Updating Every Vital MLB Injury and What It Means to Teams' Future Plans

With the MLB season moving into the month of July, inching ever closer to the All-Star break and, more importantly, the trade deadline, a number of teams league-wide are dealing with significant injuries.

Several contending teams are anxiously awaiting the return of superstar player to return in hopes that they can shore up the roster and give their team a boost in the second half.

So here is a rundown of every vital injury around the big leagues, focusing on key players from contending teams, potential trade chips and superstar players across the league.

LF Nolan Reimold, Baltimore Orioles

Injury

Herniated disc in neck

Expected Back

Underwent neck surgery, out for season.

Impact on Team

Reimold entered the season as the unquestioned starter in left field for the first time in his career, and he was enjoying a breakout season (.313 BA, 5 HR, 10 RBI) before he hit the disabled list.

With Endy Chavez also shelved with a strained hamstring, a combination of Xavier Avery (.217 BA) and Ryan Flaherty (.171 BA) have manned left field.

The job will belong to Chavez when he returns, but he hasn't been any better with a .162 average. The team could look to deal for a stop-gap answer, but starting pitching is a far more pressing need and will determine whether they can continue their solid start in the second half.

RF Nick Markakis, Baltimore Orioles

Injury

Fractured hamate bone

Expected Back

Likely back after the All-Star break, will begin hitting off a tee on Friday and go on a rehab assignment before returning.

Impact on Team

The Orioles have shuffled their lineup around a lot this season to deal with injuries, and for now first baseman Chris Davis is serving as the team's everyday right fielder.

He was off to somewhat of a slow start with a .256 BA, 8 HR, 26 RBI line through 50 games, but getting him back will make the entire lineup better.

Big picture, offense has not been the problem for the Orioles, as their biggest concern at the deadline will be getting another arm or two to fill out the back end of their rotation.

LF Carl Crawford, Boston Red Sox

Injury

Left elbow injury

Expected Back

Began rehab assignment last Saturday, expected to spend roughly a month rehabbing and is expected back sometime in late July.

Impact on Team

The Red Sox have gotten a boost from Daniel Nava (.315 BA, 25 RBI), as he has emerged as the Red Sox' everyday left fielder in Crawford's absence. 

Offseason additions Cody Ross (.283 BA, 11 HR, 38 RBI) and Ryan Sweeney (.292 BA) have been solid in the outfield this season, and Jacoby Ellsbury should also return from injury soon. So the team should be able to get by until Crawford returns.

CF Jacoby Ellsbury, Boston Red Sox

Injury

Right shoulder subluxation

Expected Back

Will begin rehab assignment Friday, expected to spend roughly a month rehabbing and is expected back in late July.

Impact on Team

After a phenomenal .321 BA, 32 HR, 105 RBI, 39 SB season last year earned him a second-place finish in AL MVP voting, the Red Sox expected much of the same from their young star this season.

Instead, he managed just seven games before injuring his shoulder sliding into second base when he collided with Rays shortstop Reid Brignac.

Getting him back, along with Carl Crawford who will be his rehab teammate, should be a big boost for the Red Sox, and with them both expected back to start the second half, there is no reason for the team to look to add an outfielder.

RP Andrew Bailey, Boston Red Sox

Injury

Right thumb injury

Expected Back

Underwent UCL surgery on his thumb, expected back in late July after suffering a minor setback on the rehab trail.

Impact on Team

Alfredo Aceves has done an admirable job filling in for Andrew Bailey in the closer's role, converting 18-of-21 save chances with a 4.30 ERA.

They'll continue to rely on him until Bailey returns, and once Bailey does, it should make the entire bullpen better by default.

LF Brett Gardner, New York Yankees

Injury

Strained elbow

Expected Back

Expected back after the All-Star break at the earliest, has suffered a pair of setbacks in his rehab assignment.

Impact on Team

The Yankees signed Raul Ibanez to be their DH in the offseason, but he has stepped into the everyday left-field position and given them solid production with 11 HR and 35 RBI.

