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Welcome back, RotoBallers! We've got another edition of the Injured Players to Stash in Fantasy Baseball series! This week's article covers Week 19 (July 29 to August 4).
Looking ahead to next week and the rest of the season, we'll make sure to highlight five injured players to stash in your redraft leagues. Are you new to the series? Check out previous articles for more options!
Many productive players are nearing a return. Whether it's pitching, offense, or both, these guys can help. Only those rostered in less than 60% of Yahoo leagues are eligible. The goal is to spotlight overlooked players. Now, let's get into it.
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Jeffrey Springs, SP, Tampa Bay Rays
Rostered: 37% Yahoo
Estimated Return: Early August
Another week, another edition of this series with Jeffrey Springs (elbow) at the top. Of all the pitchers returning from injury in the second half, he has the most upside. While his numbers have been great with Triple-A Durham (25 IP, 4.32 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 27:3 K/BB), this isn't unusual for a rehabbing pitcher who's primarily focused on staying healthy and preparing for big league hitters. In reality, his 2.53 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and 231:49 K/BB in 196 innings since the start of 2021 is likely a better indication of how he'll do when he gets back.
It looked like Springs' rehab start on Saturday, July 20 would be his last in the minor leagues, but a rain delay prematurely ended it before he could reach the five-inning threshold Tampa Bay set for him. As a result, he made another appearance in Triple-A Durham last night. If things go well and he gets through five innings, this will likely be the last time he's included in this series. And while it'll be sad to see him go, it'll be even better to see him on an MLB mound, helping our fantasy teams take home the trophy.
Tyler Soderstrom, C/1B, Oakland Athletics
Rostered: 7% Yahoo
Estimated Return: Uncertain
In last week's article, I likened Soderstrom (wrist) to Red Sox slugger Triston Casas, explaining how Soderstrom could be this year's Casas (a young, power-hitting lefty who breaks out in the second half). In this week's article, I'm doubling down. Once he returns from the IL, Soderstrom could emerge as an elite power threat. So far, his underlying metrics have been strikingly similar to Casas' from 2023.
Soderstrom clearly has a ton of potential and room for improvement. Even though his strikeout rate is high (27.1%) and his ground-ball rate could be better (47.1%), he's still an extremely dangerous hitter. And while there may not be a set timeline for his return, he's reportedly healing well. If he's available in your league and you're struggling to find an advantageous first baseman, definitely pick him up.
Tyler Soderstrom - Oakland Athletics (2)
pic.twitter.com/mWzAfF19Hc— MLB HR Videos (@MLBHRVideos) June 11, 2024
Jacob Wilson, SS, Oakland Athletics
Rostered: 9% Yahoo
Estimated Return: Uncertain
From one of Oakland's young studs to another, Wilson unfortunately injured his hamstring in his MLB debut after just one at-bat. While it's tough to see any ballplayer hurt, especially a promising rookie, he should be the team's starting shortstop once he's healthy. There's no clear timetable right now, but we should get an update soon.
The sixth overall pick in last year's draft, Wilson surged through the minor leagues thanks to his elite bat-to-ball skills. In just 72 MiLB games, he slashed .401/.445/.613 with 114 hits, 36 doubles, eight homers, 47 RBI, and 18:24 BB/SO. Needless to say, contact hitters like this don't come around very often. Wilson may not be the most flashy or exciting prospect, but his skill set should translate well in the majors. It's hard not to compare him to Luis Arraez, whose consistently high batting average has made him one of the most reliable options in all of fantasy. If you're looking for base hits, or a high OBP middle infielder, Wilson should be worth the wait (assuming he'll be back in a reasonable amount of time).
First MLB hit for Jacob Wilson!! pic.twitter.com/VKzh3z9wGu
— Oakland A's (@Athletics) July 20, 2024
Jacob deGrom, SP, Texas Rangers
Rostered: 57% Yahoo
Estimated Return: Early September
As of right now, deGrom is expected to pitch for the Rangers in 2024. If he does, there is absolutely no one better to boost your teams heading into the playoffs. If you're in first place, or it looks like you'll make your league's postseason, deGrom is a must-add. If fully healthy, he could still be the best pitcher in baseball.
There's no real need to go over deGrom's track record. His two Cy Young Awards and 2.08 ERA since 2018 speak for themselves. The Rangers may elect to limit his workload, but the quality of his production is bound to outweigh any restrictions on its quantity. The last thing your opponent will want to see in the playoffs is a healthy deGrom on your roster. Make it happen.
Jacob deGrom is "getting close" to facing hitters, per Bruce Bochy.
He'll throw about 40 pitches in a regular bullpen tomorrow and again on Friday. Bochy estimated he'll throw three live BP sessions before a rehab assignment.
— Shawn McFarland (@McFarland_Shawn) July 22, 2024
Evan Carter, OF, Texas Rangers
Rostered: 51% Yahoo
Estimated Return: Mid-August
Coming into the season as one of the most exciting young outfielders in baseball, Carter had a rough start, hurt his back, and was quickly dropped in many leagues. And while his numbers to start this year were extremely underwhelming, he displayed immense talent in 2023. If there's a resurgence in 2024, you'll be glad he's on your team.
Following his promotion to MLB on September 8, 2023, Carter was outstanding at the plate. In 75 plate appearances, he slashed .306/.413/.645 (187 OPS+) with four doubles, five home runs, 12 RBI, and 12:24 BB/SO. In fantasy sports, it feels much safer to determine a player's future success based primarily on statistics. And that's for a good reason; most of the time, it's often the best way to make predictions. However, there are times when you must consider "feel," and this is one of those times.
Heading into the 2024 season, Carter was coming off a sensational playoff run at just 21 years old. I'm willing to guess he felt a lot of pressure going into his first full MLB season. Hopefully, now that he's had time to reflect and recuperate, he'll rejoin the Rangers feeling confident.
Adding Carter may be a gamble, but there's plenty of upside to justify doing it. You also shouldn't have to wait for too long. He's expected to start a rehab assignment next week.
Evan Carter & Josh Jung are running the bases... pic.twitter.com/F890WAq9Uz
— Stefan Stevenson (@StefanVersusTex) July 18, 2024
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