Injury Updates: Ohtani, Darvish, Strasburg, Thor

June 30th, 2018

Here's a roundup of the latest injury news across the majors.
, , Zack Cozart, and , Angels
Ohtani took batting practice and participated in a simulated game on Saturday at Angel Stadium. Ohtani, who is solely focused on offense while he returns from a right UCL sprain, also ran in the bases. He was placed on the disablied list on June 8 (retroactive to June 7), and there's no official timetable for his return, but the Angels are hoping he could return as a batter before the All-Star Game.
Lamb has become the latest Angel to require Tommy John surgery, the club announced on Saturday. Lamb, 27, was placed on the disabled list on Wednesday with left elbow inflammation, one day after making a start against the Red Sox in Boston in which he gave up five runs (three earned) on six hits and two walks over 1 2/3 innings. It was just his third start with the big league club after being called up on June 16. An MRI revealed the torn ulnar collateral ligament. Dr. Neal ElAttrache will perform the procedure in Los Angeles.
Jewell underwent successful left ankle surgery on Friday and will be out for the remainder of the season. Cozart also underwent a successful repair of his left shoulder labrum tear, and is expected back in six to eight months.
Richards, who's on the DL retroactive to June 14 with a left hamstring strain, threw 3 1/3 innings in his first rehab start with Class A Advanced Inland Empire on Friday. He gave up five runs on seven hits and took the loss in a game against Rancho Cucamonga. Angels manager Mike Scioscia said Los Angeles will have to wait and see how the right-hander rebounds. More > 
, and Albert Almora Jr., Cubs
Cubs manager Joe Maddon is hopeful that Darvish will have some peace of mind after seeing his doctor in Texas. Orthopedist Keith Meister diagnosed Darvish with a right elbow impingement and inflammation and gave the pitcher a cortisone shot Friday. The Cubs were hopeful Darvish could come off the disabled list and pitch this weekend, but he felt pain in his right arm during a bullpen session on Thursday in Los Angeles.
Edwards Jr. gave up one hit, walked one and struck out two in two-thirds of an inning in a Minor League rehab outing Friday with Triple-A Iowa. He threw 19 pitches, and he will likely make another appearance on Sunday or Monday with Iowa before he's activated. Edwards has been on the disabled list with right shoulder inflammation. More >
Almora Jr. was removed in the fifth inning of Saturday's game at Wrigley Field after grabbing his right quadriceps while running to first base on his go-ahead RBI single. Almora originally stayed in the game after being evaluated by athletic trainer PJ Mainville at first base, but he was lifted upon reaching second base on 's single. More >
and , Nationals
Strasburg threw a 35-pitch bullpen session on Saturday, one with much more intensity than his light session on Thursday. Nationals manager Dave Martinez said he would need to throw at least one more bullpen session before the Nats decide his next step.
Washington also transferred Zimmerman to the 60-day DL. The move should not change his timetable for a return much, considering he will still be eligible to be activated on July 9, but it does pave the way for him to complete a Minor League rehab stint before returning. More >

, and , Mets
Syndergaard could soon make significant progress toward a return from the disabled list. Syndergaard is tentatively scheduled to start a simulated game next week in Port St. Lucie, Fla., opposite Vargas, who is also rehabbing from injury.
Sidelined since May 25 due to a strained right index finger, Syndergaard began throwing off a mound earlier this week, ramping up to a 31-pitch session Friday in Miami. He played catch the following day and, assuming Syndergaard comes out of that with no issues, he will travel to Port St. Lucie on Sunday in advance of his simulated game. There, Syndergaard will pitch opposite Vargas, who has been out since June 19 due to a strained right calf. In addition to the sim game, each pitcher will likely require at least one Minor League rehab start before coming off the DL.
Wright's baseball activities progression included taking batting practice on Saturday in the same group as starting position players , , and . Wright, who began taking BP earlier this month as he looks to return from back and shoulder injuries, took three rounds alongside his teammates at Marlins Park. More >
, Max Kepler,  and Bobby Wilson, Twins
Buxton continues to make progress during his rehab assignment with Triple-A Rochester, but there's still no timetable for his return. There remains a chance that he could be optioned instead of reinstated from the disabled list once his rehab assignment ends.
Buxton, on the DL with a fractured left big toe, began his rehab assignment on June 19, which allows him to remain on it until July 8. He has hit .206/.250/.324 with one homer and four RBIs in nine games with Rochester. More > 
Kepler, Rosario, and Wilson all exited Saturday's game early due to heat illness. They are all considered day to day. More >

