Neville E. Guard-Imagn Pictures
You lose some, and you then lose some. On Sunday at Oracle Park, the Mariners not solely fell to the Giants 5-4, however they had been pressured to take away Victor Robles from the sport after he injured his left shoulder making a exceptional catch on the sport’s penultimate pitch. His harm is only one of a handful of notable ones suffered previously a number of days.
Robles, who broke out final season after being launched by the Nationals and signed by the Mariners, had performed each inning of each recreation in proper subject till the harm. With the rating tied 4-4 within the backside of the ninth, one out, and Luis Matos on first base, Patrick Bailey fouled a drive into the best subject nook. Robles sprinted 113 toes, leapt to seize the ball, after which fell over the half-height padded fence and into the netting. After extricating himself, he fell to his knees in apparent ache, rolled the ball to second baseman Ryan Bliss as Matos tagged up and reached third base, and remained on the bottom. Whereas he was tended to by Mariners head athletic coach Kyle Torgerson, Giants supervisor Bob Melvin challenged the catch ruling, however the name on the sphere was upheld (as a reader identified, Matos was despatched again to second below stadium boundary guidelines). Lastly, Robles was carted off the sphere, with Torgerson serving to him to assist his injured left arm.
Miles Mastrobuoni moved from third base to proper subject to switch Robles, however he didn’t must for very lengthy, as a result of on the following pitch after play resumed, Wilmer Flores singled in Matos to ship the Mariners to defeat, dropping them to 3-7. Medical personnel at Oracle Park popped Robles’ shoulder again into place, and after present process X-rays on-site, he was initially identified with a dislocated left shoulder and positioned on the 10-day injured listing. The outcomes of the follow-up MRI he underwent on Monday afternoon have but to be introduced.
Replace: The outcomes of the follow-up MRI Robles underwent on Monday afternoon had been revealed on Tuesday, when the Mariners introduced that Robles had suffered a small fracture of the humeral head in his left shoulder. The harm is anticipated to heal with out surgical procedure, wherein case the fracture ought to heal in roughly six weeks, with one other six weeks of rehabilitation to comply with earlier than Robles can return to play. Twelve weeks from now places his return in late June.
On this case, Robles’ break is a break, as a result of tears of ligaments or cartilage should not unusual with shoulder dislocations. Recall that the Giants’ Jung Hoo Lee dislocated his left shoulder and tore his left labrum whereas making an unimaginable catch final Might and shortly underwent season-ending surgical procedure. Shohei Ohtani dislocated his left shoulder and tore his left labrum whereas trying to steal second base through the World Collection, then underwent arthroscopic surgical procedure in November. The Baseball Prospectus Restoration Dashboard log consists of place gamers whose absences had been just a few weeks, however most of these had been recognized as subluxations, which is to say partial dislocations versus full ones.
“I don’t know what it’s as a result of I don’t know what it’s,” mentioned Mariners common supervisor Justin Hollander when requested concerning the severity of Robles’ harm on Monday. “So my degree of concern is he made among the finest, all-out, had-no-regard-for-his-body catches I’ve ever seen. And I hope that it’s not the worst-case situation, and I hope it’s on the shorter finish (quite) than the longer finish. However I actually don’t know proper now, and no one does till we get a have a look at the photographs.”
The 27-year-old Robles is hitting simply .273/.283/.341 (79 wRC+) by his first 10 video games, numbers that bear extra resemblance to his lean years with the Nationals quite than his torrid stretch after being picked up by the Mariners final summer season (.328/.393/.467, 154 wRC+) — a efficiency that helped internet him a two-year, $9.75 million extension. Robles has hardly been alone in his struggles amongst Mariners hitters; the workforce is scoring simply 3.27 runs per recreation and hitting simply .208/.312/.347, however within the run-suppressing setting of T-Cell Park, that also equates to a 97 wRC+. However for nevertheless lengthy Robles is out, the Mariners will miss him.
Previous to Monday’s recreation towards the Astros — which the Mariners received 4-3 — Seattle recalled 27-year-old outfielder Dominic Canzone from Triple-A Tacoma to take Robles’ roster spot. The lefty-swinging Canzone hit .196/.271/.381 (87 wRC+) in 67 video games with the Mariners final yr. Luke Raley acquired the beginning in proper subject on Monday, and is anticipated to see extra time there whereas Rowdy Tellez and Donovan Solano share first base duties. Julio Rodríguez changed Robles within the leadoff spot.
Sadly, what occurred in Seattle on Monday earlier than the Mariners-Astros recreation additionally figures on this roundup of different notable accidents.
