MLB: Top Ten Players Returning From Injury Who Will Impact the Second Half

MLB has reached the All-Star break, which means the stretch run and race for the postseason is about to begin in earnest. Which players coming back from injury could have the biggest impact on how the standings shake out?

With the unofficial midpoint in the Major League Baseball season upon us, players are getting much-needed rest in anticipation of the dog days of summer and the stretch run. With the largest divisional lead in MLB being just seven games and as many as 15 teams squarely in the Wild Card hunt, there is a lot of meaningful baseball still to be played, and teams will be looking to be at their best.

Several contending clubs are hoping the scales will be tipped in their favor with the return of a key player from injury. While solid players like Matt Harvey, Kyle Schwarber, and, Mike Moustakas have been lost for the season, there are a host of others in various stages of injury rehab that should see the field again in 2016.

The difference one player can make may not appear to be much, but with so many close races, just a game or two could decide if a team makes the postseason or goes home. The following list of guys includes several that could be worth that much and more to their clubs, and could prove to be the deciding factors in who plays on in October.

Next: Lo Cain

#10: Lorenzo Cain – Kansas City Royals

Perhaps no team has been as snakebitten in 2016 as the Kansas City Royals, having lost Moustakas to a torn ACL and playing large chunks of the season without Alex Gordon. Despite that, Ned Yost has kept his team in contention, but the loss of Lorenzo Cain to a hamstring injury could be the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Since Cain went down in the seventh inning of an interleague game against the St. Louis Cardinals on June 28th, Kansas City is 5-7, and finds itself staring at a seven-game hole behind the Cleveland Indians in the American League’s Central Division.

While Cain is not having quite the season he did in 2015 when he placed third in AL MVP voting, he is slashing .290/.336/.416 with eight home runs and 39 runs batted in, and trails only Salvador Perez for the team lead in bWAR. More importantly, he is second in MLB in range factor among center fielders and third in total zone runs, proving how valuable he is defensively.

Just before the all-star break, Cain took live batting practice prior to a Royals game against the Seattle Mariners. While he is eligible to come off the disabled list on July 14th, it is likely he will get a few minor league rehab games under his belt before he is officially activated.

Next: An Ace in the Burgh

#9: Gerrit Cole – Pittsburgh Pirates

A year ago at this time, Gerrit Cole was about to be the second pitcher in the game for National League All-Star team, an appearance that would yield one scoreless inning and one strikeout. Fast forward twelve months, and the last uniform Cole wore belonged to the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians.

Diagnosed with a right triceps muscle strain after leaving his June 10th start against the St. Louis Cardinals in the third inning, the Pirates’ ace was placed on the DL a few days later. He appears to be nearing a return, though, after a five-inning rehab outing for Indy in which he allowed no runs on two hits while striking out six.

“In an ideal world, get him back out there as soon after the All-Star break as we can,” Pittsburgh general manager Neal Huntington said to the Post-Gazette. “But if he needs another [rehab start], then we get him another one.”

The Pirates are just seven games behind the Chicago Cubs in the NL Central, and only a game and a half behind the second wild card spot. Cole had a 2.77 ERA in 12 starts prior to his injury, posting a 3.10 FIP and 148 ERA+. Rumor is he could be back as soon as Friday, and the Bucs could sure use him in a crowded NL pennant race.

Next: Motown Martinez

#7: Dexter Fowler – Chicago Cubs

A stint on the disabled list with a sore hamstring has cost Dexter Fowler an opportunity to play in the All-Star Game, but it has been even more costly to the Chicago Cubs, who have been in a tailspin since losing their leadoff man and center fielder.

Since Fowler exited the Cubs’ June 18th game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, the club has gone just 7-15 and seen its lead in the NL Central shrink from 11.5 games to just seven.

Chicago’s skid isn’t all due to Fowler’s absence, of course, but the offense that was on pace for a historical season throughout much of the first half has hit a rough patch. The Cubs have scored three runs or less in half of their 22 games without Fowler, who was slashing .290/.398/.483 with 19 doubles, seven homers, and 28 RBIs when he went out.

