In this week’s Injury Report, Ronald Acuña Jr. took his next step towards a return as he began a minor league rehab assignment on Monday. Kyle Harrison has downplayed the elbow soreness that landed him on the injured list to end the first half. And A’s slugger Nick Kurtz has been sidelined with a thumb strain. All that and more as we cover all of the latest relevant injury news around baseball.
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Ronald Acuña Jr. (hamstring)
Acuña began a minor league rehab assignment on Monday in the Florida Complex League, going 0-for-3 with a strikeout. He’ll be there this week while all teams are on break to get a few games in before potentially returning when the Braves resume play on Friday at home against the Rangers. At worst, we’re looking at a return by next week. Acuña has been out of action since June 10 with a Grade 1 left hamstring strain, the second occurrence of the injury this season after a hamstring strain forced him to miss some time in May. The 28-year-old outfielder has been limited to 53 games this season, hitting .251/.373/.421 with seven homers, 31 runs scored, 22 RBI, and 15 steals.
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Kyle Harrison (elbow)
Harrison told reporters following his last start on July 8 that he had been dealing with some soreness on the outside of his left elbow for a couple of weeks. It went just four innings in that one after lasting just 2 2/3 in his previous start. The next day, Harrison was placed on the 15-day injured list with left forearm tightness. Hopefully, with the extra rest over the All-Star break, he won’t have to miss more than a start or two. Harrison did provide an update over the weekend, stating that he was feeling much better and “not too worried” about the injury. The 24-year-old left-hander has enjoyed a breakout season through the first half, posting a 3.01 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 101 strikeouts over 83 2/3 innings.
Nick Kurtz (thumb)
Kurtz was originally pulled from last Wednesday’s contest against the Tigers with an illness, though there was some speculation after he appeared to jam his hand in the first inning. He returned to the lineup on Thursday, then held out on Friday with a right thumb capsule strain before ultimately landing on the 10-day injured list. The injury will sideline Kurtz for the All-Star game, as he could be facing a multi-week absence. The 23-year-old slugger has followed up an impressive rookie campaign with an excellent first half, slashing .266/.405/.497 with 20 homers, 61 runs scored, 66 RBI, and seven steals across 412 plate appearances.
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Zack Gelof (knee)
Gelof has had some pretty bad luck to end the first half. He spent a minimum stint on the injured list with a lacerated hand after getting his hand stepped on in late June, then returned only to injure his knee crashing into the outfield wall. He was pulled from Thursday’s contest after the play and placed on the 10-day injured list with just a knee laceration. The hope is that this is another minimum stay and he could return when he’s first eligible on Monday.
Konnor Griffin (finger)
Griffin was diagnosed with a torn tendon in his left ring finger last week, an injury he sustained while making a diving catch against the Nationals on July 5. The injury will keep him out for an extended time, as he’ll need a split for six weeks, then another 2-4 weeks before he can return. A two-month absence at this juncture significantly limits the impact he can make for fantasy purposes. The 20-year-old shortstop has had a promising start to his career, hitting .276/.332/.404 with five homers and 20 steals over 59 games. In a procedural move, the team shifted him to the 60-day injured list and acquired Jacob Gonzalez in a trade with the White Sox to shore up their infield depth.
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Blaze Alexander (hand)
Alexander is set to miss some extended time after suffering a non-displaced fracture in his left hand following a hit by a pitch on Sunday against the Royals. A typical timeline for a hand fracture would put him back around late August. The 27-year-old infielder has been excellent for the Orioles this season, hitting .312/.368/.439 with four homers and nine steals across 246 plate appearances. Baltimore will likely recall an infielder from Triple-A Norfolk, but Alexander’s absence could open more playing time for Coby Mayo and Jeremiah Jackson.
Nick Lodolo (blister)
The blister issues that delayed Lodolo’s season debut until May have resurfaced. He was removed in the sixth inning against the Cubs on Saturday with a blister on his left index finger. Lodolo’s blister problems date back to 2023. The team placed him on the 15-day injured list with no timeline and will have to wait until it fully heals before proceeding, hopefully mitigating the risk of setbacks. The injury has to play a factor in his struggles this season, with a 4.60 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, and 50 strikeouts over 62 2/3 innings.
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Zac Gallen (elbow)
Gallen was scratched from his scheduled start on Sunday with right elbow inflammation and subsequently placed on the 15-day injured list. There’s no clear timeline for a return. It’s an unfortunate setback for Gallen in what has been a disastrous season. The 30-year-old right-hander has been among the worst qualified starters, with a 6.34 ERA and 1.56 WHIP across 98 innings.
Gleyber Torres (oblique)
Torres began a minor league rehab assignment in the Rookie-level Florida Complex League on Monday, going 1-for-3 with an RBI in his first game action since landing on the 10-day injured list in mid-June with a left oblique strain. He also played five innings in the field. It appears Torres could be activated shortly after the All-Star break to join the Tigers’ lineup.
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