Welcome back to another exciting episode of Razzball Ambulance Chasers. The bodies are still warm. The hamstrings are given a strain.
Speaking of waking up, warming up, and stressing, I took a note from the MarmosDad playbook and injured my leg in a sporting incident (or rather a series of sporting incidents). Now, I start going to weekly physical therapy. This week, I looked my physical therapist deep in the eye as he massaged my quad and asked “Physical Therapist, I hear people talk about ‘groin’ as another word for crotch. Can you help me understand this?” It was a very intimate moment, and he laughed and said “We all have a hip, and it’s in our inner thigh.”
And thus I was inspired to write my first romance novel.
Whose groin is this week? Let’s go in and find out.
Significant Injury
AL Central
Carlos Carrasco (SP, CLE), neck: Senior state official Carrasco was taken to IL for 15 days with neck pain. His performance this season has been worse than expected: 5.16 ERA, 5.31 FIP. Perhaps the neck problem affected his performance for a while. Carrasco is eligible to return in early June.
Xzavion Curry came in for Carrasco. Well done, but let’s look at other options. You won’t have to look far to find Guardians co-stars Ben Lively (obviously no relation to Blake Lively) and Logan Allen.
In his last 5.7 IP, Lively has 11.1 K/9 and 0.0 BB/9. In his last 6 IP, Allen has 10.9 K/9 and 1.5 BB/9 with a squeaky clean 0.00 ERA and 1.20 FIP. Again, Allen might be saying “How long is this going to take?” place. At the time of publication, I will not see the result of Guardian vs. Angels, but the outlook wasn’t good for leftie Logan. Don’t talk to me until I drink my coffee!
Eloy Jiménez (DH, CWS), hamstring: Regular guest Eloy is back with us due to a hamstring injury. The timeline for the refund is uncertain. Oh my goodness look at this list of Eloy’s injuries over the past 5 years. Hamstring injuries (among other things) seem to be a once-a-year promise these days even from the outside.
Eloy Jimenez’s injury history is longer than a CVS receipt. pic.twitter.com/0lmaIRrtNy
— Mike (@ChiSoxFanMike) May 23, 2024
Anyway, I’ll get back on track here. If you’re strictly looking for a DH, Mark Vientos has been busy. In his last 14 AB games, Vientos is hitting .357/.471/.786. He hit a homer as I wrote the last sentence.
MARK VIENTOS ? 3RD HOMERUN OF THE YEAR!!!!! BACK TO BACK HOMERUNS FOR THE METS!!!!!!!
— Nicholas Fasull (@NicholasFasull1) May 25, 2024
AL East
Zach Eflin (SP, TBR), back: Eflin came out with a back injury. He can return in early June. Like Carrasco, Eflin had a tougher season than expected. I would suggest Alek Manoah because he probably he found me, but no, I will not be deceived.
Dean Kremer (SP, BAL), triceps: Ohhhh noooo Pt. 1. The doubling of Birds. Kremer goes to IL with the right triceps. There is no timeline yet. Albert Suarez and Cole Irvin may see more time as starters. Both have been working as relievers so far this season. In 25.3 IP, Suarez has a 1.78 ERA and 2.82 FIP with 7.9 K/9 and 2.1 BB/9. Irvin has been a little inconsistent this season, and his last week was a bit of a stinker.
Albert Suárez surprised many people today. I myself am included.
It looks like you are throwing 4 pitches: FF / CH / FC / CU
FF sits at 96 in league average vert but 13″ of horizontal movement. That would be top 10 in baseball.
He recorded 12 whiffs w/10 on the heater
Here are all 7 Ks pic.twitter.com/TLFcTE0Gr1
– Alex Fast (@AlexFast8) March 5, 2024
John Means (SP, BAL), arm: Ohhhh noooo Pt. 2. Means is going back to IL with a left arm strain and wanted a second opinion on his arm, which isn’t always bad but usually…not good.
Garrett Whitlock (SP, BOS), elbow: Whitlock is on IL with a possible UCL injury in his pitching elbow. At the time of publication, surgery was not confirmed, but there were many reports that it could be the result. We may have seen the last of Gary Dub this season.
AL West
Jon Gray (SP, TEX), groin: The Rangers staff appears to be more cursed than first thought. Maybe because they don’t have Prid yet…don’t worry. Gray joins the 15-day IL with a slightly strained groin. Fortunately, Bruce Bochy shared that they expect Gray to return after 15 days, via Evan Grant. Jesús Tinoco was added to cover Gray’s place. Look across the AL West for José Soriano. Being an angel is no longer Jon Gray, but he works for a short time.
José Soriano, Dirty 93mph Splitter. ?? pic.twitter.com/POMEk8E0Gx
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 19, 2024
Zach Neto (SS, LAA), elbow: I was surprised by many of you as Neto went to DTD with a sore right elbow, but the MRI showed the injury to be some inflammation. There are sources saying that he will play again today. He wasn’t on last night’s lineup but indicated he was available if needed.