If Gardner suffers another setback, that could push his return past the trade deadline and may be enough for the Yankees to consider adding an outfielder with some speed as an insurance policy. 

SP CC Sabathia, New York Yankees

Injury

Strained groin

Expected Back

MRI revealed Grade 1 or mild strain, should return once his time on the DL is up on July 9th provided he doesn't suffer any setbacks.

Impact on Team

Sabathia is the workhorse of the Yankees pitching staff, and if he is lost for any significant amount of time, it would be a major blow to the team.

Adam Warren (15 GS, 5-5, 3.86 ERA at Triple-A) will move into the rotation for the time being, and while the Sabathia injury is a cause for concern, the injury to Andy Pettitte is a much bigger blow.

SP Andy Pettitte, New York Yankees

Injury

Fractured left fibula

Expected Back

Will not undergo surgery, but has been placed on 60-day disabled list and could miss the remainder of the season.

Impact on Team

The Yankees began the season without Pettitte but received a huge boost once he joined the team as he went 3-3 with a 3.22 ERA over nine starts.

With him on the shelf for at least two months, Freddy Garcia (14 G, 4 GS, 2-2, 6.39 ERA) has been moved back to the rotation for the time being.

New York has already made it known that they have interest in Cubs starter Matt Garza, and they will likely need to add at least one arm if they are to make a legitimate run at a World Series title.

3B Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays

Injury

Partially torn hamstring

Expected Back

Originally expected to be out four-to-six weeks, Evan Longoria had to remove himself from a rehab game after aggravating the hamstring and has been shut down for the time being, as it is unclear when he will return to baseball activities.

Impact on Team

Having Longoria on the sidelines is obviously a huge blow to a Rays team that has little in the way of impact offensive players outside of their superstar third baseman.

For now, shortstop Sean Rodriguez (.214 BA, 5 HR, 22 RBI) is manning the hot corner, while Elliot Johnson (.270 BA, 4 HR, 20 RBI) moves into the starting shortstop role.

The Rays have tremendous starting pitching depth and could look to use that to upgrade one of their many holes in the lineup. Catcher, shortstop and third base are all areas the team could address as of now, and one way or another adding some offense could go a long way toward making them more legitimate contenders.

SP Jeremy Hellickson, Tampa Bay Rays

Injury

Right shoulder fatigue

Expected Back

X-rays did not reveal anything structurally wrong with his shoulder, and he is only expected to miss two starts before returning to the rotation.

Impact on Team

Shoulder fatigue in June is never a good sign, but Hellickson has been solid so far this season with a 4-3 record and 3.45 ERA over his first 13 starts, so any arm fatigue has not effected him so far.

The Rays called up Chris Archer as a replacement, and he pitched well in making his big league debut. But Archer was optioned back to the minors on Thursday to accommodate the return of Luke Scott.

It remains to be seen who will take Hellickson's start the next time through the rotation, but any rotational needs from the Rays will be handled internally as they have an abundance of good young options they could turn to. 

UPDATE: Hellickson expected to make Saturday's start against Detroit.

SP Brandon Morrow, Toronto Blue Jays

Injury

Strained left oblique

Expected Back

There is currently no timetable for Morrow's return, as oblique injuries are generally a matter of simple rest until the injury is no longer an issue.

Impact on Team

At 7-4 with a 3.01 ERA and an AL-best three shutouts, Morrow was pitching like a staff ace before going down.

The Blue Jays have been hit hard by injuries to their pitching staff, with three starters currently on the DL, and they have turned to Brett Cecil, Carlos Villanueva and Aaron Laffey to hold down the fort for the time being.

While those replacements provide some veteran experience, the Blue Jays could certainly look to add another arm at the deadline, especially considering how tight things have been top to bottom in the AL East this season as they could look to be buyers.

