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Top 25 Injured Players to Stash for Fantasy Baseball - Week 3 (2025)

Masyn Winn - fantasy baseball prospects draft sleepers DFS MLB injury news

Josh's top 25 injured players to stash for fantasy baseball as of April 15, 2025 (Week 3). His top fantasy baseball injury stashes for IL spots and redraft leagues.

Welcome back, RotoBallers, to another installment of the Injured Players to Stash for Fantasy Baseball series as we head into Week 3 of the 2025 MLB season. Today, we list the top 25 high-profile injured MLB players worth stashing in your leagues, including names like Pablo Lopez, Zach Eflin, Josh Lowe, and more.

Whether managers had to drop these players or they were left off rosters, you can capitalize on your league mates' mistakes. With some savvy moves to begin the year, you can set yourself up for season-long success.

Below, I've listed my top 25 injured players in fantasy baseball in order of Yahoo! roster percentage. I've also highlighted five players to watch, as they could return sooner rather than later. Without further ado, let's get to the list!

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

 

Top-25 Injured Players For Fantasy Baseball

Player Team IL Type Roster Percentage Estimated Return
Jackson Merrill San Diego Padres IL 10 (Hamstring) 99% TBD
Ronald Acuna Jr. Atlanta Braves IL 10 (Knee) 99% Late May
Ketel Marte Arizona Diamondbacks IL 10 (Hamstring) 99% Early May
Blake Snell Los Angeles Dodgers IL 15 (Shoulder) 98% Early May
Wyatt Langford Texas Rangers IL 10 (Oblique) 97% Early May
Pablo Lopez Minnesota Twins IL 15 (Hamstring) 97% TBD
CJ Abrams Washington Nationals IL 10 (Hip) 97% April 20
Spencer Strider Atlanta Braves IL 15 (Elbow) 96% April 16
Matt McLain Cincinnati Reds IL 10 (Hamstring) 95% April 15
George Kirby Seattle Mariners IL 15 (Shoulder) 94% Late May
Shane McClanahan Tampa Bay Rays IL 15 (Triceps) 88% TBD
Royce Lewis Minnesota Twins IL 10 (Hamstring) 81% Late May
Zach Eflin Baltimore Orioles IL 15 (Lat) 81% TBD
Colton Cowser Baltimore Orioles IL 10 (Thumb) 74% Late May
Grayson Rodriguez Baltimore Orioles IL 15 (Elbow) 73% Mid-May
Alexis Diaz Cincinnati Reds IL 15 (Hamstring) 70% April 15
Josh Lowe Tampa Bay Rays IL 10 (Oblique) 66% TBD
Zach Neto Los Angeles Angels IL 10 (Shoulder) 66% April 15-20
Brandon Woodruff Milwaukee Brewers IL 15 (Shoulder) 60% Early May
Masyn Winn St. Louis Cardinals IL 10 (Back) 57% April 22
Clarke Schmidt New York Yankees IL 15 (Shoulder) 57% April 16
Jack Leiter Texas Rangers IL 15 (Finger) 54% TBD
Jared Jones Pittsburgh Pirates IL 60 (Elbow) 54% TBD
Reynaldo Lopez Atlanta Braves IL 60 (Shoulder) 49% TBD
Ivan Herrera St. Louis Cardinals IL 10 (Knee) 48% Mid-May

 

Fantasy Baseball Players To Monitor Closely

Pablo Lopez, SP - Minnesota Twins

Rostered: 97% Yahoo!
Estimated Return: April 25, 2025

Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Pablo Lopez is on the 15-day injured list with a hamstring injury. Soft tissue injuries can be hard to predict since setbacks are common, but now could be the perfect time to buy low on Lopez.

Since the beginning of the 2020 season, Lopez has quietly been one of the best starting pitchers in the Majors. His 3.66 ERA, 48 wins, 3.48 FIP, 3.41 xFIP, 3.54 SIERA, and 15.1 WAR all rank within the top 12 of qualified pitchers in the last five years.

The Twins may be cautious with their ace and slow-play his return, which allows you to swoop in on him. You can offer the Lopez manager pitchers, like Kevin Gausman and Luis Castillo, who are off to good starts but likely to regress.

Zach Eflin, SP - Baltimore Orioles

Rostered: 81% Yahoo!
Estimated Return: TBD

Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Eflin is dealing with a lat injury, which placed him on the 15-day IL. Eflin produced three straight quality starts to begin the season before suffering the injury.

The 31-year-old has been a reliable innings-eater the last two seasons, eclipsing 165 innings pitched each year. His 2023 season with the Tampa Bay Rays was the best of his career and indicative of his ceiling.

During the 2023 season, Eflin finished with a 3.50 ERA and 3.02 xERA in 177 2/3 IP. His 9.42 K/9 was also the second-highest mark of his career. If Eflin can pair that strikeout pace with his career 43.9 GB percentage, he can be a reliable back-end starter for a team that should score a ton of runs.

Eflin is 81 percent rostered on Yahoo!, but his manager may not value him as they should. Once the Orioles' offense gets rolling, Eflin will eat innings and rack up wins.

Josh Lowe, OF - Tampa Bay Rays

Rostered: 66% Yahoo!
Estimated Return: TBD

Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Josh Lowe only recorded two at-bats in the 2025 season before landing on the IL with an oblique injury. Lowe has been a frequent visitor on the IL within the last calendar year.

The 27-year-old suffered four separate injuries during the 2024 season, causing him to play 29 fewer games than he did the year prior. During his healthy 2023 season, Lowe enjoyed a ton of success.

During his breakout campaign, the Rays outfielder slashed .292/.335/.500 with 20 home runs and 32 stolen bases. Once he returns, Lowe will be a crucial bat in the Tampa Bay lineup. Snatch him up where he's available and send some feelers where he is rostered.

Masyn Winn, SS - St. Louis Cardinals

Rostered: 57% Yahoo!
Estimated Return: April 22

St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn was off to a slow start before landing on the IL with back spasms. Winn slashed .222/.314/.289 with a 31.4 percent strikeout rate through his first 51 plate appearances.

The young slugger appeared to be pressing at the plate since he had a 17.1 percent strikeout rate last season, but he showed signs of turning the corner on his slump before his back issue flared up.

Winn was a hot name during draft season, and it's easy to forget the upside he offers. The 23-year-old has room for growth after hitting 15 home runs and stealing 11 bases in 2o24. Stash him while you can since he is eligible to return on April 22.

Jared Jones, SP - Pittsburgh Pirates

Rostered: 54% Yahoo!
Estimated Return: TBD

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Jared Jones is on the 60-day IL with an elbow injury that will keep him out for a large chunk of the season.

The 23-year-old finished the 2024 season with a 4.14 ERA and 9.74 K/9 across 121 2/3 IP as a rookie. With a full season under his belt, Jones is poised to take the next step.

Jones possesses amazing stuff, and it's easy to see the path to more strikeouts with those nasty pitches in his arsenal. Even if Jones doesn't take a step forward, his 2024 season is an example of an above-replacement-level pitcher who is valuable in fantasy.

If you have the luxury to stash a player on the 60-day IL, keep Jones tucked away until he returns later this year.



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