Help Needed: Hitters Who Played Through a 2019 Injury

While the 2019 season is still semi-fresh in everyone’s mind, I have one simple request. Which hitters played through an injury instead of going on the Injured List this past season?

I’ve collected the players for the past couple of seasons (2017 and 2018). It’s time to compile the 2019 list even though the effects on a projection may be limited. Here are the players I have so far.

Name: Injury (link)

Late adds

Marwin Gonzalez (link)

If anyone knows of anyone I missed, please say so in the comments with a link to the source. I not looking for guess but the player or his team saying he’s hurt. Thanks for the help.

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Jeff, one of the authors of the fantasy baseball guide,The Process, writes for RotoGraphs, The Hardball Times, Rotowire, Baseball America, and BaseballHQ. He has been nominated for two SABR Analytics Research Award for Contemporary Analysis and won it in 2013 in tandem with Bill Petti. He has won four FSWA Awards including on for his Mining the News series. He's won Tout Wars three times, LABR twice, and got his first NFBC Main Event win in 2021. Follow him on Twitter @jeffwzimmerman.

49 Comments
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John TrupinMember since 2020
7 years ago

Domingo Santana played through elbow inflammation in late July and the end of September. (Source: https://twitter.com/GregJohnsMLB/status/1154529860045295619)

Justin CMember since 2020
7 years ago

Rhys Hoskins hurt his hand, wasn’t the same after. https://www.mlb.com/phillies/news/rhys-hoskins-sustains-bruised-hand

LloydMember since 2018
7 years ago

Brandon Nimmo played through neck issues from Apr 16 through May 22 before going to the IL: https://www.sny.tv/mets/news/mets-of-brandon-nimmos-neck-injury-isnt-just-inflammation-but-hes-feeling-better/307453894

El Diablo
7 years ago

Freddie Freeman irritated a bone spur in his elbow early in September.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/freddie-freeman-leaves-game-with-elbow-soreness/ar-AAHgbw1

He didn’t even travel to KC last week.

Anonymous
7 years ago

Anthony Rizzo suffered a moderate ankle sprain September 15th, but returned four days later. He played through it for six games to close the year. https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/cubs-anthony-rizzo-diagnosed-with-sprained-ankle-could-miss-rest-of-regular-season/

jgawelMember since 2020
7 years ago
jlevin7
7 years ago

Kris Bryant-knee issues. Was really hobbled before he had cortisone shot, then did well for about 2 weeks, then tailed off again.

stever20Member since 2017
7 years ago

If you’re including Verdugo on the list(he’s not played since August 4), you have to include Trea Turner who has been playing with a bad finger since returning from the IL.

davecarlton412
7 years ago

Ramon Laureano hurt his shin in the Japan series and played through it until going on IL 7/31: https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/27298208/a-put-laureano-il-right-leg-injury

Pirates HurdlesMember since 2020
7 years ago

Gregory Polanco, shoulder was never healthy – https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/pirates-gregory-polanco-not-expected-back-soon/

Joe Musgrove offseason abdominal surgery cost him a ton of velocity in the 1st half of the year – https://www.mlb.com/pirates/news/joe-musgrove-easing-into-throwing-this-spring-c303902114

EonADSMember since 2024
7 years ago

Roberto Perez was playing through a concussion, a bruised foot, and a strain in his leg at various points through the season. The leg strain got mentioned by Perez and Francona in Fox broadcasts at points, but I can’t find a record of it with a quick search.

Moltar
7 years ago
Reply to  Jeff Zimmerman

He’s got a chronic case of Old-dude-playing-for-the-Mets Syndrome.

OTMHeartBBCMember since 2019
7 years ago

id update to Tommy Pham – all over

Avery
7 years ago

I think it would be helpful/important to look into the before and after injury stats to see what was taking the biggest hit.

henrydanon13
7 years ago

Sonny Gray played through an elbow injury

Barry Gilpin
7 years ago

Votto-missed several games with back issues, on more than one occasion.

RonGTMember since 2020
7 years ago

Keston Hiura played through hamstring issues late in season. Don’t think he attempted a steal and they were pretty conservative on the basepaths with him through the end of year.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.mlb.com/amp/news/keston-hiura-returns-from-injured-list.html

RonGTMember since 2020
7 years ago

Justin Turner also had back issues late in the year and officially “played” through them but due to the Dodgers playoff position, the game log might make you think otherwise

jdelaneyMember since 2019
7 years ago

Some guy named Trout played through a foot/toe issue… and should probably still be MVP

MoeliciousMember since 2018
7 years ago

Daniel Murphy hurt his finger and played with it not fully healed. He wore a mitten on his hand

GottaHaveHart
7 years ago
mr_hoggMember since 2020
7 years ago

What about Posey and other players coming off major off-season surgery?

Lanidrac
7 years ago

Yadier Molina spent three weeks trying to play through a not quite healed thumb injury that sent him back to the IL after already spending time there after it was first injured.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/07/cardinals-place-yadier-molina-on-10-day-il-activate-matt-carpenter.html

Lanidrac
7 years ago

That Ozuna article said that Ozuna was only limited on his throws. That’s not relevant to his fantasy value.