Good morning! Today’s fantasy baseball injury report feels more like an illness report if I am being honest. Although most of the players on the list are not diagnosed with COVID, a bug is going around the teams that is causing many to sit. I touch on each team’s situation, identify the replacement in the depth chart and give you a blurb on their fantasy potential.
Hitters: Luis Robert, Cody Bellinger, Giancarlo Stanton, DJ LeMahieu, Evan Longoria, Yan Gomes, Kyle Isbel, Emmanuel Rivera
Pitcher: Heath Hembree
Batters
Chicago Cubs: Yan Gomes (C) - The backup backstop was a surprise scratch yesterday against the Reds with an oblique issue. This compounds onto the injury to Wilson Contreras from over the weekend, forcing Chicago to look at PJ Higgins as the starter. Higgins is 3/7 thus far this season in his very limited looks. Although he hasn’t played much at the MLB level, PJ did dominate AAA this season with a .417 through 22 games.
Chicago White Sox: Luis Robert (CF) - The star outfielder was unable to join the team against the Red Sox yesterday due to COVID related symptoms. He is likely out for the next several days due to the virus. Adam Engel has outpaced Leury Garcia as a utility option for the outfield, giving him first dibs on CF in my opinion. Engel has hit .223, which isn’t great in its own right, through 94 at bats. Adam has stolen five bases however, if you need a bit of speed.
Kansas City Royals: Kyle Isbel (RF)/Emmanuel Rivera (3B) - Both young hitters were held out of the lineup yesterday against the Diamondbacks due to an illness. A chain reaction is felt throughout the lineup in a situation like this, especially given their injury issues. Dairon Blanco is the only player slotted into CF on the depth chart left, going 2/7 thus far, the first at bats for the 29-year-old at the MLB level. Hunter Dozier could play at RF in the place of Isbel, the utility player has gone .266 this season playing across the defense in nearly every position.
Los Angeles Dodgers: Cody Bellinger (CF) - This seems to be the trend for today. Bellinger was held out of the lineup yesterday against the Nationals due to an illness. The team would go with musical chairs, moving players all around the defense. In the end, Edwin Rios was the beneficiary who was slotted into DH. Rios has been solid in his looks, going .255 through 55 at bats with five home runs.
New York Yankees: Giancarlo Stanton (RF/LF/DH)/DJ LeMahieu (2B/1B/3B) - When you look at their last several games, it comes to no surprise that these guys are banged up. DJ was outright not in the lineup yesterday against the Orioles with a wrist injury and he’s gone 0/9 in his last three games at the plate. Marwin Gonzalez becomes the top utility guy after LeMahieu on the team. Gonzalez hasn’t hit nearly as well as DJ, going at a .205 clip through 44 at bats. Stanton would leave the game with Baltimore due to a calf issue. This seems to be something that isn’t new, Giancarlo has gone 0/12 at the plate over the last four games. Miguel Andujar could see more looks with Stanton out of the lineup, possibly at DH or LF. He’s 2/10 on the season but is a .278 hitter over 235 games in his career.
San Franciso Giants: Evan Longoria (3B) - Out of the lineup yesterday against the Mets, the veteran outfielder was injured in the team's previous contest. Apparently, he tried to make a big play on defense and injured his shoulder. Tommy La Stella recently returned from injury and has hit .304 this season through only 23 at bats. The veteran has been a consistent .250 or better throughout his career, sitting on .270 in over 600 MLB games.
Pitchers
Pittsburgh Pirates: Heath Hembree (RP) - After giving up a couple runs in his last outing several days ago, Hembree was placed on the IL yesterday. Wil Crowe could use more love out of the Pirates bullpen. Crowe has put up a WHIP slightly over one, and an ERA of 2.42 through 26 innings of relief. He’s an inning eating middle reliever and those are beneficial for the rates.