, , , and , Brewers
Yelich and Braun were sidelined with stiff lower backs, with Yelich's seeming the more serious of the two. Brewers manager Craig Counsell said "definitely, we'll stay away" from Yelich on Saturday. Braun's status was more nebulous, as the 34-year-old was getting treatment all afternoon and was not available to the media.
Cain was making progress, meanwhile, in his rehab. He could be cleared to take batting practice on the field as soon as Monday, Counsell said. Cain is eligible to come off the DL on Wednesday.
Davies was back in Milwaukee on Saturday, a day after his rehab start at Class A Advanced Wisconsin was cut short by lower back discomfort. He was supposed to throw 80 pitches in what might have been his final step before returning to the Brewers from a right shoulder injury. Instead, he threw 48 pitches and surrendered six earned runs on 10 hits before alerting medical officials to back trouble. More >
The Brewers were more optimistic, meanwhile, on Miley, who began his rehab assignment Thursday. He's not eligible for reinstatement until July 9, about three weeks before the non-waiver Trade Deadline. More >
and , Blue Jays
The Blue Jays placed Tepera on the 10-day disabled list with right elbow inflammation prior to Saturday's game against the Tigers. Manager John Gibbons opted for in the ninth inning of Friday's series opener instead of Tepera, and said after the game that his arm was "hanging" a bit after the Houston series. Tepera allowed a walk-off home run in his most recent appearance on June 27.
Tepera noted that it wasn't an issue of pain in his elbow, but recovery. He noticed that his arm was not bouncing back as quickly after outings, so Toronto will take an approach of rest and treatment. With Tepera on the DL, the Blue Jays will continue to rotate through closers. Clippard is expected to get some opportunities, and Gibbons said on Saturday that will also be in the mix.
Sanchez's finger is improving, but he won't be back in time to make his next start on July 2. Swelling has gone down in the area of his finger contusion, and he'll begin playing catch over the next several days. More >

, Orioles
O'Day will have season-ending surgey to repair his left hamstring. O'Day, who exited Tuesday's game with a hamstring injury, had an MRI on Wednesday morning that revealed a Grade 2 strain. At the time, it was thought he would not need surgery. More >
, Marlins
Urena's recovery is on schedule, but the Marlins still plan to give their veteran right-hander a few more days of rest before he rejoins the rotation. Urena is on the 10-day disabled list with right shoulder inflammation and is eligible to be reinstated on Monday. The organization isn't in such a hurry, and the club expects to bring him back sometime next week.
"He's not pitching Monday," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. "Tuesday would be the first day he would be able to pitch, in our minds."
Physically, Urena is just about ready. He threw a bullpen session on Friday, and he has a light bullpen session scheduled for Sunday. More >
Joe Smith, Astros
Smith, who's on the disabled list with right elbow soreness, threw 19 pitches in one inning in his relief outing Friday night at Double-A Corpus Christi. Hinch said he will pitch again Sunday before likely rejoining the club Tuesday in Arlington. More >

Vince Velasquez, Phillies
Velasquez exited Saturday's start vs. the Nationals after a 96-mph line drive struck him on the right forearm in the second inning. Velasquez collapsed to the turf after making the throw to get out at first and end the inning. He left the game with a bruised right forearm, according to the Phillies. More >
and Tyler Flowers, Braves
Vizcaino threw a bullpen on Saturday as he recovers from right shoulder inflammation. Braves manager Brian Snitker said he will be re-evaluated and hopefully be available Monday after a day off.
Flowers was not in the lineup after leaving Friday night's game in the sixth inning with a right hamstring cramp. Snitker said Flowers was already scheduled to have Saturday off and expects him back in the lineup Sunday. More >
, Rays
Font had an MRI Saturday morning that confirmed the bad news about his right lat, which he strained in Friday night's start against the Astros. Font was placed on the 10-day disabled list, and right-hander was recalled from Triple-A Durham.
"He's going to be out a little while," Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "We're going to be optimistic -- eight weeks, something like that. But he got his lat pretty good. We're going to miss him." More >