As is the case every year, injuries can quickly derail a team’s chances throughout a season. This week, in particular, several contending ball clubs have been hit by the injury bug. Let’s take a look at some of the major injuries and other stories throughout MLB from last week.
Harper Out Indefinitely
The reigning National League MVP, Bryce Harper, hit the injured list this week after suffering a fractured thumb after being hit by a pitch. On Saturday, Harper took a fastball from Padres’ starter Blake Snell to the left hand that tests showed resulted in a fractured thumb.
The outlook for Harper at this point is cloudy. The team is determining whether he will need surgery, which could result in him missing the rest of the season.
Currently, the Phillies are hoping that he may be able to return to the team at some point this season, but in the meanwhile, he has been officially put on the 10-day injured list.
Prior to the injury, Harper was hitting .318/.385/.599 with 15 home runs, 48 runs batted in, and 49 runs scored.
At 39-35, the Phillies sit in third place in the NL East, eight games behind the first-place New York Mets. Philadelphia has the third-best odds of winning the division at +1500, and they are +3200 to win the World Series this year.
Acuna Injures Foot
Harper may not be the only superstar outfielder to hit the injured list. The Braves are deciding whether or not to put Ronald Acuna Jr on the IL after he fouled a ball off his left foot.
While x-rays did not show any structural damage, Acuna was unable to put weight on his foot Sunday.
If the team does make the decision, it would be his second stint on the IL after starting the year there as he returned from a torn ACL.
In 167 at bats this season, Acuna is hitting .281/.372/.455 with seven home runs, 18 runs batted in, 28 runs scored, and 13 stolen bases.
The defending World Series champion Atlanta Braves sit in second in the NL East, five games behind the Mets. They have the sixth-best odds of repeating as champs at +1300.
Other Stars Injured
While Harper and Acuna may have been the two biggest injuries of the week, they weren’t the only ones. Other teams suffered brutal blows to their rosters.
For the Kansas City Royals, they will be without catcher Salvador Perez for the next eight to ten weeks as he had to have surgery on his thumb. Perez had to have surgery to repair ligament damage.
The Royals have struggled this season as they are 26-45, which is the second-worst record in the American League.
Prior to the injury, Perez was hitting .211/.254/.426 with 11 home runs, 34 runs batted in, and 25 runs scored.
Elsewhere, Brandon Crawford of the San Francisco Giants hit the injured list due to inflammation in his left knee. The injury was caused in a game last Tuesday sliding into home.
Crawford is hitting .224/.313/.350 with five home runs and 30 runs batted in for the 39-33 Giants.
Lastly, Los Angeles Dodgers’ setup man Daniel Hudson suffered a torn ACL and will miss the rest of the season. In 25 games, Hudson was 2-3 with a 2.22 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, and had 30 strikeouts in 24.1 innings.
Judge Avoids Arbitration
One of the biggest upcoming free agents this offseason avoided arbitration this week as the New York Yankees and superstar Aaron Judge agreed to a $19 million contract.
Judge was recently offered a seven-year extension by the Yankees worth just over $213 million, but he turned that down. Instead, he will play out the year under the $19 million agreement and will become a free agent if the two sides can’t reach an extension agreement.
The slugging outfielder has certainly helped his case this year as he is putting up monster numbers and is the favorite to win the AL MVP at +100.
In 272 at bats, he is hitting .294/.370/.643 with 28 home runs, 56 runs batted in, and 59 runs scored. The Yankees have the best record in baseball at 53-20, and they have the second-best odds to win the World Series at +450.
