This article is part of our Fantasy Baseball Injury Report series.
The Mariners ace hit the 15-day injured list over the weekend after an MRI revealed a Grade 1 flexor strain in his throwing arm. A flexor strain occurs when one of the flexor-pronator muscles of the forearm is damaged. The injury can be accrued by the shared tendon of the muscles or the muscles themselves. Together these muscles help with elbow motion and elbow joint stability. Furthermore, all three involved muscles work synergistically to increase additional stability through the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) by blending together at the medial epicondyle of the humerus. If one is weakened or loose, the other stabilizer takes on the additional load while making itself susceptible to injury in the process. As a result, even a mild flexor strain must be treated as significant to ensure the integrity of the UCL.
Gilbert's strain is indeed mild, but you can't blame Mariners fans for expressing initial pessimism. In his first start of the 2023 season then-Mariner Robbie Ray suffered what was originally diagnosed as a Grade 1 flexor strain. Less than a month later Ray was lost for the season, as further testing revealed a tear in the flexor tendon and a torn UCL that required Tommy John surgery. There has been no indication Gilbert's injury is anything remotely close to that diagnosis, but this prior case lingers as a recent cautionary tale.
Gilbert will not throw for the next two weeks before being reexamined to determine how to proceed moving forward. Those invested here
The Mariners ace hit the 15-day injured list over the weekend after an MRI revealed a Grade 1 flexor strain in his throwing arm. A flexor strain occurs when one of the flexor-pronator muscles of the forearm is damaged. The injury can be accrued by the shared tendon of the muscles or the muscles themselves. Together these muscles help with elbow motion and elbow joint stability. Furthermore, all three involved muscles work synergistically to increase additional stability through the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) by blending together at the medial epicondyle of the humerus. If one is weakened or loose, the other stabilizer takes on the additional load while making itself susceptible to injury in the process. As a result, even a mild flexor strain must be treated as significant to ensure the integrity of the UCL.
Gilbert's strain is indeed mild, but you can't blame Mariners fans for expressing initial pessimism. In his first start of the 2023 season then-Mariner Robbie Ray suffered what was originally diagnosed as a Grade 1 flexor strain. Less than a month later Ray was lost for the season, as further testing revealed a tear in the flexor tendon and a torn UCL that required Tommy John surgery. There has been no indication Gilbert's injury is anything remotely close to that diagnosis, but this prior case lingers as a recent cautionary tale.
Gilbert will not throw for the next two weeks before being reexamined to determine how to proceed moving forward. Those invested here should anticipate this recovery carrying into late May and perhaps longer if the associated symptoms persist. Prospect Logan Evans has joined the Seattle rotation and made his first start of the season Sunday. He pitched five innings, allowing two runs on two hits and three walks while collecting three strikeouts.
The term injury prone is thrown around way too casually for my liking. It is an oversimplification of a multifaceted issue in professional sports. Medical staffs work hard to help players shed this unfair label by mitigating injury risk with preventive care and countless other modalities and treatments. However, no amount of preemptive work can stop a player from breaking a rib following a wild pitch or having a busted lip due to a hard hit one-hopper. These types of injuries shouldn't count against a player when it comes to evaluating their overall propensity for injury.
Jung, who's injury history includes a myriad of ailments ranging from a labrum tear to neck spasms, suffered a lacerated right index finger over the weekend after his bat splintered off a Jordan Hick sinker. This marks the second "unpreventable" injury for Jung who missed the majority of the 2024 season after a hit by a pitch left him with a broken wrist that required surgery. Fortunately, this latest issue appears mild, and the Rangers are currently calling him day-to-day. Jung is optimistic he will be ready to play Monday against the Athletics, but it wouldn't be surprising if Texas opted to hold him out for a day or two.
Baltimore Orioles
The O's have had a disappointing start to the year and currently sit at the bottom of the American League East. Injuries have played a considerable role, as they have been without key contributors including Colton Cowser, Grayson Rodriguez, Kyle Bradish and Zach Eflin. Things worsened over the weekend though, the latest injuries appear mild in nature. Several players including Jordan Westburg and Adley Rutschman were sidelined during their series with the Tigers due to "soreness."
Frequent readers of my work will know I hate the term soreness, as it is simply a vague description of a symptom and not a true diagnosis. Sometimes soreness is just that or other times it an indicator of a more substantial injury, like in the case of Orioles outfielder Tyler O'Neill. O'Neill was placed on the 10-day IL on Saturday with neck soreness. The issue has lingered over the past several weeks and is likely due to a soft tissue injury. The team does not expect him to miss more than the required time but consider his status fluid.
The team appears less concerned with the injuries to Westburg and Rutschman. Westburg did not play Sunday with hamstring soreness, while Rutschman sat with right hand soreness. Westburg's problem worries me more than Rutschman's as it is directly linked to a muscle. Hamstring injuries are notoriously fickle and easily aggravated. Neither player is expected to miss an extended amount of time. However, their absences were compounded by an illness for teammate Cedric Mullins that also forced him to miss Sunday's game. Dylan Carlson has been the biggest beneficiary of the injuries, though he is still looking for his first hit of the season.
Check Swings
Tyler Glasnow: The Dodgers pitcher appears bound for the IL with right shoulder discomfort. Glasnow experienced cramping last week and was unable to finish his next start after he felt something grab. Look for Los Angeles to complete a thorough exam in an attempt to pinpoint the problem. An extended absence should be expected.
Luke Keaschall: The Twins infielder suffered a fractured forearm Friday after getting hit by a pitch. The fracture was described as a nondisplaced fracture, meaning surgery will be avoided. A four- to six-week absence is likely to allow the bone to mend. With Willi Castro out with a right oblique strain, look for Edouard Julien to see plenty of time at second base.
Cole Ragans: The Royals ace lasted three innings in his latest start due to groin tightness. Imaging on the area later revealed a mild left groin strain. The groin muscle group is responsible for a motion known as adduction in which the leg is pulled toward the midline of the body. Adduction is integral in lateral motion, and particularly important for pitchers, as it transfers force through the legs and toward the plate when delivering a pitch. Any limitation here could alter a pitcher's mechanics and put him at risk for injuries elsewhere. While Ragans hopes to make his next start, look for Kansas City to handle his recovery conservatively. An IL stint may be needed, though it shouldn't last longer than the minimum.
Corey Seager: Seager was sent to the IL with a hamstring strain on his right leg. While Seager has a history of hamstring problems, his current injury is on the leg opposite his previous injuries. The strain is reportedly mild, but a multiweek absence is expected. Remain patient here and hope this is a one-off problem.