SP Kyle Drabek, Toronto Blue Jays

Injury

Sprained right elbow

Expected Back

Originally diagnosed with a torn UCL, Drabek got a second opinion that confirmed the ligament tear, resulting in season-ending Tommy John surgery.

Impact on Team

After struggling in 14 starts last season, the 24-year-old Kyle Drabek was beginning to round into form this season with a 4.67 ERA through his first 13 starts.

As previously mentioned, Drabek is one of three Blue Jays starters on the DL, and both he and rookie Drew Hutchinson will miss extended time. The team will likely look to add someone to the back end of their bullpen via trade. 

Brett Cecil could stick in one of the spots as he has been solid through his first two starts of the season, but the other two current replacement starters, Carlos Villanueva and Aaron Laffey, are better suited in a relief role.

SP John Danks, Chicago White Sox

Injury

Left shoulder soreness

Expected Back

Diagnosed with a Grade 1 tear in his shoulder and could be out until late July.

Impact on Team

Signed to a five-year, $65 million extension this offseason, Danks struggled (3-4, 5.70 ERA) through nine starts this season before hitting the DL.

Jose Quintana has replaced him in the rotation and been terrific (2-1, 1.25 ERA), but a recent injury to Phil Humber has left the White Sox a bit thin on starting pitching.

Dylan Axelrod has also joined the rotation for the time being, but they could go after a short-term solution for the back end of their staff as they look to make a run at the AL Central title.

C Chris Iannetta, Los Angeles Angels

Injury

Right wrist injury

Expected Back

Underwent surgery on his wrist on May 11 and was originally expected to miss six-to-eight weeks. However, his recovery has been slow, and he is now expected to begin a rehab assignment sometime in early July.

Impact on Team

The free-agent signings of Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson garnered all of the attention, and rightfully so, but the addition of Chris Iannetta via trade with the Rockies was a significant move for the Angels as well this winter.

Bobby Wilson (.183 BA, 4 RBI) and John Hester (.281 BA, 2 RBI) have brought little to the table offensively filling in for Iannetta.

The Angels have turned things around after a terrible start, and getting their catcher back would only make them better moving forward. The trade market is always slim on catching options, so expect the Halos to just wait it out until Iannetta's return.

SP Brandon McCarthy, Oakland Athletics

Injury

Strained right shoulder

Expected Return

This is his second trip to the DL with the same shoulder issues, and while he only spent the allotted 15 days on the DL last time around, he could miss significantly more time this go around.

Impact on Team

The A's aren't expected to contend this season, and they have a number of young starters they can evaluate for the future, so this injury is not all that significant for Oakland.

For McCarthy, however, it is a big blow as he is in a contract year, and a nagging shoulder injury will no doubt hurt his stock.

After a breakout year last year (25 GS, 9-9, 3.32 ERA), he was off to a terrific start again this season (12 GS, 6-3, 2.54 ERA), and looked as though he was setting himself up for a big payday. But who knows now.

SP Neftali Feliz, Texas Rangers

Injury

Sprained right elbow

Expected Back

Eligible to return from the disabled list on July 18.

Impact on Team

The Rangers are being very careful with Feliz, who moved to the rotation this season after serving as the team's closer the past two seasons.

He was moved to the 60-Day DL as more of a precaution against rushing him back from injury, and following the signing of Roy Oswalt, his return became a slightly less pressing issue.

Rookie Justin Grimm has also joined the Rangers' rotation with a trio of starters on the disabled list, and moving forward, it doesn't look like the team will necessarily need to address their pitching staff at the deadline.

SP Colby Lewis, Texas Rangers

Injury

Right forearm tendinitis 

Expected Back

While no timetable has been given for his return, Lewis had a similar injury while he was in Japan, and it took him 20 days before he was back at full strength. So that serve as an educated guess.

Impact on Team

With C.J. Wilson gone, Lewis has emerged as the ace of the Rangers' staff. He currently leads the team with 100 innings pitched and has a 6-6 record with a 3.51 ERA.

