Fantasy Baseball Injury Rankings: Top 50 IL stashes with Konnor Griffin, Roman Anthony gearing up to return

Nobody is allowed to get injured anymore.

We're inside of six weeks to go, after all, which means anyone who goes down now probably isn't coming back. That's not strictly true, of course. Minimal IL stints do exist, but they're not so easily anticipated. Consider it a bonus if you get anything more from a player who you're currently stashing in an IL spot.

Still, if you have the spots, you might as well use them, right? Even if it seems like a lost cause, the tide can turn quickly. Oneil Cruz and Maikel Garcia were both activated Monday after only a week or so of forewarning. Carlos Rodon is set to be activated Tuesday after making only two rehab starts. Konnor Griffin and Roman Anthony just went from months of no progress to being on the verge of a rehab assignment in the blink of an eye. Not all is lost until the clock runs out.

That's why, for this last edition of the IL stash rankings, you may notice that certain players presumed to be done for 2026 still occupy a place of significance. Presumption isn't the final say, after all, and if Nick Kurtz, Shea Langeliers or Spencer Schwellenbach do make it back for the final week or two, it'll have a greater say in your league's final outcome than if you had stashed, say, Davis Martin.

Think of it as just another form of lottery ticket as the season begins to wind down. Maybe don't hold your breath, but do cross your fingers.

Too valuable to drop, period

1	James Wood Washington Nationals RF
strained oblique - Nationals seem to be taking their time with him, having him do only light baseball activities; upside makes him worth the wait, though
2	Juan Soto New York Mets LF
strained calf - recently began doing wind sprints and remains committed to returning this season
3	Cody Bellinger New York Yankees LF
strained hamstring - set to begin rehab assignment later this week and could be activated for the start of next week
4	Tyler Glasnow Los Angeles Dodgers SP
back spasms - threw 3 2/3 hitless innings in his latest rehab start, striking out eight; expected to need just one more
5	Joe Ryan Minnesota Twins SP
glute strain - already back to throwing off flat ground, which offers hope that he'll be able to return when first eligible
6	Aaron Judge New York Yankees RF
stress fracture in rib - has resumed throwing but not hitting; mid-September seems like the best-case scenario
7	Max Fried New York Yankees SP
bone bruise in elbow - same injury that sidelined him for more than two months earlier this year, but unclear right now if it's of the same severity
8	Riley Greene Detroit Tigers LF
strained hamstring - sounds like the IL stint was largely a matter of the Tigers not wanting to play short-handed, so he could be back soon
9	Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Toronto Blue Jays 1B
concussion - timetables can vary, but nothing so far suggests he'll miss extended time; how eager Fantasy Baseballers are to have him back is a separate matter
10	Konnor Griffin Pittsburgh Pirates SS
torn tendon in finger - having splint removed, which will clear him for baseball activities; Pirates hopeful he can return when first eligible Sept. 4
11	Tyler Soderstrom Athletics LF
hip impingement- still waiting to hear from specialist about whether or not he can return this year

Also really difficult to drop

12	Griffin Jax Tampa Bay Rays SP
elbow discomfort - set to resume throwing after receiving an injection; "in a really good spot," according to manager Kevin Cash
13	Nathan Eovaldi Texas Rangers SP
elbow inflammation - not UCL-related and Rangers are hopeful he'll miss the minimum amount of time
14	Joe Musgrove San Diego Padres SP
Tommy John surgery - up to 70 pitches in latest rehab start and throwing with more velocity than when we last saw him; next start could be in majors
15	Samuel Basallo Baltimore Orioles C
shoulder inflammation - on rehab assignment with a chance of returning later this week; now the undisputed starter behind the plate with Adley Rutschman gone
16	Daniel Palencia Chicago Cubs RP
flexor strain - recently moved to 60-day IL, putting him out until Aug. 28, but he's well into a rehab assignment and may return then
17	Kyle Stowers Miami Marlins 1B
strained hamstring - already back to running just a week after suffering injury, so may be back within another week; was surging before the injury
18	Roman Anthony Boston Red Sox OF
sprained wrist and finger - finally beginning rehab assignment Tuesday after being out since early May, might need a couple weeks
19	Will Smith Los Angeles Dodgers C
neck inflammation - has made progress in his recovery and is trending toward rehab assignment next week
20	Nick Kurtz Athletics 1B
strained thumb - will remain in brace until mid-September, after which point he'll need a rehab assignment; the down-and-out Athletics may just decide to shut him down
21	Garrett Crochet Boston Red Sox RP
strained lat - is throwing from short distances but still has a lengthy rehabilitation period ahead; maybe he gets 2-3 starts at the end of the year

