How these 7 teams can overcome early injury woes

3:58 AM UTC

A new baseball season also means a new slew of injuries, and a number of teams are already trying to figure out how to navigate key absences.

Here are the teams facing the most injury-related adversity -- based on the sheer number of injuries, the expected severity of said injuries, and the importance of the players impacted -- as well as their plan to overcome these absences.

1. Braves (10 players on IL)
Key injuries: RHP (left oblique strain), RHP (arthroscopic elbow surgery), RHP (right elbow surgery), C (right hip labrum repair), SS (right middle finger laceration)

Atlanta’s quest for a bounce-back season is off to a rocky start amid a rash of injuries, which has strained the club’s pitching depth: Three-fifths of the Braves’ projected Opening Day starting rotation began the year on the IL. Schwellenbach and Waldrep are expected to be sidelined until the summer. Strider should be back sooner, but oblique strains are never ideal, and this is a pitcher still searching for a version of himself that we haven’t really seen since he returned from Tommy John surgery last April. There have been freak injuries, too, because when it rains, it pours. -- another depth arm -- tore his ACL covering first base. Kim, the team’s starting shortstop, tore a tendon in his right middle finger when he slipped on a patch of ice in January. It’s been that kind of start.

In the interim, Atlanta badly needs the All-Star duo of and to stabilize the rotation. López is somewhat of a wild card: He missed all but one start last season with a shoulder injury, and his velocity dipped in his final start of the spring (though he pinned that on mechanical issues). Can he pitch like the guy who posted a 1.99 ERA in 26 games two years ago? The injuries could also create opportunities for some of the organization’s top pitching prospects. , Atlanta’s No. 3 prospect, practically forced his way onto the Opening Day roster after retiring all 26 batters he faced in Spring Training. -- Atlanta’s No. 2 prospect -- also impressed this spring; he’ll start the year waiting in the wings at Triple-A.

2. Blue Jays (5 players on IL)
Key injuries: RHP (right shoulder impingement), RHP (right elbow stress fracture), RHP (right elbow inflammation), OF (torn right labrum)

Injuries have likewise forced the Blue Jays to dip into reserves for rotation help. Toronto is proceeding cautiously with Bieber, who has yet to throw off a mound after experiencing forearm fatigue throughout the offseason. Yesavage reported to camp with a shoulder impingement, prompting a slow ramp-up; the 22-year-old is throwing in Minor League games, but did not appear in Grapefruit League action. While Berríos plans to play through a stress fracture in his pitching elbow, he still landed on the IL for just the second time in his big league career -- the first coming late last season.

Though these injuries may not lead to long-term absences, they will heap more responsibility on some of the X-factors in Toronto’s rotation. signed a three-year deal in the offseason after spending the last four seasons in Japan and Korea, and early indications are that he’s a completely different pitcher. In Spring Training, Ponce averaged 95.5 mph with his fastball and featured a wipeout kick changeup while allowing one run in 13 2/3 innings. Speaking of strong springs: It feels weird calling an X-factor, but he’s 41 now. Toronto re-signed Scherzer in March in what looks like a prudent move; he went unscored upon in three Spring Training starts. This duo looms large as Toronto tries to stay afloat while the likes of Bieber and Yesavage work their way back.

3. Reds (3 players on IL)
Key injuries: RHP (right elbow surgery), LHP (blister), LHP (right oblique strain)

The Reds will be without their ace into July, as Greene landed on the IL for the seventh time in his brief big league career. For Cincinnati, this one stings: Last season, the flame-throwing Greene pitched to a 2.76 ERA (and a 166 ERA+, or 66 percent better than the league average) with the fifth-best strikeout rate among pitchers to throw at least 100 innings. Lodolo, coming off a career-best 3.33 ERA in a career-high 156 2/3 innings, shouldn’t miss as much time with a blister issue, but it’s at least mildly concerning given the lefty's history with blisters.

With Greene sidelined, a lot is riding on to replicate his success from last year's All-Star campaign. So far, so good: The southpaw tossed six scoreless innings on Opening Day. There’s also plenty of talent toward the back of Cincinnati’s rotation. What can , the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 Draft, do in a full season? Though Burns pitched to a 4.57 ERA last year, only six pitchers posted a higher strikeout rate than his 35.6% (min. 40 innings). Or maybe this is 's moment: The No. 7 pick in the 2023 Draft is healthy after missing all of last year with elbow and oblique injuries. A breakout from either arm could fortify the rotation while Greene works his way back.