Esteury Ruiz (OF, OAK), wrist: Esteury Ruiz has officially been moved to IL due to a stiff left hand. Ruiz first injured his wrist a few weeks ago while fishing. Daz Cameron was called up to replace Ruiz in the lineup. Ruiz’s teammate Seth Brown would be an easy pick here. Brown has done well in recent games. In 17 AB, Brown has 2 HR, 4 RBIs, and 1 SB.
Seth Brown is making a brand new football game pic.twitter.com/ITonGsHNBX
-MLB (@MLB) May 22, 2024
NL Central
Jake Fraley (OF, CIN), hand: Fraley was hit by a pitch in his hand. However, he has come back from trouble and celebrates being patriotic.
Jake Fraley is expected to be available tonight pic.twitter.com/ecoSJ1qbfS
— Votto De La Cruz (@EvilJoeyVotto) May 24, 2024
NL West
Xander Bogaerts (2B/SS, SDP), shoulder: Bogaerts continued to practice after diving for the catch. The team shares that only the bone was injured in the fall, and no surgery will be needed to repair the bone or any soft tissue. The current timeline for the return is late summer.
When in trouble, Dylan Moore was warm. Will his performance be sustainable? Probably not. In his last 17 AB, he is hitting .412/.565/1.118 with 3 HR and 6 RBI. It’s a little bonkers, but if you have the space, (read in the voice of a soccer mom who drank wine on a Friday night) it can be funnnnnn.
Dylan Moore has a 146 wRC+ and posted a 1.2 fWAR
He was unbelievable. Find out how to add him to the daily list, pic.twitter.com/c5fnqMF312
— Steve (@MarinersSteve) May 22, 2024
Max Muncy (3B, LAD), oblique: Muncy suffered a Grade 1 oblique last Friday. He is not expected to return before June. Enrique Hernández has been working in Muncy’s place at 3B and is hitting with mixed results.
There are other options. Detroit’s Colt Keith is on the thin line. In his last 20 AB, he is hitting .550/.571/.650 with 11 H and 4 RBIs. If you need someone in the NL East, Diamondback Kevin Newman is hitting .300/.364/.350 with 6 H and 2 BB in his last 20 AB.
Colt Keith in May
44 PA
132 wRC+
.350/.386/.425 .811 ops pic.twitter.com/AmSWEhQvLQ— cyjobe (@tigersslab) May 21, 2024
Injury Updates
Here are some quick updates I can give you. If I missed anything or you want to know more (or less!), I will let you know in the comments.
- Gerrit Cole (SP, NYY), elbow: dealing with strikers before restarting; planning to return in June.
- Jacob deGrom (SP, TEX), elbow: the August firing came from MLB’s Kennedy Landry.
- Brandon Drury (1B/2B, LAA), hamstring: batting in the batting cage but no run.
- Nathan Eovaldi (SP, TEX), groin: throwing an ox; he might get news about the renovation work in the next week.
- Ke’Bryan Hayes (3B, PIT), back: returned to baseball activities; he might come back sometime next week.
- Josh Jung (3B, TEX), arm: the timeline is updated in early July returns.
- Steven Kwan (OF, CLE), leg: they can start the renovation work next week.
- DJ LeMahieu (1B/3B, NYY), foot: it may start next week.
- Wyatt Langford (OF, TEX), hamstring: early June to return.
- Royce Lewis (3B, MIN), quadricep: come back before mid-July
- Kenta Maeda (SP, DET), illness: may explode this weekend by Evan Petzold of Detroit Free Press.
- Bobby Miller (SP, LAD), shoulder inflammation: The rehab assignment begins Sunday with MLB.com’s Juan Toribio.
- Sean Murphy (C, ATL), oblique: to destroy balls in rehab.
- Luis Robert (OF, CWS), hip: and wrecking balls in rehab.
- Lane Thomas (OF, WSH), knee: should be back next week.
- Trea Turner (SS, PHI), muscle: the timeline is still 6 weeks from early May (so mid to late June to return).
- Max Scherzer (SP, TEX), back: earlier he can work on May 28; there are no specific updates.
- Alek Thomas (OF, ARI), hamstring: strengthening work; you will need a remodeling assignment.
- Gavin Williams (SP, CLE), elbow: throwing bullpen sessions; June return is possible.
Sean Murphy literally kicks the ball out of our yard for the second time @SoFi home resume in two stages. pic.twitter.com/nAhAXPG8P7
– Gwinnett Stripers (@GoStripers) May 24, 2024
Protect the neck. And the pain. See you next week!
If you work for the community, I found myself going on Twitter or BlueSky. Sometimes I talk about baseball. Sometimes I post pictures of dogs. A mixed bag!
