Pitching is at a premium in both real and fantasy baseball, so when prominent pitchers get injured there are serious consequences for all involved.  Fantasy GMs have seen their rosters get decimated with injuries to critical players, especially pitchers, over the first couple months of the season.  This edition of the injury report is littered with several pitchers whose absences will be felt. So, without further ado, here is the next edition of the fantasy baseball emergency room.

Manny Machado (SS-BAL)

The Orioles’ offense is putrid enough, but imagine what the lineup is like without Manny Machado .  We got a glimpse of that on Monday when Machado was out because of an illness. He is not expected to miss much more time, if any at all.  Machado is an elite fantasy player who will be better served playing for another team at the trade deadline. He is currently batting .312 with 18 home runs, 50 RBI, 32 runs scored and four stolen bases.  His dual eligibility at third base and shortstop makes him one of the most valuable fantasy assets in the league.

Noah Syndergaard (SP-NYM)

Syndergaard was supposed to be activated from the disabled list to start on Sunday night against the Yankees, but his right index finger had swelling after he had a throwing session.  He will throw again during the week and if all goes well he could be back by next weekend. Thor has yet to dominate this season, and with this ongoing finger injury there is some valid concern whether he will be able to regain his form from 2016.

Stephen Strasburg (SP-WAS)

The Nationals placed Strasburg on the disabled list due to inflammation in his right shoulder.  He had an MRI which did not reveal any structural damage, but you can expect that he will be out for an extended amount of time.  Washington heavily invested in Strasburg who does have a history of injuries, so they will understandably be cautious with his rest and recovery.  Strasburg is 6-6 with a 3.46 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 95 strikeouts thus far, so keep him stashed on your bench or a DL slot.

Shohei Ohtani (SP-LAA)

The Japanese sensation is a double-edged sword in terms of his ability to both hit and pitch.  He has landed on the disabled list with a UCL injury but Tommy John surgery does not appear to be necessary at this point.  The Angels are debating whether to let him hit even if he is unable to pitch. His duality could be a contributing factor to the injury as he goes between hitting and pitching preparation.  Either way, Ohtani will be shut down for several weeks before any type of decision is made. He has been productive, but he is also a candidate to drop from your fantasy roster if you are limited with reserve slots.

Yoenis Céspedes (OF-NYM)

The frustration over Yoenis Céspedes continues as he heads back to Florida to start his rehab and treatment regimen all over again.  Cespedes was supposed to be activated this week, but he left a minor league game over the weekend with tightness in his right quadriceps.  There is no time table for his return, and quite frankly he cannot be counted on at all because he has not demonstrated any ability to stay healthy over the past couple seasons.

Chris Archer (SP-TB)

Bad news out of Tampa Bay as Chris Archer suffered a setback in his bullpen session over the weekend.  He had been on the disabled list with a strained left abdominal muscle and felt sore after his throwing session.  He has now been shut down and it looks like he will be on the shelf for an extended period of time.

Masahiro Tanaka (SP-NYY)

Those who argue in favor of having the designated hitter in the National League now have another example to point to as Masahiro Tanaka has landed on the disabled list after injuring both of his hamstrings on Friday night.  He tagged up and scored on a sacrifice fly and injured both of his legs in the process. This is a big loss for the Yankees who are already thin in their rotation. Tanaka is 7-2 with a 4.58 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 73 strikeouts through 13 starts and should be stashed on your roster if possible.  It is unknown how long he may be out, but it is safe to assume it will be several weeks given he hurt both of his legs.

Elvis Andrus (SS-TEX)

Andrus has been out since the middle of April with a fractured right elbow but began a minor league rehab assignment earlier this week.  It is possible he could rejoin the Rangers by next week which would be a big boost for fantasy GMs in need of improvement at shortstop and middle infield.  Andrus was hitting .327 with two home runs, five RBI and seven runs scored before the injury and should be scooped up off the waiver wire if he is available.  Jurickson Profar has been filling in for Andrus and will likely now roam the diamond in a utility role.

Edwin Encarnación (1B-CLE)

Encarnacion has missed the past three games with an ankle injury and was replaced by Melky Cabrera as the Indians’ designated hitter.  Right now it does not appear he will need a stint on the disabled list, but Encarnacion will need to show some improvement very soon and get back in the lineup by the middle of the week before the Indians likely decide to make a roster move.  

Justin Turner (3B-LAD)

Turner has played in 20 games since returning from the wrist injury he sustained in spring training and has struggled to a .243 batting average with only one home run, 10 RBI and nine runs scored.  He re-injured the wrist last week and missed several games as a result. The Dodgers expect him back in the lineup on Tuesday which would be welcome news for GMs who are waiting for Turner to heat up.

Jeurys Familia (RP-NYM)

The Mets injury woes know no bounds as Jeurys Familia has now landed on the disabled list with soreness in his right shoulder.  He experienced similar soreness in spring training but did not miss much time. He underwent an MRI which did not reveal anything serious so it is possible he could be back shortly after he is eligible to be activated.  In the meantime, Anthony Swarzak got the save opportunity on Sunday night and could be the temporary closer until Familia returns.

Walker Buehler (SP-LAD)

Dodgers rookie Walker Buehler left his last start with soreness in his ribs and it is not known yet whether he will be able to make his next start.  He has been terrific helping fill the void for several starters on the disabled list going 4-1 with a 2.63 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 54 strikeouts in nine starts.  Right now, not even Buehler knows what his status will be for the weekend so lean towards the likelihood that he will either get skipped or end up on the disabled list for a short stint.

Asdrubal Cabrera (2B-NYM)

The Mets best hitter all season has been Asdrubal Cabrera who is batting .283 with 11 home runs, 36 RBI and 31 runs scored.  He had to be taken out of Sunday’s game against the Yankees with a hamstring injury and underwent some additional tests on Monday.  The Mets seem to think he will not need to be placed on the disabled list, but we all know never to believe anything the Mets say about injuries.  Cabrera should be considered day-to-day for now, but it should surprise no one if he is ultimately placed on the DL.