X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Five Injured Players to Stash in Fantasy Baseball - Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 5

Jonathan Aranda fantasy baseball rankings prospects draft sleepers waiver wire pickups

Another week, another batch of injured MLB players. Cody Bellinger and Triston Casas fractured their ribs. Lane Thomas sprained his MCL. Merrill Kelly strained his shoulder. Blake Snell strained his left adductor. Even though we're only a month into the 2024 season, it seems there's been a season's worth of injuries.

For fantasy baseball managers, the injury plague can be especially frustrating. When we build our teams around guys like Spencer Strider, Gerrit Cole, Luis Robert, and Royce Lewis, it's incredibly defeating to see them get hurt. We can try to supplement our team via trade or the waiver wire, but there's no shaking the feeling of "what could have been?" when top-tier talent hits the shelf.

Right now, it's easy to feel like winning your league is more about luck than skill, and that the team with the healthiest roster will win. However, that isn't the case. Despite all of the injuries, anyone can still win their fantasy league right now. Like I said in the article for Week 1, the road to championship glory is long, and it's filled with obstacles and setbacks. Trekking requires diligence and persistence. To help navigate your path, this article contains five injured players who can help your team in the near future. As always, only players rostered in less than 60% of Yahoo leagues are eligible.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and weekly lineup resources:

 

Kyle Bradish - SP, Baltimore Orioles

For the third week in a row, Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Kyle Bradish is the first player on this list. Since last week's article, the 27-year-old righty's roster percentage has only risen by two points (54% to 56%). Despite being a top-five finisher in last year's Cy Young race, he's only rostered in around half of fantasy baseball leagues. No matter how you slice it, his availability is perplexing. With pitchers seemingly dropping like flies (e.g., Cristian Javier, Eduardo Rodriguez, and Yu Darvish), Bradish is undoubtedly the best replacement out there.

Bradish's last rehab start was admittedly rough. While he did strike out four batters in 3.1 innings, he also allowed four earned runs on six hits and three walks. He'll make another (and hopefully his last) rehab start on April 26 in Triple-A Norfolk. Regardless of how he performs, he shouldn't be overlooked. Once he's back in the majors, he should eat innings and maintain a solid strikeout rate. On top of that, the Orioles offense will provide ample run support.

Overall, there's no good reason for Bradish to be available in any fantasy league. If you're in one of the 44% of leagues where he's on the waivers, do yourself a favor and pick him up now. Until he's off the IL or rostered in over 60% of leagues, he'll continue to headline this list due to his incredible upside and comforting reliability.

Taj Bradley - SP, Tampa Bay Rays

Unlike Kyle Bradish, Tampa Bays Rays starting pitcher Taj Bradley is available in a majority of leagues. In fact, the 23-year-old former top prospect is available in 80% of Yahoo leagues. He's also close to starting a rehab assignment in Triple-A Durham after dealing with a pectoral issue since the start of spring training.

Last season was full of ups and downs for Bradley. When he was first called up, he seemed like an early contender for AL Rookie of the Year. However, he bounced back and forth between the minors and the majors and lost his footing as a result. His statistics were ultimately underwhelming, but few young pitchers showcased more upside. While he posted a 5.59 ERA in 104.2 innings, he racked up 129 strikeouts. Out of the 17 rookies who pitched over 100 innings in 2023, Bradley was second in strikeout rate (65.4%), third in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.31) and overall strike percentage (65.4%), and eighth in walk rate.

Bradley is a riskier option than Kyle Bradish, but his potential is undeniable. With the Rays' reputation for developing young pitchers, Bradley is still among the most promising young hurlers in baseball. However, he seems to be flying under the radar amidst the influx of talented new pitchers. Despite a subpar rookie year, Bradley is capable of a breakout year in 2024. For fantasy purposes, he especially deserves consideration from teams looking for strikeouts.

 

Jasson Dominguez - OF, New York Yankees

New York Yankees outfielder Jasson Dominguez was outstanding in his first eight big league games before undergoing Tommy John surgery last September. The Martian's long-awaited debut was a bright spot in the Bronx Bombers' disappointing 2023 season. Albeit a tiny sample size, he slashed .258/.303/.677 with four home runs and a stolen base in 33 plate appearances at just 20 years old.

