There’s not much of the regular season left, meaning that even relatively minor injuries incurred at this point could end a player’s 2015 campaign. With that in mind, a few notable injury reports from around the league…
- Ryan Zimmerman could miss “a significant amount of time” due to an oblique injury, a pair of sources tell MLB.com’s Bill Ladson. Zimmerman injured the oblique this weekend and hasn’t played in the Nationals’ past two contests. He did play through the injury on Monday, but oblique ailments often lead to prolonged absence from the playing field, which could bring the remainder of Zimmerman’s season into question, speculatively speaking. As Ladson notes, the Nats would not confirm the oblique issue.
- The Padres have shut down first baseman Yonder Alonso after a bone scan revealed a stress reaction in his lower back, reports Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union Tribune (via Twitter). As Lin notes, that sounds like a season-ending injury for Alonso, who is no stranger to the notion of missing time due to injury. Alonso has spent notable periods on the disabled list in each of the past three seasons, averaging just 95 games per year dating back to 2013. He’s due a raise on his $1.65MM salary in arbitration this season, but despite a pair of injuries this year, it’s tough to envision him being a serious non-tender candidate. Alonso posted a solid .282/.361/.381 batting line when healthy and can be controlled through the 2017 season. Even if the Padres’ plan were to shift Wil Myers to first base in 2016 and beyond, Alonso would surely figure to draw some trade interest.
- Josh Hamilton will have arthroscopic surgery on his knee, the Rangers announced today, but the team remains hopeful of Hamilton returning to the lineup in 2015, as Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News tweets. Hamilton has appeared in just 40 games since returning to the Rangers, batting .257/.299/.431 with six homers and seven doubles in 154 plate appearances.
Angels eating the majority of Hamilton’s contract to move him makes a whole lot more sense when you see articles like this.
Paying Hamilton to sit on the Rangers DL doesn’t help the Angels anymore than paying Hamilton to sit on their DL.
Getting his issues out of the clubhouse and front office is a savings.
Win for all parties. Win for the Angels ridding themselves of his issues. Win for the Rangers for hardly having to pay him (relatively speaking). Win for Hamilton by getting away from the Angels and back to the place where he flourished. Hopefully he can stay healthy next season.
With JUpton being a free agent at the end of the season and probably signing elsewhere, I don’t think Myers is slated for 1B in 2016. I cant think of anyone that the Padres have that would be better than Myers at a corner OF spot. Pencil him in for LF in 2016.
Myers might be the Padres’ best offensive talent regardless of position. The better question to ask is to determine his best defensive position. From what we’ve see this year, he was at least average at 1B and showed promise of becoming very good. I think his long-term destination should be at 1B. If Yonder Alonso is still around next year, Myers stays in LF while sharing time at 1B wtih Alonso. Rymer Liriano and Alex Dickerson are viable candidates for LF in 2016, and we know how aggressive Preller can be on the trade market.
Padres outfield is about to get real crowded actually