Injury updates: Judge, Rendon, deGrom, Eovaldi

Here's a look at the latest injury news around the Majors.

Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez, Yankees

Judge left Saturday's game against the Royals in the bottom of the sixth inning with a left oblique injury. He was sent to New York-Presbyterian Hospital for further evaluation and an MRI exam.

Judge winced after hitting a single and was in obvious discomfort as he made his way to first base, and he was immediately removed from the contest. His 2016 season also ended on account of an oblique injury. Manager Aaron Boone said after the game that he expected Judge to require a trip to the injured list. More >

Judge would become the 13th Yankees player on the IL, though Boone announced before Saturday's game that Sanchez is on track to return from his calf strain during New York's upcoming road trip. More >

Anthony Rendon, Nationals

Rendon was removed from Saturday's game after being hit on the left elbow by a pitch from Marlins starter Jose Urena in the third inning. Rendon initially remained in the game to run the bases and eventually scored on Matt Adams' two-run single. But when the Nats took the field in the bottom of the inning, Howie Kendrick replaced Rendon at third base.

Rendon had his elbow wrapped after the game and said it was still swollen, but X-rays came back negative. While his status for Sunday's game is uncertain, it appears he will be able to avoid the injured list. More >

Jacob deGrom, Mets

deGrom might not need an MRI after all. The Mets ace was seen throwing on the outfield grass Saturday prior to New York's game against the Cardinals in St. Louis, and manager Mickey Callaway told reporters that the ace may forego the MRI exam on his right elbow that was scheduled for Monday.

deGrom, who was originally supposed to start Saturday but was scratched Friday, told reporters that his recent illness may be more to blame for his missed start, simply by knocking him off his routine.

DeGrom on his injury pic.twitter.com/pOy2RF7ocE

— Matt Ehalt (@MattEhalt) April 20, 2019

“I’m just a little sore,” deGrom said. “I had been sick since [the team was in] Atlanta, and kind of had a whole body soreness. When I don’t throw, it seems that things pop up. I wasn’t on a normal routine and I was trying to get enough in to just be able to make my starts.

"I felt a little soreness in my elbow and decided to say something," deGrom added. "I talked it over with Mickey and [pitching coach] Dave [Eiland]. We decided, ‘It’s early in the season, I’ve been sick, so what’s the point in trying to push it?’” More >

Nathan Eovaldi and Mitch Moreland, Red Sox

Boston placed Eovaldi on the 10-day injured list Saturday, retroactive to Thursday, with a loose body in his right elbow. Eovaldi also dealt with that specific injury last season, undergoing surgery in March. But the right-hander was able to return to the Rays' rotation in late May, and he ultimately helped the Red Sox win a World Series title with a strong postseason performance after being traded to Boston in July.

President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said there is “definitely a chance” Eovaldi will need surgery, but he cautioned that there are various methods of treatment for the ailment. More >

Moreland is considered day to day after exiting Saturday's game in the third inning due to back spasms. More >

Joey Votto, Reds

Votto was out of the lineup Saturday due to back tightness, but manager David Bell said he expects to have the first baseman back Sunday.

“With a day game tomorrow, we chose to give him a day here," Bell said. "We thought it was the wise thing to do, just to be sure.” More >

Blake Snell, Rays

Snell said everything “felt good” after throwing a bullpen session Saturday. The left-hander was placed on the 10-day injured list with a fractured toe on his right foot, an injury he suffered while moving a decorative stand in his bathroom.

“Everyone was very encouraged, so that’s a great sign that he’s feeling good and continuing to make progress,” manager Kevin Cash said. “I was curious about how it would feel getting off a slope, and it seemed like it didn’t bother him at all.” More >

Matt Carpenter, Cardinals

Carpenter exited Saturday's game as a precaution shortly after fouling a ball off his left knee. The third baseman was officially diagnosed with a left knee contusion. Manager Mike Shildt relayed Carpenter’s confidence that the issue won’t keep him out for long.

“He said, ‘I’ll be fine,’” Shildt said. “We wanted to make sure we were able to get ahead of it a little bit.”
More >

Starling Marte and Erik Gonzalez, Pirates

The Pirates on Saturday placed Marte on the 10-day injured list with an abdominal wall contusion and a bruised right quad, and Gonzalez on the 60-day injured list with a fractured left clavicle.

The players sustained the injuries in a collision in center field Friday night. Director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said on Saturday afternoon that it was too early to provide “an appropriate timeline” for either player. More >

Francisco Lindor, Indians

Lindor's first career stint on the injured list has reached its conclusion. The Indians activated their All-Star shortstop and designated DH Hanley Ramirez for assignment Saturday, though Lindor is not in the Tribe's starting lineup for Game 1 of the team's doubleheader against Atlanta. More >

Jean Segura, Scott Kingery and Victor Arano, Phillies

Before Saturday's game against the Rockies, the Phillies placed Segura (strained left hamstring), Kingery (strained right hamstring) and Arano (right elbow inflammation) on the 10-day injured list. Segura is retroactive to Wednesday, and Arano to Friday. Kingery suffered his injury in Friday's game, so his IL stint has no retroactive date. More >

Ronald Guzman and Rougned Odor, Rangers

Guzman (right hamstring) is close to returning from the injured list, as he’s sprinting at 90 percent and able to run in an arc in the outfield without any issues. He could be cleared to go full speed in all activities after undergoing an MRI exam Monday.

Odor (right knee) isn’t far behind Guzman. The second baseman went through a full workout Tuesday with no restraints. More >

Mike Moustakas, Brewers

Moustakas is day to day after exiting Saturday's game with bruised right ring finger, which he suffered when his finger was struck by a one-hop grounder in the top of the fifth inning. The infielder initially remained in the game but left after he had trouble gripping the bat on a strikeout in the bottom of the sixth.

“I just wasn’t able to get my hand out of the way,” he said. “It kind of hit the top of my finger and that was that. I felt pretty good the rest of the inning and then went to my at-bat and was a little uncomfortable, so [manager Craig Counsell] got me out of there.” More >

Brandon Morrow, Cubs

The Cubs are shutting Morrow's rehab down again after the closer felt discomfort from a recent side session, and there is no timetable for his return to Chicago's bullpen.

"The bounceback after the last time out wasn't as good," manager Joe Maddon said. "So, we've got to back off of him once again and just slow things down. That's just where he's at. It's not unlike what had been going on [at times last season]. It was all trending very well and then, like I said, this last time, just not as good. So, we just have to pay attention to what he's saying." More >

Shohei Ohtani, Angels

On Friday, Ohtani took another step forward in his recovery from Tommy John surgery, hitting on the field with his teammates for the first time since the operation on Oct. 1.

Ohtani remains on track to return as the Angels’ designated hitter in early May and is scheduled to face live pitching for the first time early next week. More >

Matt Shoemaker, Blue Jays

Shoemaker exited Saturday's game against the A's after the bottom of the third inning with a left knee sprain and will undergo an MRI exam Sunday. The right-hander hurt himself chasing third baseman Matt Chapman in a rundown between first and second. Shoemaker applied the tag on Chapman, then hopped on his right leg several times before falling to the ground.

Shoemaker is off to a terrific start this season, recording a 1.57 ERA over his first 28 2/3 innings with the Jays, who signed him to a one-year contract in the offseason. He has dealt with persistent injury problems during his career, and he made just 21 starts over 2017-18 combined. More >