There haven't been any updates regarding Dominguez's progress since April 10 when a report came out that he was on track to begin a rehab assignment at the end of the month. At that time, he was taking swings and throwing from 120 feet. The lack of news may be slightly concerning, but if that report is correct, we could see Dominguez in pinstripes by the end of May. Make sure to keep an eye on any news that comes out soon. If it's good, pull the trigger and add him. If it's not, still keep him on your radar.

With so many great outfielders set to miss the next few months, Dominguez is a great replacement. Not only is he one of MLB's most exciting young players, but he's also an impressive power-speed threat. In 295 career minor league games, he's racked up 36 homers, 56 doubles, and 86 stolen bases. His strikeout total (334) may be high, but he's shown tremendous discipline for a player of his age (182 walks). If there's someone capable of being this year's 2022 Julio Rodriguez or 2023 Corbin Carroll, Dominguez is certainly a top contender. Right now, he's only rostered in 29% of Yahoo leagues.

 

Jonathan Aranda - 1B, Tampa Bay Rays

Last week, I wrote about how Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Jonathan Aranda was in the process of recovering from a fractured right finger and could make his 2024 debut sometime in mid-to-late May. Since then, reports have come out that he's expected to begin a rehab assignment in Triple-A Durham this weekend. With everyone waiting for the Rays to call up Junior Caminero, it seems like Aranda is being overlooked and undervalued.

Aranda is currently only rostered in 2% of Yahoo leagues. This is surprising because of how gaudy his minor league numbers are. In 511 career minor league games, he's slashed .306/.392/.483 with 107 doubles, 62 home runs, and 327 RBI. After getting some time in the majors in both 2022 and 2023, it looks like he's finally going to have consistent playing time in Tampa this year.

Players as polished as Aranda don't come along very often. At almost 26 years old, he's capable of making an impact on your fantasy team right away. He's also virtually guaranteed to be available in your fantasy league. If you're looking for a first baseman to replace Cody Bellinger or Triston Casas, this could be your guy.

 

Taijuan Walker - SP, Philadelphia Phillies

Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Taijuan Walker is an intriguing option in deeper leagues and NL-only leagues. His first season in Philly wasn't great (he posted a 4.38 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, and 138:71 K/BB ratio in 172.2 innings), but he has a track record of success and pitches for a team that's bound to get him some wins. Most importantly, he's set to make his 2024 debut in San Diego on Sunday.

One of the biggest reasons for Walker's struggles in 2023 was his 9.7% walk rate (it was 6.9% in 2022 when he posted a 3.60 ERA). This year, he's thrown 15 rehab innings and given up six free passes. He also only has six strikeouts. However, (and stop me if you've heard this before) it's hard to judge pitchers based on a few rehab starts.

In reality, Walker is an objectively-good pitcher. He has a career 3.97 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and 2.66 K/BB ratio. In leagues where players like Bradish and Taj Bradley are likely rostered, Walker might still be available. Even if he doesn't have the same ceiling, he has a safe floor. He may not be as fun or flashy, but he's reliable and gets the job done. For someone like that, it's surprising to see him only rostered in 10% of Yahoo leagues.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!



More Fantasy Baseball Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

John Tavares1 hour ago

Scores Natural Hat Trick Against Sabres
Jalen Hurts1 hour ago

Delivers Big Performance Against Steelers
Teuvo Teravainen1 hour ago

Ends Slump With Three-Point Outing
Mats Zuccarello1 hour ago

Records Two Assists In Losing Effort
Victor Olofsson2 hours ago

Pots Two Goals In Sunday's Win
DeVonta Smith2 hours ago

​​Devonta Smith Notches Season Highs In Week 15
Ivan Barbashev2 hours ago

Sustains An Upper-Body Injury
Denver Broncos2 hours ago

Patrick Surtain II Believed To Have Suffered Minor Ankle Sprain
Anton Forsberg2 hours ago

Misses Road Trip
A.J. Brown2 hours ago

Shines In Bounce-Back Performance
Geno Smith2 hours ago

"Up In The Air" For Week 16 With Knee Injury
Brian Thomas Jr.8 hours ago

Spectacular Against Jets
James Conner9 hours ago

Scores Two Touchdowns In The Week 15 Win
Denver Broncos11 hours ago

Broncos Defense Comes Up Big Again With Pick-Six, Four Turnovers
Josh Jacobs11 hours ago

