SPECULATOR: Early 2018 hidden injuries
May 2 2018
July 6, 2017. Xander Bogaerts was hitting .308 with 6 HR on the year when a Jacob Faria HBP changed the course of his season.
Bogaerts suffered a bruised hand, and while he missed just one game, he'd go on to hit .192 with 2 HR over the next two months. Bogaerts later admitted that he played with pain that didn't subside until September, but the damage had been done. Instead of a clean DL stint, Bogaerts' scant production was a major drag on his owner's active rosters throughout the slump.
Bogaerts' case isn't uncommon, as we're often forced to make roster decisions with incomplete information. Sometimes the player keeps a nagging injury from the club so he can stay on the field; other times, the team shields it or fails to disclose...
Almost!
You’re just a few clicks away from accessing this feature and hundreds more throughout the year that have a singular goal in mind: Winning your league. Subscribe to BaseballHQ.com here!
Already a subscriber? Sign in here
More From Speculator
Our annual look at who changed their pitch mix the most in-season last year, and (most importantly) whether it worked.
Feb 11 2026 3:06am
Feb 11 2026 3:06am
Could Jakob Marsee lead the majors in plate appearances? We'll take our component playing time metrics for a spin to see who could bubble up.
Feb 4 2026 8:30am
Feb 4 2026 8:30am
To the mound this week. We list out all "UP"side pitchers from the Baseball Forecaster with comments on outlooks that may have changed.
Jan 28 2026 3:09am
Jan 28 2026 3:09am
Reviewing the entire list of "UP:" batters with thoughts on those whose outlooks may have changed.
Jan 21 2026 3:02am
Jan 21 2026 3:02am
A look back at some early/mid-season Speculator calls to see how things shook out.
Sep 17 2025 3:08am
Sep 17 2025 3:08am
