5 Injured Players to Stash - Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 6 (2026)

May 1, 2026

Dan's injury fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups, IL stashes for Week 6 of 2026. His top injured players to stash as waiver wire sleepers, breakouts to return.

Hello, RotoBallers! Another week of fantasy baseball is (almost) done, another one is coming up, and another edition of Five Injured Players To Stash is here for you to weigh as you place your waiver bids this weekend.

Past entrant Justin Steele (elbow) suffered a setback this week, pushing his return closer to the All-Star break than Memorial Day. This week, I offer up another starter that might be more worth the wait and one that could be back in action by the end of the month. Also included is another potential target for saves, as well as a couple of guys who can pitch in on offense.

Stashing injured players can be a useful tactic in fantasy baseball, especially if your team isn't in immediate need of help. The boost these players can give when they return can be valuable, and jumping on them this early increases your odds of securing their services. RotoBaller has plenty more help for managing your waiver wire, but for now, here are Five Injured Players To Stash for Week 6.

Hunter Greene, SP, Cincinnati Reds

Rostered: 62% Yahoo!
Estimated return: July

As mentioned above, Steele is now expected to be out until mid-July rather than the end of this month. Steele is still a fine long-term target, but since you will be waiting that long for a pitcher with a penchant for driving down ratios, why not wait for one who can do the same AND racks up strikeouts like it’s going out of style?

Enter Hunter Greene (elbow). When Greene came onto the scene in 2022, he quickly became one of the game’s premier strikeout artists. Greene has registered a strikeout rate of 30% or better in three of his four seasons as a pro (and was not far off the mark with his 27.7% rate in 2024). His fantasy stock shot way up in 2024 and 2025 when he was able to induce less hard contact, turning him from a ratio-wrecker to an ace with a sub-3.00 ERA and WHIP hovering around 1.00 in both seasons.

Greene has been on the injured list since the start of the season, recuperating from a surgery to remove bone spurs from his elbow in March. He recently started long toss and is a few weeks away from his first bullpen session. If his timeline holds, he should return around the All-Star break.

Greene’s roster rate has slowly dwindled over the last few weeks and has gone from one of my “due diligence” waiver searches to one that we can reasonably hope to find there. If you are still in on Steele or any other long-term stash, double-check that Greene hasn’t become available in your leagues.

Hunter Greene speaks for the first time since his injury. Describes the bone spurs he’s dealt with. Provided a timeline of what happened in the offseason, talked about how he tried to push through, but felt a “stabbing” pain every time he threw the ball.

🎥: @Reds pic.twitter.com/bJ8tHuZoQy

— Yanni Tragellis (@yannitragellis) March 18, 2026

Giancarlo Stanton, OF, New York Yankees

Rostered: 38% Yahoo!
Estimated return: Early to mid-May

If you are already scoreboard watching and noticing your home run and RBI totals need to improve, Giancarlo Stanton (calf) is worth a look. The 36-year-old’s reputation in fantasy baseball has taken a hit in recent years, thanks to a seemingly never-ending struggle to stay healthy. Even though he has appeared in only 402 games over the last four seasons, he has managed to average 26.5 home runs and 69 RBI during that period.

Stanton kicked off his most recent trip to the injured list earlier this week after straining his right calf on April 24. Imaging revealed that the strain is mild, so he is not expected to be on the shelf for long, though he may need more than the minimum 10 days. The Yankees made their move retroactive to April 25, so Stanton is eligible for activation on May 5.

Stanton is off to a slow start in the power department, with just three home runs in his first 24 games of 2026. His six doubles have helped pump up his RBI total to a healthy 14. Stanton is still swinging as hard as ever, with a 100th percentile bat speed powering his 18% barrel rate. Once healthy, he will be following the Cody Bellinger and Aaron Judge in the Yankees’ lineup, and will have ample opportunity to contribute to a fantasy squad’s home run and RBI production.

