The White Sox announced today that first baseman/outfielder Andrew Vaughn has been diagnosed with a hip pointer (a bruised pelvis bone on his right side) and is expected to return to game action in one to two weeks. Vaughn sustained the injury on a diving catch in right field yesterday, and while he was initially able to get to his feet after the play, he dropped back down and signaled for the training staff. He was eventually helped off the field on a cart.
Vaughn, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2019 draft, made his big league debut in 2021 while converting from first base to the outfield. He hit just .235/.309/.396 with 15 home runs on the season as a whole, in part due to a dismal September swoon that saw him collect just four hits (all singles) in his final 49 plate appearances. He’s had a nice Spring Training so far, but it’s possible that this hip injury will sideline him for the remainder of camp — if not the first few games of the season. Depending on his progress, an IL stint doesn’t seem out of the question, but time will tell whether that proves necessary.
A few more injury scenarios of particular note from around the league…
- D-backs shortstop Nick Ahmed is headed for an MRI on his ailing right shoulder, writes Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic. Ahmed’s shoulder issue dates back to the 2020 season, when he initially jammed it on the landing after diving for a ball at shortstop. Piecoro notes that Ahmed has previously sidestepped questions about the potential for surgery, but the results of the MRI will be telling. The 32-year-old Ahmed has always been a glove-first player, but last year’s offensive output cratered as he played through ongoing shoulder discomfort. In 473 trips to the plate, Ahmed slashed just .221/.280/.339 — a far cry from the .254/.316/.437 line he posted in 2019. Defensive metrics remain bullish on Ahmed’s range, although last year’s five throwing errors were the second-most of his career (perhaps not a surprise, given that it’s his throwing shoulder in question). The D-backs owe Ahmed $7.5MM this season and $10MM in 2023.
- Brewers infielder Luis Urias has been ruled out for Opening Day, manager Craig Counsell told reporters today (Twitter link via Will Sammon of The Athletic). It’s not a big surprise given that he’s been limited to just two spring at-bats while nursing a strained quadriceps. The 24-year-old Urias looked on the verge of losing his spot in the Brewers’ lineup at one point last year, as Milwaukee swung an early trade for Willy Adames after some rough play from Urias at shortstop. Upon moving off shortstop and settling in at third base, however, Urias saw not only his defensive ratings improve but also broke out at the plate. Over his final 426 plate appearances, he slashed .262/.352/.470 with 19 home runs, 18 doubles and a triple — good for a 120 wRC+. With Urias sidelined, it’ll likely fall to journeyman Jace Peterson, former Rays infielder Mike Brosseau and utilityman Pablo Reyes to cover the hot corner.
- Phillies right-hander Sam Coonrod has been shut down for five to seven days with a shoulder strain, manager Joe Girardi announced to reporters (Twitter link via Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia). That puts his Opening Day availability in jeopardy, though that will depend on just how he fares when he’s reevaluated a few days down the line. The 29-year-old Coonrod may not be as familiar a name as some of his veteran bullpen-mates, but he’s in line to serve as an important member of the relief corps, if healthy. In 42 1/3 innings last season, the former Giants righty posted a 4.04 ERA with a strong 25.9% strikeout rate, an 8.1% walk rate and a brilliant 57.1% grounder rate. Coonrod averaged 98.8 mph on his heater, and between the velocity, strikeouts, walks and grounders, there’s potential for a breakout performance if this shoulder issue proves minor.
Thank goodness not same type of hip injury as Luis Robert’s injury last season!!
Brewers fans relax I have faith in Brosseua will do just fine until Urias gets back . Let’s not sign any old guy who isn’t going to help
I mean how could you, Travis Shaw isn’t avaible
The only other possibility that the Brewers might consider doing is do a trade with the Marlins for Isian Diaz for a player to be named later.
White Sox continue to ignore the canary in the coal mine in both LF & RF. The risk for disastrous injuries to players that are ill-suited to be patrolling the OF continue to be ignored. Everyone knows how the story ends.
I also question why the WS don’t get him a little more minor league seasoning. 107 A+ ABs.
