Top Five Injured Players to Stash in Fantasy Baseball - Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 1

As a fantasy baseball manager, you've likely spent the last few weeks (maybe even months) researching and charting a course for championship glory in 2024. With drafts now completed, the journey to a winning season has officially begun. However, the path to fantasy success can be long and grueling. As the 162-game season unfolds, you'll have to navigate through a plethora of highs and lows, making strategic decisions and tactical maneuvers along the way. To finish on top, staying diligent is key.

One of the most important tools you'll have along the way is the waiver wire. If you're new to fantasy sports, the waiver wire is a pool of all the players not currently rostered in your league. Whether it's snagging an emerging prospect, taking advantage of a hot streak, or bolstering one of your team's weaknesses, staying active on the waiver wire can make your journey to a championship much easier.

This article will highlight five players who are rostered in less than 60% of Yahoo leagues due to injury. They may have missed Opening Day, and they may miss the next few weeks or months, but they're worth stashing nonetheless. If you're unfamiliar with "stashing," be sure to check out last week's article: Five Injured Players to Stash for Fantasy Baseball Drafts (2024).

Kyle Bradish - SP, Baltimore Orioles

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Kyle Bradish burst onto the scene in 2023, finishing fourth in the American League Cy Young Award race. However, in mid-February, the news broke that he had suffered a UCL sprain and would start the 2024 season on the injured list. Fortunately, he was recently placed on the 15-day IL, rather than the 60-day. This suggests that the Orioles believe the 27-year-old righty can return to their rotation sooner than initially expected.

Last season, Bradish pitched 168.2 innings for the O's, finishing with 168 strikeouts, a 1.04 WHIP, and a 2.83 ERA. He was in the top 1 percent for Pitching Run Value and Breaking Run Value, according to Statcast. He was also in the top 25% for walk rate and ground ball rate. This suggests that his 2023 performance wasn't a fluke and he can continue pitching at an elite level.

AL ERA leaders from August 1 on last year (min. 50 IP):

2.03 - Sonny Gray
2.09 - Kyle Bradish
2.15 - Tarik Skubal
2.31 - Michael King
2.41 - Grayson Rodriguez pic.twitter.com/rGKO9lvyMN

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) January 10, 2024

Not only does Bradish have ace-like upside, but he'll pitch for one of the best teams in baseball. Bradish won 12 games last year, and he'll likely rack up more once he returns. UCL sprains are always cause for alarm, but Bradish shouldn't be neglected. The Orioles clearly think he's healthy enough to pitch in the somewhat-near future. If he does, he should be rostered in 100% of leagues. Right now, he's only rostered in 45% of Yahoo leagues.

Vaughn Grissom - SS, Boston Red Sox

Boston Red Sox middle infielder Vaughn Grissom was a key piece in the trade that sent Chris Sale to the Atlanta Braves. After a red-hot MLB debut in 2022, he spent most of 2023 in Triple-A after the Braves made Orlando Arcia their starting shortstop. Grissom made the most of his demotion, slashing .330/.419/.501 with 36 doubles, eight home runs, and 13 stolen bases in 102 games for the Gwinnett Stripers.

At the end of this past February, Grissom started dealing with a hamstring injury that sidelined him from spring training action. As it currently stands, he is expected to return in mid-to-late April. Whenever Grissom is ready, he should take over as Boston's everyday second baseman. He's only listed as a shortstop on most websites, so this will give him dual eligibility, a nice benefit for fantasy managers.

Overall, Grissom presents a solid contact-speed combination. On top of that, it looks like consistent playing time awaits him once he's healthy. He has the potential to be a productive second baseman in every format, despite only being rostered in 27% of Yahoo leagues.

Nick Lodolo - SP, Cincinnati Reds

Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Nick Lodolo was one of the most hyped players in fantasy going into the 2023 season. Ultimately, he struggled to replicate his outstanding rookie year before suffering a season-ending tibia injury. He's still been dealing with discomfort in that same tibia, but it shouldn't sideline him for too long. He's already made two rehab starts at the Triple-A level, and he seems like he'll make his season debut when he's eligible to return from the 15-day IL in mid-April.

Nick Lodolo was in the Reds clubhouse pregame. David Bell says the minor league game he threw on Tuesday went well. "Feels great" Bell said... will be leaving soon to pitch in Triple-A. Will probably make 2 starts before returning to Reds.

— Mike Petraglia (@Trags) March 28, 2024

In 2022, Lodolo was fully healthy and made 19 starts for the Reds. His ERA was 3.66 and he struck out 131 hitters in just 103.1 innings. Despite struggling on the surface last season, his underlying numbers suggest that he was a victim of bad luck and a small sample size. His ERA was 6.29, but his BABIP was an eye-popping .440. His WHIP was 1.75, but walk rate was actually lower than it was 2022 (8.8% to 6.0%). His strikeout rate only declined nominally (29.7% to 28.3%), so an argument can certainly be made that he would've improved his numbers had he not been injured.

When Lodolo returns to the Reds rotation, there's a good chance that he reestablishes himself as one the game's top young pitchers. Taking a chance on him could be one of the best moves for your team in 2024. At the moment, he's rostered in 54% of Yahoo leagues. When he's ready to go, that number will almost certainly rise.

Tommy Edman - 2B/SS/OF, St. Louis Cardinals

St. Louis Cardinals utility player Tommy Edman has been one of the most consistently dependable players in fantasy baseball over the last few seasons. Upon the conclusion of the 2023 season, Edman underwent wrist surgery. The subsequent pain from that surgery has lingered into 2024, causing him to miss spring training and the start of the regular season. There isn't a clear timeline for his return to the Cardinals' lineup, but if there are any positive signs in the near future, Edman is worth keeping an eye on.

Despite lacking raw power, the 28-year-old switch-hitter has averaged 147 hits, 32 2Bs, 85 runs scored, and 30 stolen bases since the beginning of 2021. When healthy, he's a valuable asset for any fantasy team, capable of multi-category production. If your team is falling behind in hits, stolen bases, or runs, he's the perfect player to pick up. Even if you're doing well in those categories, his triple-eligibility would still provide a ton of flexibility. Currently, he's rostered in 50% of Yahoo leagues.

Taj Bradley - SP, Tampa Bay Rays

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Taj Bradley had a tumultuous rookie year in 2023. At first, the top prospect seemed capable of competing for AL Rookie of the Year, but he was abruptly demoted to Triple-A after only three starts. Throughout the season, he was constantly being called up and sent down. The lack of consistency likely affected his on-field performance. In 23 appearances for the Rays, he posted a 5.59 ERA and 1.39 WHIP.

After only pitching three innings in spring training this year, Bradley was shut down with a pectoral strain. While he missed Opening Day, he could begin a throwing program in the near future. Once he's healthy, he'll likely be in the Rays' starting rotation.

Adding Bradley to your team is a gamble, but it will pay off in dividends if he can live up to the hype. In 2022, he had a 2.56 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and 141 Ks across 133.1 innings in Double-A. A player's performance in the minors isn't always indicative of how they'll do in the majors, but Bradley is known for having some of the nastiest pitches in the game. The Rays organization is one of the best at developing pitching, making it hard not to dream of what Bradley could become. Right now, he's only rostered in 26% of Yahoo leagues.

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