The Milwaukee Brewers have been going at it without Ryan Braun for some time now and on Saturday they officially placed their superstar on the 15-day disabled list with a strained oblique.
Apr 2, 2014; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Brewers right fielder Ryan Braun (8) reacts after flying out to end the game against the Atlanta Braves at Miller Park. The Braves beat the Brewers 1-0. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
Braun, who is hitting .318 with six homers and 18 RBIs in 22 games. On the season, will miss his seventh consecutive game when the Brewers take on the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ballpark on Saturday.
The DL move is retroactive to April 27 and the Brewers have activated outfielder Logan Schafer in a corresponding move.
Elian Herrera subbed for Braun in right field for the first four of his missed games, but the Brewers just demoted him back to the minors and used first baseman/third baseman Mark Reynolds in right field on Friday, although Caleb Gindl got the start on Friday.
I would expect Schafer to get a good amount of at bats in Braun’s absence and could be worth a look in deep leagues.
In other injury news:
Jim Henderson, Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers have been showing up here a lot. In addition to Braun, Henderson was placed on the 15-day disabled list Friday with right-shoulder inflammation. Henderson battled a drop in velocity during spring training, one of the reasons Francisco Rodriguez was installed as closer the day before the opener.
He allowed a game-turning homer in the eighth inning on Thursday and immediately went to the DL.
Ryan Sweeney, Chicago Cubs
Sweeney underwent an MRI on his right hamstring on Friday after Chicago’s 6-5 win vs. the St. Louis Cardinals.
The Cubs already have been playing short-handed in the outfield since Justin Ruggiano went on the disabled list on April 24 with a left hamstring strain.
Apr 27, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu (99) throws against the Colorado Rockies in the second inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
If Sweeney is forced to miss some time, the Cubs likely will call up Chris Coghlan, who was the National League Rookie of the Year in 2009 with the Marlins. Coghlan was batting .243 in 24 games with Iowa.
Hyun-Jin Ryu, Los Angeles Dodgers
Ryu has been placed on the DL with shoulder inflammation. He reported the discomfort after his most recent start, Sunday against the Colorado Rockies, when his fastball topped out at only 87 mph.
Ryu has already made seven starts (tied for the most in the majors) and thrown 39 innings, going 3-2 with a 3.00 ERA. The DL move with Ryu means the Dodgers will have to reach into the minor leagues for another spot starter Sunday.
That spot start won’t go to Clayton Kershaw, who isn’t expected to rejoin the team until Tuesday in Washington.
David Freese, Los Angeles Angels
Freese left Friday’s game with a bruise in his right middle finger after taking a fastball from Rangers starter Colby Lewis.
He is batting .202, though he has six hits in his last 13 at-bats and has shown signs of turning the corner.
He was replaced in the Angels’ lineup by Ian Stewart.
Adam Eaton, Chicago White Sox
Eaton left Friday’s 12-5 loss to the Cleveland Indians early with a right hamstring strain and is listed as day to day.
It is a good bet that a DL stint is coming for the center fielder.
That’s a tough blow as he entered Friday’s game with a pretty decent .281/.364/.385 slash line with a homer and 14 RBIs.
Kevin Kouzmanoff, Texas Rangers
After a hot start filling in for Adrian Beltre, Kouzmanoff will miss a ton of time.
Kouzmanoff will have surgery on Tuesday to repair a herniated disk in his lower back. The recovery time is said to be 8-12 weeks and he will likely be out until sometime after the All-Star break.
He was hitting .362 with two home runs and 10 RBI in 13 games before being placed on the disabled list on April 25.