MLB Injury Updates: Crucial Injury Updates for Baseball's Best Players

Roughly two months into the 2012 MLB season, the list of injured players around the league is starting to get pretty long.

The good news is that some of the more notable players on the list will be returning to action very soon. Los Angeles Dodgers star center fielder Matt Kemp is set to make his triumphant return on Tuesday, according to the Los Angeles Times. Other stars like Austin Jackson and Yoenis Cespedes could also be back in action in the near future.

It's not all good news, though. The Los Angeles Angels have to be worried about Jered Weaver, and the Philadelphia Phillies have to be very worried about Roy Halladay. Goodness knows they're not the only two teams that have injuries to worry about.

If you're looking for all the latest updates on MLB's most notable injured players, you've come to the right place. Here's a look at the latest news concerning 22 star players.

Andrew Bailey, RP, Boston Red Sox

Andrew Bailey was acquired this offseason to be Boston's new closer, but right thumb surgery just before the start of the season put him on the shelf for the foreseeable future.

However, he's getting closer to making his Red Sox debut. 

Last week, the team's official website reported that Bailey has started throwing from a distance of 60 feet down in Fort Myers, Fla. Eventually, he'll throw off a mound and the Red Sox will start making plans for a rehab assignment.

It's too early to tell when Bailey will be able to return, but the All-Star break is a reasonable target.

Jason Bay, LF, New York Mets

Admit it, you forgot all about Jason Bay, didn't you?

No matter. Bay is on the comeback trail from a fractured rib. The Mets passed word along via Twitter on Monday that Bay logged a few at-bats in an extended spring-training game, but did not play in the field.

At the rate he's going, Bay will soon begin a minor-league rehab assignment. In fact, Mets manager Terry Collins is hoping Bay will begin a rehab assignment this week, according to Mark Hale of the New York Post.

Bay was hitting .240 with three home runs at the time he was placed on the DL in late April.

Yoenis Cespedes, CF, Oakland Athletics

Yoenis Cespedes, on the DL since earlier this month with a left-hand strain, is going to return to Oakland's lineup very soon.

Per the team's official Twitter feed, Cespedes went 1-for-3 in a rehab game with Triple-A Sacramento on Monday. He called it a day in the sixth inning.

On Sunday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote that Cespedes could rejoin the A's as soon as Friday, when they take on the Royals in Kansas City.

Cespedes was hitting .245 with five home runs at the time he landed on the disabled list.

Carl Crawford and Jacoby Ellsbury, OF, Boston Red sox

The fates of Carl Crawford and Jacoby Ellsbury are linked in an odd sort of way, so let's keep this simple and hit them both at the same time.

Last week, MLB.com reported that Ellsbury probably won't be back until the first week of July at the earliest. Crawford is also eyeing a return in July.

On Monday, ESPN's Buster Olney tweeted that the Red Sox are hoping to have both players back right around the All-Star break.

Crawford is recovering from elbow and wrist problems. Ellsbury is recovering from a subluxed right shoulder.

Jorge De La Rosa, SP, Colorado Rockies

Jorge De La Rosa's recovery from Tommy John surgery has hit a couple snags on the way, but it sounds like he's back on the right track.

De La Rosa was able to work three-and-one-third innings in a rehab start for Triple-A Colorado Springs this weekend. Troy Renck of The Denver Post thinks that De La Rosa will probably make three more rehab starts before rejoining the Rockies' rotation.

Colorado's rotation could definitely use an extra arm, but manager Jim Tracy doesn't have high hopes for De La Rosa. Here's what he told The Denver Post recently:

"

I do not perceive Jorge De La Rosa to be some type of savior when he shows up here. He’s coming back from a serious arm surgery and we are going to have to let him evolve just like anybody else. He is not going to walk up here and pick and start pitching like he did in 2009 and 2010. That’s a ludicrous thought. We are going to be on a little bit of a roller coaster with this guy.

"

Colorado's rotation has an NL-worst 5.83 ERA.

Brett Gardner, LF, New York Yankees

Brett Gardner's recovery from a right elbow strain hasn't gone very well. He's suffered a couple of setbacks which have left his status up in the air.

According to the New York Post, New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi thinks Gardner may not be able to return until after the All-Star break in early July. For what it's worth, the bright side is that Girardi thinks that Gardner won't have to miss the rest of the season.

