NEWSLETTER
Although we normally cover major injuries – or even minor injuries, from certain NL Central teams – in the MLBits, there’s a bit too much going on right now to overload that post with injury updates (even though, yes, I know it would’ve fit right in with my ‘Deadpool’ theme).
MLBits: Crowded Trade Market, Carpenter New Low, If Playoffs Started Today, Reliever Stress, More https://t.co/SJ9lgBMqYp pic.twitter.com/uHj5hZh1yQ
— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) May 18, 2018
So instead, for today, I thought we could round up the various injuries around the NL Central with a little bit of context and the latest updates. Let’s go team-by-team, eh?
Milwaukee Brewers
10-Day Disabled List: Eric Thames (torn UCL in left thumb), Ryan Braun (back tightness), Nick Franklin (right quad strain), Chase Anderson (illness), Zach Davies (right rotator cuff inflammation).
60-Day Disabled List: Stephen Vogt (shoulder strain), Jimmy Nelson (shoulder surgery in September), Wade Miley (right oblique strain).
Woof. Things have been ROUGH for the Brewers, who are playing without 3/5 of the best version of their rotation (Anderson, Davies, Nelson – you know, the good ones) and plenty of other players.
Among the notable, recent updates … Ryan Braun’s back tightness landed him on the 10-day DL retroactive to Monday, which means he’ll be eligible to return on May 24 (the Cubs don’t play the Brewers again until June). And while he’s expected back by then, it sounds like it’s more than just a nagging problem for the 34-year-old outfielder/first baseman: “It’s not going to completely go away while I’m playing,” Braun said in Arizona. “You just have to try to manage it.”
St. Louis Cardinals
10-Day Disabled List: Luke Gregerson (should impingement), Tyler Lyons (mid-back strain), Dominic Leone (right upper arm nerve irritation), Yadier Molina (traumatic hematoma), Carson Kelly (right hamstring strain), Carlos Martinez (right lat strain).
60-Day Disabled List: Alex Reyes (recovering from TJ surgery), Adam Wainwright (right elbow inflammation).
As we were about to publish this one, the Cardinals put two MORE players on the DL:
The #STLCards have placed SS Paul DeJong (fractured left hand) and RHP Matt Bowman (blisters on right index and middle fingers) on the 10-day disabled list and have recalled INF Yairo Muñoz and OF Tyler O'Neill from Memphis (AAA). pic.twitter.com/F9TfZ1LnWk
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) May 18, 2018
Not unlike the Brewers, the Cardinals are experiencing some serious injury woes this season, particularly on their pitching staff, where Luke Gregerson, signed on to be the team’s closer this past winter, is back on the shelf, alongside the team’s best starter of the past, Adam Wainwright, best starter of the present, Carlos Martinez, and best starter of the future, Alex Reyes. It’s like a Christmas Carol, but with injured Cardinals pitchers.
As for DeJong … yikes. A fractured hand? Depending on how serious that is, the Cardinals may have to consider making a move. Like … for Manny Machado? We’ll get there when we get there.
Among other notable, recent updates, Adam Wainwright will undergo another round of tests after the first round didn’t reveal the source of the pain in his right elbow. And with Yadier Molina already on the disabled list and fill-in catcher Carson Kelly joining him, the Cardinals were forced to move Wainwright to the 60-day disabled list to make room on the 40-man roster for the second guy to replace Molina, Steven Baron. “Obviously a lot of roster turmoil right now, and that’s never ideal,” GM John Mozeliak said. “I think we’re trying to understand all these different injuries. Some are more about trying to be smart, so they don’t roll into something bigger. Others are things that we’re still learning about.”
Meanwhile, Martinez is reporetdly unlikely to come off the DL when he’s eligible (this Saturday), as he just underwent an MRI yesterday, the results of which were not shared (ditto Luke Gregerson). Tyler Lyons, however, is beginning his rehab assignment this weekend and Reyes is prepping for his third rehab start (the first two went well).
Pittsburgh Pirates
10-Day Disabled List: Enny Romero (shoulder impingement), Josh Harrison (left hand fracture), Joe Musgrove (shoulder), A.J. Schugel (shoulder discomfort), Starling Marte (right oblique strain).
60-Day Disabled List: None, but Schugel did open the season on the disabled list, so …
Among the notable, recent updates: The Pirates plan on calling up their top positional prospect, Austin Meadows (#42 overall in MLB according to MLB Pipeline), over the weekend to replace Marte, who hit the DL retroactive to May 16. Meadows, you might recall, was taken seven picks after Kris Bryant back in 2013 and is capable of playing all three outfield spots. He comes to the Majors primarily, of course, to fill in for Marte in center field.
And the Pirates had a last-minute before publish injury, too:
https://twitter.com/RobBiertempfel/status/997570582874066944
Cincinnati Reds
10-Day Disabled List: Michael Lorenzen (shoulder)
60-Day Disabled List: Rookie Davis (right hip surgery in October), Anthony DeSclafani (oblique)
The Cincinnati Reds don’t have a ton of guys on the disabled list, but they have bigger problems than that (if you’ve checked the standings, you’ll know).
As for the latest updates, Lorenzen and DeSclafani have both begun their rehab assignments in Double-A this week, and both guys did well. DeSclafani, who broke out for the Reds with a 3.1 fWAR campaign last season, was perfect (nine up, nine down) through a three inning start in Pensacola with four strikeouts. And he was followed by Lorenzen, who struck out one over his scoreless inning. “They came out of it very well,” Reds interim manager Jim Riggleman said. “There haven’t been any setbacks.” Both guys could return as soon as this month, though it’s wroth pointing out that DeSclafani can not return until May 28. Lorenzen figures to join him around that time, baring any setbacks.
And that’s it!
Brett Taylor contributed to that post.
