Fantasy Baseball Injury Rankings: Top 50 IL stashes with Yordan Alvarez hurt and Ryan Weathers nearing return

New players seem to be going on the IL faster than the holdovers can come off

By Scott White

May 7, 2025 at 12:32 am ET • 5 min read

Last time I put together this list, I was able to stop at 40.

But to play baseball now is to be injured at some point. Teams are less inclined than ever to let players play through it, certainly since the 10-day option became available for hitters a few years ago. So the standard response to injuries now is to deactivate first and ask questions later. The Astros don't even really know what's going on with Yordan Alvarez's hand yet -- he's scheduled for imaging in the next couple days -- but they figured that giving him 10 days off couldn't hurt. The Angels made a similar choice with Mike Trout and his knee. Same for the Dodgers and Tommy Edman's ankle.

None of those injuries seems like a long-term concern, but since those players are now on the IL, they only add to the IL clutter. With more going on than are coming off, the list will just keep expanding. It's up to 50 names now.

Granted, not all are worth stashing in all leagues, but I want to go a little deeper than is necessary just in case you have some free IL spots to fill. (Lucky you!)

As always, the order is less about how soon the player is returning that how impactful he'll be when he does, but it's not exclusively one or the other. I'm weighing both factors when gauging how stashable a player is.

Too valuable to drop, period

1	Yordan Alvarez Houston Astros DH
hand inflammation - going for imaging, similar injury required minimal IL stint in 2022
2	Ronald Acuna Atlanta Braves RF
torn ACL - cleared to begin rehab assignment, but Braves haven't set a date yet
3	Logan Gilbert Seattle Mariners SP
flexor strain - nearing end of two-week shutdown, hoping to return before end of the month
4	George Kirby Seattle Mariners SP
shoulder inflammation - looked good in first rehab start Sunday, has 2-3 more to go
5	Spencer Strider Atlanta Braves SP
strained hamstring - playing long toss but hasn't resumed throwing off a mound yet
6	Teoscar Hernandez Los Angeles Dodgers RF
strained adductor - Grade 1 strain, so not expected to be a long-term absence
7	Shota Imanaga Chicago Cubs SP
strained hamstring - injury considered minor but expected to hold him out for more than two weeks
8	Tyler Glasnow Los Angeles Dodgers SP
shoulder inflammation - shut down for another week before (hopefully) resuming throwing
9	Mike Trout Los Angeles Angels RF
knee contusion - no structural damage, so expected to be a short stay on IL
10	Tommy Edman Los Angeles Dodgers 2B
ankle inflammation - was expected to avoid IL at first, could return as early as next week
11	Jordan Westburg Baltimore Orioles 3B
strained hamstring - closing in on rehab assignment, could be activated next week
12	Blake Snell Los Angeles Dodgers SP
shoulder inflammation - nearing return to throwing program after cortisone shot, still weeks away
13	Jazz Chisholm New York Yankees 2B
strained oblique - high-grade strain given 4-to-6-week timetable, but I suspect it'll be longer

Also really difficult to drop

14	Eury Perez Miami Marlins SP
Tommy John surgery - two rehab starts down, six to go, putting him on track for early June
15	Shane McClanahan Tampa Bay Rays SP
nerve irritation - has been doing "throwing-like activities," presumably at least 4-6 weeks away
16	Justin Martinez Arizona Diamondbacks RP
shoulder inflammation - MRI confirmed no structural damage, will resume throwing later this week
17	Ivan Herrera St. Louis Cardinals C
bone bruise in knee - performing well on rehab assignment, could return as soon as this weekend
18	Austin Hays Cincinnati Reds LF
strained hamstring - likely a minimal stay, already reports of him returning Friday
19	Joshua Lowe Tampa Bay Rays RF
strained oblique/back spasms - has resumed rehab assignment after back spasm delay, will go to Triple-A
20	Ezequiel Tovar Colorado Rockies SS
hip contusion - still some discomfort when running, at least report; timetable unclear
21	Tyler O'Neill Baltimore Orioles RF
neck soreness - beginning rehab assignment Tuesday, should be back this weekend
22	Zach Eflin Baltimore Orioles SP
strained lat - went four scoreless in low-level rehab start Sunday, unclear whether he'll make another
23	Sean Manaea New York Mets SP
strained oblique - early April setback expected to delay return until mid-June, at least
24	Colton Cowser Baltimore Orioles RF
fractured thumb - should be recovered by the time he can return from 60-day IL, which is late May
25	Yu Darvish San Diego Padres SP
elbow inflammation - throwing bullpen sessions, aiming to return before end of May
26	Ryan Weathers Miami Marlins SP
sprained finger - showing improved velocity on rehab assignment, needs 1-2 more starts there

