Injuries are, unfortunately, part of the game; however some are more severe than others. Here’s a look at some of the major injuries around the league that can derail their teams chances early on.
1. Jered Weaver, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Angels placed Weaver on the 15-day disabled list on April 9th after he suffered a non-displaced radial head fracture in his left elbow, which is his non-pitching elbow. The Halo’s ace will be out at least four weeks, but he could possibly miss more time. Initially, it was believed to be just a sprain as he fell awkwardly, avoiding a line drive up the middle, but further tests revealed the fracture. Weaver was 0-1 with a 4.91 ERA so far for the Angels, and while his numbers weren’t the typical Weaver numbers, he is still an important presence in the Angels rotation. Losing Weaver for at least a month could further hurt a struggling Angels team and compromise their chances at the postseason.
2. Yoenis Cespedes, Oakland Athletics
Cespedes was placed on the 15-day DL on April 13th with a sprained muscle in his left hand. The A’s were off to a hot start, that is until Cespedes went on the DL. This season they are 8-2 with him in the starting lineup compared to a 5-5 record without him. The A’s faced a similar situation last season as Cespedes missed some time throughout the season due to injury. Last year the A’s were 82-46 with Cespedes in the lineup and 12-22 without him. Even when he’s struggling, the A’s just play better as a whole. So far in this young season, he’s batting .200 with three homeruns and seven RBI. Good news for the A’s is that Cespedes is only expected to miss the 15 days and be activated when eligible, which would be this Sunday. The A’s need Cespedes to stay healthy in order for them to make a run at the postseason.
3. Derek Jeter, New York Yankees
There’s no doubt that the Yankees are missing their 13 time All-Star shortstop. The 38-year-old Jeter has been a fixture in the Yankees organization since his first full season in 1996. He broke his left ankle this past October during the playoffs and had surgery. He started the season on the DL, but was expected to be back sooner rather than later. Unfortunately, for Jeter and Yankees fans, last week Jeter was diagnosed with a small fracture in his left ankle, causing his return date to be after the All-Star Break. Jeter is also back in a walking boot. The Yankees started the season off slow, but are now 11-8 sitting in third place in the AL East only a game and a half behind the first place Boston Red Sox. The Yankees are doing ok as of now, but how long can they last without Jeter?
4. Hanley Ramirez, Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers shortstop tore a thumb ligament before the season started and was initially expected to to be out until mid-May. Now, he’s hoping and expecting to be back even before May, which Dodgers fans are hoping for. Right now the Dodgers are 9-10 as they sit in fourth place. Ramirez is a well known shortstop around the league full of talent. The Dodgers could definitely use his bat and defensive skills.
5. Zack Greinke, Los Angeles Dodgers
The news just gets worse for the Dodgers as one of their best, if not their best, pitcher’s, Greinke, is on the DL with a broken collarbone. He suffered the injury after Carlos Quentin charged the mound leading to a benches clearing brawl. Greinke needs surgery to repair his broken collarbone and is expected to miss eight weeks. He was 1-0 with a 1.59 ERA this season, and will be missed in the Dodgers rotation. The Dodgers are already off to a slow start after such high expectations, and now after suffering such injuries, their chances are dwindling.
6. Jose Reyes, Toronto Blue Jays
The shortstop severely sprained his left ankle and will most likely be out until the All-Star Break. He was placed on the 15-day DL on April 13th. The Blue Jays had a lot of high hopes for this 2013 season, but so far are in last place in the East with an 8-13 record and are five and a half games out of first place. Reyes was batting .395 with one homerun and five RBI before his injury. The Jays will definitely be missing Reyes’ bat and defensive at short while he’s recovering. With an injury of this caliber, the Blue Jays will suffer as a team.
7. Curtis Granderson, New York Yankees
The Yankees outfielder suffered a fractured right forearm after being hit by a pitch in spring training. While there is no definite date for his season debut, he is expected to be back sometime in May, possibly the first week. The Yankees have seemed to do a decent job despite their injuries as they are only three and a half games out of first place, however the AL East is a tough division and it may be difficult for them to catch up as the season progresses.
8. Mark Teixeira, New York Yankees
The Yankees first baseman had a partially torn tendon in his right wrist which has sidelined him this season. He is anticipated to return early May. The whole Yankees team seems to be on the DL, which has caused their record and early performance to suffer. With these guys in the lineup in the first month of the season, their record may be different and they might have been higher in the standings. They aren’t too far behind, but they have suffered due to injuries.
9. Aaron Hill, Arizona Diamondbacks
The DBacks second baseman was placed on the disabled list on April 16th after breaking his left hand after being hit by a pitch. This is an injury that can potentially really hurt Arizona as he was batting .306 with two homeruns and six RBI. The DBacks have also been off to a good start this season and Hill has played a big part in their success as he was having a great start to 2013 before he got injured. Hill is the type of player that will be missed in more ways than one, especially since he’ll be out for four to six weeks.
10. Matt Harrison, Texas Rangers
The Rangers pitching staff was questionable to begin the 2013 season, and they will have to do without Harrison for a while. The starting pitcher was placed on the 15-day DL on April 11th with an inflamed nerve in his lower back that eventually led to back surgery. Harrison underwent successful surgery on April 23rd to fix a herniated disk. He won’t return to the Rangers until after the All-Star Break. This could affect the Rangers as he has been a key guy in their starting rotation, and although he was off to a bad start, 0-2 with an 8.44 ERA, he will be missed as the season goes on, half of which he will miss.