CC Sabathia, Roy Halladay, and Dan Haren – Injury update on Elite SP’s

We’re excited to welcome back the fantasyDoc after a layoff with injuries of his own. Here’s his take on the elite starting pitchers who are returning form the DL. -Zach Thompson, Lead editor

C.C Sabathia (Groin strain)– DL as of 6/27/12.

CC was placed on the DL after an MRI revealed a grade I strain of the adductor muscle in his left leg, or the extended leg when he pitches. He was said to be embarrassed by the move to the DL but it was necessary and since the All Star break was approaching this gave him sufficient time to heal. He has been throwing a lot since, off flat ground, playing catch and most recently threw a bullpen session. He is now ready to return to action tomorrow and you can expect him to throw strikes and perform well, granted it is a tough match-up at home against the Blue Jays. Owners can expect him to go deeper than if he would not of had the rest and should fare well in his return from the injury.

Roy Halladay (Strained Lat muscle)– DL as of 5/29/12.

As hard as it is to not throw “The Doc” back in there,some owners may want to see how he responds to the recovery. It may take a few starts to regain his form and against the Dodgers with all their bats back may be a chance to observe rather than rely on him. He only made one minor league rehab appearance and he is going to be on a pitch count, although it is unclear what that number might be. Be happy one of the the best pitchers in baseball is back just let him stretch his arm out a little bit. This way you can be confident in inserting him in your lineup going forward. Halladay is 4-5 with a 3.98 ERA in 11 starts, but you can expect a much better second half. He is definitely worth going after in a trade and even if he doesn’t perform well in his next start this may allow for a better value trade.

Dan Haren (Low back strain)– DL as of 7/5/12.

It was his first stint on the DL and I’m sure he didn’t want it to come to this point but it was inevitable. His first half performance was really bad and you can attribute some of the faults to the injury. Haren came in as the No.2 starter but went 6-8 with a 4.86 ERA in 17 starts which he laboured through with the back inflammation. He will most likely slide in the 3 spot but with a rotation like the Angels posses that is saying a lot. His first start back is against the heavy bats of the Rangers July 22nd but because he has something to prove and the desire to surpass the Rangers in the division is so high, I expect him to perform well. He did give up some hits in his rehab assignment but he did not walk any which shows he was getting comfortable with his pitches. With the all star strength and conditioning staff the Angels have flexibility in the back should not be an issue going forward. He needed some time to get back to full strength and this could be just what Haren needs to get back to “Ace” form.