Spencer Arrighetti, Astros
Throughout batting observe on Monday at T-Cell, Astros righty Spencer Arrighetti was minding his personal enterprise when he was struck on his pitching hand by a line drive whereas taking part in catch in left subject. X-rays taken on the ballpark revealed that he broke his proper thumb, knocking him out of motion for the foreseeable future. Coming off a strong rookie season wherein he posted a 4.53 ERA an 4.18 FIP in 145 innings, the 25-year-old Arrighetti held the Mets to at least one hit and one run over six innings in his first begin on March 29. Nevertheless, his ERA climbed to five.59 after he was knocked round for 5 runs in 3 2/3 innings on Saturday towards the Twins.
Not that there’s ever time for accidents, however this actually isn’t time for the Astros. From their rotation, Cristian Javier is recovering from June 2024 Tommy John surgical procedure and is out till the second half of this season. J.P. France is getting back from July 2024 surgical procedure to restore a torn proper shoulder capsule and is hoping to return later this yr. Luis Garcia, who’s been out since Might 2023 because of Tommy John surgical procedure, was transferred to the 60-day injured listing on Monday due to elbow irritation. Amid these accidents, the unit of Arrighetti, Framber Valdez (who’s sick and might need to overlook his scheduled begin on Tuesday), Ronel Blanco, Hunter Brown, and Hayden Wesneski has put up a 4.64 ERA and three.91 FIP.
The Astros are anticipated to put Arrighetti on the 15-day injured listing on Tuesday, and whereas they’ve but to announce a prognosis, he may very well be out for not less than a few months on condition that he’ll should rebuild his pitch depend after his thumb heals. As to who replaces him, 26-year-old lefty Colton Gordon is the one wholesome starter on Houston’s 40-man roster who’s presently pitching for Triple-A Sugar Land. The Astros might additionally decide to stretch out 26-year-old righty Ryan Gusto, who’s accomplished robust work in three aid appearances this yr (1.29 ERA, 2.80 FIP in seven innings) and who made 26 begins at Sugar Land final yr. Both of them, or only a bullpen recreation or two, might function a bridge to the return of Lance McCullers Jr., who hasn’t pitched within the majors because the 2022 postseason because of a collection of forearm issues, which culminated in surgical procedure to restore a torn flexor tendon final June. He’s made two rehab begins, the second of which lasted for 50 pitches at Double-A Corpus Christi on Saturday, and if all goes properly, he may very well be again within the majors later this month.
Iván Herrera, Cardinals
After bouncing forwards and backwards between Triple-A Memphis and the Cardinals in 2022 and ’23, Iván Herrera noticed loads of time within the majors final season whereas Willson Contreras was out harm. Throughout his 72 video games in 2024, Herrera batted .301/.372/.428 (127 wRC+) in 259 plate appearances and completed the season with 2.1 WAR. The place he was catching roughly one out of each three video games behind Pedro Pagés final yr after Contreras’ season-ending center finger fracture, the roles had reversed initially of this season; the 24-year-old Herrera began six of the workforce’s first eight video games behind the plate, with Pagés serving as his backup and Contreras shifting to first base. Herrera even clubbed three homers in a recreation towards the Angels final Wednesday, fueling an ungodly .381/.458/1.048 (303 wRC+) slash line by his first 24 plate appearances.
Sadly, Herrera left the opener of Sunday’s doubleheader towards the Crimson Sox with a bone bruise in his left knee, which buckled when he was operating the bases within the third inning. This can be a important blow, because the Cardinals anticipate him to overlook not less than 4 weeks. The 26-year-old Pagés, who made a team-high 60 begins at catcher final yr and hit .238/.281/.376 (83 wRC+), will function the common throughout Herrera’s absence; he too is off to a robust begin on the plate (.316/.316/.632, 162 wRC+ in 19 PA).
The Cardinals don’t intend to maneuver Contreras — who has scuffled mightily to date (.103/.186/.154) — again behind the plate, nor do they plan to advertise 23-year-old Jimmy Crooks, a 50-FV prospect who positioned 77th on our Prime 100 listing however has simply 5 video games of Triple-A expertise. As a substitute, Yohel Pozo, an offense-minded 27-year-old catcher who hadn’t been within the majors since a 21-game stint with the Rangers in 2021, was referred to as up from Memphis. He hit a solo homer off the Pirates’ Thomas Harrington in his first recreation again on Monday evening.