The Rangers have been hit hard by injuries to their rotation of late, as Lewis is joined on the DL by Neftali Feliz, Derek Holland and Alexi Ogando. 

However, with the addition of Roy Oswalt and Holland on the rehab trail, the team likely won't view adding a starter as a pressing need at the deadline.

SP Derek Holland, Texas Rangers

Injury

Left shoulder fatigue

Expected Back

Derek Holland made his first rehab start on Wednesday and will make at least one more next Monday before the team makes its decision.

Impact on Team

Holland was not pitching particularly well before going on the DL, with an 8.38 ERA over his last four starts. Overall, through 12 games (11 starts), he is 5-4 with a 5.10 ERA.

The Rangers are no doubt eager to get Holland back as their rotation has been hit hard by injury, but more important is getting Holland right as he was expected to be a frontline guy for them this season.

SP Brandon Beachy, Atlanta Braves

Injury

Right elbow soreness

Expected Back

Partially torn UCL, underwent Tommy John surgery on June 21. Out for season.

Impact on Team

Losing Beachy was a blow for the Braves, as he was enjoying a breakout season with a 5-5 record and an MLB-best 2.00 ERA.

Jair Jurrjens (1-2, 6.75 ERA) returned from his minor league demotion to replace him in the rotation and went 7.2 innings, allowing just one earned run in his first start back. This undoubtedly cuts into the team's pitching depth, though, and they could look to add a veteran arm at the deadline. 

Nonetheless, they are in a position to contend for a playoff spot in the National League, and getting improved production from Mike Minor, Jurrjens and Randall Delgado will be key for the team's success.

RP Frank Francisco, New York Mets

Injury

Strained left oblique

Expected Back

Frank Francisco was put on the DL retroactive to June 23, and with any oblique injury, it will be a matter of rest and how quickly he feels right again. He'll be out until at least July 8, then he'll be re-evaluated from there. 

Impact on Team

After struggling early, Francisco has been terrific of late, posting a 1.26 ERA and converting 4-of-5 save chances over his last 14 appearances.

Bobby Parnell slides into the closer's role for now, but the entire Mets bullpen has been shaky all year, and they will undoubtedly look to acquire an arm or two to shore things up.

Whether that is a closer that will push Francisco to a setup role, or a setup man to help get the ball to Francisco down the stretch remains to be seen, but expect some new faces in the Mets bullpen come July.

1B Ryan Howard, Philadelphia Phillies

Injury

Ruptured Achilles' tendon

Expected Back

Howard began his rehab assignment on Thursday, going 2-for-4 with three RBI for Single-A Lakewood. If his rehab goes the full 20 days, he would return July 18 against the Dodgers.

Impact on Team

How well Chase Ultey and Howard are able to play upon their return will go a long way toward determining whether the Phillies decide to become buyers or sellers at the deadline.

With Shane Victorino and Cole Hamels both in contract years, they have some huge decisions to make in the coming months. If their superstars can return at a superstar level, it would certainly make those decisions easier, at least at the deadline.

SP Roy Halladay, Philadelphia Phillies

Injury

Strained lat

Expected Back

Originally expected to miss six-to-eight weeks, Halladay has been progressing on schedule and could throw a bullpen session sometime next week.

Impact on Team

Losing someone of Halladay's caliber is never a good thing, but he was clearly not right before going on the DL with a 4-5 record and 3.98 ERA through 11 starts.

His velocity was down and he was just not his usual dominant self. If he can return as the Halladay of old, it would be a huge boost for the Phillies.

As with Ryan Howard, how well he progresses on his rehab could go a long way toward determining whether the Phillies opt to become buyers or sellers.

RF Jayson Werth, Washington Nationals

Injury

Broken left wrist

Expected Back

After undergoing surgery on the wrist on May 7, the expected recovery time for Jayson Werth was set at 12 weeks. His target return date as of now is August 1, as he looks to rejoin the Nationals for the stretch run.

