In just a blink of an eye, we are beginning Week 4 of the fantasy baseball season, as we get ready to turn the calendar to May next Monday. The injuries have been piling up thus far including a catastrophic loss of an elite pitcher (hint: he is a better postseason pitcher than Clayton Kershaw). It may be repetitive but I need to stress how important it is to accumulate depth and negotiate trades to compensate for the loss of impact players. The waiver wire is filled with warm bodies, but most are not already on rosters for a reason. So, without further ado, let’s delve into the next edition of the fantasy baseball emergency room.

Day to Day

Yoenis Cespedes (OF-NYM) – Cespedes sat out the entire series against the Nationals with a hamstring injury but was on deck when the final out was made on Sunday night. The Mets were off on Monday which gave him another day to recover so there is a chance he could be back in the lineup on Tuesday against the Braves. Cespedes is desperately needed in the Mets depleted lineup but he is likely not 100%. Check in for an update before game time to see how he fares in pre-game warmups and whether Terry Collins can pencil him in the lineup.

Kyle Seager (3B-SEA) – Seager was scratched from the lineup before Sunday’s game due to a hip injury. He indicated he could have pinch hit if necessary so it does not appear to be anything to be concerned about. The Mariners were off on Monday which gave him an extra day to rest and recover as well, so expect him back in the lineup on Tuesday. Seager has been one of the most consistent fantasy third basemen over the past few years yet goes somewhat under the radar. He has not hit a home run yet but has averaged just under 25 long balls per year since 2012, so be patient with him and the law of averages will play out.

Dustin Pedroia (2B-BOS) – The grizzled leader of the Red Sox has missed the past few games with soreness in his knee and ankle after getting spiked last Friday. An MRI came back clean which bodes well for his return any day now. Pedroia is one of the most consistent second baseman in the league and provides solid value in several Roto categories despite tending to be more frequently injured at this stage of his career.

Shelby Miller (SP-ARZ) – The good news for Miller is that he is only one win away from matching his season total from 2016. The bad news is that Miller has landed on the disabled list with inflammation in his right elbow and will be seeking an opinion from a surgeon. This does not bode well for Miller who will be facing a lengthy absence even if tests come back clean. It isn’t known who will take his place in Arizona’s rotation because Archie Bradley has been dominant in the bullpen thus far and may have found a new home there.

On the DL

Madison Bumgarner (SP-SF) – This is one of the most devastating and stupid injuries in the league. Bumgarner, arguably one of the top three fantasy pitchers, sustained arm and rib injuries in a dirt bike accident last week. He is expected to miss up to two months, but it could be even longer than that. Right now, it does not appear that he will need surgery, but this will still be quite an extended absence for the elite pitcher. His statistical production cannot be replaced on the waiver wire, so fantasy GMs will need to be creative and make up for the loss through trades or utilizing the depth already acquired.  

Miguel Cabrera (1B-DET) – There was concern for Cabrera in March when he injured his back during the WBC, but he worked through that just fine. Now he has landed on the 10-day disabled list with a strained hamstring which could sideline him a couple weeks. John Hicks filled in for Cabrera on Sunday and had a monster game going 3-for-5 with a home run and five RBI. He will likely be given the opportunity to play given the hot start, but the Tigers do have James Loney in their system if they need veteran depth.

Troy Tulowitzki (SS-TOR) – Ahhhh it feels like home with Tulowitzki on the injury report. I am admittedly very critical of Tulowitzki for being more fragile than a teenage girl with daddy issues. That criticism is backed by the facts as he has only played more than 150 games in a season twice and not since 2009. Tulowitzki suffered a strained right hamstring and was placed on the DL along with his pedestrian .263 batting average and one home run. Ryan Goins should see most of the playing time at shortstop and is only a viable option in AL-only leagues.

Cam Bedrosian (RP-LAA) – The Angels bullpen is now so thin that Bryan Harvey and Troy Percival are being considered as closers. Bedrosian was placed on the disabled list with a strained groin and joins fellow former closers Huston Street and Andrew Bailey as members of the walking wounded. Bud Norris was given the save opportunity a couple days ago but it is anything but a given whether he will see more chances or if Yusmeiro Petit and J.C. Ramirez will join the closer by committee carousel.

Aaron Nola (SP-PHI) – Nola was placed on the 10-day disabled list after experiencing some soreness in his lower back after his last start against the Mets. He is one of the few bright spots for the Phillies who are in a major rebuilding phase and they are being extra cautious with their young ace pitcher. Nola has started the season with a 2-0 record but a less than stellar 4.50 ERA and 1.63 WHIP. He is only expected to miss a couple starts at most but is not worth stashing if you don’t have available bench or DL slots. Right now it appears Nick Pivetta will be called up this week to take Nola’s place and is only worth taking a chance on in an NL-only league.

Adam Frazier (OF-PIT) – It looked like Frazier was going to be a viable waiver wire acquisition after Starling Marte was suspended. Unfortunately, he suffered a left hamstring injury and has been placed on the DL. Jose Osuna got the start on Monday and could see a bulk of the playing time in Frazier’s absence. For those clamoring for Austin Meadows, you will just have to keep waiting because it doesn’t appear that will be an option for now.

Clay Buchholz (SP-PHI) – Nothing personal against Buchholz, but he hasn’t been relevant in fantasy baseball for several years. He was basically throwing batting practice and is done for the year with a torn right flexor tendon. If for some reason he was drafted or added, he should not be on anyone’s fantasy roster ever again.

On the Mend

Gary Sanchez (C-NYY) – He hit off of a tee and played catch from 90 feet over the weekend. No, he is not trying out for Little League. The Yankees young slugger is working his way back from a biceps injury and expressed that he is not feeling any pain right now. The timetable for his return is approximately two weeks which is good news for fantasy GMs who already anointed him the next coming of Mike Piazza. It is understandable why expectations were so high after his historic debut last year, so perhaps this time off after a slow start will help relax Sanchez when he is ready to come back.

Ian Desmond (1B/OF-COL) – Desmond took batting practice on Monday and is expected to begin a rehab assignment very soon. I apologize for optimistically stating that he would be back by the end of April because at this point next week is a more realistic timetable (and yes, next Monday is May 1). Desmond will instantly provide a boost to your fantasy roster and will eventually gain eligibility at first base making him even more valuable.

Kendall Graveman (SP-OAK) – Barring any setbacks, the A’s will likely activate Graveman from the disabled list to start on Thursday. He has been on the shelf with a shoulder injury, but as I wrote last week, it was expected that he would be back in short order which appears to be the case. He is a solid streaming option against the Angels and should be rostered while he is still available in standard 12-team leagues.

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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).