“I’m anxious,” Fowler said to Jesse Rogers of ESPN. “I think I’m more anxious than anyone. I got that itch. I want to play.”

At this point, Fowler is scheduled to make a rehab appearance with Single-A South Bend on Friday. If all goes well, he could be activated and roaming the friendly confines of Wrigley Field for the Cubs’ three-game series with the New York Mets early next week.

Next: The Blue Jays’ Bats

#6: Jose Bautista – Toronto Blue Jays

Jose Bautista was not having his typical season in 2016 before crashing into a wall on June 16th against the Philadelphia Phillies and suffering a turf toe injury. The Blue Jays’ slugger was homerless in eight straight games and slashing a paltry .222/.340/.356 in the month of June, and for the season was sitting at .230/.360.455 with 12 homers and 41 RBIs.

Still, Toronto is locked in a three-team race in the AL East with the Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox, two of the few teams that can match their offensive firepower. Not having Bautista’s bat in the lineup everyday has contributed to seven games in the Jays’ last 22 in which they have scored two or fewer runs.

The Blue Jays do have the luxury of Josh Donaldson, Edwin Encarnacion, and Michael Saunders in the lineup, though, and have gone 13-9 since losing Joey Bats, and find themselves tied with the BoSox two games behind the O’s in the division.

Bautista recently got out of his walking boot and has begun to take swings off the tee.

“That’s some progress,” manager John Gibbons said to the Toronto Star.

The team has yet to set a timetable for its slugger’s return, and it is unclear if a minor league rehab stint will be necessary, but all signs point to Bautista back in the lineup sometime in late-July or early August, just in time for the playoff push.

Next: A Giant Return

#5: Hunter Pence – San Francisco Giants

Another team that has been frequent prey of the injury bug in 2016 also may be the best team in all of baseball. The San Francisco Giants have endured a plethora of injuries to key players, yet still have the best record in MLB and sit atop the standings in the NL West by 6.5 games over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

So how does the best team in baseball get even better? By getting arguably its best hitter back from a two-month stint on the disabled list, which is exactly what Hunter Pence is on track to do. Pence tore his hamstring running out a grounder on June 1st against the Atlanta Braves and had to have surgery to repair it. At the time, he was leading the Giants with 36 RBIs and was second with seven home runs.

San Francisco was 33-22 when Pence was lost, with a 4.5 game lead in the division. In his absence the club is 24-11 despite also being without third baseman Matt Duffy and second baseman Joe Panik.

Pence is slated to begin a rehab assignment shortly after the all-star break and could be back in the lineup when the Giants begin a seven-game homestand on July 25th.

“We’re seeing the light at the end of the tunnel with Hunter,” manager Bruce Bochy told CSN Bay Area.

Next: All Hail the King

#4: Felix Hernandez – Seattle Mariners

Felix Hernandez has not pitched for the Seattle Mariners since injuring his right calf in a start on May 27th. It’s been hard on Hernandez, the team, and especially on the team’s training staff.

“I won’t miss him at all,” head trainer Rick Griffin said to 710 ESPN Seattle. “I read a quote where he says he’s miserable, he’s bored, he hates being on the DL. Well, I will second that. It’s been very difficult. He is not a good DL guy. Some guys are good DL guys and rehab guys, he is not. He might be the worst I have ever had.”

The Mariners were one of the early-season surprises in the big leagues, with a 28-19 record and 1.5 game lead in the AL West at the time of Hernandez’s injury. In the time since, the M’s have gone 17-25 and seen their division lead turn into an 8.5 game deficit to the surging Texas Rangers.

Hernandez has a 2.86 ERA in 10 starts covering 63 innings so far in 2016, good for a 144 ERA+, and he made a rehab start for Single-A Everrett on Sunday. The right-hander went 3.2 innings, giving up three runs on six hits while striking out six and walking two in beginning to shake off the rust. Next up is likely a start at Triple-A Tacoma before being activated.

Next: Coming At Yu

#3: Yu Darvish – Texas Rangers

Among the players on this list, none appears to be closer to returning than the Texas Rangers’ Yu Darvish. Serving his second stint on the disabled list this season, Darvish may be back in uniform for the Rangers as soon as the all-star break is over.

