It’s been a busy week in the fantasy baseball world with lots of impact players dealing with various injuries.  By this point in the season, GMs are faced with critical decisions on how to continue building their rosters in pursuit of a championship or perhaps looking ahead to the future.  Either way, roster depth and flexibility are necessities so you can endure stretches of time without some of your key players.  Without any further ado, here is the next edition of the walking wounded.

Starling Marte (OF-PIT)

Marte was taken out of the first game of Tuesday’s doubleheader against the Mets with discomfort in his left ankle.  He then missed the second game and is scheduled to be seen by team doctors.  The extent of the injury is not known at this point, but we can expect Marte will miss at least a couple days in a best case scenario.  Keep a close eye on this because Marte is a borderline elite outfielder with a .326 batting average and 18 stolen bases thus far.

Felix Hernandez (SP-SEA)

King Felix has been on the disabled list since June 1 with a calf injury and is working towards playing catch from a standing position over the next several days.  The Mariners were being optimistic when they thought he would only miss two starts, but the reality is that he will likely miss at least a couple more than that.  Expect Hernandez to be out most of June because he will need at least one rehab start by the time he is healthy enough to resume throwing off a mound.

Buster Posey (C-SF)

Posey missed Tuesday’s game against Boston with a nerve injury in his right thumb.  He says this is something he has been dealing with for some time now and that he aggravated the injury recently on a swing.  Posey is considered day-to-day at this point until we know more about the injury.  Clearly this is a concern for fantasy owners because Posey is one of the few catchers in the league who provides any type of significant offensive production and any time he misses creates a noticeable void in fantasy lineups.

Hunter Pence (OF-SF)

Giants outfielder Hunter Pence needs surgery to repair a completely torn hamstring.  This will keep him out at least two months which is a big blow to fantasy owners who were enjoying typically solid production across in all categories except stolen bases.  None of the Giants' internal options to replace Pence are appetizing from a fantasy perspective, so seek a replacement for your fantasy team in a trade.  His absence until at least August needs to be addressed unless you are stacked with depth in the outfield.

Miguel Sano (DH-MIN)

Sano suffered a left hamstring last week and was placed on the disabled list.  There was no structural damage found which is good news, but the reality is that he will probably be out for at least a month.  The Twins are going to be overly cautious with their young slugger, so don’t expect them to rush Sano back.  He has been wildly inconsistent and has shown poor plate discipline, but there is no denying his raw power and potential.  Stash him on your DL or bench if you have the flexibility because he will still be a solid source of power when he does return.

Rich Hill (SP-OAK)

Hill has finally figured it all out at this late stage of his career and turned himself into a very valuable fantasy player.  His eight wins to go along with 74 strikeouts and stellar 2.25 ERA and 1.13 WHIP have made him a hot commodity.  However, Hill has been dealing with a groin injury and will throw a bullpen session to determine whether he is cleared to make his next start over the weekend.  He is absolutely a sell-high player but this injury could detract from some of the value he has accumulated through his first 11 starts.

Mark Teixeira (1B-NYY)

The nightmare continues for Teixeira who has made frequent appearances in the injury report over the last few years.  Now he sustained torn cartilage in his knee which could very well require season-ending surgery.  The Yankees are hoping rest and rehab will enable Teixeira to return within three to four weeks, but the reality is that his broken down body will not be able to do that.  Teixeira was already having a miserable season, so this injury should inspire you to give him the Old Yeller treatment from a fantasy perspective.

Jorge Soler (OF-CHC)

Soler has failed to capitalize on the opportunities afforded him this year with the various injuries the Cubs have endured.  He is only batting .223 with five home runs which has severely diminished his fantasy value.  Now he is on the disabled list with a hamstring injury which could require longer than two weeks for a return.  The Cubs have managed to dominate most of the season despite suffering several injuries, and they should be just fine without Soler as well.  He can be dropped if you don’t have the roster room to stash him as a speculative play for the second half.

Blake Swihart (C-BOS)

The Red Sox offense has been insane thus far and Blake Swihart was just recently being given an opportunity to participate.  The former catching prospect has been playing in the outfield which provided great value to fantasy owners who can plug him in as their catcher.  However, he suffered a severe ankle sprain and he could miss most if not all of the rest of the season.  Boston will likely re-evaluate him in a couple weeks, but the prognosis looks bleak at the moment.  He isn’t a must-stash option at this point, but if you have roster flexibility it may be worth holding onto him at least until we know more about the extent of his absence.

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