Troy Tulowitzki Leaves With Toe Injury; Other Injury News
By Matt Shetler
Jun 13, 2014; San Francisco, CA, USA; Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki (2) turns a double play over San Francisco Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval (48) during the seventh inning at AT&T Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob Stanton-USA TODAY Sports
Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki is very well having an MVP-type of season. But fantasy baseball owners have had to wonder how long Tulowitzki could stay healthy, given his past injury history.
Tulowitzki owners got a scare Friday night.
He departed Friday night’s game against the Giants with a right toe injury after leading off the top of the ninth inning with a single.
X-rays on the third metatarsal on the right foot were negative.
Tulowitzki entered the game leading the majors in hitting (.356), on-base percentage (.488), slugging (.667) and OPS, or on-base percentage plus slugging percentage (.1.115).
Though no official word is out yet from Colorado, I would expect Tulowitzki to be listed as day-to-day, which is great news.
In other injury news:
Jorge de la Rosa, Colorado Rockies
Tulo wasn’t the only Rockies player to leave Friday’s game early.
De La Rosa left Friday night’s game against the Giants after three innings because of lower-back tightness. The Rockies announced his status as day to day. De La Rosa threw two scoreless frames but began laboring during the third.
It’s the second bout with back problems for De La Rosa (6-5, 4.12 ERA) this season. On May 7, he went six innings and gave up two runs while earning a win over the Rangers in Arlington. But while doing his between-starts running, his back tightened and his next start was moved to May 16.
Jun 12, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Atlanta Braves right fielder Jason Heyward (22) hits a single during the eighth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. The Rockies won 10-3. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
Jason Heyward, Atlanta Braves
Heyward left in the second inning Friday after being hit by a pitch in his right hand while leading off the bottom of the first.
To the relief of fantasy owners, x-rays were negative and he is being listed as day-to-day. Jordan Schafer pinch hit and took Heyward’s spot out and right and if Heyward is going to miss any time he is the most likely candidate to take his spot in the lineup.
Christian Yelich, Miami Marlins
Yelich left the game Friday against the Pittsburgh Pirates after his first at bat with lower back tightness.
Reed Johnson replaced him in left field after he left. It’s undetermined exactly how much time Yelich could miss if any at all, and more information should be released on Saturday.
Santiago Casilla, San Francisco Giants
Casilla struck out the side in one inning of relief in a rehab appearance Thursday night for Class-A Advanced San Jose. Manager Bruce Bochy said Casilla would run with the rest of the Giants’ pitchers on Friday without limitations.
However he will likely throw one more rehab assignment before being activated, though I would expect that to be very soon.
Jun 12, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Russell Martin (R) attends to Chicago Cubs center fielder Emilio Bonifacio (L) after Bonifacio suffered an apparent injury while batting during the first inning at PNC Park. Bonifacio left the game. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Emilio Bonifacio, Chicago Cubs
Bonifacio was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Friday with rib cage inflammation after injuring himself during Thursday night’s game against the Pirates.
He had an MRI on Friday and the Cubs have activated Ryan Sweeney from the 15-day disabled list.
Sweeney, who had been sidelined since May 3 with a right hamstring strain, got the start in center field Friday night and was put in the No. 2 spot in the order. Sweeney, Justin Ruggiano and Junior Lake will all get time in center field with Bonifacio on the DL.
Ender Inciarte, Arizona Diamondbacks
Inciarte now finds himself on the disabled list for at least the next week, after being placed on the seven-day concussion disabled list Friday.
The timing is awful for Inciarte as he was finally getting a chance to play every day.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Miami Marlins
Saltalamacchia was back in the Marlins’ dugout Friday, but the catcher remains out of the lineup for at least several more days.
Saltalamacchia, on the seven-day concussion disabled list since June 1, was advised to stay away from bright lighting and noise, so being in the dugout is a positive sign.
He is likely to be put on the 15-day DL soon, but his return may not be too far away.
Gio Gonzalez, Washington Nationals
The Nationals optioned right-handed starter Blake Treinen to Triple-A Syracuse and recalled left-handed reliever Xavier Cedeno before Friday’s game against the Cardinals.
Treinen had been starting in place of Gonzalez, so his demotion could be a sign that Gonzalez should be back soon.
The move comes one day after Gonzalez made his second rehab start against the White Sox Class-A Advanced affiliate, Winston-Salem. The lefty gave up one run on two hits and struck out seven over four innings.
Apr 16, 2014; Milwaukee, WI, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Joe Kelly (58) pitches in the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
Joe Kelly, St. Louis Cardinals
The good news for Kelly owners is that he is making progress.
The bad news is that there is still no timetable for his return.
Kelly has been out since April 16 with a strained hamstring.
Cody Asche, Philadelphia Phillies
The original plan was for Asche to play a week’s worth of rehab games in the minors before rejoining the Phillies. However, if Asche continues to hit like he did on Friday night, he might not need all those at-bats and could be back sooner rather than later.
Playing for Single A Lakewood against the Texas Rangers’ affiliate, Hickory, Asche went 2 for 3 with a pair of two-out, two-run homers.
Brett Cecil, Toronto Blue Jays
The lefty left the game with left groin tightness. Cecil said he hopes to avoid a stint on the disabled list and will be re-evaluated Saturday.
Cecil experienced a similar groin injury while playing in Double-A in 2011.
Shane Victorino, Boston Red Sox
Victorino will open a Minor League rehab assignment with Triple-A Pawtucket on Saturday, where he’s expected to play five to seven innings in right field.
The Red Sox have taken a cautious approach with Victorino, who is on the 15-day disabled list for the second time this season with a right hamstring strain, so it could still be a few days before he is close to returning.
Joel Hanrahan, Detroit Tigers
It’s been five weeks since the Tigers signed the former Pirates closer, but the righty is close to facing hitters again.
The team medical staff is optimistic that he has regained enough arm strength to start facing hitters soon in live batting practice sessions.
Hanrahan was originally hoping for a June return, but that still seems unlikely at this point.
Josh Reddick, Oakland A’s
Reddick ran on the field and took batting practice on Friday for the first time since going on the disabled list June 3 with a hyperextended right knee.
He is eligible to come off the DL on Monday, but will likely go out on a rehab assignment first.