’ Touchdown, 136 Total Yards Lift Packers In Week 15 Victory
Romeo Doubs11 hours ago

A Two-Score Return For Romeo Doubs In Packers Victory
Saquon Barkley12 hours ago

Hindered By Undisclosed Injury, Held To 74 Scrimmage Yards
Geno Smith13 hours ago

Questionable To Return On Sunday Night
Denver Broncos13 hours ago

Patrick Surtain II Injures Ankle In Win Over Indy
Jerry Jeudy13 hours ago

Goes For 108 Yards In Week 15
Hunter Henry13 hours ago

Delivers Low Yardage Total In Loss To Cardinals
CeeDee Lamb14 hours ago

Clears 100 Yards In Week 15
Rico Dowdle14 hours ago

Smashes Career-High Again
James Cook14 hours ago

Runs For 100 Yards, Scores Twice In Detroit
Pittsburgh Steelers14 hours ago

T.J. Watt Suffers Low-Ankle Injury In Loss To Philadelphia
Ty Johnson14 hours ago

Bills Lean On Ty Johnson Through The Air In Win Over Detroit
Alvin Kamara14 hours ago

Gets In The End Zone But Leaves With Injury
Adrian Yanez15 hours ago

Falls Short At UFC Tampa
Daniel Marcos15 hours ago

Remains Undefeated After UFC Tampa
Vitor Petrino15 hours ago

Gets Finished Again At UFC Tampa
Dustin Jacoby15 hours ago

Pulls Off Stunning Knockout At UFC Tampa
Billy Quarantillo15 hours ago

Gets KO'd At UFC Tampa
Cub Swanson15 hours ago

Pulls Off Upset At UFC Tampa
Jack Flaherty16 hours ago

Viewed As "Fallback" Option For Baltimore
Jesper Wallstedt18 hours ago

Starts For Wild Sunday
Artemi Panarin18 hours ago

Out On Sunday
Scott Perunovich18 hours ago

Back For Blues Sunday
Brandon Saad18 hours ago

Re-Enters Blues Lineup Sunday
Anthony Stolarz18 hours ago

Placed On Injured Reserve
Bo Horvat18 hours ago

Battling A Lower-Body Injury
LeBron James19 hours ago

Might Return On Sunday Night
Deandre Ayton19 hours ago

Won't Play On Sunday Night
Scottie Barnes20 hours ago

Goes Through A "Light Workout" On Sunday
Jared McCain2 days ago

Out Indefinitely
De'Anthony Melton2 days ago

On The Move To Brooklyn
Dennis Schröder2 days ago

Dennis Schroder Heading To Golden State
Tyler Toffoli2 days ago

In Danger Of Missing Saturday's Game
SJ2 days ago

Will Smith Back In Sharks Lineup Saturday
Dustin Wolf2 days ago

Takes On Prolific Panthers Saturday
Andrei Kuzmenko2 days ago

Will Not Play On Saturday
Jesús Luzardo2 days ago

Cubs Showing Interest In Jesus Luzardo
Kevin Lankinen2 days ago

Unavailable On Saturday
Elias Lindholm2 days ago

Good To Go Saturday
Cam Fowler2 days ago

Blues Pick Up Cam Fowler In Trade With Ducks
Jalen Johnson2 days ago

Will Suit Up For Saturday's Game
Bogdan Bogdanovic2 days ago

Playing Against Milwaukee
Trae Young2 days ago

Available On Saturday
Khris Middleton2 days ago

Active Versus Atlanta
Giannis Antetokounmpo2 days ago

Good To Go Against Atlanta
Kevin Huerter2 days ago

Suffers Another Shoulder Injury
2 days ago

Pistons Waiving Paul Reed
Paolo Banchero2 days ago

Spotted Shooting On Saturday
Nolan Arenado2 days ago

Astros Serious About Trading For Nolan Arenado
Jeffrey Springs2 days ago

A's Acquire Jeffrey Springs From Rays
Samuel Ersson2 days ago

Faces Wild On Saturday
Marc-Andre Fleury2 days ago

In Wild Net For Saturday's Matchup
Donovan Clingan3 days ago

Returning On Friday
Bradley Beal3 days ago

Downgraded To Out
Jamal Murray3 days ago

Upgraded To Available
Christian Braun3 days ago

To Play On Friday
Aaron Gordon3 days ago

Available On Friday
Joel Embiid3 days ago

Won't Return On Friday
Bradley Beal3 days ago

Now Questionable Versus Utah
Christian Walker3 days ago

Seattle Would "Love" To Sign Christian Walker
Carson Kelly3 days ago

Agrees To Two-Year Contract With Cubs
