It’s my third effort at ranking fantasy baseball injury stashes, and we finally have some good news with Kris Bryant nearing a return to Major League Baseball. Unfortunately, there’s always more bad news, like crossing Anthony Rendon (wrist surgery) off our lists for the remainder of the year and sliding Mookie Betts (cracked rib) into our Injured List (IL) slots for the time being.

What follows are my top-10 players to stash right now in fantasy baseball. After the top 10, I’ll get into the weeds and rank each position as deep as I feel is helpful. We’ll not be ranking 20 injured catchers, for example. Lastly, players who are on the Covid-19 IL are denoted with an asterisk. Obviously, their stays on the IL will mostly be briefer in nature, but I felt they should be included.

Top-10 Players to Stash Right Now

1 Mookie Betts (2B, OF – LAD)
2 Max Scherzer (P – NYM)
3 Kris Bryant (1B, 3B, OF – COL)
4 Jacob deGrom (P – NYM)
5 Brandon Woodruff (P – MIL)
6 Wander Franco (3B, SS – TB)
7 Jeremy Pena (SS – HOU)
8 Tyler O’Neill (OF – STL)
9 Chris Sale (P – BOS)
10 Fernando Tatis Jr. (SS, OF – SD)

The final spot was a toss-up between Fernando Tatis Jr. and Liam Hendriks, but in the end, I sided with the otherworldly hitter despite the lack of good news out of his camp recently.

Catcher

1 Tyler Stephenson (C – CIN)
2 Yasmani Grandal (C – CWS)
3 Danny Jansen (C – TOR)
4 Yadier Molina (C – STL)
5 James McCann (C – NYM)
6 Tom Murphy (C – SEA)
7 Mike Zunino (C – TB) 

Tyler Stephenson is the clear stash within the catcher rankings, Danny though Jansen and Yasmani Grandal will return sooner. Mike Zunino (shoulder) is in jeopardy of missing the remainder of the season, so tread lightly there.

First Base

1 Kris Bryant (1B, 3B, OF – COL)
2 Frank Schwindel (1B, DH – CHC)
3 Miguel Sano (1B, DH – MIN)
4 LaMonte Wade Jr. (1B, OF – SF)
5 Edwin Rios (1B, 3B, DH – LAD)
6 Yoshi Tsutsugo (1B, OF – PIT)

Frank Schwindel recently succumbed to a back injury, and Miguel Sano finally has a positive report. LaMonte Wade Jr. is already rehabbing.

Second Base

1 Mookie Betts (2B, OF – LAD)
2 Jorge Polanco (2B, SS – MIN)
3 Brandon Lowe  (2B, OF – TB)
4 Kolten Wong (2B – MIL)
5 Enrique Hernandez (2B, OF – BOS)
6 Joey Wendle (2B, 3B, SS – MIA)
7 Jean Segura (2B – PHI)
8 Ozzie Albies (2B – ATL)
9 Ramon Urias (2B, 3B, SS – BAL)
10 Nick Madrigal (2B – CHC)

The timeline on Betts is about two weeks, so hopefully, that’s the case for one of the elite players in baseball. Jean Segura and Ozzie Albies have August timelines.

Shortstop

1 Wander Franco (3B, SS – TB)
2 Jeremy Pena (SS – HOU)
3 Fernando Tatis Jr. (SS, OF – SD)
4 Jorge Polanco (2B, SS – MIN)
5 Joey Wendle (2B, 3B, SS – MIA)
6 Ramon Urias (2B, 3B, SS – BAL)

The three-month timeline that was offered on Tatis Jr. during Spring Training was obviously too optimistic. And current reports that he might be playing by mid-July seem farfetched given he’s still not swinging a bat. Just know what you’re holding onto, gamers.

Third Base

1 Kris Bryant (1B, 3B, OF – COL)
2 Wander Franco (3B, SS – TB)
3 Yoan Moncada (3B – CWS)
4 Joey Wendle (2B, 3B, SS – MIA)
5 Ramon Urias (2B, 3B, SS – BAL)
6 Brian Anderson (3B, OF – MIA)
7 Edwin Rios (1B, 3B, DH – LAD)

The biggest news here is Manny Machado (sprained left ankle) potentially avoiding an IL stint, despite having missed the last three days of action.

Outfield

1 Mookie Betts (2B, OF – LAD)
2 Kris Bryant (1B, 3B, OF – COL)
3 Tyler O’Neill (OF – STL)
4 Fernando Tatis Jr. (SS, OF – SD)
5 Eloy Jimenez (DH, OF – CWS)
6 Seiya Suzuki (OF – CHC)
7 Brandon Lowe  (2B, OF – TB)
8 Eddie Rosario (OF – ATL)
9 Mitch Haniger (OF, DH – SEA)
10 Austin Meadows (DH, OF – DET)*
11 Enrique Hernandez (2B, OF – BOS)
12 Edward Olivares (OF – KC)
13 Kyle Lewis (OF – SEA)
14 Tyler Naquin (OF, DH – CIN)
15 Manuel Margot (OF, DH – TB)
16 Kevin Kiermaier (OF – TB)
17 Ben Gamel (OF – PIT)
18 LaMonte Wade Jr. (1B, OF – SF)
19 Wil Myers (OF – SD)
20 Eli White (OF – TEX)
21 Tucupita Marcano (2B, OF – PIT)*
22 Brian Anderson (3B, OF – MIA)
23 Jake Fraley (OF – CIN)
24 Yoshi Tsutsugo (1B, OF – PIT)

Let’s all cross our fingers and hearts and whatever else, and hope George Springer (right elbow discomfort) doesn’t join this list soon. Austin Meadows might be of greater concern than the typical Covid-19 IL stint, given his recent bout with vertigo. Stay tuned on that front. Seiya Suzuki has the tools to be a difference-maker over the second half, so he’s a clear hold for me in most formats. I view this list as dropping off a cliff after Margot.

Pitcher

1 Max Scherzer (P – NYM
2 Jacob deGrom (P – NYM)
3 Brandon Woodruff (P – MIL)
4 Chris Sale (P – BOS)
5 Liam Hendriks (P – CWS)
6 Drew Rasmussen (P – TB)
7 Garrett Whitlock (P – BOS)
8 Aaron Ashby (P – MIL)
9 Edward Cabrera (P – MIA)
10 Nathan Eovaldi (P – BOS)
11 Aroldis Chapman (P – NYY)
12 Bailey Ober (P – MIN)
13 Dany Jimenez (P – OAK)
14 Lance McCullers (P – HOU)
15 Marcus Stroman (P – CHC)
16 Tylor Megill (P – NYM)
17 Freddy Peralta (P – MIL)
18 Mike Soroka (P – ATL)
19 Dustin May (P – LAD)
20 Steven Matz (P – STL)

You could have an entire injury article devoted to the Mets, couldn’t you? Carlos Carrasco (back) isn’t even on this list, and let us hope he avoids it in the coming days. Players like Max Scherzer, Chris Sale, and Jacob deGrom will catch all the headlines from this grouping. But there are quality young arms to stash in Garrett Whitlock, Aaron Ashby, Edward Cabrera, etc. Playing the long game with Mike Soroka or Dustin May could also pay dividends, with both wed to contenders.

What say you all? Who did I miss in the rankings this week? Is there anyone else worth stashing?

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