There is good news to report, though. As MLB.com's Bryan Hoch reported, Gardner was able to take some dry swings on Monday. If things continue to go well, Gardner could be just "10 days away."

This, of course, is assuming he doesn't suffer any more setbacks. The Yankees have no choice but to cross their fingers.

Gardner was hitting .321 in nine games at the time he was placed on the DL.

Kyle Farnsworth, RP, Tampa Bay Rays

This season, Fernando Rodney has been excellent closing games for the Rays, a job that Kyle Farnsworth performed very well last season. 

Farnsworth has yet to pitch this season thanks to a right-elbow injury, but he's getting closer and closer to returning.

Roger Mooney of The Tampa Tribune reported on Monday that Farnsworth was able to throw 25 fastballs during a bullpen session and that he has another bullpen session scheduled for Wednesday.

If all goes well, he could make his return in the third week of June.

Tampa Bay's bullpen currently has a 3.68 ERA.

Roy Halladay, SP, Philadelphia Phillies

When Roy Halladay left his most recent start after two innings with a sore right shoulder, things seemed bad.

Then came a report from Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com in which Phillies pitching coach Rich Dubee admitted that Halladay's shoulder issue has been a "lingering" thing. The team scheduled an appointment with a doctor on Tuesday to get it checked out.

Sure enough, things went from bad to worse on Tuesday. 

According to Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com, the Phillies are shutting Halladay down for three weeks with a strained lat. 

He could be out as long as eight weeks.

Ryan Howard and Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies

With Roy Halladay out of the picture for a while, the Phillies need Ryan Howard and Chase Utley back now more than ever.

Nobody in Philadelphia shouldn't hold their breath.

Last week, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Howard was able to take live batting practice against organizational pitchers. It's not a huge step forward, but it's a step forward all the same. He could begin a minor league rehab assignment sometime in the next couple weeks.

Utley, on the other hand, recently told the Inquirer that he's starting to push himself a little harder. He says his knees have responded well.

However, he still hasn't run the bases, and it doesn't sound like a rehab assignment is imminent.

So for both players, the status quo holds. If all goes well, they could be back before the All-Star break. If things continue to move slowly, they're more likely to return after the break.

Austin Jackson, CF, Detroit Tigers

Austin Jackson was in the middle of a tremendous season when an abdominal strain landed him on the disabled list.

According to Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com, Jackson's recovery won't last much longer. The Tigers are anticipating having him back in their lineup on Friday, when they begin a three-game series against the New York Yankees at Comerica Park.

Jackson is hitting .331 with a .958 OPS with a season. He last played on May 16 against the Minnesota Twins.

Chipper Jones, 3B, Atlanta Braves

Chipper Jones may be able to return to the Braves' lineup a lot sooner than expected. 

According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Jones had a surgical procedure on Saturday to remove fluid from his left leg. He's on the disabled list with a contusion, and he said the fluid came from a hematoma in his leg.

Jones said that he might have dealt with the issue through September if he hadn't had the procedure done. Having undergone the procedure, Jones says he feels "much better."

He is eligible to be activated on June 8.

Evan Longoria, 3B, Tampa Bay Rays

There's nothing new to report when it comes to Evan Longoria's recovery, but it's worth noting that Marc Topkin of The Tampa Bay Times wrote about 10 days ago that Longo "might be ahead of schedule."

Topkin suggested that an early return in June is not out of the question.

Longoria was placed on the disabled list on May 1 with a partially torn left hamstring.

Brandon McCarthy, SP, Oakland Athletics

Brandon McCarthy is eligible to come off the disabled list on June 2, and the word around the campfire is that he won't have to be out any longer.

McCarthy, on the DL with an injured shoulder, was able to throw about 40 pitches in a bullpen session on Monday, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Things apparently "went well."

In a full report, Slusser noted that McCarthy thinks he'll be "ready to go" on Saturday against the Royals. 

Michael Morse, OF, Washington Nationals

The Nationals have missed Michael Morse's powerful bat this season, but it sounds like they'll be getting it back very soon.

According to a Monday report from The Washington Post, Morse is going to start a rehab stint with Single-A Potomac on Tuesday. The Nats are hoping to have him back on June 8 at the latest. 

