DR HQ: Injury roundup, Grapefruit League

Phil Hughes (RHP, NYY)
It didn’t sound like that big of a deal when it was reported early in spring training that he had a sore back. As it turns out, Hughes had a herniated disc and is expected to be back in action in a couple of weeks. But there may be more to the story.

The herniated disc is located in his upper back; the thoracic region of the spine between the cervical (the neck region) and lumbar (lower back). It’s a rare injury to be sure. As March begins, Hughes is not close to being ready to take his place in the rotation. It is not inconceivable that Hughes would not pitch in a spring game until the very end of the month. That would push his MLB return to late April or early May. At this point, consider decreasing his...

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