This article is part of our Fantasy Baseball Injury Report series.
The Mariners outfielder will miss time with one of the more cringe worthy injuries of the season thus far. Haniger suffered a testicle injury that required surgery after fouling a ball off the area.
There are actually a surprising number of possible testicular injuries. The most common injury is a scrotal contusion. This injury is accompanied by pain in the area and occasionally nausea. If the force that causes the injury is more significant it can lead to an excessive buildup of fluid known as a hydrocele. If the resulting swelling is caused by damage to the main veins located in the testicles, it is classified as a varicocele. Finally, a hematocele can occur if the bundle of veins ruptures and blood quickly accumulates in the area. This is likely the injury sustained by Cardinal catcher Yadier Molina last season.
Another possible testicular injury occurs if the spermatic cord is involved. If the testicle rotates it can twists the spermatic cord. As the cord rotates, the blood supply to the area becomes impinged and the area swells. If the swelling occurs over an extended period of time, the affected individual runs the risk of losing the testicle. Chicago White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu underwent surgery last August for a case of testicular torsion.
A testicular rupture is the most extreme type of injury to the area and, unfortunately, the one Haniger appears to have suffered. The injury presents with scrotal swelling but also includes the contents of
The Mariners outfielder will miss time with one of the more cringe worthy injuries of the season thus far. Haniger suffered a testicle injury that required surgery after fouling a ball off the area.
There are actually a surprising number of possible testicular injuries. The most common injury is a scrotal contusion. This injury is accompanied by pain in the area and occasionally nausea. If the force that causes the injury is more significant it can lead to an excessive buildup of fluid known as a hydrocele. If the resulting swelling is caused by damage to the main veins located in the testicles, it is classified as a varicocele. Finally, a hematocele can occur if the bundle of veins ruptures and blood quickly accumulates in the area. This is likely the injury sustained by Cardinal catcher Yadier Molina last season.
Another possible testicular injury occurs if the spermatic cord is involved. If the testicle rotates it can twists the spermatic cord. As the cord rotates, the blood supply to the area becomes impinged and the area swells. If the swelling occurs over an extended period of time, the affected individual runs the risk of losing the testicle. Chicago White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu underwent surgery last August for a case of testicular torsion.
A testicular rupture is the most extreme type of injury to the area and, unfortunately, the one Haniger appears to have suffered. The injury presents with scrotal swelling but also includes the contents of the testicles protruding out due to breaks in the surrounding connective tissue. Surgery was needed to address the injury, and Haniger remains without a definitive timeline despite being released from the hospital over the weekend. Based on the precedent set by other MLB cases, it appears as though Seattle will be without his services for at least a few weeks. Molina missed one month following his injury, while Abreu was sidelined nearly three weeks.
The Diamondbacks have placed Weaver on the 10-day injured list with a flexor pronator strain and a sprain of the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his throwing elbow. The two injuries are listed separately but closely related. The flexor bundle of the elbow attaches at the medial epicondyle of the elbow, the same location as the UCL. The two structures work together to stabilize the elbow and divert the varying stress placed on and through the area. If one structure is limited by injury, the other assumes the additional stress while becoming increasingly vulnerable to injury in the process. Determining which structure was injured first is a bit of a chicken-or-the-egg scenario, though it won't have much influence on Weaver's recovery. Arizona is opting for a conservative approach, meaning surgery isn't currently being considered. However, this method does require time, and expecting Weaver to be back in action quickly is ill-advised. Fantasy owners may want to consider sending the right-hander to the waiver wire.
Check Swings
J.D. Martinez: The Red Sox outfielder has missed four straight games due to back spasms. The problem is becoming a recurring issue with Martinez dating back to spring training. Back spasms are more of a symptom that a true diagnosis, with some underlying issue likely causing the painful contractions. As a result, Martinez is likely to continue battling the problem until the root of the spasms is addressed. He remains day-to-day, and his level of risk will remain elevated for the foreseeable future.
Miguel Cabrera: The former American League MVP is back from an undisclosed knee injury that likely will cause him to miss more time moving forward. While the Tigers would not elaborate on the specifics of the injury, they did note the injury is a chronic condition linked to his career workload. Surgery won't be an option for now, though routine maintenance will be required. As a result, look for Cabrera to act exclusively as a designated hitter and receive regular days off for the remainder of the season.
Joey Gallo: The Rangers are optimistic that Gallo will be ready for a rehab assignment before the end of the month. Gallo is working his way back from an oblique strain that has reportedly improved over the last few days. He still has a ways to go before returning, but it's nice to receive a positive update on his health status.
Dee Gordon: The Mariners may have lost Haniger but should welcome back Gordon into the lineup on Tuesday. Gordon is currently on the IL with a bone bruise in his wrist but has been able to play in three straight rehab outings with Triple-A Tacoma. Gordon should be unencumbered on the basepath, but I'll keep a close eye on his comfort level swinging a bat. Scale back your expectations for the first week or so until Gordon is able to prove there are no lingering effects of the injury.
Mitch Moreland: The Red Sox veteran has appeared in just one game since May 26 due to a back injury and quadriceps strain. The quad strain is the current problematic ailment, and Moreland is expected to miss multiple weeks recovering. The quadricep is a muscle group comprising four different muscles. Like the other muscle groups of the lower extremity, ensuring the muscle has full range of motion and no functional limitation is crucial to avoiding re-injury or aggravation. Given Moreland's previous back issues, I'm expecting Boston to slow play his recovery to safeguard his long-term availability.
Giancarlo Stanton: The hard-hitting outfielder is slated to begin a rehab assignment Monday as he works his way back from multiple injuries. Considering how his recovery has proceeded up this point, there is no guarantee Stanton will be back immediately. However, it is nice to see even the slightest bit of progression with a possible end to this fiasco on the horizon.
