The All Star Game is behind us as we get ready for the second half of the fantasy baseball season.  Hey look, Giancarlo Stanton just hit another home run.  Injuries played a significant role during the first half of the season and they continued to rear their ugly heads right up until the break.  Without any further ado, here is the next edition of the walking wounded.

Yoenis Cespedes (OF-NYM)

Cespedes suffered a quad injury last Saturday and was removed from that game and also missed the next day as well.  He had an MVP-caliber first half and earned a starting spot on the NL All-Star team but was scratched because of this injury.  The Mets begin the second half against the Phillies and Cespedes is expected to be in the lineup which is good news.  He will be leaned upon to carry the Mets towards another playoff run and he has certainly proven to be reliable to put a team on his shoulders. 

Matt Harvey (SP-NYM)

The Dark Knight’s 2016 season is now mercifully over after he was diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome and will undergo season-ending surgery.  Harvey apparently was dealing with some numbness in his finger all season which certainly would help explain his horrendous performance this year.  This is a dangerous surgery with mixed results from other players who have received it.  It is quite possible this could be a career-ending operation for the young Mets pitcher but we will not know that for quite some time.  For now, you can drop Harvey in all re-draft leagues.

Craig Kimbrel (RP-BOS)

The Red Sox took a big blow in their bullpen after Kimbrel underwent surgery on his left knee.  He is expected to miss three to six weeks and it is questionable whether that will even be enough time for him to recover and come back.  Boston did acquire Brad Ziegler in a trade with the Diamondbacks so he could see some save opportunities along with the Red Sox former closer Koji Uehara who will reclaim his ninth inning role.  Stash Kimbrel in a DL spot if you have the roster flexibility.

Matt Carpenter (3B-STL)

Carpenter suffered a Grade 2 right oblique strain and was placed on the disabled list prior to the All-Star break.  We have talked about oblique injuries a lot over the years and they are very tricky to deal with in terms of expectations of a return.  The fact Carpenter has a Grade 2 strain means he will need longer than two weeks to recover no matter how optimistic he is with his recovery.  Carpenter is an extremely productive and valuable fantasy player with his .298 batting average,14 home runs, 53 RBI and 56 runs scored at the hot corner.  Keep him stashed on the DL or your bench because he will be back with plenty of time left to help your fantasy team down the stretch.

Hanley Ramirez (1B-BOS)

Ramirez missed a couple games last weekend due to a bruise on his left shin.  The All-Star break should have given him plenty of time to rest and recover so expect Ramirez back in the lineup when Boston begins the second half.  He has not had a great season from a first baseman’s perspective due to his lack of power, but Boston’s prolific offense should provide him plenty of opportunities to accumulate some gaudy statistics down the stretch.

Danny Salazar (SP-CLE)

Salazar simply needs a little more time pitching at this level to be considered an elite fantasy player.  He has had an incredible season compiling a 10-3 record with a 2.75 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and averaging over a strikeout per inning.  He was dealing with some discomfort in his elbow which caused him to miss the All-Star Game but there is little concern about him missing any time when the second half begins.  Cleveland pushed him back to next Tuesday to give him some extra time which should quell your fears at this point.

Carlos Rodon (SP-CHW)

The White Sox placed rookie pitcher Carlos Rodon on the disabled list with a sprained left wrist he suffered after slipping on the dugout steps last week.  The injury is not considered serious and Rodon should only miss one start by the time he is activated.  The results have been mixed for him this season with a poor 2-7 record and a less than stellar 4.50 ERA and 1.53 WHIP.  However, he is averaging just under one strikeout per inning so he clearly is able to miss bats.

Ryan Zimmerman (1B-WAS)

The Nationals placed Zimmerman on the disabled list with a strain of his left rib cage.  It isn’t known yet how long he will be out but he seems to think he can come back when he is eligible to return.  Rib and oblique injuries tend to lend themselves to longer absences and Zimmerman is also older with a history of injuries so he will likely need additional time.  He is nothing more than a corner infield or utility option at this point in his career which has been marred with various injuries in recent years.

C.J. Cron (1B-LAA)

Cron underwent surgery to repair a broken bone in his hand that he suffered after getting hit by a pitch last week.  Cron has displayed impressive power and run production with 11 home runs and 50 RBI in the first half.  He will miss up to two months recovering from the operation so do not expect him back before September. 

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).