There has been a lot of baseball played this offseason. Of course, there’s the usual spring training and on top of that, we’ve also had the World Baseball Classic. If you’re about to do your MLB fantasy drafts or you are going to be betting on the games in the early part of the season, you need to be careful. These are the injuries that are significant and will have an impact in the early part of the season.
1B: Ian Desmond, Colorado Rockies
Colorado’s decision to sign Desmond and move him to first base is a big reason why he has been talked about as a potentially underrated asset this MLB season. Desmond hit .285 with 22 home runs and 86 RBI with the Texas Rangers last season. Now he will have less responsibility on defense and will play half of his games in the elevation at Coors Field. Desmond has the potential to improve on last year’s numbers but he will start the season on the DL. He suffered a fracture in his left hand, which required a metal plate that could keep him out for the first month. Desmond could put up solid numbers this year but keep in mind that he is going to miss some time out of the gate if you target him in your fantasy baseball league.
2B: Jason Kipnis, Cleveland Indians
Kipnis is expected to start the season on the 10-day DL after he suffered a shoulder injury. The veteran slugger shouldn’t be out long, but the injury could hurt his early season production. Kipnis broke through last season when he hit .275 with 23 home runs and 82 RBI in 156 games with Cleveland. Kipnis could put up similar numbers with the Indians in 2017 but he will need to stay healthy for that to happen.
OF: J.D. Martinez, Detroit Tigers
Martinez is another power hitter that will start the season on the DL. The veteran outfielder suffered a sprain Lisfranc ligament that will likely keep him out for the first month. Martinez delivered as a power hitter a year ago when he hit .307 with 22 home runs and 68 RBI in just 120 games. Martinez has the potential to put up big numbers in 2017. However, his inability to stay healthy could ultimately cap his production.
SP: Sonny Gray, Oakland Athletics
Gray is coming off a brutal 2017 MLB season. It’s possible he might not bounce back the way that some experts are predicting he will. The 27-year-old righty went 5-11 with a 5.69 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP last season. Now he is dealing with a nagging back injury that will keep him out for most of April. Gray resumed his throwing program this week after he was shut down for almost a month. The fact that he isn’t able to spend this time working on his mechanics should be an issue. Gray shouldn’t be considered a top-tier starter any longer. Once deemed the ace of the Athletics, he appears to be a fading commodity. There are better buy-low candidates out there.
SP: David Price, Boston Red Sox
A lot of people are piling in on the Boston Red Sox futures but you have to be careful. There isn’t much value in their lines (odds to win the American League). Moreover, you’re risking it with Price dealing with an elbow injury. Price is one of their key starters. Even though they picked up Chris Sale, you don’t want to be banking on the Red Sox to win 90+ games without one of their aces. He struggled a bit last year, but Price is still one of the top pitchers in the game. He went 8-3 after the All-Star break.
The latest news we have on him is that he’s dealing with an elbow injury. He is expected to return in May. All we know that he hurt his elbow early in camp. With a lack of specifics, this could be the type of injury that hampers him all season. Keep an eye on the news wire but the Sox losing Price is quite significant in terms of both fantasy and betting.
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