Zachary Engberg
2 min read • July 04, 2022
Posted in
Can Manny Machado, Mookie Betts Perform After Quick Returns?
The Padres and Dodgers both saw stars return this weekend after much shorter than expected rehabs in the form of Manny Machado and Mookie Betts. Machado made his re-appearance on Thursday night but struggled to find his footing at the plate, as the Pro Baseball Docs noted over the weekend.
He is batting 2-13 with eight strikeouts since returning and will likely be hampered by the left ankle for a little longer.
Betts returned from a cracked rib on Sunday and went 2-3 with two walks and two runs, accounting for all the Dodgers’ offensive output.
He suffered the injury on June 15 and beat the Pro Baseball Docs’ recovery timeline, representing the time it would take for the rib to fully heal, by two-plus weeks.
Will Juan Soto’s Calf Injury Send Him To IL?
Nationals’ superstar Juan Soto suffered a left calf injury in the third inning of Sunday’s game and is undergoing an MRI to evaluate the nature and severity of his calf tightness.
He appeared to suffer the potential strain while chasing down and throwing back a double in the top of the third but he stayed in the contest until a rundown in the fourth inning.
The 23-year-old missed two games in mid-June after hitting his knee on the dugout railing but has otherwise played in every game for the Nationals. Soto has an .831 OPS with 15 home runs, 16 doubles, and 46 runs in 274 at-bats this season.
Mets Pitching Staff Nearly Whole Again
Jacob deGrom made his first professional appearance on Sunday in nearly a year, striking out five Single-A batters in 2 innings.
He will have to ramp-up and ensure the health of his right shoulder and elbow before returning, but his teammate Max Scherzer will make his first start in blue and orange since mid-May on Tuesday.
Chris Bassitt unfortunately just tested positive for COVID-19 and will be out for a spell, but the Mets are likely to have a nearly-whole rotation after the all-star break for the first time this season.
Two More Stars Returning To White Sox?
The perennially-fractured White Sox will get two more key injured players back this week in Liam Hendriks and Eloy Jiménez.
Hendriks is expected to be activated from the 15-day IL on Monday after missing the last three weeks with a right flexor strain. Hendriks has a 2.81 ERA, 37 strikeouts, and 16 saves in 25 appearances this year.
Left fielder Eloy Jiménez, who has been out since tearing his hamstring tendon on April 23, is less certain.
He could return this week, according to Tony La Russa, but Chicago has been taking his rehab slow. He has twice been shut down because of leg soreness and was projected to return to the team in early June before soreness delayed his recovery.
How Serious Is Frankie Montas’ Shoulder Tightness?
A’s ace Frankie Montas mysteriously left his start on Sunday after posting lower-than-normal velocity in the first inning.
Montas reportedly suffered tightness in the back of his shoulder and will undergo an MRI this week.
The 29-year-old righty said he isn’t concerned about the issue, but it remains to be seen if he will make his next scheduled start next Saturday against the red-hot Astros.
Montas has a 3.29 ERA and has punched out 100 batters in 96.2 innings pitched this season.
Written by Zachary Engberg
Making his first regular-season appearance at any level since last July 7, Jacob deGrom struck out five of the six batters he faced in a game for Class A St. Lucie. He hit 101 mph on the radar gun and eclipsed 100 mph seven times. deGrom threw 24 pitches.
