The season is underway and the injury report is already filled up with guys suffering from spring injuries or worse, last season’s injuries. With just one serious injury to report after one day of play (thanks, Ryan Ludwick), let’s take a look at some guys entering the season on the DL and when they might be back with their big league club.
Cody Ross (calf): Ross will begin a minor league rehab stint on Thursday and could come back as soon as Monday so he should be ready to go some time next week.
Adam Eaton (elbow): Some reports say the top prospect will be out until mid-May with an elbow injury but others suggest he could return well before that. We’ll keep monitoring his status going forward.
David Ortiz (heel): Ortiz should be ready to start a minor league rehab assignment next week but there’s no timetable for his big league return just yet.
Matt Garza (arm): Garza is expected to start throwing soon and the best case scenario is a return to the rotation in the first week or two of May.
John Danks (shoulder): Danks will pitch in a minor league game on Thursday as he continues to recover from shoulder surgery. The White Sox want him to keep building arm strength and could see him back in the rotation as early as the end of April.
Ryan Ludwick (shoulder): Ludwick is officially the first guy to get seriously hurt in a regular season game this season after he dislocated his shoulder sliding headfirst into third. That’s why they teach you “feet first”, kids. There’s no timetable on him yet but expect him to be out a while.
Ryan Madson (elbow): Madson continues to recover from the Tommy John Surgery he had last March and the most optimistic timetable for his return is end of April. Don’t expect him to close for a while after his return though.
Chad Billingsley (finger): Billingsley will play a minor league game Thursday and is expected to be the big league rotation “no later than April 13.”
Hanley Ramirez (thumb): HanRam is out until at least mid-May after undergoing surgery on his thumb.
Shaun Marcum (neck, biceps): Marcum was expected to start the Mets’ sixth game of the season but is now dealing with bicep tendinitis as well and that start is in jeopardy.
Curtis Granderson (forearm): Granderson is out til some time in May as he recovers from a broken forearm.
Phil Hughes (back): Hughes pitched seven innings in an extended spring training game Monday and is expected to start another minor league game Saturday. He is expected to return to the Yanks by April 11.
Derek Jeter (ankle): Jeter is being treated for his lingering ankle injury in Tampa and is currently just playing catch. It’s unclear when he’ll be back but I’d say a return in the first half of April is highly unlikely.
Mark Teixeira (wrist): Tex is recovering from a wrist injury and is expected to start swinging a bat in two weeks. Best case scenario, he returns late May but more likely early June.
Alex Rodriguez (hip): ARod is not expected to return to the Yankees before the All-Star break as he continues to recover from hip surgery.
Delmon Young (ankle): Young is recovering from microfracture surgery on his ankle and will start to play outfield in minor league games this week. He is expected to return by the end of April and I think Young has a nice comeback season if healthy.
Chase Headley (thumb): Headley is recovering from a broken thumb and is expected to return at the end of April.
Jason Motte (elbow): Motte will be evaluated next week but reports say he could miss all of April with a strained elbow tendon.
Luke Scott (calf): Scott is expected to miss anywhere from two-to-five weeks. Pretty vague timetable but that’s why you have these injury reports to keep you in the loop.
Colby Lewis (forearm): Lewis is recovering from a torn flexor tendon and isn’t expected to return until late May at best.
Brett Lawrie (ribs): Lawrie is expected to start playing in minor league games by Saturday and is likely to return to the lineup next week.
