MLB Pre-season outlook: Starting pitcher injuries
As the MLB regular season is just a few days away, it is important to take a look at some of the issues which teams are facing. This includes the various injuries which may put some teams on the back-foot before the season begins.
Much of the focus for any team is the effectiveness of the starting pitchers. If they are performing then the team has a very good chance of winning any ballgame. However, if the starter is not doing so well, then team will most probably struggle throughout
the game and can quite easily lose a game.
Here are few teams that are currently having some issues with regards to their starting pitchers.
Johnny Cueto is out of action for the Cincinnati Reds due to some inflammation in his right shoulder. It is unclear how long he will be gone, as he is scheduled to get an MRI to ascertain the extent of his injury. The Reds will be worried, as Cueto is an
extremely talented starting pitcher and has the ability to guide the team against some of the toughest top tier teams in the League. It will be interesting to see what the Reds do in terms of substitutions in their pitching line-up. The last thing the Reds
would have wanted this close to the start of the regular season is their main frontline starting pitcher getting sidelined with an injury.
The Milwaukee Brewers will be quite unhappy as their starting pitcher Zack Greinke has apparently cracked a rib. Greinke is a tremendous pitcher and the ability to dominate any offensive line-up thrown at him. He can restrict the offence and manage to get
shut-out performances. His pitching is respected and feared throughout the League. The Brewers will be definitely missing his talents as the regular season is about to start. It is unconfirmed as to how long he will be sidelined, however in the case of cracked
ribs it could be awhile before he returns to action for the Brewers. As Greinke is sidelined, it will be interesting to see how the Brewers manage their pitching line-up for a successful start to the regular season. The team will be quite disappointed to have
lost Greinke right before the start of the season.
Adam Wainwright is another casualty as a ligament in his elbow may be torn. The starting pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals will out indefinitely as this type of injury can be quite long term. The Cardinals will be very disappointed to have lost Wainwright
at the beginning of the grueling regular season. He is a very talented pitcher with the ability to restrict any offence and provide a solid platform for the Cardinals. It will be interesting to see how the Cardinals managed to adapt their line-up and try to
compensate for this heavy loss.
Although injuries are a part of life in MLB, the sad thing is that one team’s injury can become an opportunity for another team to dominate in that particular division. Many times it has been seen that a team loses a few important players to injury only
to have their rivals capitalise on their misfortune and begin to dominate. It will be interesting to see what the teams do to manage their injuries as the regular season is already here.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own and in no way represent Bettor.com's official editorial policy.
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