We took last week off with the rest of the baseball world. It’s unbelievable how many things have changed since then. Almost every player from our previous article has returned or is close to returning, with Kodai Senga, Clayton Kershaw, Tyler Glasnow, Robbie Ray and Royce Lewis all expected back this week. That’s a ridiculous group of players. We’re ecstatic more players are coming off the injured list (IL) than going on it.
With that in mind, let’s dive into this week’s fantasy baseball injury updates and rankings.
- Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Advice
- Fantasy Baseball Trade Advice
- Fantasy Baseball Start/Sit Lineup Advice
- Rest-of-Season Rankings
- Rest-of-Season Projections
2024 Fantasy Baseball Injury Stashes (Week 17)
Here are fantasy baseball injury updates for ailing pitchers.
Pitchers to Stash Right Now
Devin Williams has yet to make his season debut, but that should happen any day. The elite closer has been rehabbing from offseason back surgery and finally started a rehab assignment right before the break. He looks outstanding and should be back with the Brewers sometime next week.
When Max Fried was put on the IL due to a forearm issue, fantasy managers braced for disaster. The good news is that no soft-tissue damage popped up on the MRI, so he should avoid a lengthy absence. This was just diagnosed a few days ago, so we won’t know more until Fried is cleared to begin a throwing program, which won’t start until he’s symptom-free.
Justin Verlander has been out much longer than we would’ve hoped, but that happens when you’re old. The former Cy Young winner is 41 years old and rehabbing from a neck issue. He was able to complete a 40-pitch bullpen on Saturday. Another one could be right around the corner before an inevitable rehab start. We expect Verlander to be back in a few weeks.
Walker Buehler was put on the IL to work on some mechanical issues, with L.A. designating it as a hip injury. He’s fully recovered from that “injury” and threw his first bullpen session with the team on Monday. Dave Roberts said he would need 1-2 rehab starts before returning, but we expect him back in action sometime in August. He will throw his first rehab start this weekend.
Jeffrey Springs has been out all season, rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. He hasn’t pitched since last April and is amid one of the lengthiest rehab assignments in history. He’s making his 11th rehab start but is projected to get through five innings in this next start. If that’s the case, we imagine Springs will be back with the Rays after that, but who knows with how this has been trending?
Ryan Pepiot was a surprise addition to the IL after the break. He suffered a knee infection and was discharged from the hospital a few days ago, but we’re encouraged that it wasn’t an arm issue. This is a tricky injury since it’s rare, but we wouldn’t expect Pepiot to miss much time, especially if he throws a bullpen session in the coming days.
Jared Jones landed on the IL due to a lat issue in the opening week of July and is finally doing some serious rehab. He resumed throwing over the weekend and aims to do mound work this weekend. The end of August seems like the most likely scenario for Jones to return.
Joe Musgrove has missed most of the season due to an elbow issue but is finally getting close to a rehab assignment. He threw a 30-pitch bullpen session a few days ago but only threw fastballs. He needs to get up to 50+ with some breaking balls before embarking on a rehab assignment, but that could start in the opening week of August.
This Yu Darvish situation has been strange. I’ve been scrounging Twitter for legitimate updates, but there’s not much info regarding Darvish’s status. He landed on the IL due to elbow discomfort last month but has been on the restricted list for a few weeks to tend to a family matter. We haven’t heard anything since then, but we have to assume he’s rehabbing his elbow issue during this span. Who knows?
It was bizarre to see Miami stick Jesus Luzardo on the 60-Day IL with a back issue because he was only projected to miss 4-to-6 weeks when it happened. In any case, a team might take a risk on him at the trade deadline, with Luzardo eligible to come off the IL in the middle of August. He’s been strengthening the back issue that sidelined him in the first place, but he has yet to resume throwing.
On the Border Fantasy Baseball Injury Pitcher Stashes
Merrill Kelly, Reese Olson, Eduardo Rodriguez, Clarke Schmidt, Jacob deGrom, Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Hitters to Stash Right Now
Here are fantasy baseball injury updates for hitters on the mend.
This has been the most bizarre injury of the season. Kyle Tucker was only supposed to miss a few days with a shin bruise, but he’s been out for nearly two months. The All-Star has resumed intense on-field baseball activities this week and could be sent out on a rehab assignment as early as this weekend. An early August return seems likely, but this has been the most unpredictable injury all year.
Julio Rodriguez rolled his ankle over the weekend and will miss at least 10 days after landing on the IL. Seattle did declare it a minor injury, but it was designated a high-ankle sprain on Tuesday. We’d have to assume Rodriguez misses at least two weeks with an injury like that.
Mookie Betts (2B, SS, OF – LAD)
Mookie Betts suffered a fractured wrist on June 17 and is finally doing some rehab work. After resting for a month, Betts has done some fielding while being cleared to swing a bat. He’s already approaching six weeks in the initial 6-8 week timetable, so we expect Betts to return in 2-3 weeks.
Fernando Tatis suffered a quad strain on June 21 and had an MRI last week. The MRI showed some serious improvement. He’s expected to increase his baseball activities this week. San Diego was hopeful he’d return right after the break, but this will be at least two more weeks for the superstar.
Giancarlo Stanton suffered a hamstring strain about a month ago and is close to a return. There was some speculation he would be back with the Yankees last weekend, but New York wants to wait until this weekend to decide on his return. They might send him on a short rehab assignment or forgo that and immediately put him back in the lineup. Either way, Stanton should be back by the end of next week.
We haven’t heard much regarding Cody Bellinger’s finger issue, but he’s about two weeks removed from a 2-4-week timetable. The Cubs might be waiting for the trade deadline to pass before making any significant announcements because Bellinger could be on the move. They said he’s been hitting with remote discomfort but has had trouble gripping a baseball. Don’t be surprised to see Bellinger limited to DH duties when he does return.
Josh Jung has been out since the opening two weeks, rehabbing a wrist fracture. After several setbacks, Texas said Jung would face live pitching in the coming days. A rehab assignment would follow. Rangers fans hope he’ll be back next week.
Carlos Correa has been dealing with plantar fasciitis for years, and the issue has crept back up. He is now in a walking boot. Correa stated he hopes to be back in action in two weeks. This is a pain tolerance issue, so Correa might return soon, but such a debilitating injury could limit him.
Triston Casas has been recovering from fractured ribs he suffered in April, and it’s been a slow process to return. The good news is Boston said he made significant progress over the break and could be sent out on a rehab assignment shortly. He’ll likely need a week of games before returning, so we won’t see Casas in uniform until mid-August.
It’s been a nightmarish season for Bo Bichette. Landing on the IL only worsened it. The shortstop is dealing with a severe calf injury and is expected to be out for a few weeks. He’s been a tough player to roster all season, but this might be an excellent opportunity to get his head right.
On the Border Fantasy Baseball Injury Hitter Stashes
Mike Trout, Christian Yelich, Starling Marte, Nolan Jones, TJ Friedl, Max Muncy, Evan Carter, Kerry Carpenter, Matt McLain, Ozzie Albies
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Joel Bartilotta is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Joel, check out his archive and follow him @Bartilottajoel.