Houston Astros3 days ago

Cam Smith Traded To Houston
Hayden Wesneski3 days ago

Shipped To Houston
Isaac Paredes3 days ago

Shipped To Houston
Kyle Tucker3 days ago

Cubs Acquire Kyle Tucker From The Astros
Kyle Tucker3 days ago

Cubs Close To Acquiring Kyle Tucker From The Astros
Nestor Cortes3 days ago

Traded To The Brewers
Adrian Yanez3 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Tampa
Daniel Marcos3 days ago

Looks To Remain Undefeated At UFC Tampa
Vitor Petrino3 days ago

Looks To Return To Win Column At UFC Tampa
Dustin Jacoby3 days ago

A Big Underdog At UFC Tampa
Cub Swanson3 days ago

Searching For 30th Career Win At UFC Tampa
Billy Quarantillo3 days ago

Faces A Legend At UFC Tampa
Devin Williams3 days ago

Traded To The Yankees
Joaquin Buckley3 days ago

Looks For His Sixth Win In A Row
Colby Covington3 days ago

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Bruno Silva3 days ago

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Manel Kape3 days ago

A Favorite At UFC Tampa
Tuco Tokkos3 days ago

Looks For His First UFC Win
Navajo Stirling3 days ago

Set To Make His UFC Debut
Kyle Bradish4 days ago

Begins Throwing Program
Nolan Arenado4 days ago

Would Approve Of Trade To The Bronx
Francisco Lindor4 days ago

Back Injury In The Rearview Mirror
Rafael Devers4 days ago

Red Sox Prepared To Keep Rafael Devers At Third Base
Cody Bellinger4 days ago

Yankees Targeting Cody Bellinger
Pete Alonso4 days ago

Mets Still Trying To Bring Back Pete Alonso
Corbin Burnes4 days ago

Giants The Favorites To Land Corbin Burnes
Brenton Doyle4 days ago

Rockies Plan To Hit Brenton Doyle At Leadoff

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Romeo Doubs - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Week 16 Waiver Wire Rankings (2024) - Fantasy Football Pickups Include Jerome Ford, Romeo Doubs, Hollywood Brown, Brenton Strange, Kendre Miller

Congratulations to the fantasy managers who picked up the win and are heading into the final four of the fantasy playoffs. The grind never stops. At RotoBaller HQ, we are here to help you earn those bragging rights and hoist the championship hardware in 2024 with our Week 16 fantasy football waiver wire rankings for […]


James Conner - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Top 10 Running Back Studs - Best Fantasy Football RB Performances Including James Conner, Jahmyr Gibbs, Tyjae Spears And More

The NFL playoff race is getting down to the nitty-gritty while the fantasy playoffs are in full swing. I'll admit, it's a bittersweet time of the year. As we reach the peak of football season, the fantasy championships are approaching. Soon, we won't have any live action to keep us entertained, only speculation on draft […]


Anthony Richardson - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL News

Top Week 16 Quarterback Pickups - Best Fantasy QB Adds, Streamers Include Anthony Richardson, Aaron Rodgers, Cooper Rush and more

Fantasy managers were treated to several fantastic fantasy performances entering the fantasy playoffs. Four quarterbacks (Lamar Jackson, Aaron Rodgers, Josh Allen, and Jayden Daniels) had more than 20 fantasy points. Two (Jackson and Rodgers) had over 30 points. It wasn’t all great for fantasy managers though. Patrick Mahomes suffered a week-to-week ankle injury. There were […]


Jerome Ford - Fantasy Football Rankings, Waiver Wire Pickups, NFL Injury News

Running Back Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 16: Jerome Ford, Kendre Miller, Sincere McCormick, Tyjae Spears

