This article is part of our Fantasy Baseball Injury Report series.
I feel like I warn about the perils of the headfirst slide on an annual basis. It generally comes on the heels of a top star suffering a hand or thumb injury while performing the act. This season Mike Trout serves as the catalyst for my rant.
The debate between the head-first slide and the foot-first method is one of the timeless arguments in baseball. Every player has his preferred method, and the science between which is faster remains split. However, the amount of risk associated with the head-first approach is undeniable. When a player dives toward the bag, he openly invites injuries to the head, shoulder, hands and fingers. Of the five digits of the hand, the thumb seems particularly susceptible to be caught on the bag. The extensive list of players to sustain thumb injuries going headfirst into a base includes Dee Gordon, Chase Utley, Josh Hamilton, Bryce Harper, Ian Kinsler and Jason Heyward, just to name a few.
A majority of these players suffered sprains to the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint, the articulation located where the base of the thumb meets the metacarpal bones of the hand. The MCP is stabilized by the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL). While most fans associate the UCL with elbow, the UCL of the thumb is an entirely different ligament. Like the "Tommy John" ligament, the UCL sits on the medial aspect of the body and protects against a type of force known as valgus stress.
I feel like I warn about the perils of the headfirst slide on an annual basis. It generally comes on the heels of a top star suffering a hand or thumb injury while performing the act. This season Mike Trout serves as the catalyst for my rant.
The debate between the head-first slide and the foot-first method is one of the timeless arguments in baseball. Every player has his preferred method, and the science between which is faster remains split. However, the amount of risk associated with the head-first approach is undeniable. When a player dives toward the bag, he openly invites injuries to the head, shoulder, hands and fingers. Of the five digits of the hand, the thumb seems particularly susceptible to be caught on the bag. The extensive list of players to sustain thumb injuries going headfirst into a base includes Dee Gordon, Chase Utley, Josh Hamilton, Bryce Harper, Ian Kinsler and Jason Heyward, just to name a few.
A majority of these players suffered sprains to the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint, the articulation located where the base of the thumb meets the metacarpal bones of the hand. The MCP is stabilized by the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL). While most fans associate the UCL with elbow, the UCL of the thumb is an entirely different ligament. Like the "Tommy John" ligament, the UCL sits on the medial aspect of the body and protects against a type of force known as valgus stress. When the thumb gets hung up on the bag during a slide, the excessive force stretches the ligament. If the damage is significant, surgery may be necessary.
It appears this is what has happened to Trout on his ill-fated lunge to second base. His injury is being described as a sprained thumb, though specifics remain limited. X-rays were negative but this type of imaging focuses on bone ailments and doesn't tell us anything about the integrity of the surrounding soft tissue structures of the MCP. An MRI scheduled for Monday will provide clarity on the extent of the damage and the accompanying window of recovery. For now, fantasy owners should cross their fingers that the MRI confirms the initial reports of a mild sprain and hope Trout can avoid the first trip DL stint of his career. If surgery is required, his recovery would be measured in weeks not days.
The Red Sox are set to welcome back Price on Monday after the 2012 Cy Young winner missed the team's first 49 games with an elbow injury. A MRI performed on Price's elbow in early March revealed swelling in the area that slowly improved without surgical intervention. He's progressed through the rehab process without any setbacks, though questions about his long-term health continue to linger. He hasn't looked particularly sharp on his rehab assignment, surrendering nine runs and 12 hits in less than six total innings of work. The stats are understandably frustrating but not completely surprising considering he hadn't pitched in roughly seven months. Fantasy owners facing difficult roster decisions may have an easier time if they look past Price's reputation and treat him more like a middle-of-the-rotation pitcher for the immediate future. Furthermore, Price's associated level of injury risk will remain elevated for the remainder of the season.
James Paxton and Mitch Haniger
Paxton, the Mariners left-hander will look to resume his impressive start to the season after missing time with a forearm strain. I was fortunate enough to take in Paxton's rehab start in Little Rock and can report he looked sharp in four innings of work. He appeared to have command of his pitches and routinely hit 90-plus PH on the in-house radar. He'll take the mound in Seattle on Wednesday in an interleague matchup with the Rockies.
Paxton's return should provide a boost to the beleaguered Seattle rotation, but a minor setback will delay Haniger from having a similar effect on the offensive side of things. Haniger hasn't played since suffering a strained right oblique on April 25. Now, with a potential rehab assignment on the horizon, Haniger is reporting tightness on the opposite side. The dynamics of the oblique muscle group are complex, and this type of setback isn't unusual. The obliques comprise two separate muscle groups on each side of the body. To complete trunk rotation, the internal obliques on one side work synergistically with the external obliques on the opposite side. When one side is functionally limited due to injury, its synergist can be overworked and become vulnerable to injury. Haniger's problem likely is directly linked to his current ailment and shouldn't be considered a new injury for now. Hopefully by scaling back his workload over the next few days, both issues will improve enough for Haniger to resume his rehab protocol. A mid-June return seems likely.
Check Swings
AJ Griffin: Griffin's return to the active lineup lasted less than a month, as the Rangers starter suffered an intercostal strain. The intercostal muscles sit between each rib of the ribcage and are active during breathing. For a better frame of reference, the meat you eat when you order a plate of barbeque ribs is the intercostal muscles. Strains of this area act similarly to an oblique strain, limiting the affected individual's trunk rotation. Fortunately, intercostal strains generally have a quicker recovery rate than oblique injuries. Texas hasn't set a firm timeline on Griffin's expected recovery and remained noncommittal on a potential replacement. One option is veteran Dillon Gee who has made nine starts for Texas' AAA affiliate.
Jameson Taillon: The Pittsburgh right-hander struck out six in three innings over the weekend for Double-A Altoona. Taillon has been inactive since undergoing surgery for testicular cancer in early May. Chemotherapy isn't currently a part of his treatment plan, and the team will continue to handle his return to play with extreme caution. He will undergo routine blood tests during the recovery process and reassured his fans that pitching won't elevate his level of risk moving forward. Fantasy baseball aside, it is nice to see Taillon back in action after the scary diagnosis, and here's to hoping for sustained health for the 25-year-old.
