Zachary Engberg
2 min read • June 27, 2022
Posted in
Acuña Jr. said on Sunday that he is unsure when he will return or if will be placed on the 10-day IL, but is hoping it will be a short absence because he is “frustrated” with the injury after missing 9.5 months with a torn right ACL.
The Braves, 42-31, will likely decide on his short-term fate early this week. The Pro Baseball Docs do not expect Acuña will require an IL stint. X-rays on his foot were negative and an MRI did not reveal any structural damage.
His return will likely be based on pain tolerance.
Acuña Jr. is batting .281 with 15 extra-base hits, 28 runs, and 13 stolen bases while posting a career-worst slugging percentage this season.
Philadelphia has placed Harper on the 10-day IL and the Pro Baseball Docs project the reigning NL MVP will miss at six weeks, potentially putting him back on the field in mid-to-late August.
Harper is reportedly seeing a specialist to determine the exact nature of the fracture and decide whether to undergo surgery.
Surgery wouldn’t speed up his recovery process but would indicate a more complicated fracture in which bone chips would likely need to be removed. Typically any finger fracture from an impact is a comminuted fracture, meaning the bone broke in multiple places.
Harper is batting .320 with 15 home runs and 48 RBIs in 63 games this season.
Can Manny Machado Make An Early Return?
The Padres have yet to place star third baseman Manny Machado on the 10-day IL with the severe left ankle sprain he suffered last Sunday.
Despite initial concern from the ProBaseballDocs and the Padres that Machado would miss significant time, he has progressed to taking batting practice and fielding grounders, according to San Diego Union-Tribune’s Jeff Sanders.
Machado is still about a month away from returning as the every day third baseman, but the Padres need his bat in the lineup.
The 30-year-old has been an MVP frontrunner this season, pacing the offense without Fernando Tatis Jr. with 12 home runs and 46 RBIs on a .329 batting average.
The Brewers have struggled lately, going 10-15 since May 31. Much of that is because they are missing major pieces from their starting rotation.
Freddy Peralta remains out with a right shoulder strain but Brandon Woodruff and Aaron Ashby are each progressing towards incoming returns.
Woodruff has been out since May 27 with right ankle discomfort followed by the onset of Raynaud’s Syndrome – which the Docs said shouldn't impact his performance – and is reportedly scheduled to start on Tuesday night.
Ashby, meanwhile, had a “touch-and-feel” bullpen session on Saturday and is eligible to return from the 15-day IL next weekend. He left his last start on June 16 with left forearm tightness, but an MRI came back clean and the 24-year-old southpaw has maintained he’s not concerned about the ailment.
When Will Aroldis Chapman Return To The Yankees?
Yankees’ reliever Aroldis Chapman pitched one scoreless inning in his most recent rehab start in Double-A. Chapman was placed on the 15-day IL with left Achilles tendonitis on May 23 after going 0-2 and allowing six earned runs and nine hits in his last five outings.
There is no set timeline for his return, as tendonitis is a lingering issue with no clear path for recovery, but he is progressing towards reinstatement and a decision will likely be made this week.
Chapman was dominant before the onset of tendonitis, posting seven saves in 12 scoreless appearances.
Written by Zachary Engberg
For now, Brewers lefty Aaron Ashby isn’t worried about the inflammation in his forearm. Here’s what he had to say after landing on the injured list.
And now taking grounders at third base …
#PhiladelphiaPhillies right fielder Bryce Harper exited with an apparent left thumb injury after this HBP and is undoubtedly heading for X-rays More details here: bit.ly/39VIMBY
