With news of the Pope’s death, much of the world pauses, but baseball doesn’t. Let’s get to the injuries:
BLAKE SNELL, SP LAD (inflamed shoulder)
BLAKE TREINEN, RP LAD (something forearm)
If you click through to that tweet, which says that Dave Roberts says that Blake Treinen has a low grade sprain in his forearm … well, you see the issue. The forearm is muscle and tendon and when those have an issue, even a low grade one, it’s a strain. The words are easy to mix up. I’ve done it so many times I couldn’t count. I’ve corrected myself after mixing them up on radio another uncountable count.
So, is what Treinen has a sprain — which would likely be referencing the UCL, but wouldn’t usually be referred to as forearm — or does he have a strain, which would normally be the flexor tendon. Let’s assume that Treinen does not have nursemaid’s elbow (yes, a real condition) and that the annular ligament isn’t involved, which would be possible, but so rare in throwers as to be very long odds against.
Exactly what Treinin has remains in question, but all of them aren’t great for a pitcher, especially with his history. With Evan Phillips closer to a return, the pen should have enough depth, but it’s as riddled with injury and question as the rotation. Losing Treinen for any significant period of time would be a blow, but the pen has been resilient over the last few years, a testament to flexibility and coaching.
On the good news side, Blake Snell is throwing and after a bullpen session on Saturday, told the media he felt “way better.” That’s a positive and while players aren’t always the best sources on themselves, Dodgers fans can take this W for now. He’s got another scheduled, and if that goes, well, a sim game. Snell wasn’t down long enough to flatten his ACWR, so he may not need a rehab game if the Dodgers play this one smart.
LUIS ARRAEZ, IF SDP (concussion)
I won’t make light of bunting after what happened to Luis Arraez today. The timing of the play and the cover led to a full-speed collision between Arraez and Mauricio Dubon, playing over from second. Dubon popped up quickly, but Arraez went down and immediately showed the fencer’s sign. That’s the arms-straight-out look that someone’s that just been concussed often shows.
Arraez was taken off on a stretcher after being put on a backboard as a precaution. Anytime there is even a possibility of a spinal injury, you’ll see the medical teams spring into action and watching, the amount of interplay between the Padres and Astros medical staffs was admirable. Everyone practices this in the preseason, and regularly, but hopes they never use it. They go over procedures at the start of each series, but this is one of those things that shows the professionalism and caring of these professionals. Like them, I wish we never got to see it.
At best, Arraez will be in the concussion protocol and but it looks like the best case scenario is in play. Arraez was back in the stadium before the game was done with no cervical issues noted. The Padres appear to be cautious, even conservative, but unless Arraez has a condition beyond the obvious concussion, he could be back very quickly, I think the 7-day concussion IL is - or should - be in play here, but we’ll have to see how it plays out and trust the medical professionals.