Welcome to this season’s final edition of the Injury Report:
Bobby Jenks of the Chicago White Sox suffered a calf injury and won’t appear in any of the remaining games this season. Rumour has it that the closer may as well have thrown his last pitch for the South Siders. Jenks had a solid season, converting 29 of 35 save opportunities with a 3.71 ERA. He struck out 49 batters in 53.1 innings.
Fantasy Impact: The Chicago White Sox have not officially named a closer for the last few games of the season but it looks like Matt Thornton gets the nod over Octavio Dotel.
Rich Harden has been shut down for the remainder of the season because of arm fatigue. The starting pitcher will become a free agent at the end of the season but it remains to be seen whether the Chicago Cubs want him back due to his history of injuries. Rich Harden started 26 games this season, posting a 9-9 record and 4.09 ERA. Most impressively, he struck out 171 batters in 141 innings.
Fantasy Impact: The Cubbie was especially effective in away games where he had a 2.00 ERA in 11 starts. Please check “Pitch Or Ditch” if you need a starting pitcher for one or two starts down the stretch.
The Tampa Bay Rays are shutting down J.P. Howell based on workload over the past two seasons. Howell became the closer when Troy Percival got injured in May but struggled at times. The southpaw blew 8 saves in 25 opportunities but had a 2.83 ERA and fanned 79 batters in 66.2 innings of work.
Fantasy Impact: The Rays will likely turn to a closer-by-committee system, with Dan Wheeler and Randy Choate expected to be the front-runners.
Due to a hip injury the Chicago White Sox will likely shut down Gavin Floyd for the season. The starting pitcher has been bothered by a sore hip for a month and has not pitched since September 16. Gavin Floyd started 30 games this season, accumulating an 11-11 record and a 4.06 ERA.
Fantasy Impact: Gavin Floyd was a productive low-end option in deep mixed leagues or AL-only leagues. Check "Pitch Or Ditch" to find one or two pitchers with favourable matchups.
Freddy Sanchez of the San Francisco Giants will undergo season-ending knee surgery. The second baseman, who was acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates in mid-season, failed to make an impact and will likely not return to the Giants in 2010. In 111 games with the Pirates and Giants this season Sanchez had 56 runs, 7 home runs, 41 RBI and 5 stolen bases, while batting .293.
Fantasy Impact: Freddy Sanchez is a low-end option in deep mixed leagues or NL-only leagues at best. You may want to replace him with Placido Polanco (DET) if you haven’t already dropped him, or Kazuo Matsui (HOU) for a lack of better options.
