MASH Report (6/30/16)

• Clayton Kershaw is on the DL with lower back pain.

Clayton Kershaw will be placed on the 15-day disabled list with lower back pain, and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts couldn’t say he was optimistic that his ace will return in the minimum time.

Kershaw received an epidural injection for pain relief, but the club did not release an injury diagnosis or explain whether the pain was caused by a disk issue or possible herniation.

There is just not a lot of details on his injury right now. I went and selected Pitcher, Back, and several possible injuries in my DL time tool and came up with the following values.

 

The median number of days lost at 36 with the average being 20 days more. I would count on him being out a month with the likelihood it could be more.

• Joe Panik is on the DL with a concussion.

Manager Bruce Bochy’s initial concern Tuesday became a reality one day later as the Giants announced Wednesday afternoon that Joe Panik has a concussion and was placed on the seven-day disabled list.

“It was confirmed, he’s got a mild concussion,” said Bochy. “Our hope is when seven days are up he’ll be good to go.”

The hope for seven days and he is back is just that, hope. The same was said of Brock Holt over a month ago:

Holt hopes he is symptom-free when the seven-day disabled list stint ends on Wednesday, but he knows there are no guarantees.

The Giants need to plan for Panik to be out a while and be rewarded if he comes back early.

• Lorenzo Cain will be out about until the All-Star break with a strained hamstring.

Royals manager Ned Yost said the MRI taken on Tuesday night showed Cain has a Grade 1-plus strain. The club’s training staff indicated it was between a mild and moderate strain.

Both Cain and Yost said Cain could be ready to be activated by the Friday after the All-Star break.

“Hopefully it won’t be more than the 15 days,” Yost said.

Added Cain, who made the trip to Busch Stadium, “That’s the plan. It just depends how it feels. I’m very optimistic about the MRI we saw. Hopefully I’ll be ready to go right after the All-Star break.”

I would not be surprised if he is out longer.

• Alex Colome is out the minimum time with bicep tendinitis.

Colome, who has converted all of his 19 save opportunities this season, expects to return when his time on the DL expires in early July.

“It’s not a month. It’s not two weeks,” Colome said. “It’s like five days. It’s good for me and my arm. I don’t want to go out and push and maybe take the whole season.”

• Jon Jay is supposedly out 4-6 weeks with a broken forearm.

Jay sustained the injury when he was hit by a pitch in a 6-3 win over the Nationals on June 19. There is no concrete timetable for his return, but manager Andy Green said Jay would be re-evaluated in three weeks and could be looking at a four- to six-week recovery period.

I would bet on his timetable being closer to 6 to 8 weeks comparing some past injuries.

• John Gant
is on the DL with a strained oblique.

• Kike Hernandez will be out with an inflamed rib cage.

Hernandez said he was injured doing pregame throwing drills and thought he could play through it. His playing time lately, however, has been shifted to newly acquired Chris Taylor, who, like Hernandez, is a right-handed-hitting utility man.

This injury seems a little suspect with Hernandez struggling at the plate (.189/.280/.346). I could see him starting his rehab starts in a day or two.

• Mike Foltynewicz will come off the DL and pitch for the Braves tonight.

• Nick Vincent is on the DL with a sore back.

• While Ramiro Pena is not on the DL yet, he will likely be placed on it today or tomorrow after rolling his ankle.

• Steve Clevenger is also headed to the DL after taking a fastball off his fist. For the macabre individuals reading this, here is the video:

Fastball velocity reading for pitchers returning from the DL

• Sean Manaea’s average fastball velocity is up a bit.

• Wade Miley’s velocity is fine.

• Vincent Velasquez’s is fine also.

Players on the 2016 DL

The Red players have had updates since the last report. Click on the “Date” for a link to go to the latest article on the player.