Congratulations to all of you who successfully navigated the collection of challenges that emerged since Week 1, including injuries, bye weeks, impactful coaching decisions, and disappointing production. We have now progressed into planning for the second week of fantasy postseason matchups. You should sustain the same level of diligence and flexibility that have helped you […]


Video: MUST ADD Waiver Wire Pickups For Week 16! Fantasy Football 2024

Our top 2024 fantasy football Week 15 waiver wire pickups for RB, WR, TE, and QB. This week's must-add fantasy football free agents -- potential waiver wire winners heading into Week 16 for running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, and quarterbacks. Be sure to tune into RotoBaller Radio on SiriusXM (SiriusXM channel 87) - every […]


Noah Gray - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Tight Ends Fantasy Football Waiver Wire - Week 16 TE Pickups Including Brenton Strange, Noah Gray, Juwan Johnson, Chig Okonkwo and More!

This week is the opening week of the playoffs in most fantasy football leagues. Your fantasy team might be one win away from claiming a title and the prizes and acclaim that goes with it. So you better have a decent tight end in your lineup, that’s for sure. Most fantasy managers are probably set […]


Patrick Mahomes - Fantasy Football Rankings, DFS Lineup Picks, NFL Injury News

Fantasy Football Sunday Injury Report: Updates for Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Alvin Kamara, Jaylen Waddle, And More

Hopefully, you are reading this article today knowing you have locked up a spot in the semi-finals. If your matchup is coming down to Monday Night Football, then I wish you the best of luck and hope you earn a spot in your league’s final four. We had a reprieve for a few weeks, but […]


NFL DFS Lineup Picks For FanDuel, DraftKings - Bears vs. Vikings MNF Showdown (Week 15)

Welcome back, RotoBallers! We have an NFC North showdown tonight as Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears (4-9) head up to Minnesota to take on Sam Darnold and the Vikings (11-2). These two teams met just a few weeks ago in Chicago where the Vikings eked out a 30-27 win. Let’s see how this one […]


Kyle Pitts - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

NFL DFS Lineup Picks For FanDuel, DraftKings - Falcons vs. Raiders MNF Showdown (Week 15)

Welcome back, RotoBallers! We have an interesting battle going down out in the desert tonight. It’ll be Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons (6-7) heading west to take on the Las Vegas Raiders (2-11). Raiders quarterback Aidan O’Connell is questionable for this game with a knee injury. If he can’t go, it’ll be Desmond Ridder […]


Jalen McMillan - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Week 16 Waiver Wire Pickups (QB, RB, WR, TE): Free Agent Adds Include Jerome Ford, Kendre Miller, Jalen McMillan, Malik Washington, Jalen Coker, Rashod Bateman

Welcome to our Week 16 fantasy football waiver wire pickups article for the 2024 season. With just two weeks left, fantasy managers can easily identify their starting lineup in Weeks 16 and 17. We can never know when injuries will strike, so keeping 1-2 bench pieces you're comfortable starting is important. After that, however, fantasy […]


Tyreek Hill - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Picks

Biggest Fantasy Football Busts Of The Week - Fantasy Outlooks For Tua Tagovailoa, Derrick Henry, Tyreek Hill, Cooper Kupp, Travis Kelce, more

The 15th Sunday of the 2024 NFL season has come and gone. Hopefully, you woke up on Monday morning feeling very good about how your matchup went. However, this week's slate of games was certainly stress-inducing for many fantasy football managers. Part of that stress was caused by a group of players who drastically underachieved […]


Tua Tagovailoa - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

10 Worst QB Performances From Week 15, Including Will Levis and Tua Tagovailoa

Week 15 brought a new batch of poor performances to the NFL. Will Levis was up to his old tricks leading to an eventual benching and Tua Tagovailoa threw three uncharacteristic interceptions. Overall, there was some rough quarterback play this week. Luckily for this column, there happened to be plenty of names to choose from. […]


Romeo Doubs - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Unexpected Boom Performances: Fantasy Football Risers Include Aaron Rodgers, Tyjae Spears, Rashod Bateman, Jalen Coker, Romeo Doubs

Week 15 marked the first week of the playoffs for many fantasy football leagues, and a lot of stars showed up and showed out for their managers. A trio of passers picked apart their opposition: Josh Allen, Jared Goff, and Lamar Jackson all scored more than 35 fantasy points in dominant outings. Some big-name receivers […]