Jared Jones, SP, Pittsburgh Pirates

Rostered: 24% Yahoo!
Estimated return: Late May

So you say that you aren’t one of the lucky ones who found Greene available on your league’s waiver wire? Not to worry, as there is more pitching help that is more widely available, and sooner, too. Jared Jones (elbow) of the Pirates has been out of commission since 2024, but the then-22-year-old rookie looked like an ace in the making, and he is drawing closer to his return.

Back in 2024, while everyone was anticipating the debuts of Paul Skenes and Bubba Chandler, it was Jones who snagged a spot in the Pirates’ rotation when the team broke camp. A lat strain cost him about two months of that season, but on either side of it, Jones drew 22 starts and had 132 strikeouts in 121.2 innings pitched. His 4.14 ERA left something to be desired but was backed by a 3.98 xERA and 3.78 FIP, and he had a 1.19 WHIP. Not great, but also not a killer. In sum, a solid effort through his first experience in the majors.

Jones fell victim to a UCL injury at the end of spring training in 2025 and was placed on the 60-day injured list. That May, he went under the knife for an internal brace procedure, and his season ended before it began.

Jones hit a milestone in his road back to the Pirates’ pitching staff on April 29, completing his first rehab start with Single-A Bradenton. Not only did Jones make it through his appearance without a setback or discomfort, but he also got his fastball into the triple digits. The righty will be building up over the next few weeks and could be reinstated soon after he is first eligible on May 24.

Jared Jones throws 8 pitches 100+ mph in his first rehab start 🔥

The @Pirates right-hander strikes out five and tops out at 101.1 mph in three perfect innings for Single-A @The_Marauders. pic.twitter.com/RqZmfrbiZP

— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) April 29, 2026

Clayton Beeter, RP, Washington Nationals

Rostered: 6% Yahoo!
Estimated return: Early May

It’s not every week that I have a potential saves target for you, but it has occurred more frequently than I would have expected. This week’s nominee is Clayton Beeter (forearm) of the Washington Nationals. Beeter hit the 15-day IL last weekend due to forearm soreness (yikes!), but his MRI came back clean, showing no structural damage (phew!).

Before going down, Beeter had accumulated one win, two saves, and nine strikeouts in 10.1 innings pitched, with a 3.48 ERA and 1.26 WHIP. Even before the injury, Beeter’s status as the Nats’ closer was on shaky ground, as those ratios (early though it may be) can attest. The 27-year-old had also blown two saves in his 10 appearances.

On the plus side for Beeter is the fact that Washington’s closer situation is still fuzzy. The team is utilizing a committee, and none of the members are doing enough to stand out from the rest. The door is open, then, for Beeter to be involved again. That opportunity invites potential to claim the ninth inning for himself with improved results. Beeter is already throwing again and could be activated as soon as May 8.

Ha-Seong Kim, SS, Atlanta Braves

Rostered: 2% Yahoo!
Estimated return: Mid-May

While home in South Korea in the offseason, Ha-Seong Kim (finger) hurt himself in a freak accident, tearing a tendon in his finger as a result of slipping on a patch of ice. The infielder had surgery to repair the tendon in Atlanta (Kim had signed a one-year deal with the Braves in December), and he started the 2026 season on the 10-day IL.

At long last, Kim kicked off his rehab assignment on April 29, playing five innings and going 1-for-2 at the plate with a stolen base. Atlanta plans to start Kim slowly as he works his way back to full strength. With the rehab assignment underway, Kim has to be activated by May 19, barring any setbacks.

Kim offers help to those looking to shore up their middle infield positions and can bring a combination of power and speed (lighter on the former, heavier on the latter) to the table. His playing time might be impacted by the success of Mauricio Dubon, who only recently cooled off after starting the season red-hot. Dubon does have the flexibility to cover left field should the Braves wish to keep him in the lineup, which would open things up for Kim to take over at shortstop.

Ha-Seong Kim - Rehab Single in his first at bat. pic.twitter.com/TiNMPcQndI

— Lethal platy (@LethalPlatypus1) April 29, 2026

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