MLB Injury Updates on Jordan Westburg and Edwin Uceta | Fantasy Baseball Impact

The MLB injuries continue to pile up. Today, I wanted to discuss a pair of injuries.

We first will go over a concern for Baltimore's Jordan Westburg, then an ailment for Tampa Bay's Edwin Uceta.

For the latest player updates, be sure to head to FantasySP to utilize the real-time player news engine for all sports. The player news engine is the most robust and fastest player news system in fantasy sports. Signing up for a FantasySP membership can help you track all your fantasy players.

Westburg's Injury

Westburg had a right oblique injury already, and now he has a partial UCL tear in his right elbow. He will miss at least April. Westburg is scheduled to get a platelet-rich plasma injection.

The 27-year-old has struggled with injuries over his three-year career - he's topped out at 107 games in a single season. He has a career .264 average and .312 on-base percentage, and had a .265 average and .313 OBP over 85 games last season.

Westburg is a good all-around hitter, with some power to go along with his solid average and OBP. When healthy, he can be a good player in real life and in fantasy baseball leagues.

He's split time between second and third base mostly while in the big leagues. Westburg was expected to play third base this season, and could have been an option at second base too with Jackson Holliday also nursing an injury.

Westburg is the 159th player on the ADP list right now, going at pick 146.5 on average. That should drop a bit after this injury news, but he will still be worth owning in deeper leagues, and some standard ones.

Fantasy Outlook for Westburg and the Orioles

Westburg's injury is a blow to the Orioles for sure. If he and Holliday miss time early on, Baltimore could struggle, especially at third and second base.

Coby Mayo is the projected starting third baseman in Westburg's place, at least to start the season. Blaze Alexander is the projected second baseman, should Holliday miss any time early in the regular season.

Jeremiah Jackson is another infield option, and some other depth options might take on a bit more early on if Holliday and Westburg are both out. 

The injuries to Holliday and Westburg don't turn Alexander and Mayo into big fantasy assets, but they could be worth some deep-league ownership early on, and if they excel, they could be standard league streamers (although I doubt that).

Hopefully Westburg and Holliday can return fairly soon and aren't plagued by injuries all season. Both of those players have their fantasy outlooks negatively impacted by the injuries, and we can only hope that they stay healthy after they return to the field.

We will keep tabs on the injuries to both players and update you if need be. For now, Westburg and Holliday are just deep-league fantasy assets, but they could return to being better fantasy assets when they are healthy, so don't write them off.

Uceta's Injury

Uceta has soreness in his right shoulder (his throwing arm). He won't pitch in the World Baseball Classic as a result, and there's concern that it could be a bigger injury.

He's meeting with a doctor to figure out exactly what's going on. Shoulder/arm injuries are never great when talking about pitchers, and we can only hope that it's not a long-term injury.

Uceta is coming off a pretty good 2025 season. He made 70 appearances, covering 76 innings. He posted a 10-3 record, had a 3.79 earned run average and earned one save. Uceta struck out 103 batters, offsetting a bit higher ERA and a lack of saves.

Fantasy Outlook for Uceta and the Rays

Uceta is one of the options at closer for the Rays. Griffin Jax and Garrett Cleavinger are additional options.

Even if Uceta doesn't miss any regular season time, him being delayed at the start of the team's season could put him behind the eight ball when it comes to earning that closer role.

Of course, relievers earning save chances have a better fantasy outlook. If the job is split, they will top out as deep-league assets - they would also only be deep-league assets if they were in a setup role and not earning saves.

We will keep tabs on the Uceta injury and see what comes of it. Taking him out of the running for the closer role would be a boost for Jax and Cleavinger's fantasy stocks, but again, only a true go-to closer would have good fantasy value.

Uceta is going around pick 179 on average in fantasy drafts, and that's likely to drop after the injury news. If he is OK and will be available to start the season, that mark could go up.

Jax is at pick 153 on average, and his ADP could rise significantly if Uceta misses time, or the entire season. Cleavinger isn't on the ADP list right now.

This situation doesn't carry the fantasy implications that the Westburg injury does, but it's still noteworthy, especially in deeper leagues, and those needing fantasy relievers/closers.