Impact on Team

The original plan when the Nationals called up Bryce Harper was to give the offense a jolt until Ryan Zimmerman came off of the DL and then return their young phenom down to the minors.

However, the same day Zimmerman came back, Werth went down, and as a result, Harper has remained with the big league club and held his own.

For now, Steve Lombardozzi is doing a decent job as the team's third outfielder alongside Harper and Michael Morse, with Tyler Moore also seeing time, so don't expect the Nationals to search the trade market for a Werth replacement.

RP Drew Storen, Washington Nationals

Injury

Right elbow soreness

Expected Back

Out of commission since spring training, Drew Storen faced live hitting for the first time last Friday and should be back after the All-Star break.

Impact on Team

Despite being without their stud closer, the Nationals have had one of the best bullpens in all of baseball thanks in large part to Tyler Clippard.

After trying Henry Rodriguez, Brad Lidge and Sean Burnett at closer at one point or another, Clippard has settled into the role and converted 12-of-13 save chances with a 1.95 ERA.

That led manager Davey Johnson to say that Clippard will be his closer moving forward, even when Storen returns.

SP Ryan Dempster, Chicago Cubs

Injury

Lat tightness

Expected Return

While he is eligible to come off the DL this Sunday, Dempster is expected to be out another week or so beyond that. His return date is currently pegged for the July 6-8 series against the Mets.

Impact on Team

While the Cubs aren't a contender, they are expected to be one of the more aggressive sellers at the deadline, and Dempster remains one of their biggest trade chips.

On the season (and in his contract year), he is 3-3 with a 2.11 ERA in 12 starts, as he has been among the NL's best starters.

If he can prove healthy, the Cubs should have no problem finding a bevy of teams willing to trade for the 35-year-old right-hander.

SP Shaun Marcum, Milwaukee Brewers

Injury

Right elbow tightness

Expected Back

Originally expected to be a routine 15-day DL stint, Marcum suffered a setback on Monday when the elbow discomfort that originally sidelined him on June 15 remained. Now it looks as though he could miss additional starts.

Impact on Team

While the Brewers have not been quite as bad as the Cubs this season, they find themselves in a similar situation as the Northsiders do with Dempster.

Shaun Marcum is in the final year of his contract, and with the team's primary focus expected to be on retaining Zack Greinke, he could be made available at the deadline.

If the injury persists or returns, they will be hard-pressed to find a trade partner for Marcum and could wind up losing him for nothing at the end of the season.

1B Lance Berkman, St. Louis Cardinals

Injury

Torn right meniscus 

Expected Back

When he first went down, some expected Berkman to be out for the season, but his rehab time was eventually put at eight-to-10 weeks following a May 25 knee surgery.

Impact on Team

After using Matt Carpenter and Matt Adams at first base in place of Berkman, Allen Craig finally returned from his offseason surgery and has taken over as the everyday 1B.

So far in 36 games, Craig is hitting .309 BA, 9 HR, 34 RBI and has given the Cardinals offense a major boost.

Once Berkman returns, it will be interesting to see how the team utilizes Craig, who proved invaluable last postseason and has produced at a high level given the opportunity of everyday at-bats.

SP Chris Carpenter, St. Louis Cardinals

Injury

Nerve issue in right shoulder

Expected Back

Chris Carpenter began the season on the disabled list indefinitely, and he finally began throwing in late May. However, he suffered a setback on Tuesday and he'll now shut things down and undergo another series of tests.

Impact on Team

Lance Lynn has been spectacular since taking Carpenter's rotation spot out of spring training, going 10-3 with a 3.23 ERA, as he's set himself up to be an NL All-Star.

However, you can't put a price on the type of veteran experience and workhorse mentality that Carpenter brings to the Cardinals staff.

Getting him back at some point will be paramount to the Cardinals' chances of repeating as NL Central champs, especially with Jaime Garcia also battling injury.

SP Jaime Garcia, St. Louis Cardinals

Injury

Strained left shoulder

Expected Back

Garcia hit the DL on June 7, and the Cardinals were expected to shut him down entirely for a month (with a two-month layoff before he returns to the rotation not out of the question).

