Five Injured Players to Stash in Fantasy Baseball - Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 16 (2025)

July 13, 2025

Kipp highlights five injured fantasy baseball players worth stashing in redraft leagues, as of July 11, 2025 (Week 16). His waiver wire pickups for IL players.

We've got another edition of the Injured Players to Stash in Fantasy Baseball series for Week 16 as we continue the 2025 season into the summer months. Today's article examines injured players, including Shane Bieber, Rhys Hoskins, and Kerry Carpenter, among others.

With the 2025 fantasy baseball season starting to enter the dog days of summer, several injured players who are out there have low roster percentages and may be available on your league's waiver wires. These players can provide significant value to fantasy managers, especially if they have an IL spot available on their roster.

This article will be featured weekly with updated players for fantasy managers to consider picking up and stashing off the waiver wire. We will typically highlight two pitchers as well as three hitters who should be added with a sense of urgency before your league mates can scoop them up. Without further ado, let's look at what Week 16 of the fantasy baseball season has to offer.

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Shane Bieber, SP, Cleveland Guardians

Rostered: 33% Yahoo
Estimated Return: Early July

2023 Stats: 3.80 ERA/107 K/10 BB/128 IP

You already knew Bieber would make another appearance in this article since his roster share is still sitting at just 33%. While I am not as surprised by his rostered percentage as I have been in previous editions, I still think he should be on more fantasy squads given his pedigree and recent trends.

Bieber performed several live batting practice sessions before initially being sent on a rehab assignment last month. The rehab assignment was abruptly paused when he felt discomfort in his surgically repaired elbow; however, the soreness was deemed a normal part of the healing process, and he has since resumed live batting practice sessions.

He will ultimately throw one or two more live sessions before being sent back out on a second rehab assignment. His new timetable for return is expected to be somewhere around the beginning to the middle of August.

The time to pick him up should have passed by now, but you can still grab him given his current roster percentage.

Grayson Rodriguez, SP, Baltimore Orioles

Rostered: 36% Yahoo
Estimated Return: Early August

2024 Stats: 3.86 ERA/130K/36 BB/116 2/3 IP

I mentioned Grayson Rodriguez as someone to stash last month as well as last week, and now that we are less than a month away from his return, it feels like leaving him in here again this week is a good idea. Rodriguez has continued to build himself up through bullpen sessions, and most recently, he threw a 25-pitch session that included fastballs as well as breaking balls.

He will need some time to continue building up before being sent on a rehab assignment, but he is still worth rostering if you have the space or a huge lead in your league. His next step appears to be facing live hitters, so this is also worth noting.

The Orioles' rotation has been in flux all season, and they surely will want to get Rodriguez back into the fold as soon as possible, given his pedigree. In 2024, he posted a solid 3.86 ERA with more than one strikeout per inning pitched. Additionally, he racked up 13 wins while being backed by a solid Orioles offense.

He should make his return early next month if he continues on his current track, and should provide fantasy managers with an ace up their sleeve during the fantasy baseball playoff push.

Look to add him soon, leading up to the rehab assignment.

Rhys Hoskins, 1B, Milwaukee Brewers

Rostered: 30% Yahoo
Estimated Return: Mid-August

2025 Stats: .242/.340/.428/12 HRs/42 RBI/38 BB/2 SBs

This is the first mention of Hoskins, as he was just diagnosed with a UCL sprain in his left thumb after Saturday's game against the Miami Marlins. While he is not expected back from the IL until the middle of next month, he is still worth rostering if you have the room. First base has been a bit up and down this year, so having a player like Hoskins on your bench for the fantasy playoffs could prove valuable.

The most notable tool in Hoskins's toolbox is probably the combination of his power and on-base percentage. Thus far in 2025, Hoskins has smashed 12 home runs across 318 PA. He has also managed to post 38 BBs, resulting in an OBP of .340.

The power is something we have grown accustomed to, as he has hit 20 or more home runs in every season since 2018, excluding the COVID year. The power metrics he posted before the injury are also superb.

He has posted an average exit velocity of 90.5 mph, which ranks him in the top 29% of the league. He has also posted a hard hit rate of 37.4 mph, ranking him in the top 19% of the league. Add in the fact that he plays in a hitter-friendly ballpark at American Family Field, and you have a solid addition to your roster.

Again, adding Hoskins makes the most sense for teams that are in the playoff hunt or who have locked up a spot for the most part, and are looking for depth at first base down the stretch run heading into the fantasy playoffs.

Rhys Hoskins Likely Out Six Weeks https://t.co/xX0VefbpP1

— RotoBaller MLB (@RotoBallerMLB) July 8, 2025

Kerry Carpenter, OF, Detroit Tigers

Rostered: 55% Yahoo
Estimated Return: Late July

2025 Stats: .257/.285/.494/16 HRs/32 RBI/7 BB/1 SB

Carpenter is one of those players who are barely eligible to be in this article, with a 55% roster percentage, but we will take that. He is worth adding now, given he has an estimated return date just after the All-Star break. He went down with a strained hamstring, so hopefully he will be able to get back on track and return when expected.

Carpenter has been solid with the power numbers in 2025, as he has hit 16 bombs across just 265 PA. He is especially potent against right-handed pitching, as he has posted an .809 OPS with 14 of the 16 aforementioned home runs coming off of them.

The power is also real with Carpenter as he hit 18 home runs in 2024 across just 293 PA. He has also backed up those home runs with pretty decent power metrics. Thus far in 2025, he has posted an average exit velocity of 91.2 mph, which ranks him in the top 19% of the league. He has also posted a 10.1% Barrels/PA mark, ranking him in the top 4% of the league.

Look to add him now, as he will inevitably be added to rosters during the All-Star break as managers await his return.

THREE HOME RUNS FOR KERRY CARPENTER

HAVE A NIGHT! pic.twitter.com/BUyZ1RV7Of

— MLB (@MLB) June 3, 2025

Gabriel Moreno, C, Arizona Diamondbacks

Rostered: 28% Yahoo
Estimated Return: Mid-July

2025 Stats: .270/.324/.414/5 HRs/20 RBI/13 BB/1 SB

We are going to revisit Gabriel Moreno for a third straight week, as he remains just 25% rostered in Yahoo leagues and could be a nice addition given the difficult-to-fill position he plays at catcher.

Moreno suffered a hairline fracture in his pointer finger, but he has since resumed running the bases as well as receiving the ball. This is all good news and has put his timetable for return closer to the end of the month, whereas in prior articles, his return was more of an unknown.

He has performed well against both right-handed and left-handed pitchers, as noted by his .730+ OPS against both. He should make for a solid addition down the stretch.

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