This article is part of our Fantasy Baseball Injury Report series.
One of the top prospects in the league could miss a significant amount of time after injuring his leg during a freak play on Sunday. Tatis suffered an undisclosed hamstring injury in the 10th inning of San Diego's loss to Washington after making an awkward stretch while covering second. Tatis is now slated to undergo testing to determine the severity of the strain. Tatis will likely undergo an MRI after which a classification of the strain will be assigned to the injury.
The least severe classification is a Grade 1. These injuries are considered mild and are marked by microtearing of the tissue. The injured athlete often reports pain with movement, though little to no loss of function occurs. In a more moderate Grade 2 strain, damage occurs to actual muscle fibers. As a result, Grade 2 injuries are commonly referred to as partial tears. Unlike Grade 1 injuries, Grade 2 strains usually are accompanied by a loss of function as the strength and range of motion are negatively impacted. These injuries are also particularly difficult to manage due to a complex healing process.
Anything rated as a Grade 3 or higher is considered severe and the tear is often complete. Grade 3 strains are accompanied by a loss of both stability and function and often require surgery.
The natural healing process for muscle injuries occurs in multiple stages. During the initial inflammatory phase, swelling and clotting occur at the injury site. The next step is the
One of the top prospects in the league could miss a significant amount of time after injuring his leg during a freak play on Sunday. Tatis suffered an undisclosed hamstring injury in the 10th inning of San Diego's loss to Washington after making an awkward stretch while covering second. Tatis is now slated to undergo testing to determine the severity of the strain. Tatis will likely undergo an MRI after which a classification of the strain will be assigned to the injury.
The least severe classification is a Grade 1. These injuries are considered mild and are marked by microtearing of the tissue. The injured athlete often reports pain with movement, though little to no loss of function occurs. In a more moderate Grade 2 strain, damage occurs to actual muscle fibers. As a result, Grade 2 injuries are commonly referred to as partial tears. Unlike Grade 1 injuries, Grade 2 strains usually are accompanied by a loss of function as the strength and range of motion are negatively impacted. These injuries are also particularly difficult to manage due to a complex healing process.
Anything rated as a Grade 3 or higher is considered severe and the tear is often complete. Grade 3 strains are accompanied by a loss of both stability and function and often require surgery.
The natural healing process for muscle injuries occurs in multiple stages. During the initial inflammatory phase, swelling and clotting occur at the injury site. The next step is the proliferative phase in which the actual repair work of the damaged muscle begins. Specialized cells fill in the gaps with scar tissue using various types of protein fibers.
The proliferative phase is a prolonged process but must be completed before the final phase, the remodeling phase, can commence. During remodeling, fibers within the newly laid scar tissue are repeatedly broken down to improve the overall integrity of the new tissue. However, players often return to action before the remodeling phase is complete. As a result, hamstring injuries have a high re-injury rate. Sadly, the entire healing process is forced to restart if the injury site is aggravated.
Tatis owners will want to hope for a low-grade strain though that doesn't necessarily mean he will avoid the injured list. As discussed, insuring Tatis' hamstring is 100 percent is integral to his long-term health, and even 10 days on the IL would be beneficial. Keep an eye out for an update sometime in the near future, though it seems likely he misses at least a few days.
The Red Sox outfielder is currently sidelined with a difficult to treat injury of his own. Martinez is battling back spasms, an injury diagnosis that is a bit misleading. Spasms aren't actually an injury but a symptom of an underlying cause. Spasms occur when an injury to the muscles or other tissues of the back produce pain. The resulting pain causes the surrounding musculature to contract in spasms in an attempt to support and guard the area, beginning what is known as the pain-spasm-pain cycle.
Regular spasms increase pain, which in turn produces tension, which then leads to more pain. Treating the symptoms may decrease the spasms but is often temporary if the cause of the spasms remains unaddressed. Locating and fixing the root of the problem is key to preventing a recurrence and breaking the cycle for good.
With no scheduled days off on the horizon, look for Martinez to be a big question mark entering the week.
Check Swings
Robinson Cano: For the second straight week Cano is considered day-to-day after being struck by a rogue pitch. X-rays on his left hand did not reveal a fracture. However, as I said in last week's column, Cano will need further testing on the area. Small fractures of the hand and wrist may not show up until healing has begun. The team has already stated there is significant swelling at the injury site that must subside before additional tests can be performed. Cano avoided the IL last week, but his owners will have to wait another few days to see if he can do so once again.
Mitch Haniger: The Mariners outfielder didn't play on Sunday after jamming his shoulder on Saturday. The resulting impact left him with lingering soreness in the area. The day off will give Haniger two straight days off with the Mariners not scheduled to play on Monday. This seems like a low-grade sprain or contusion that should resolve itself relatively quickly. A more definitive diagnosis could change things, but consider him day-to-day for now.
DJ LeMahieu: The injury bug continues to infest the Yankees as LeMahieu was removed from Sunday's game with a knee injury. The injury was later diagnosed as right knee inflammation. Inflammation isn't quite as serious as a ligament or cartilage injury, but it can become a chronic problem. Look for LeMahieu to miss a game or two recovering.
Carlos Martinez: The St. Louis right-hander is finally making notable progress in his recovery from a shoulder injury that required a PRP injection. He's slated to face live hitters at the team's spring training facility early this week. If he can make it through these small outings without a setback, the Cardinals may be able to outline when he will begin a rehab assignment. He is likely out for at least another 10 to 14 days, but at least we are seeing some level of improvement.
Anthony Rendon: The Nationals third baseman may be headed to the IL, as the swelling in his injured elbow persists. He missed four outings after being struck by a pitch, and another two as the effusion continued to linger. An IL stint may be necessary to give him the necessary time to address the problem.
Christian Yelich: The Brewers slugger left Sunday's contest prematurely after injuring his back on a steal attempt. The injury is currently listed as lower back discomfort but, like with Martinez, that's more of a symptom and not necessarily a diagnosis. The Milwaukee medical staff will attempt to pinpoint the root of the pain to adequately provide treatment. While it is likely a muscle strain, look for Yelich to undergo additional testing in the coming days. Furthermore, Yelich does have a history of lower back injuries that could influence his recovery. The reigning NL MVP is currently listed as day-to-day and isn't expected to play Monday against the Rockies.
