Tag: MLB Injuries

Dodgers lose Eric Lauer to injured list amid latest rotation setback

By: @OOSSports

Eric Lauer

The Los Angeles Dodgers are once again dealing with uncertainty in their starting rotation.

Dodgers left-hander Eric Lauer was placed on the 15-day injured list Wednesday because of left elbow inflammation, according to the club’s official transaction record. The move comes one day after Lauer surrendered seven runs on eight hits, including two home runs, over three innings against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Veteran reliever Blake Treinen was reinstated from the 60-day injured list in the corresponding move. Will Klein was transferred to the 60-day IL to create room on the 40-man roster.

Lauer’s injury creates another opening in a Dodgers rotation that has repeatedly been forced to adjust this season.

Eric Lauer injury creates another Dodgers rotation question

Lauer had only recently returned to the starting five.

Los Angeles previously shifted him to the bullpen after Tyler Glasnow returned from injury, but Roki Sasaki’s blister opened another rotation spot. Lauer received that opportunity Tuesday before the Cardinals roughed him up.

Now the Dodgers must find another solution.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tarik Skubal are scheduled to handle the final two games of the St. Louis series, while Glasnow and Blake Snell are expected to take two of the starts this weekend against the Washington Nationals.

That leaves at least one opening.

Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic identified Emmet Sheehan as a likely candidate for a spot start. Sheehan was optioned Aug. 21 and would ordinarily be ineligible to return until Saturday unless directly replacing a player placed on the injured list.

Los Angeles acquired Lauer from the Toronto Blue Jays in May for cash considerations after he struggled to a 6.69 ERA through eight appearances with Toronto.

Blake Treinen returns to bolster Dodgers bullpen

Lauer’s absence hurts the rotation, but Treinen’s return provides a needed boost elsewhere.

The 38-year-old had been sidelined since June because of right elbow inflammation. Before the injury, Treinen posted a 3.52 ERA over 23 innings. Imaging showed no structural damage when he originally landed on the IL.

Treinen recently completed a rehab assignment with Triple-A Oklahoma City and had been expected to return in early September.

His return is especially important for a Dodgers bullpen that has lacked dependable right-handed high-leverage options.

Los Angeles now faces another rotation shuffle during a stretch of nine consecutive game days. Lauer’s elbow issue only adds to the challenge of navigating September while keeping the pitching staff healthy for October.

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Tigers ace Tarik Skubal to undergo elbow surgery, no timetable set

By: @oossports

The Detroit Tigers made a major rotation change Monday after they scratched Tarik Skubal from his scheduled start and placed him on the injured list.

The Tigers’ ace is set to undergo surgery to address loose bodies in his throwing elbow, manager A.J. Hinch confirmed. The team did not provide a timetable for his return, creating immediate uncertainty around one of the American League’s most dominant pitchers.

Skubal, 29, was originally lined up to face the Boston Red Sox, with left-hander Payton Tolle expected on the opposing side. Detroit will instead turn to Tyler Holton to make Monday’s start.

The development follows an injury scare during Skubal’s outing against the Atlanta Braves on April 29. In the seventh inning of that start, he shook out his throwing arm after a pitch and briefly met with teammates and staff on the mound while rubbing his left elbow.

Despite the moment, Skubal remained in the game and finished the inning. He struck out the side before exiting with a pitch count of 91, initially downplaying concern after the outing.

“I don’t really know. Cramp is probably the wrong word,” Skubal told MLB.com, “We’ve heard the word zinger, I guess, but it wasn’t really like a nervy thing. I don’t know.”

Skubal continued his regular preparation in the days that followed and completed his usual side sessions. As recently as Monday morning, he appeared on track to take the mound before the late change.

The injury halts what had been another elite season. Through seven starts, Skubal holds a 2.70 ERA with 45 strikeouts across 43 1/3 innings. He has won the American League Cy Young Award in each of the past two seasons and entered 2026 as a leading contender once again.

The timing adds another layer of significance, as Skubal is in the final year of his rookie contract and is expected to reach free agency after the season.

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Austin Riley Eyes 30-Homer Return After Injury Setbacks

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2/16/26

oossports

Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley is not easing into Spring Training. He is setting the bar high.

After two seasons disrupted by injuries, Riley enters camp determined to return to the elite production that placed him in rare franchise company just two years ago.

“If I don’t hit 30-plus homers and drive in 90-100 runs, I kind of feel like it’s a wash of a season,” Riley said. “That’s what they’re paying me to do and those are my goals. So, I expect it every year. I expect it every year for however many years I have left on my contract.” (Quote: Via MLB.com’s Mark Bowman)

Back to Elite Company

Riley signed a franchise-record 10-year, $212 million contract on Aug. 1, 2022. In 2023, his first full season under that deal, he joined Hall of Famers Hank Aaron, Eddie Mathews and Andruw Jones as the only Braves to record three 30-homer, 90-RBI seasons at age 26 or younger.

That trajectory stalled when injuries intervened. An oblique strain hampered him early in 2024 before a fractured right hand ended his season in August. Last year, an abdominal strain that surfaced before the All-Star break ultimately required season-ending sports hernia surgery.

Fresh Start, Renewed Energy

Now fully healthy after an unrestricted offseason, Riley arrives at camp energized. He showcased that confidence Monday, launching three consecutive opposite-field home runs during batting practice.

“I know things happen,” Riley said. “But to be where I am mentally and to be where I feel physically, plus with the changes we’ve made this offseason, this is the most excited I’ve been as far as where I am at the start of Spring Training.”

For Atlanta, a healthy Riley could dramatically reshape the lineup’s ceiling. For Riley, anything short of 30 home runs and 90-plus RBIs is not acceptable.

If his body cooperates, the Braves slugger appears ready to reclaim his place among baseball’s premier power hitters.

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