The Injury Bug Takes a Major Bite

Two contending teams lost key players this week for extended periods of time. The Mets David Wright, whose stiff neck turned out to the sign of a herniated disc, is likely gone for the season after surgery. And the Tigers lost right fielder JD Martinez, who suffered a fractured elbow when he ran into a wall at Kauffman Stadium.
While Wright had struggled even when considered healthy -- his play was clearly hampered by the spinal stenosis, that was diagnosed a year ago -- Martinez, is one of the Tigers rising stars. He was hitting nearly .290 with a dozen home runs and had been red hot in June. Losing his big bat as they battle the White Sox, Royals and Indians in the AL Central makes that challenge even more difficult.

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