@ SupremeZeus;
Because the FO built an unbalanced team. They want guys that can hit with power and they fit them into positions later.
I’ve seen so many guys like Eloy Jimenez over the years. I’d have to look them up (because I and most baseball fans forgot about them). Cliff Johnson comes to mind. Big, burly power hitters that smash some tape measure HR’s. Local fans go gaga. They get up the the majors, have a decent year or two hitting, then the pitchers catch up to them. They have no defensive position. They obviously can’t run the bases well. Their BA’s go down as well as the HR’s and they have to share the DH role. They get traded around a bit, win some games with HR’s, and slowly fade away.
Similar thing with Vaughn. He probably plays a better 1B than Abreu, but Abreu’s the team leader. So the WS do what the Phillies did with Hoskins a few years ago – they stick a fairly immobile 1B in LF expecting him to learn a position that he never played at the ML level. Messes up his head and rhythm, so his hitting – the main thing he can do – suffers.
The White Sox are one of many lost MLB franchises. Their FO ignores baseball fundamentals and is behind the curve on the technical aspects. A matter of time before the rebuilds of the KC, Detroit and Cleveland take hold.
When they announced the universal DH the White Sox took it as it was OK to play a DH at every position..
So did the Phillies!!
Abreu plays a great 1B these days!
Sox have too much hitting with power.
Only one DH per game allowed unless they change the rules.
Calling out the trainer over a hip pointer?
Missing *two weeks* with a hip pointer?
Bro. It’s a bruise. I’ve been hurt worse doing home repairs & never missed a beat. Most of us have incurred far more painful “injuries.”
Altogether now. Say it with me: “saaaaaaawwwfft. So, so sawft.”
In all fairness, when you are hanging pictures on the wall, is the hammer moving 98 mph?
Nope.
Are you implying that the field was moving 98 mph, @Brady? Because: he fell. He was bruised. Now that I have certainly done. My roofers get beat up more day in & day out than that.
More about trying to hit a 98 mph fastball with a hip that you might have trouble rotating. Maybe an analogy might be trying to drive a 3-inch nail into a support beam, while have a thumb that’s on trigger finger. At the very top of the game, virtually every moving part has to be 100%.. You could have a 20 stitch wound on your back that you might not notice. But a one-stitch injury on your landing foot might completely derail you.
Mmmmmm.
Huh. Maybe. Guess I didn’t catch that from the wording. Still don’t actually. Smells a little like a retraction.
Anyway.
I can tell you this: had one playing football & I never missed a snap – practice or game. & I’m certainly not the world’s toughest dude or whatever. In the end, it is a bruise. A bruise that’ll sideline him a couple weeks. For real. That’s some pretty softass stuff, bro. I cannot see how it can be spun any other way.
Hey White Sox fans how about Jake Burger for Corey Ray or Lorenzo Cain then .
I’m curious. Does your business cash flow, or are you like the majority of roofers who rob Peter to pay Paul in order to get a job done.
I mostly work with insurance proceeds.
That’s about 90% of our work or so. As such, I am not sure how to answer that. Those jobs average about 40% profit. But it takes a good while for the insurance companies to pay (generally a few months but can take a couple years). So there is a constant money shuffle that takes place. Particularly so in the height of the building season.
We have two offices in the twin cities & a satellite office in Hudson, WI. We average 400+ builds/year (counting all projects, but roofing is the company’s life blood). If that helps to answer your question.
@Vaughn,
Nice grab, bud. Get some ice, massage and back to work, 30HRs
I was watching that game on Sunday between the White Sox and Dodgers on the MLB Network. Vaughn did make a phenomenal diving catch. It was too bad that Vaughn’s body was not built for that type of movement. The White Sox better revaluate with how they plan on using Vaughn in the near future since he is a natural first baseman.
Coonrod has tremendous upside. Hope he gets healthy soon.
Idk if you guys at mlbtr have seen this yet but the Cardinals signed Cory spangenberg to a minor league deal
Wow feel like I haven’t heard that name in a loooong time. Hey where is future first ballot HOF’er Rob Refsnyder at these days?
He had signed a minor league deal with Boston during the lockout