron man, Pence earned his first All-Scar nod after fracturing his forearm in the spring. A callous formed during the recovery process and was linked to a case of wrist tendinitis that forced him to the DL for the second time this season. He's back and already showing signs of improvement.
Starting Pitchers
AL- Hisashi Iwakuma
Iwakuma edged out Rangers' ace Yu Darvish, as Darvish's Tommy John surgery happened prior to the start of the season. Iwakuma has just five starts this year as he battled a strained latissimus dorsi and finger issues. He did notch his first win of the year over the weekend, pitching eight shutout innings against the Angels.
NL- Stephen Strasburg
Once considered the cornerstone of the Nationals pitching staff, Strasburg's accession to superstar status has been derailed by injury. Strasburg's had all kinds of issues this season after an ankle injury in spring training altered his mechanics. He's since battled neck, shoulder and oblique issues.
Relief Pitchers
AL- Sean Doolittle
Fantasy owners invested in Doolittle, hoping his partially torn rotator cuff wouldn't prevent him from taking back the closer role when healthy. However, his return lasted just one inning, and he now sits on the 60-day DL with another strain in the same shoulder.
NL- Jason Grilli
Grilli earned the spot just two days ago but did so in a catastrophic way. The 38-year old closer ruptured his Achilles covering first base and is lost for the year.
Check Swings
Dee Gordon: The Marlins speedster dislocated his thumb over the weekend but the team is optimistic he will avoid the DL. They did rule him out for the first series following the All-Star break and hope the extra rest will allow him to return without an extended absence. It's hard to imagine he will be 100 percent given the amount of soft tissue damage associated with joint dislocations.
Dustin Pedroia: The Red Sox will get their second baseman back after the break after opting to play it safely over the weekend. Pedroia has missed 16 games with a strained hamstring.
Jose Bautista: Bautista will skip the All-Star Game to rest his ailing shoulder. The troublesome joint flared up over the weekend and the hard-hitting outfielder hopes focusing on treatment will allow him to remain in the daily lineup.