Still a priority on some level

27	Brandon Woodruff Milwaukee Brewers SP
torn shoulder capsule - results have been fine on rehab assignment, but velocity lagging
28	Spencer Arrighetti Houston Astros SP
fractured thumb - cast removed; working to strengthen legs before resuming throwing
29	Grayson Rodriguez Baltimore Orioles SP
strained lat/elbow inflammation - still weeks from throwing, hoping for July return
30	Jared Jones Pittsburgh Pirates SP
sprained elbow - began throwing program at end of April, could begin bullpen work by end of May
31	Shane Bieber Cleveland Guardians SP
Tommy John surgery - throwing batting practice, but still a lot of hurdles to clear
32	Jake Cronenworth San Diego Padres 2B
fractured rib - aiming to return this weekend, but may have short rehab assignment first
33	Tyler Fitzgerald San Francisco Giants 2B
fractured rib - doing light activities already, hoping to return as early as mid-May
34	Ha-seong Kim Tampa Bay Rays 2B
torn labrum - has been hitting, throwing and fielding, but no word on rehab assignment yet
35	Thairo Estrada Colorado Rockies 2B
fractured wrist - swinging a bat with both hands, nearing start of a rehab assignment
36	Parker Meadows Detroit Tigers CF
nerve irritation - back to hitting, fielding and throwing, but ineligible to return until May 26
37	Victor Robles Seattle Mariners RF
fractured shoulder - looking at about two more weeks of recovery before six weeks of rehab

Stashing is purely a luxury

38	Walker Buehler Boston Red Sox SP
shoulder inflammation - minimal stint expected for a pitcher with much to sort out still
39	Max Scherzer Toronto Blue Jays SP
thumb inflammation - has been throwing bullpen sessions but can't return before May 29
40	Clayton Kershaw Los Angeles Dodgers SP
toe surgery - modest numbers across three rehab starts, eligible to return in mid-May
41	Luis Gil New York Yankees SP
strained lat - began throwing program at end of April, could return at some point in June
42	Reynaldo Lopez Atlanta Braves SP
shoulder surgery - surgery considered minor but will need time to heal; aiming for second half
43	A.J. Puk Arizona Diamondbacks RP
flexor strain - move to 60-day IL will keep him out until July, but actual timetable unclear
44	Christian Encarnacion-Strand Cincinnati Reds 1B
back inflammation - feeling better after second epidural, but no baseball activities
45	Matt Wallner Minnesota Twins RF
strained hamstring - considered a moderate strain, which could mean he misses all of May
46	Giancarlo Stanton New York Yankees DH
torn elbow tendons - has resumed batting practice, but no talk of rehab assignment yet
47	Mike Soroka Washington Nationals SP
strained biceps - struck out 11 in latest rehab start, renewing interest as return nears
48	Cody Bradford Texas Rangers SP
sprained elbow - slowly building up to throwing off a mound, still at least a month from returning
49	Richard Fitts Boston Red Sox SP
strained pectoral - scheduled for first bullpen session Monday, still a few weeks away
50	Lane Thomas Cleveland Guardians CF
bone bruise in wrist - has resumed swinging, but was playing inconsistently before IL stint
51	Luke Raley Seattle Mariners RF
strained oblique - about a week into six-week timetable for a Grade 1 to 1-plus strain
52	Jonny DeLuca Tampa Bay Rays CF
strained shoulder - felt soreness when he tried to swing and throw a week ago, will test again soon