Darvish, returning from Tommy John surgery after missing the entirety of the 2015 season, made three starts in the big leagues in late May and early June, but went back on the shelf due to neck and shoulder discomfort. In those three starts, the righty had a 2.87 ERA, 2.73 FIP, 163 ERA+, and 10.9 strikeouts per nine innings.

Texas staggered into the break, losing nine of its last twelve games, and has seen a once 10-game lead in the division shrink to 5.5 games. In addition to Darvish’s injury problems, the starting rotation is also without Colby Lewis and Derek Holland, and could really use a boost.

Darvish has now made two rehab starts for Double-A Frisco, with the latest coming on Sunday. In 72 pitches covering five innings, Darvish gave up three runs on six hits, walking one and fanning five. While the Rangers have not yet indicated if he’ll be activated, it’s clear that he is getting close.

“I felt way better than the last time I threw,” Darvish said to MLB.com after the start. “I was trying to get a feel for it and then I was able to do it. It was a good outing overall.”

Next: Paging Dr. Smooth

#2: Michael Brantley – Cleveland Indians

Michael Brantley has already had one false start to his 2016 season, and the Cleveland Indians have been extremely cautious in trying to avoid a second one. Brantley, just two seasons removed from a third place finish in the AL MVP voting, is another player whose return seems to be coming sooner rather than later.

Despite his absence, the Indians have surged to a 52-36 record at the break and a 6.5 game lead in the AL Central. Armed with the league’s best pitching staff in terms of ERA and ERA+, and second in FIP, the Tribe parlayed a 14-game winning streak in June to the club’s biggest divisional lead since 1999.

Brantley missed the opening of the season due to his surgically-repaired right shoulder, and after appearing in 11 games in late April and early May, went back on the DL due to soreness and some biceps tendonitis. In his stead, the quartet of Jose Ramirez, Rajai Davis, Lonnie Chisenhall, and Tyler Naquin have filled in well, giving Terry Francona better production than anyone could have predicted.

Still, getting Brantley back could greatly impact the rest of the Tribe’s season, especially as concerns the trade deadline. General manager Mike Chernoff sees the left fielder’s return as the equivalent of landing a big bat at the deadline, saying, “The highest-impact acquisition we could make is getting Michael Brantley back on the field and healthy.”

On Monday, Brantley made his first rehab appearance this go around with Single-A Mahoning Valley, going 1-for-2 with a single and a walk in three trips to the plate, and is slated to play later in the week for Single-A Lake County and at Double-A Akron over the weekend.

Next: Hollywood Star

#1: Clayton Kershaw – Los Angeles Dodgers

The only thing that could slow down Clayton Kershaw in 2016 was himself. Off to one of the most statistically ridiculous years any pitcher in big league history has had, a mild disc herniation in his back sent the Dodgers’ ace to the disabled list following his start against the Pittsburgh Pirates on June 26th.

Through 16 starts covering 121 innings of work, Kershaw holds the league lead with a 1.79 ERA, a 1.70 FIP, an ERA+ of 220, a 0.73 WHIP, three shutouts, and an absurd strikeout-to-walk ratio of over 16-to-1. Basically, the southpaw is having the kind of season that hasn’t been seen in a generation, and until the injury looked to be the odds-on favorite to win not only the Cy Young Award, but the NL MVP.

Los Angeles finished the first half strong, going 10-4 in Kershaw’s absence, but still sit 6.5 games behind the Giants in the NL West. At 51-40, Dave Roberts has his squad atop the Wild Card standings, though, and could be getting the best arm in the game back soon. They need him, too, as the Dodgers are 14-2 when Kershaw starts and just 37-38 when he does not.

Next: 10 MLB Prospects That Could Contribute Down The Stretch

In San Diego on Sunday as LA finished up a series with the Padres, Kershaw threw his first light bullpen session off a mound since receiving an epidural injection on June 29th. Roberts did not provide a timetable for Kershaw’s return, but made it clear that a minor league rehab game isn’t part of the plan, thus he could be back in Dodger blue at some point during the team’s nine-game roadtrip to play Arizona, Washington, and St. Louis to start the second half.