The 2021 MLB season has been riddled with injuries so far.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic wrote in a recent article that IL stints are up by about 15 percent this year.
The injury bug has hit some teams harder than others, but there have been two injuries in particular this year that have been frustrating for the player, the team and of course, the fans.
2. George Springer
When George Springer signed with the Toronto Blue Jays prior to the 2021 season, fans knew it was going to take a while to get used to seeing him in a non-Astros uniform.
But fans haven’t been able to see Springer in any sort of uniform since May 2, as the 31-year-old has been sidelined for nearly a month with a quad injury.
The Blue Jays are doing their very best to stay afloat in a brutal American League East, but at 24-23, they could certainly use one of the best hitters in the game in Springer.
Toronto has just three everyday players with an OPS over .800, so Springer would help even out the lineup in a big way.
Over seven seasons with the Houston Astros, Springer batted .270 with an OPS of .852 while averaging 25 home runs a year.
He finished in the top-13 of the AL MVP race three times during his time there.
There is still no timetable for Springer to return, but there seems to be optimism that it could happen sooner than later.
With the Jays scuffling big time & George Springer hurt and without a timetable for a return, I've seen a handful of "Should have spent that 150 on pitching" takes…
On one hand I get it, on the other bigger hand please give your head a shake.
— Josh Goldberg (@JGoldberg12) May 25, 2021
Over his lone four games this year, Springer is batting just .200 but has a monster .600 slugging percentage.
When he does come back, the Blue Jays could become a real playoff threat, but with each passing loss, it’s becoming more and more frustrating that the team is losing ground due to not having one of its best players.
1. Dustin May
Los Angeles Dodgers righty Dustin May underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery earlier this month to repair UCL damage.
The loss of May is an impossible pill to swallow for MLB fans, as he has evolved into one of the most exciting young arms in the game.
We’ve somehow only gotten to enjoy May for 19 starts despite him being in the league for three years now.
May debuted in 2019 (although he did not exceed rookie limits) and was used primarily as a relief option.
May, who was 21 at the time, pitched to a 3.63 ERA, 2.90 FIP, and 1.10 WHIP over 14 total appearances.
The following season, May really turned some heads.
He posted a 2.57 ERA over 12 appearances (10 of which were starts) and finished fifth in the National League Rookie of the Year race.
May was also a vital part of the Dodgers’ World Series title run that season, appearing in nine playoff games and managing a 3.86 ERA.
His stock reached an all-time high at that point.
This season, May was prepared to pitch the first full MLB season of his career, but it was cut short by the UCL injury and subsequent surgery.
Breaking: Dodgers pitcher Dustin May will undergo Tommy John surgery on Tuesday, the team announced. pic.twitter.com/wQkLpTQiOZ
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 3, 2021
Over May’s five lone starts this year, he put up a 2.74 ERA and fanned 35 batters in 23 innings.
On the bright side, the Dodgers are one of the few teams in the league capable of overcoming an injury to a player of May’s caliber.
LA’s rotation is absolutely loaded.
Clayton Kershaw (2.94 ERA), Trevor Bauer (2.07), Julio Urias (3.03) and Walker Buehler (2.78) round out the top-four.
The team is still looking to fill in the spot vacated by May.
It will be interesting to see where the Dodgers look to fill that hole.
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