This article is part of our Fantasy Baseball Injury Report series.
Last season Martinez's final statline was a bit disappointing thanks to a slow start and a midseason elbow fracture. Unfortunately, it appears the Tigers outfielder is now combining those two limiting factors to start his 2016 campaign. On March 18 Martinez suffered a sprain to the midfoot region of his right foot. A week later he underwent a stress CT scan to determine the severity of the damage. After testing was completed the Tigers revealed the involved ligament was the Lisfranc ligament.
The foot is a complex structure made up of more than 25 different bones that form roughly 30 different individualized joints. The midfoot region comprises five tarsometatarsal joints, located where the metatarsal bones of the foot meet with four very specific bones known as the cuboid and the three cuneiforms. The linchpin of midfoot is located at the second joint where the second metatarsal articulates with the medial cuneiform. A strong ligament known as Lisfranc's ligament stabilizes this area. Like most connective tissues, the Lisfranc's ligament is vulnerable to injury. In most cases a sprain occurs, though if the applied stress is strong enough, the area can dislocate or pull away a small piece of bone creating a fracture.
On the plus side, Martinez's injury appears to be a mild to moderate sprain that will not require surgery. However, he has been casted to immobilize the area and is expected to need at least three weeks of recovery time before he'll be able to resume baseball
Last season Martinez's final statline was a bit disappointing thanks to a slow start and a midseason elbow fracture. Unfortunately, it appears the Tigers outfielder is now combining those two limiting factors to start his 2016 campaign. On March 18 Martinez suffered a sprain to the midfoot region of his right foot. A week later he underwent a stress CT scan to determine the severity of the damage. After testing was completed the Tigers revealed the involved ligament was the Lisfranc ligament.
The foot is a complex structure made up of more than 25 different bones that form roughly 30 different individualized joints. The midfoot region comprises five tarsometatarsal joints, located where the metatarsal bones of the foot meet with four very specific bones known as the cuboid and the three cuneiforms. The linchpin of midfoot is located at the second joint where the second metatarsal articulates with the medial cuneiform. A strong ligament known as Lisfranc's ligament stabilizes this area. Like most connective tissues, the Lisfranc's ligament is vulnerable to injury. In most cases a sprain occurs, though if the applied stress is strong enough, the area can dislocate or pull away a small piece of bone creating a fracture.
On the plus side, Martinez's injury appears to be a mild to moderate sprain that will not require surgery. However, he has been casted to immobilize the area and is expected to need at least three weeks of recovery time before he'll be able to resume baseball activity. He will then need additional time to regain his conditioning and return to a level of comfort suitable for playing games, making a return in early May very possible. Unfortunately, Martinez' level of risk will remain elevated upon his return as Lisfranc injuries can be easily aggravated.
As a result, bump the All-Star outfielder down your draft boards if you have yet to select your teams. Pencil him in as a No. 2 outfielder worthy of a pick in rounds nine or 10.
Check Swings
Khris Davis: The A's outfielder was held out of a game last week with an undisclosed quadriceps injury. The team downplayed the ailment referring to it as tightness in the area. Injuries listed as "soreness" or "tightness" can be maddening for fantasy owners, as the description often provides little context to the injury. However, some of that ambiguity is reduced when the words are linked to a specific muscle or muscle group. Since Oakland made direct reference to Davis' quadriceps, we know the muscle group responsible for hip flexion and knee extension is involved. Davis' participation in a minor league game on Sunday is another strong indicator the injury is a non-issue and he should be fine moving forward. He's expected to play Monday with his Oakland teammates.
Adrian Beltre: The veteran third baseman was a late scratch from Monday's game due to soreness in his right calf. While this is not the calf that he strained in mid-February, it's not surprising to see the Rangers take a conservative approach with Beltre given his history of lower leg ailments. This is likely a case of the team protecting their player with the start of the year on the horizon, but I would put a hold on Beltre's value for the time being.
Steven Matz: Just as he was making his way back onto fantasy radars, Matz reminded would-be owners why selecting the left-hander remains a risk. Matz reported discomfort in his throwing elbow and was unable to make his Monday start in the Grapefruit League. He threw off of flat ground instead, but this is hardly an encouraging sign for a player with a history of shoulder problems and a recent elbow debridement on the books. New York continues to believe he will ready for his first start of the regular season, but understand the associated risk that comes with owning the 25 year old.
Gregory Polanco: The same approach taken with Matz should also be applied to Polanco who didn't play Saturday with lingering soreness in his left shoulder. Polanco needed a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection last season in the same shoulder and missed more time with separate injuries to his hamstring, foot and face. The fact that Pittsburgh remains noncommittal on his status for Opening Day suggests the issue is more complex than just soreness. Tread cautiously here and make sure you have a viable insurance policy ready should Polanco require a stint on the disabled list.
Devin Mesoraco: The Reds catcher has played in a total of 39 games over the last two seasons, as cartilage injuries in his hip and shoulder have required surgery. Both the hip and shoulder are ball-and-socket joints, fortified by a fibrocartilage rim known as the labrum. In 2015, Mesoraco tore his left hip labrum and underwent surgery to fix the damage. He entered last spring still recovering but made the Opening Day roster. His return was brief as he tore the labrum in his left shoulder, leading to a second consecutive season-ending surgery. While the time off hurt, Mesoraco took advantage of a forced absence and opted to undergo surgery on his right hip. He managed to make his spring debut two weeks ago, but the team believes he's unlikely to be ready for Opening Day. Given his three surgeries and limited spring reps, the 28-year old remains a high-risk investment. However, his proactive approach to treatment and a conservative approach to recovery may put him in a better place than last season. Keep an eye on his development, especially owners in two-catcher leagues.
Corey Seager: The Dodgers are optimistic that Seager will be ready for Opening Day even though the shortstop could remain in Arizona when the team departs for their upcoming "Freeway Series" against the Angels. The decision shouldn't be seen as a setback in his recovery from an oblique strain but instead as a designed approach to getting him more at-bats before the start of the season. Seager should continue to be treated as a borderline top 25 talent.
