Hello and welcome to the Injury Report!
The Injury Report is a bi-weekly article, published on Mondays and Fridays, where I aim to detail approximately five relevant injuries that have occurred over the past few days or provide an update on the injury of a prominent MLB player. I will try to incorporate the available information as well as my own knowledge and experience in order to approximate a return date in each case, noting the individual characteristics of the injuries and of the players themselves.
If you have questions regarding an injury not detailed in this article, feel free to comment below, and I will give my best effort to provide a timely update.
Eloy Jimenez – Right Ankle Sprain
Eloy Jimenez hit the IL with an ankle sprain as a result of a crash into a wall on Friday. X-rays were negative, so this doesn’t appear to be a long-term absence. Look for Jimenez to return roughly when he is first eligible on May 6th.
Estimated return: Early-May.
Christian Yelich – Back Discomfort
Christian Yelich was removed from Sunday’s game due to back discomfort he experienced while running. This is likely an acute bout of tightness/soreness that should resolve with a few days of rest. I’m hopeful Yelich can return to the lineup in the latter half of this week. Yelich has a history of recurring mild back injuries, including a four-day absence due to back tightness in the summer. Yelich has been on the IL for lower back strains in the past, but not since 2015.
Estimated return: Likely to return at the end of the week.
Willians Astudillo – Left Hamstring Strain
Willians Astudillo hit the IL after suffering a left hamstring strain on Saturday (4/27). The grade of the strain has not been reported, but assuming it is minor Astudillo should miss between two and four weeks.
Estimated return: Mid-May.
Mitch Haniger – Right Shoulder Soreness
Mitch Haniger sat on Sunday after hurting his shoulder in the field on Saturday. This doesn’t appear to be a major concern, and the hope is Haniger can return on Tuesday (4/30). As this is Haniger’s back shoulder, I don’t think we will see lingering effects in his first few games back.
Estimated return: Likely to return at the end of the week.
Anthony Rendon – Elbow Injury
Anthony Rendon was hit by a pitch last Saturday (4/20) and has missed significant time this past week. In watching replay of the HBP, I’m reminded of Scott Schebler getting plunked last April, which ended up with a bruised ulnar nerve and resulted in an 18-day absence. This may be an inflated expectation, as Schebler’s injury was to his throwing arm, and Rendon was struck on his glove arm. This is all speculative, but it could paint the picture of a worst-case scenario for Rendon.
Estimated return: Hopeful to return this week, though an IL stint may be warranted.
Graphic by Michael Haas (@digitalHaas on Twitter)