Ambulance Chasers: Flipping The Bird With Cody Bellinger

‘ello Razzballers!

We’re almost to the halfway point of the season: the All-Star break. Who is holding everything together with a few pieces of gum and some fishing line through the end of the season (I was going to make a “MacGyver” reference here, but I started having an existential crisis about “MacGyver” being lost in the bowels of history)?

One interesting IL addition this week is Tyler Glasnow. At only halfway through the season, Glasnow is getting close to reaching the most innings he has pitched in one season: 120. He recently joined the IL with a back injury. Real injury or not, he has plenty of time to rest through the All-Star break. Conveniently, he should return soon after the break. So, uhhh, let’s see where the human body can take us!

And you know we weren’t getting out of this week without referencing Cody Bellinger’s fractured middle finger.

Let’s discuss getting flipped off and more below.

Notable Injuries

AL Central

Sam Hentges (RP, CLE), shoulder: Guardian’s reliever Sam Hentges is on the 15-day IL with shoulder inflammation. Hentges owns a 3.04 ERA and 3.17 FIP with 10.3 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9 for the season. He should return in late July.

The Guardians recalled RHP Xzavion Curry. Curry has a 5.75 ERA and a 4.75 FIP across 15.7 IP.

Detroit’s Shelby Miller would be a good option if you are down Hentges. Miller has had a rough season marked by some control issues and is performing below projections. However, in his last 5.7 IP, he has a 7.9 K/9 and 0.0 BB/9. His BABIP is .210 for the season. Perhaps, this is the beginning of a turnaround.

Miller’s teammate Tyler Holton is another available option that is a bit more consistent, despite getting rocked by Ohtani last night.

NL Central

Cody Bellinger (1B/OF, CHC), finger: Bellinger broke his left middle finger after being HBP. He will most definitely be out past the All-Star Break. Craig Counsell mentioned the team will reevaluate Bellinger’s finger after the break.

“He’s basically gonna be shut down through the All-Star break … and then we’ll see where that takes us.”

Craig Counsell on Cody Bellinger. pic.twitter.com/Uj9g7KRixE

— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) July 11, 2024

The Cubs recalled Alexander Canario to take Bellinger’s spot on the roster.

Leody Taveras could be a helpful option if you are down Bellinger. In his last 22 AB, he is hitting .364/.417/.500 with 1 HR and 4 RBIs. His BABIP in that short time is through the roof. In the 2024 season, he is hitting .236/.304/.349 with 6 HR and 11 SB.

Leody Taveras is hitting .458 in his last 7 games. pic.twitter.com/QRXjiNULQC

— Michael Bier (@MichaelJBier) July 9, 2024

Jared Jones (SP, PIT), back: Jones will be spending some time on the IL with a grade 2 right lat strain. He won’t throw for two weeks.

While he’s outside of the NL, Oakland’s JP Sears is an available pick-up. He has a 0.84 ERA and a 3.03 FIP with a 11.8 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9.

NL East

Reed Garrett (RP, NYM), elbow: Garrett is on the IL with right elbow inflammation (nerve inflammation, specifically). The timeline for recovery is 2-4 weeks. In his last 2.7 IP, Garrett had 4 strikes and 3 walks.

Arizona RHP Justin Martinez is looking pretty, pretty good. In his last 7 IP he has 10.3 K/9 and 0.0 BB/9. His FIP was 0.74 in the last 7 IP and 1.39 for the season.

Through his first 12.2 innings this year, Justin Martinez’s ERA sits at just 0.71

A bigger emphasis on the splitter and slider has seen his zone rate and chase rates see an increase, and he’s currently running a zone-contact % in the 99th percentile pic.twitter.com/zdMpzHFr6Q

— J (@StromsLab) May 14, 2024

NL West

Tyler Glasnow (SP, LAD), back: Glasnow joined the IL as he experienced lower back tightness. The Dodgers shared they expect Glasnow back after the All-Star break. Glasnow has pitched 109 innings this season thus far. Previously, the most he has pitched in a season is 120 innings (last season) followed by 111.2 (2018). So, rest aside, Glasnow is headed into uncharted territory.

Along with Glasnow, the Dodgers have pitchers Walker Buehler, Tony Gonsolin, Clayton Kershaw, Dustin May, Emmet Sheehan, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto on the IL.

One readily available player to take a look at if you are down Glasnow is the Cubs’ Hayden Wesneski. While he has had some rough spots marked by control issues, he has a 0.00 ERA in his last 6.3 IP.

Miles Mikolas, who is only 31% rostered in RCL leagues, could be a useful replacement for Glasnow if you need one. In his last 12.3 IP, Mikolas has a 1.46 ERA and 0.89 FIP. In that same time he has a 5.1 K/9 and 0.0 BB/9. Who knows if that will continue, but maybe you won’t have to worry about it for too long, right?

This tweet isn’t useful for you, but damn, did it make me laugh.

Miles Mikolas without the one bad inning every game: https://t.co/i1msV4cZE1 pic.twitter.com/27KZP2TPnO

— Redbirdriot (@RedbirdRiot) June 22, 2024

Injury Updates

Here are a few speedy injury updates for this week. If I missed someone, hit me up in the comments.

• Kerry Carpenter (OF, DET), back: resumed baseball activities on Monday.
• Evan Carter (OF, TEX), back: swinging again.
• Triston Casas (1B, BOS), ribs: taking dry swings; timeline moved to late July or August.
• Yu Darvish (SP, SDP), groin: moved to the restricted list for a personal matter; return uncertain.
• TJ Friedel (OF, CIN), hamstring: cleared to begin running; could return after the All-Star break.
• Yimi García (RP, TOR), elbow: started rehab assignment.
• Vaughn Grissom (2B/SS, BOS), hamstring: no timetable for return.
• Bryce Harper (1B, PHI), hamstring: returned only to receive a hand injury, but now he is back, for real.
• Josh Jung (3B, TEX), wrist: one day he will be back.
• Isiah Kiner-Falefa (2B/3B/SS/OF, TOR), knee: resumed baseball activities.
• Royce Lewis (3B, MIN), adductor: no updates.
• Jordan Montgomery (SP, ARI), knee: will be out until after All-Star break.
• Max Muncy (3B, LAD), oblique: won’t be back until August at the earliest.
• Robbie Ray (SP, SFG), elbow: may return after the All-Star break.
• Luis Rengifo (2B/3B/SS/OF, LAA), wrist: x-rays reveal he only has wrist inflammation.
• Kodai Senga (SP, NYM), shoulder: rehab assignment.
• Giancarlo Stanton (OF, NYY), hamstring: should be back quickly after the All-Star break.
• Kyle Tucker (OF, HOU), shin: playing catch again.
• Justin Verlander (SP, HOU), neck: no return date.
• Yoshinobu Yamamoto (SP, LAD), shoulder: began throwing program.

That’s all for this week. Join me next week for some All-Star break content with, hopefully, fewer injuries to report.

Follow my random updates about injuries, sports, and, mainly, dogs with a sprinkle of weird observations over on Twitter and BlueSky.