Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Mike Fiers (elbow) has "hit a snag" during his rehab stint, according to Athletics trainer Nick Paparesta. What exactly this "snag" entails has not been released, but any setback makes it seem very unlikely that we'll see Fiers back in the majors before the end of the regular season. The veteran has been out since early May due to a sprained right elbow. He threw 34 pitches in what was said to be a successful rehab outing at Triple-A this past Saturday, but something clearly came up in the days following the outing.
Oakland Athletics right-hander Mike Fiers (elbow) is "still having some problems" and is not comfortable throwing, according to manager Bob Melvin. Fiers doesn't have any structural damage in his right elbow, but he did receive a platelet-rich plasma injection for his sprained elbow. With the second half of the season about to begin later this week, it's realistic to wonder if the 36-year-old will make it back in 2021. Fiers wasn't good in two starts before suffering his injury, either, allowing eight earned runs on 15 hits (four home runs) while striking out five and walking four over 9 1/3 innings. The veteran starter also has a mediocre 20.5 percent career strikeout rate in 11 big league seasons, so there's absolutely no reason to be holding onto him in redraft leagues.
Oakland Athletics right-hander Mike Fiers (elbow) likely won't throw for at least another four weeks after receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection in his sprained right elbow. Fiers, who last pitched on May 6, won't need surgery after he felt pain while trying to resume throwing last week, according to manager Bob Melvin. The veteran visited with Dr. James Andrews on Wednesday and has made only two starts this year. Fiers missed the first 22 games of 2021 due to a lumbar strain and then went on the injured list on May 8 with his elbow injury. The A's still think there's a possibility that the 36-year-old will pitch again this year, but fantasy managers may not want to be as optimistic. He allowed eight earned runs (four home runs) in 9 1/3 innings in his two starts before his elbow injury.
Oakland Athletics pitcher Mike Fiers (elbow) is headed to see Dr. James Andrews on Wednesday after starting to throw 10 days ago and feeling discomfort again, according to the San Jose Mercury News. It's an ominous sign and could mean eventual Tommy John surgery for the journeyman starting pitcher, who was 0-2 with a 7.71 earned run average before being sent to the 60-day injured list in May with a sprained right elbow. He's droppable, even in deep and AL-only leagues, as it doesn't look like he'll be back anytime soon. If he has Tommy John surgery, Fiers will be out for the rest of this season and at least half of 2022.
Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Mike Fiers (elbow) was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right elbow sprain on Saturday, the team announced on Twitter. In a corresponding move, the team reinstated relief pitcher Burch Smith from the injured list. Fiers had just made his season debut last week after starting the year on the injured list due to hip and back issues, and he managed to make only two starts before landing back on the IL. In 9 1/3 innings of work this year, Fiers has allowed eight runs on 15 hits and four walks while striking out five. Between the injuries and ineffectiveness on the mound, it's unlikely that Fiers will be fantasy relevant any time soon.
Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Mike Fiers (hip/back) will make his first appearance of 2021 on Friday where he will make the start against Orioles, according to The Athletic's Alex Coffey. Fiers missed all of Spring Training due to issues with his back and hip, and now he'll make his first appearance since Game 3 of the American League Wild Card series last year. 2020 ended up being one of the worst seasons of his career, as Fiers finished 6-3 with a 4.58 ERA and a career-low 14.4 percent strikeout rate in 59 innings of work. Managers who are willing to take a risk could look at Fiers as a streaming option in deeper formats or AL-only leagues, as he'll face a Baltimore team that owns the sixth-highest strikeout rate in the majors at 26.6 percent while hitting .224 with a .647 OPS.
Mike Fiers Expected To Open Season On Injured List
Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Mike Fiers (hip/back) threw a bullpen session Friday, but is still expected to begin the season on the injured list according to Shayna Rubin. Fiers has been a decent arm for Oakland in the past few seasons, but a sub-20 percent strikeout rate severely limits his fantasy appeal. The 35-year-old righty pitched to an unsightly 4.58 ERA last season with a 5.73 xFIP that suggested he was lucky to keep his ERA as low as it was. Between his injury concerns and lackluster numbers, Fiers' appeal in fantasy is limited to deep AL-Only leagues, or as a good matchup to target with hitters.
Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Mike Fiers will undergo an MRI on his hip/back on Sunday after experiencing a setback. A's manager Bob Melvin previously told reporters that Fiers was behind the other starters in his throwing program due to a back issue and apparently it's gotten worse. There is a good chance he's not ready for Opening Day at this point due to the fact he was already lagging. The 35-year-old right-hander put up a stellar 6-3 record last season but his ratios were nothing special. He logged a 4.58 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, and 37:16 K/BB ratio over 59 innings. We'll find out more about his status following the MRI on Sunday but he should be avoided in all fantasy formats until there is more clarity on his health.
Oakland Athletics pitcher Mike Fiers is being shut down and will get an MRI on Sunday. The team originally described it as a back ailment, though they now believe it to be an issue with his hip. At any rate, the veteran starter will continue to be on the sidelines- he has yet to see game action- putting his Opening Day status in serious question. Fiers struggled in 2020, pitching to a 4.58 ERA in 59 innings while striking out just 5.6 batters per nine innings, a career-low. If he is forced to miss time, Oakland could go with a bullpen opener in place of him starting games.
Oakland Athletics right-handed pitcher Mike Fiers (back) has not yet appeared in a Cactus League game, which manager Bob Melvin confirmed Wednesday has been due to a lingering back ailment. Fiers has been pitching in sim games, but Melvin did state that Fiers would be behind the rest of the team's projected starting staff as it pertained to preparedness. With Frankie Montas, Sean Manaea, Chris Bassitt, and Jesus Luzardo making up the rest of the rotation, Oakland could get away with not needing Fiers out of the gate to begin the regular season. Teetering on not being drafted in most season-long formats, Fiers' back injury and career-low strikeout total (5.6 K/9) in 2020 are likely to make fantasy managers hesitant to add the veteran to the mix.