We are just one week into spring training and already disaster has set in just in time for fantasy baseball drafts.  It has not been a good week to be a major league pitcher as injuries have ravaged several prominent players.  As you prepare for your drafts, you should focus on accumulating depth and exploring candidates who will have the opportunity to step in and replace these injured players.  So without further adieu, here is a catastrophic edition of the walking wounded.

Yu Darvish (SP-TEX)

It seemed like sunshine and roses for Yu Darvish as he was making his comeback after being shut down late in 2014 with elbow inflammation.  He was scheduled to begin spring training with a normal throwing program and without any restrictions.  However, things quickly turned sour when he was diagnosed with a sprained UCL in his elbow and is likely headed towards Tommy John surgery.  He is expected to get a second opinion, but it doesn’t appear that will alter his fate very much.  You should plan on being without Darvish for the entire season which is devastating if you already had your draft.  If he does need surgery, hope that he has it relatively soon so he can possibly return by the middle of the 2016 season.

Cliff Lee (SP-PHI)

Cliff Lee made only 13 starts in 2014 due to a tear in the common flexor tendon in his left elbow.  He avoided surgery and hoped that he would be fully healed for 2015.  Things have not exactly worked out that way.  Lee experienced pain in his elbow earlier this week which he described as similar to the onset of his injury last year.  It has now been confirmed that he is suffering from the same injury again and surgery is a very real possibility.  He is going to attempt to pitch through the injury, but all that will do is likely delay the inevitable.  If he does require surgery, it will sideline Lee between six to eight months effectively costing him the season and potentially his career.  Do not draft him.

Marcus Stroman (SP-TOR)

In what can only be described as devastating news, Marcus Stroman tore his ACL during fielding drills on Tuesday and will miss the entire season.  Stroman had a solid rookie season in 2014 making 20 starts and going 11-6 with a 3.65 ERA and 1.17 WHIP.  He was expected to be a major part of Toronto’s rotation this year, but now we will have to wait another year before he has the opportunity to take the next step.  He can be passed over in all redraft leagues.

Mike Minor (SP-ATL)

The Braves have confirmed that Mike Minor will start the season on the disabled list with inflammation in his left rotator cuff.  Minor dealt with shoulder injuries last year which limited him to 25 starts and an ineffective 6-12 record with a 4.77 ERA and 1.43 WHIP.  Despite the fact that an MRI confirmed that there is no structural damage, there is cause for concern because shoulder weakness can lead to bad habits and other injuries as well.  He was a solid third or fourth fantasy starter in 2013, but his limited upside is only worth taking a chance on very late in 12-team league drafts or deeper leagues with available DL slots.

Gavin Floyd (SP-CLE)

After coming back from Tommy John surgery, Gavin Floyd looked like he had rejuvenated his career with the Braves in 2014.  He looked very sharp in nine starts compiling a 2-2 record with a 2.65 ERA and 7.5 strikeouts per nine innings.  However, he suffered a stress fracture of his right elbow last June which ended his season.  Floyd signed a one-year contract with Cleveland and was expected to be in the Indians’ starting rotation this year.  But on Tuesday, it was confirmed that Floyd has reinjured his elbow and is now out indefinitely.  He was only a marginal fantasy option anyway, but he could have provided depth as a late round bargain.  Now he belongs on the do-not-draft list unless you have a plethora of DL slots available to stash him for an extended period of time.

Michael A. Stein, Esq. is the Chief Justice of Fantasy Judgment, the industry's premier dispute resolution service, and is also the co-host of the Fantasy Alarm podcast. You can contact him at michael.stein@fantasyjudgment.com or on Facebook and Twitter (@FantasyJudgment),