Major League Baseball’s injury list is a revolving door with a wealth of names coming in and out on a weekly basis. It’s something that needs to be monitored throughout the fantasy baseball season, especially in shallow leagues where there are fewer IL or bench spots available.
This article is meant to prioritize the top players worth stashing in order. Some players are obviously stash candidates and will always remain on a fantasy roster barring a season-ending injury, but others force more decision-making.
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Fantasy Baseball Injury Stash Rankings
Let’s dive in and take a look at the top 10 players worth stashing across all positions. Then, we’ll get into prioritized lists for both pitchers and hitters at this point in the season.
Top 10 Players to Stash Right Now
Aaron Judge (OF – NYY)
Corey Seager (SS – TEX)
Jose Altuve (2B – HOU)
Brandon Woodruff (SP – MIL)
Tyler Glasnow (SP – TB)
Jacob deGrom (SP – TEX)
Triston McKenzie (SP – CLE)
Oneil Cruz (SS – PIT)
Giancarlo Stanton (OF – NYY)
Luis Garcia (SP – HOU)
The two most notable additions to the IL over the past week are Aaron Judge and Jacob deGrom. Both superstars easily slide into the top 10 stash-worthy fantasy baseball players.
Of course, Judge is the clear-cut No. 1 on the list. While deGrom is not going to get dropped by anyone, he does slide down the list to the No. 6 spot for good reason: he’s always on the IL. The same can be said for No. 5-ranked Tyler Glasnow, so these two are essentially interchangeable as high-strikeout arms who find themselves injured on a regular basis.
Oneil Cruz and Luis Garcia also crack the top 10. Cruz’s fractured ankle is going to keep him out until after the All-Star break, so fantasy managers will need to be patient. However, he is a serious power and speed threat, as well as a dynasty darling at age 24.
As for Garcia, his injury isn’t quite as clear-cut; Astros manager Dusty Baker said Garcia’s MRI results on his ailing elbow are still being evaluated. However, Garcia is a rock-solid fantasy asset who racks up a solid amount of strikeouts. He also wins plenty of games for fantasy managers, with 26 wins over the last two seasons.
Top 8 Pitchers to Stash Right Now
Brandon Woodruff (SP – MIL)
Tyler Glasnow (SP – TB)
Jacob deGrom (SP – TEX)
Triston McKenzie (SP – CLE)
Luis Garcia (SP – HOU)
Luis Severino (SP – NYY)
Carlos Rodon (SP – NYY)
Alex Wood (SP – SF)
Unfortunately, many of the injuries on this list aren’t very clear. I mentioned Garcia’s uncertainty, and Carlos Rodon is another name up in the air. Yankees manager Aaron Boone said he is scheduled to undergo further tests on his ailing back on Thursday. Rodon’s back has prevented him from performing his mechanics and it doesn’t sound like his return is imminent. Still, he’s very much worthy of an IL spot.
Two names that could be back sooner than later are Luis Severino and Alex Wood. Severino will embark on a minor-league rehab assignment beginning Thursday at Single-A. Wood also has some clarity on his injury and should be on a rehab assignment himself in short order. He’s worth keeping on your IL right now given the fact he’ll vacate that spot sooner than later.
Top 8 Hitters to Stash Right Now
Aaron Judge (OF – NYY)
Corey Seager (SS – TEX)
Jose Altuve (2B – HOU)
Oneil Cruz (SS – PIT)
Giancarlo Stanton (OF – NYY)
Yoan Moncada (3B – CWS)
Mike Yastrzemski (OF – SF)
Jared Walsh (1B – LAA)
Jose Altuve recently got some good news as he is cleared for baseball activities. Most of that activity will come on the defensive side of the ball since he’s been cleared to field ground balls. He’ll be able to test his grip on a bat, but he has seemingly yet to be cleared for taking swings while he works his way back from a broken thumb suffered at the World Baseball Classic. He won’t be back before the end of the month, however.
Yoan Moncada constantly has fantasy believers pulling their hair out. However, after a down 2022 season, he is hitting .308 with two homers and an .889 OPS in 40 plate appearances. He too is approaching a minor-league rehab assignment and with Jake Burger seemingly suffering an oblique injury Wednesday, he should waltz right back into an everyday role at third base upon his return.
As for Walsh, he’s yet another player on the brink of a return. He’s yet to play this season due to headaches, but is L.A.-bound sooner than later. He regressed badly last season, but he is a high-upside flier considering the stellar work he put in between the 2020-21 seasons.
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