Nats manager Davey Johnson is pushing for Morse to return to the lineup this Thursday.

Morse has been on the shelf with a strained lat muscle ever since spring training. His recovery hit a snag in early April when he aggravated his injury, forcing the Nats to shut him down for six weeks.

Morse, who hit 31 home runs last year, will provide power for a Nats lineup that ranks 13th in Major League Baseball in home runs.

Dustin Pedroia, 2B, Boston Red Sox

Dustin Pedroia had to leave Monday's afternoon tilt against the Detroit Tigers early after making a diving play on a ground ball. 

Fortunately for the Red Sox, who already have a laundry list of players on the DL, Pedroia is not seriously hurt. As Alex Speier of WEEI.com reported, Pedroia has merely jammed his right thumb.

Joe McDonald of ESPNBoston.com tweeted a picture of Boston's lineup for Tuesday night, which does not feature Pedroia. The Sox are giving him the day off. 

Evan Drellich of MLB.com tweeted that Pedroia was seen with a brace/wrapping on his hand in the clubhouse. The Red Sox are obviously being careful with him.

UPDATE: Pedroia's injury may not be a day-to-day thing after all. According to Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com, Pedroia has a "torn abductor muscle" in his right thumb. If he can't play through the pain, he could be out 3-4 weeks.

Brian Roberts, 2B, Baltimore Orioles

Brian Roberts has been out of action for over a year due to multiple concussions, but the latest news concerning him is good news.

According to The Baltimore Sun, the Orioles have the remainder of Roberts' rehab assignment all planned out. Most notably, they've made plans for him to play on the road, which is a big step forward for him, seeing as how he has yet to play rehab games on the road.

Roberts' rehab assignment is scheduled through June 11. At that point, the Orioles will reassess the situation and determine if Roberts is ready. If he's not, they could ask the commissioner's office for permission to extend Roberts' rehab.

The Orioles are clearly in no rush with Roberts, which makes perfect sense. If all goes well, though, he could rejoin the team in June.

David Robertson, RP, New York Yankees

David Robertson, on the disabled list with an oblique injury, is making progress in his recovery.

According to The Journal News, Robertson was able to play catch on Monday and didn't experience any problems.

Robertson has yet to throw off a mound. Once he does that, he is likely to go on a brief rehab assignment before rejoining the Yankees.

He hasn't pitched since May 11.

Pablo Sandoval, 3B, San Francisco Giants

On Sunday, Pablo Sandoval tweeted, "SF here I come‪#PANDAMODE‬ ON."

That pretty much says it all. As the team's official site reported, the Kung Fu Panda was able to take some ground balls before Monday's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, and manager Bruce Bochy said the club likes what it's seeing.

"We're encouraged with where he's at," Bochy said. "We need him back, so hopefully we'll get some good news when he gets looked at."

Sandoval suffered a broken hamate bone in his left hand earlier this month, and surgery was expected to sideline him for four-to-six weeks. He'll hit the four-week mark next week.

The Giants don't have a set date for Sandoval's return, but it will come very soon, barring any setbacks.

Vance Worley, SP, Philadelphia Phillies

With Roy Halladay's shoulder hurting, the Phillies are going to need an extra starting pitcher in the very near future.

Fortunately for them, Vance Worley should be ready to return in no time. 

On Monday, the Phillies' official website reported that Worley is throwing pain-free a couple of weeks after landing on the disabled list with inflammation in his right elbow. He says he's "not really feeling" the bone chip he has in the elbow.

On Tuesday, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Worley expects to be back "pretty soon."

Worley posted a 3.07 ERA in seven starts to open the season.

Jered Weaver, SP, Los Angeles Angels

Jered Weaver looked like he was in some serious pain when he had to leave his start against the New York Yankees in the first inning on Monday night. 

"I've never felt anything like that before. It felt like somebody stabbed me in the back," Weaver said, via ESPNLosAngeles.com.

Weaver underwent X-rays and an MRI on Tuesday to determine the root of the pain. Based on the results, the team has decided to place its ace on the 15-day disabled list with a lower-back strain and spasms, according to Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com.

Weaver has a 2.61 ERA in 11 starts this season, one of which was a no-hitter back on May 2.

UPDATE: The Angels announced on Tuesday evening that Weaver has been placed on the 15-day DL with a lower back strain and back spasms. 

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