Still a priority on some level

1	Devin Williams New York Mets RP
shoulder strain - originally classified as fatigue, but an MRI revealed the strain; severity is mild, but Mets have no urgency to bring him back
2	Cooper Pratt Milwaukee Brewers SS
strained hamstring - set for rehab assignment Tuesday, putting him well ahead of the initial timeline
3	Trevor Story Boston Red Sox SS
sports hernia - recently embarked on rehab assignment with sights set on a weekend return
4	Nick Pivetta San Diego Padres RP
flexor strain - was unable to complete a rehab start Aug. 4 because of tightness in the affected elbow but is back to throwing off a mound already
5	Corbin Burnes Arizona Diamondbacks SP
strained shoulder - still just throwing bullpen sessions, but Diamondbacks are saying he could be back soon after Sept. 1
6	Justin Wrobleski Los Angeles Dodgers SP
forearm inflammation - escalating workload makes now a good time to address the arm fatigue he's feeling; could return as a reliever
7	Ryan Helsley Baltimore Orioles RP
elbow inflammation - has begun throwing program but isn't throwing off a mound yet; still weeks away from returning
8	Max Meyer Miami Marlins SP
neck strain/sore rib - just received a cortisone shot in his rib, which is the more recent of the two injuries; Marlins still believe he'll have time to build back up
9	Ryan O'Hearn Pittsburgh Pirates 1B
strained quadriceps - has begun hitting and throwing a mere three weeks after suffering his injury, making him a solid bet to beat the initial 6-to-8-week timetable
10	Spencer Steer Cincinnati Reds 1B
sprained wrist - set to have spring removed and begin mobility exercises; could begin rehab assignment before the end of August

Stashing is purely a luxury

1	Shea Langeliers Athletics C
torn meniscus - only needed meniscus trimmed rather than removed, which makes for a shorter timetable, but odds are still long that he returns this year
2	Dansby Swanson Chicago Cubs SS
strained oblique - Grade 2 injury comes with a 4-to-6-week timetable, which means he'll at most be available for the last two weeks
3	Giancarlo Stanton New York Yankees DH
strained calf - has been hitting, fielding and recently started baserunning; has a chance of returning before the end of August
4	Connelly Early Washington Nationals SP
elbow inflammation - felt forearm tightness in recent bullpen session, putting throwing program on pause; MRI wasn't needed, so could resume soon
5	Spencer Schwellenbach Atlanta Braves P
fractured elbow - still feeling some discomfort, and time is rapidly running out for him to contribute (though it's not yet a done deal)
6	Spencer Strider Atlanta Braves SP
elbow inflammation - has resumed throwing program but has had locker cleared out, which doesn't bode well for his return
7	Trey Yesavage Toronto Blue Jays SP
torn meniscus - not officially ruled out for season but had surgery Aug. 11; Blue Jays say they're taking it week to week
8	Josh Jung Texas Rangers 3B
strained calf - recently began running and should ramp up to fielding in the coming days
9	Kyle Karros Colorado Rockies 3B
concussion - has been running, hitting and fielding and is nearing a return
10	Kyle Teel Chicago White Sox C
high ankle sprain - trending toward early September return after taking batting practice Monday
11	Jack Leiter Texas Rangers SP
ankle surgery - candidate to be activated this week if Jacob deGrom (triceps) can't go, but may not be ready after only one rehab start
12	Jack Flaherty Detroit Tigers SP
flexor strain - has resumed throwing, just not off a mound yet, which puts him at least a couple weeks away
13	Ben Brown Chicago Cubs RP
stress reaction in neck - returned to Chicago for a bullpen session Friday after throwing several in Arizona; best hope may be to return as a bullpen option for the playoffs
14	Davis Martin Chicago White Sox SP
blister on finger - presumably a short-term absence, but he was having a miserable time before the injury with an 8.16 ERA in his past eight starts
15	Joshua Kuroda-Grauer Athletics 2B
ruptured testicle - has resumed light activities but still likely at least a couple weeks away
16	Endy Rodriguez Pittsburgh Pirates C
hip inflammation - seeking a second opinion for an injury that keeps recurring could reveal the need for a longer-term absence
17	Reynaldo Lopez Atlanta Braves RP
knee inflammation - back to throwing off the mound; unclear what role he'll have when he returns, though manager Walt Weiss is open to him starting
18	Spencer Arrighetti Toronto Blue Jays SP
nerve issue in foot - will attempt to pitch through condition; first rehab start was shaky, with the fastball down 2 mph
19	Edward Cabrera Chicago Cubs SP
blister on finger - got throttled in first start back from a two-month absence for a hamstring strain, and now will need at least a couple more weeks