Impact on Team

For a team already missing their ace in Chris Carpenter, losing Garcia was an absolute dagger for the reigning World Series champs.

Rookie Joe Kelly (4 GS, 1-0, 3.38 ERA) has been solid since Garcia went down, but he is inexperienced and was by no means a lights-out top prospect in the minors.

The Cardinals have managed to stay in the thick of things despite their injury issues, and they could look to add a starter at the deadline to make a serious playoff push.

SP Daniel Hudson, Arizona Diamondbacks

Injury

Right elbow soreness

Expected Back

Reported UCL tear, seeking second opinion but could be headed for Tommy John surgery and done for the season.

Impact on Team

For the time being, the Diamondbacks will move Josh Collmenter (15 G, 5 GS, 0-2, 4.80 ERA) back to the rotation to fill in. Trevor Bauer made his big league debut on Thursday and has a chance to remain in the rotation for the remainder of 2012.

The team will also be getting Joe Saunders (strained shoulder) back shortly and have prospect Patrick Corbin, among others, also capable of stepping in. So this injury doesn't hurt the Diamondbacks as much as it would some teams. Arizona still has the core to make a postseason run.

SS Troy Tulowitzki, Colorado Rockies

Injury

Nerve issue in left leg

Expected Back

Tulowitzki originally hit the DL on May 31, but it was not until June 20 that doctors finally figured out that scar tissue in his groin was irritating a nerve in his left leg. The resulting surgery is expected to sideline him for eight weeks, but for a Rockies team with nothing to play for, it could be the end of Tulo's year.

Impact on Team

For a Rockies team far removed from contention, the injury does little to alter the outcome of their 2012 season.

However, a team never wants to lose the face of their franchise for an extended period of time, and for baseball fans in general, it is unfortunate to see perhaps the best shortstop in the game shelved.

CF Matt Kemp, Los Angeles Dodgers

Injury

Strained left hamstring

Expected Back

Kemp went on the disabled list on June 1 and was expected to miss four-to-six weeks, as it was the second time he injured the same hamstring this season. He has been all but ruled out for the All-Star game (where he is the leading vote-getter among NL outfielders), but could be back after the game.

Impact on Team

What Kemp did over the first month of the season was great, but the fact that the Dodgers managed to continue playing at such a high level without their superstar is nothing short of amazing.

Getting Kemp back will be of immediate help for the slumping Dodgers. As long as he returns strong and does not re-injure the hamstring, there is no reason to think the Dodgers will make a move for a replacement outfielder, with more pressing needs at third base and at the back end of the rotation in need of address.

SP Ted Lilly, Los Angeles Dodgers

Injury

Left shoulder inflammation

Expected Back

When Ted Lilly first hit the disabled list on May 29, he was expected to be ready to go by June 8. However, he remains on the DL and has already missed far more time than expected.

Impact on Team

After opening the season on the DL with a neck injury, Lilly was brilliant through eight starts with a 5-1 record and 3.14 ERA.

Nathan Eovaldi (6 GS, 0-4, 4.04 ERA) has filled his spot in the rotation, and while he has shown potential, the team will likely look to upgrade in their NL West title chase.

2B Freddy Sanchez, San Francisco Giants

Injury

Recovery from shoulder surgery

Expected Back

Sanchez hit the DL last June with an dislocated shoulder that eventually required surgery. Manager Bruce Bochy recently referred to him as "off the radar" because he was so far from being ready, so don't expect him back any time soon.

Impact on Team

The Giants' middle infield has been a mess since Sanchez went down, and while Ryan Theriot (.272 BA, 18 R) has been solid in replacment, the team could certainly stand to upgrade.

Shortstops remains the team's most pressing need, but Theriot has experience there, and they could simply look to add the best available middle infielder at the deadline. Either way, anything they get from Sanchez this season will simply be considered a bonus.