4. Brewers (7 players on IL)
Key injuries: OF (fractured left hand), RHP (right neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome), 1B (fractured left hamate bone)

Thursday’s announcement that Chourio will begin the season on the IL came out of nowhere, largely because the initial injury happened almost a month ago, when he was hit by a pitch while playing in an exhibition game for Venezuela. While the good news is that the 22-year-old is only expected to miss a couple of weeks, the bad news is that Chourio is essential to everything the Brewers do. The hits kept coming a few hours later, when Vaughn left the Opening Day win for a pinch-runner after suffering an apparent hand injury; he'll be out 4-6 weeks. Minus two big bats, Milwaukee will need the likes of to pick up some of the slack; for Yelich, it’s especially important to avoid the sort of slow start that followed him through the first two months of 2025.

In the long-term, Priester’s absence could be harder to overcome. The right-hander was a revelation last year, and also somewhat of a good luck charm: At one point, Milwaukee won 19 straight games when Priester took the mound. The Brewers always seem to churn out productive pitchers, so the hope is that and are simply next in line.

5. Rays (6 players on IL)
Key injuries: RHP (right hip inflammation), INF (right shoulder impingement), SS (right oblique strain), RHP (right shoulder soreness)

The Rays have their work cut out for them in the always-difficult AL East, and a few early-season injuries won’t exactly help their cause. Manager Kevin Cash said he is “optimistic” that most of these injuries are manageable, but they can add up quickly: They already felt Uceta’s absence in an Opening Day loss.

With Walls sidelined, there’s a king-sized opportunity here for , the team’s top prospect and No. 63 overall, per MLB Pipeline. The 22-year-old slashed just .172/.219/.354 in 99 big league at-bats last season, struggling to put the ball in play. Is he ready? Now would be a great time to prove so. Similarly, Pepiot’s absence opens up a spot for , who showed improved command in his first start of the season on Saturday. The 6-foot-8 righty may be one of the game’s nastiest No. 6 starters, with four pitches that average at least 90.0 mph.

6. Yankees (5 players on IL)
Key injuries: RHP (Tommy John surgery recovery), RHP (Tommy John surgery recovery), LHP (left elbow surgery recovery), SS (left shoulder surgery recovery)

These aren’t new injuries for the Bronx Bombers, but there’s a whole lot of talent on the shelf here. Cole appeared in two Grapefruit League games as he works his way back from Tommy John surgery; he’s targeting a return to the Majors in late May or early June. Rodón should be back sooner than that; Schmidt, who underwent Tommy John surgery last June, is further behind.

Luckily for the Yankees, the organization stockpiled plenty of quality pitching depth behind , who was brilliant on Opening Night. Lefty Ryan Weathers is a popular breakout pick, thanks to a high-octane heater and a few wipeout secondary pitches. sure isn’t afraid of a little extra pressure; we learned that in October. also had an outstanding spring. And while Spring Training stats don’t mean much, Warren's line is somewhat notable, considering he moved to the third-base side of the rubber to create better angles against hitters.

7. Marlins (5 players on IL)
Key injuries: OF (right hamstring strain), OF (left oblique strain)

If the Marlins are going to surprise people again -- like they did last year, staving off elimination until the final weekend of the regular season -- a lot is riding on another strong season from Stowers. That’s why it’s a little extra worrisome that the All-Star outfielder will be sidelined at least 3-to-4 weeks with a hamstring strain, his second hamstring issue this spring.

There’s no replacing Stowers, who powered Miami’s offense with a team-best .912 OPS and 25 home runs last season. But is the bat to watch here. The Marlins landed Caissie, the No. 42 overall prospect per MLB Pipeline, in the deal that sent Edward Cabrera to the Cubs in January. Though Caissie hasn’t hit much in the Majors -- he went 5-for-26 (.192) in a big league cameo last summer -- he has plenty of raw power. His RBI double on Opening Day is an early indication that Caissie can hit the ground running while Stowers works his way back.

Honorable Mention: Dodgers (10 players on IL)
Key injuries: LHP (left shoulder fatigue), INF/OF (recovery from right ankle surgery), RHP (right shoulder inflammation), OF (recovery from left elbow surgery)

The Dodgers snuck onto this list last year, and they’re back again, with an important caveat: This team is built to overcome injuries. L.A. is taking a long-term view with Snell, following the left-hander’s taxing workload last October. Last season, the organization followed a similar approach with , opting for a deliberate ramp-up so that the right-hander would be sharpest come playoff time. It’s safe to say that worked out just fine. It’s a luxury that few teams can afford, but one that the back-to-back champs have embraced.