MLB injury report for Tuesday, June 6

Intro

MLB injury report: Tuesday, June 6

Brandon Lowe (back)/Jose Siri (shoulder), Tampa Bay Rays — Tampa has had a fantastic couple of months for the most part, but injuries are beginning to take their toll on the AL East leaders. Siri was out of the lineup for the second straight day on Monday as he continues to nurse a sore shoulder suffered while making a sensational diving catch over the weekend, though the team doesn’t expect him to require a stint on the injured list.

Lowe, however, will require a stint on the injured list, being placed on the 10-day IL on Monday morning with what’s being called low back inflammation. It’s a concerning diagnosis, especially considering that the second baseman was waylaid last season due to back pain. It’s unclear whether this ailment is at all related — the team has yet to offer any sort of timeline for his return or release the results of any tests — but fantasy owners should prepare for a prolonged absence. Former top prospect Vidal Brujan has been called up to replace Lowe on the active roster.

Jose Altuve (oblique), Houston Astros — There was growing concern around Houston as Altuve continued to miss time due to tightness in his oblique, but thankfully manager Dusty Baker put most of that to bed on Monday afternoon:

We’re not totally out of the clear here — obliques are notoriously finicky, and we don’t know whether Altuve is trying to come back too soon in order to avoid more time on the IL — but fingers crossed that he’ll be back for good come Wednesday.

Trevor Rogers (biceps)/Johnny Cueto (ankle), Miami Marlins — Miami looks like it’s headed toward a numbers crunch in its starting rotation. Rogers made his second rehab start last night, and he looked ready to return:

The lefty threw 70 pitches in his five dominant innings, but there’s no word as of yet whether he’ll return to the Majors later this week or make one more appearance at Triple-A. With Sandy Alcantara, Jesus Luzardo and Edward Cabrera presumably locked in and Braxton Garrett and top prospect Eury Perez dominant as of late, Miami will have to decide whether they want to move to a six-man rotation or leave someone on the outside looking in. (And that’s not even considering what happens with Cueto. The veteran, who’s been throwing since mid-May as he works back from an ankle sprain, is set to face live hitters on Tuesday before heading out on a rehab assignment of his own.)

Jazz Chisholm (toe)/Jorge Soler (thumb), Miami Marlins — Another Marlins update, position player edition. Soler wasn’t in the lineup on Monday against the Kansas City Royals, apparently due to some thumb soreness after taking a pitch off his hand on Sunday. X-rays have come back negative and the slugger should be back in the next day or two. Chisholm, meanwhile, is set to meet with a specialist in Miami on Wednesday, at which point the team will decide on next steps. The second baseman has been going through upper body workouts over the past couple of weeks, and if he’s cleared, he could start a running program later this week.

Xander Bogaerts (wrist)/Trent Grisham (back), San Diego Padres — Bogaerts was held out of San Diego’s lineup again on Monday as the star shortstop continues to battle pain in his wrist. He told reporters that he’s targeting a return to action on Tuesday, but that feels pretty optimistic given where the injury is at right now:

Bogaerts shot down surgery as a possibility, but also added that, while he used regular cortisone shots to manage the pain while a member of the Red Sox, Padres doctors aren’t letting him get another one for the foreseeable future because of the potential for cartilage damage. The pain is evidently pretty significant, and that doesn’t appear to be changing any time soon barring some time off. Oh, and Grisham was a late scratch from Monday’s lineup due to back spasms, so things are going great for San Diego right now.

Andres Munoz (shoulder), Seattle Mariners — It seems like Munoz is finally set to return to the Mariners bullpen after an extended absence and occasionally bumpy rehab. The righty made another rehab appearance on Sunday, nailing down a save at Triple-A Tacoma, and reports indicate that he’ll be getting the call ahead of Tuesday’s matchup with the Padres. He’ll likely be eased back into high-leverage work, so Paul Sewald figures to keep getting the save chances for now, but Munoz is too electric to keep out of the ninth inning for long.

Danny Jansen (groin), Toronto Blue Jays — Behold, a Jansen sighting on Monday:

The catcher is now hitting off a tee and running in a straight line, so presumably he’ll progress to facing live pitching and running the bases at some point in the next week or so assuming no setbacks. He’s still on track to return to the Jays before the end of the month.

TJ Friedl (hamstring)/Nick Senzel (knee), Cincinnati Reds — Good news for Friedl, who participated in batting practice prior to Monday’s game just a few days after being placed on the IL with a hamstring strain. Obviously running will be the biggest hurdle to clear with that particular injury, but it’s a positive sign that he’s feeling well enough to take swings against live pitching already. The news wasn’t so good for Senzel, however, as he was scratched from the lineup due to knee pain that’s been nagging at him for at least the last week or so. The team still isn’t talking injured list yet, but given the former top prospect’s injury history, it’s not great that discomfort continues to linger.

Jesse Winker (neck)/Darin Ruf (knee), Milwaukee Brewers — Less than a week after landing on the IL with a neck strain, Winker is already set to begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A on Wednesday. He was slashing a woeful .204/.315/.231 before the injury, so it’s unclear how much time the team might give him to try and get right in the Minors.

Ruf was initially diagnosed with only (“only”) a knee laceration after slamming into the tarp while chasing a foul ball on Friday, but further examination has revealed that the injury is worse than expected. The DH also apparently suffered a displaced fracture of his patella, which in addition to sounding extremely painful will also keep him out for at least 6-8 weeks.