That Guardian suffered a 10-2 loss to the Yankees, also losing the outfielder StevenKwan to a right hamstring strain in the third inning. Kwan started the game in left field and made his first two plate appearances before being replaced in the bottom third of the field. This was announced by Guardians manager Terry Francona MLB.com’s Joe Trezza and other reporters that it was a “preventive” removal for Kwan and that the outfielder is out every day.
Kwan made his MLB debut on opening day and was one of the first stories of the season, notching a whopping .341/.456/.500 in his first 57 plate appearances. Quite a bit of that production came in Kwan’s first five games, but there’s still a lot of hope the rookie can stay as Cleveland’s everyday left fielder. However, depending on the status of his hamstring, Kwan could soon be making his first trip to the big league IL. Kwan missed nearly seven weeks of the 2021 Triple-A season while dealing with a strain on the same right Achilles tendon.
More injury updates from AL headquarters…
- Kyle Funkhouser has yet to serve this season due to a right shoulder strain, and that tiger switched it from the 10-day IL to the 60-day IL yesterday. “We’re trying to fix the symptoms before we can be more aggressive,” Hinch said. “The schedule made it virtually impossible for him to be back before 60 days,” Manager said AJ Hinch told reporters (including The Detroit News’ Chris McCosky). Hinch also noted that Funkhouser is speaking with doctors about whether or not surgery might be needed, so the emergency responder could face an absence much longer than just the 60-day minimum.
- In other tiger News, said Hinch Casey Mize will resume his throwing routine today at the team’s spring training facility in Lakeland. Mize entered the 10-day IL on April 15 with an MCL sprain, although early indications were that the former first overall winner would not be out for too long and that he avoided a more serious injury. Matt Manning is also en route to Lakeland but won’t start throwing just yet as his right shoulder still felt some discomfort when Manning threw from level ground yesterday. Despite that update, Hinch said Manning “didn’t suffer a setback. It’s not something we’re overly concerned about. It’s just a slower ramp to play tag with before we get him back up the hill.
- Twins outfielder Alex Kirilloff is scheduled to begin a triple-A rehab assignment on Tuesday, according to several reporters (including Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press). A right wrist infection put Kirilloff on the injury list on April 13, so between the injury layoff and a dismal 1:17 start to the season, Kirilloff will be looking for a fresh start once he returns to Minnesota’s lineup. Most importantly, Kirilloff and the twins are hoping this is the end of his wrist problems as the former top contender also underwent ligament surgery last year.