MLB Injury News: Updates on Shohei Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow, Aaron Judge and More

Baseball fans got major updates on Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge ahead of this weekend’s action.
Ohtani will return to the mound Friday, surprisingly.
Ohtani will return to the mound Friday, surprisingly. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

A number of injury-related updates came out of the MLB world on Friday afternoon. Here's everything you need to know.

Kyle Finnegan Lands on 15-Day Injured List

The Detroit Tigers will be without relief pitcher Kyle Finnegan for more than a week as they hope to close down prime positioning in the MLB playoff race. Finnegan is 12th in MLB in saves with 24, and has yet to give up an earned run (14.1 innings, 12 games) since joining the Tigers midseason via trade.

The injury is an adductor strain, retroactive to September 1 according to Tigers public relations, so hopefully the stint will allow him to rest up before the postseason.

At the moment, the Tigers have the second-best record in the American League, and hold a commanding 9.5-game lead over the Kansas City Royals in the AL Central.

Aaron Judge Returning to OF

Aaron Judge last took the outfield for the Yankees on July 26. An elbow injury put him on the injured list for a stint, and since returning he's only been capable of serving as the team's designated hitter. Tonight, the word is he'll be back in right field, with his elbow ready enough to handle throwing.

At one point, manager Aaron Boone hinted there could be a world where Judge might not be able to play outfield the rest of the year. He quickly clarified those comments, walking them back, but it's great news for New York to see him actually playing the field for real now.

MLB reporter Brian Hoch was among the first to relay the news to fans.

It's important timing, with the Yankees and Blue Jays booting up a three-game series Friday, with New York three games behind Toronto in the AL East.

In the interim, Aaron Boone has been forced to use Giancarlo Stanton in the outfield, who the team would prefer to have occupy the designated hitter slot, given Judge is unquestionably the better defender between the two. If nothing else, it gives manager Aaron Boone more lineup and positional flexibility right when he needs it.

Tyler Glasnow Scratched, Shohei Ohtani a Surprise Friday Start

After Shohei Ohtani was scratched last minute earlier this week ahead of a scheduled pitching start, he'll now step in for the last-minute scratch of Tyler Glasnow. David Vassegh was on the report first, with no immediate reason given by the Dodgers for Glasnow missing the start.

Ohtani's absence earlier in the week was due to an illness that hindered his pitching preparation. He did not miss a game on the offensive side of the ball.

Great for L.A. to see Ohtani back, but disconcerting to see another pitcher miss his start in the same week.


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Josh Wilson
JOSH WILSON

Josh Wilson is the news director of the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI in 2024, he worked for FanSided in a variety of roles, most recently as senior managing editor of the brand’s flagship site. He has also served as a general manager of Sportscasting, the sports arm of a start-up sports media company, where he oversaw the site’s editorial and business strategy. Wilson has a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from SUNY Cortland and a master’s in accountancy from the Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois. He loves a good nonfiction book and enjoys learning and practicing Polish. Wilson lives in Chicago but was raised in upstate New York. He spent most of his life in the Northeast and briefly lived in Poland, where he ate an unhealthy amount of pastries for six months.