Ketel Marte, Diamondbacks
The ink was barely dry on Ketel Marte’s newest extension — a seven-year, $116.5 million deal, together with his 2031 participant possibility — when he strained his left hamstring in final Friday’s recreation in Washington. Batting second for the Diamondbacks, Marte ripped a four-seam fastball 106.6 mph off the wall in deep middle subject. The ball deflected away from middle fielder Jacob Younger and seemed like a triple within the making for the speedy slugger. Alas, halfway between first and second, Marte began limping and needed to placed on the brakes in apparent ache and frustration. Garrett Hampson pinch-ran for Marte and changed him at second base.
The Diamondbacks positioned Marte on the 10-day injured listing on Saturday. There’s been no report specifying how lengthy he’ll be out, and whereas he does have a historical past of hamstring strains — he missed a complete of 75 days with separate accidents to each hammies in 2021 — this one isn’t believed to be extreme. He’ll be eligible to return on April 15, simply in time to file his tax returns. The 31-year-old Marte, who set profession highs final yr with 36 dwelling runs and a 151 wRC+ (.292/.372/.560) with 6.3 WAR (matching a earlier profession excessive), was off to a different sizzling begin, batting .346/.469/.462 (168 wRC+).
To switch Marte each on the roster and within the lineup, the Diamondbacks referred to as up Tim Tawa, an Eleventh-round draft choose in 2021 who turned 26 on Monday. Tawa thumped 31 homers whereas batting .279/.349/.519 (133 wRC+) final yr in a season break up between Double-A Amarillo and Triple-A Reno, and was hitting a ridiculous .391/.462/.957 (253 wRC+) on the latter cease by his first six video games this yr.
Tawa is a 40-FV jack of all trades who performed each place however pitcher and catcher final season. He charges as a 40-grade defender who stopped taking part in second base halfway by final season (his final full recreation there was August 1); in accordance with Eric Longenhagen, Towa has a mean arm, and his finest place is first base. He’s began two video games and are available off the bench for one, going 1-for-7, with an RBI single off Nationals lefty Mitchell Parker in his first plate look on Saturday. The 30-year-old Hampson, the proprietor of a profession .240/.302/.361 (69 wRC+) slash line, began on Sunday behind Corbin Burnes, usually probably the most groundball-heavy of the three starters the Diamondbacks have run out since shedding Marte.
Blake Snell, Dodgers
Two begins into his Dodgers tenure, Blake Snell — who signed a five-year, $182 million take care of the workforce in December — has been stalled by shoulder irritation. The 32-year-old lefty felt discomfort throughout Sunday’s bullpen session and underwent an MRI, which confirmed no structural harm, however he was positioned on the 15-day IL nonetheless. Although he had allowed simply two earned runs in 9 innings over his two begins, that tally doesn’t embrace the 5 unearned runs from his most up-to-date activate April 2 towards the Braves. He’s walked eight batters (17.4%) whereas placing out simply 4 (8.7%) and thrown a pair of untamed pitches. The Blake Snell Expertise, girls and gents!
Snell instructed the Dodgers he had been feeling residual soreness in his shoulder for the previous three weeks however tried to pitch by it. He’ll meet with Dr. Neal ElAttrache and could also be shut down from throwing for just a few days, and it’s doable that he’ll obtain an injection of some variety. The hope is that he’ll miss simply two begins.
Snell joins an entire rotation’s price of Dodgers starters on the IL, together with Clayton Kershaw, Gavin Stone, Kyle Damage, River Ryan, and Emmet Sheehan, all of whom are recovering from varied surgical procedures and unable to reply the decision. Nearer to having the ability to assistance is Tony Gonsolin, who missed all of final season because of Tommy John surgical procedure, then started this one on the IL with again discomfort. He made his first rehab begin final Thursday, throwing 35 pitches over 1 2/3 innings for Triple-A Oklahoma Metropolis, however he has not less than a pair extra begins in retailer earlier than he can be a part of the Dodgers. As a substitute, 24-year-old lefty Justin Wrobleski shall be referred to as up from Oklahoma Metropolis to start out instead of Snell on Tuesday towards the Nationals. Wrobleski made six begins and two aid appearances for the Dodgers totaling 36 1/3 innings final yr, however was cuffed for a 5.70 ERA and 6.36 FIP. He’ll possible be optioned after his begin, with righty Landon Knack, who traveled with the workforce to the White Home on Monday (don’t even get me began), prone to change him on the roster and to determine as a starter or bulk possibility on Wednesday.
With regards to injured Dodgers starters, Ohtani threw a 26-pitch bullpen on Saturday. It was his second such session since restarting his throwing program following a pause to organize for the Dodgers’ early opener in Tokyo, and reportedly he blended in a few splitters. He’s throwing one bullpen and one lighter “contact and really feel” session off the mound every week. The timeline for him to return from his UCL reconstruction is someday in Might, although the Dodgers haven’t been extra particular than that.
