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
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Five Injured Players to Stash in Fantasy Baseball - Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 1 (2025)

Daulton Varsho - Fantasy Baseball Rankings, Draft Sleepers, MLB Injury News

Kipp Heisterman (@kipppsta) highlights five injured fantasy baseball players worth stashing in redraft leagues, as of March 27, 2025 (Week 1).

Welcome back RotoBallers to the 2025 MLB season! We've got another edition of the Injured Players to Stash in Fantasy Baseball series for Week 1 to kick off the 2025 season.

With 2025 fantasy baseball drafts concluding and the season about to get underway, there are several injured players out there who have low roster percentages, and may be available on your league's waiver wires. These players can provide tons of value to fantasy managers, especially if they have an IL spot on their rosters.

This article will be featured weekly with updated players for fantasy managers to consider picking up and stashing off the waiver wire. Without further ado, let's look at what Week 1 of the fantasy baseball season has to offer.

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

 

Francisco Alvarez, C, New York Mets

Rostered: 35% Yahoo
Estimated Return: Late April

2024 stats: .237/.307/.403/39 R/11 HR/47 RBI

Francisco Alvarez is going on the IL to begin the season with a surgically repaired left hand. He recently had the stitches removed and is expected to return near the end of April.

Alvarez can provide a ton of value for fantasy managers looking for help at the catcher position, and to be honest, who isn't looking for help at the catcher position in 2025? He is just one season removed from mashing 25 home runs. He will also be part of what is expected to be a rather potent Mets offense in 2025.

If you have an IL spot and whiffed at the catcher position in your draft, Alvarez could be the perfect addition, and you won't have to wait too long for his return.

Sean Murphy, C, Atlanta Braves

Rostered: 16% Yahoo
Estimated Return: Mid-April

2024 stats: .193/.284/.352/19 R/10 HR/25 RBI

We are sticking with the catcher theme again here with Sean Murphy. While I do not think he will have as much of an impact as Francisco Alvarez, Murphy should see plenty of time behind the plate once he returns in the middle of April.

Murphy had a lackluster 2024 campaign that was shortened due to injuries, but he is still only 30 years old, which is hard to believe. In 2023, Murphy managed to play in 108 games and hit 21 home runs while driving in 68 RBI. He should settle into a Braves lineup that ranked 16th in wRC+ in 2024. Mind you, this was without Ronald Acuna Jr. for most of the season.

Upon his return, Murphy is likely to bat seventh in the Braves lineup, which should lend its hand to plenty of RBI opportunities, which can often be hard to come by at the catcher position. Add him and put him in an IL spot if you have one.

Matt Vierling, 3B/OF, Detroit Tigers

Rostered: 4% Yahoo
Estimated Return: Late April

2024 stats: .257/.312/.423/16 HR/57 RBI/6 SB

Vierling will begin the season on the IL due to a shoulder injury and is expected to return at the end of April. He had a solid 2024 campaign, as noted by his 16 home runs and 57 RBI across 134 games.

He is expected to hit in the middle of a Tigers lineup that recently added Gleyber Torres and posted a 95 wRC+ in 2024. While the Tigers offense was not stout by any means, it should improve in 2025 with the addition of Torres and the growth of some young rising stars like Kerry Carpenter.

Vierling should also see a majority of the playing time in right field upon his return, so at-bats should not be an issue once he gets his legs underneath him.

Austin Hays, OF, Cincinnati Reds

Rostered: 3% Yahoo
Estimated Return: Mid-April

2024 stats: .255/.303/.396/5 HR/20 RBI

Austin Hays is by no means a sexy add as he does not provide a ton of pop; however, he has posted a .261 AVG over the previous three seasons and is a great NL-only league addition for many.

He is especially valuable as a platoon outfielder in deeper leagues. This is noted by the fact that he posted an outstanding .941 OPS vs. southpaws in 2024. He has also posted a .787 OPS vs. left-handers since 2022.

Where he will hit in the Reds lineup is still a bit up in the air, but this is a Reds offense that could use some help against left-handers, as they ranked in the bottom half of the league in terms of wRC+ vs. left-handers in 2024. For this reason, he will see plenty of playing time against lefties this season.

 

Daulton Varsho, OF, Toronto Blue Jays

Rostered: 8% Yahoo
Estimated Return: Early to Mid-April

2024 stats: .214/.293/.407/18 HR/58 RBI/10 SB

Daulton Varsho has been playing DH this spring and has raked to the tune of posting a 1.126 OPS across 33 plate appearances. He was not cleared for Opening Day, however, and will begin the season on the IL. He is expected to miss limited time and should be back in the Blue Jays lineup by the middle of the month.

Varsho had a pretty strong 2024 campaign in which he hit 18 home runs. He was especially strong against left-handed pitchers, as he posted a .813 OPS across 104 plate appearances.

The Blue Jays lineup should be stronger with the addition of Anthony Santander as well. Keep in mind that this offense ranked in the top half of the league in wRC+ in 2024, so further improvement could be coming. He will likely bat sixth in this lineup, so the RBI potential will certainly be there as well.



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!



[jiffyNews category_include='698' headline='More Fantasy Baseball Analysis'




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

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

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Shemar Stewart

Not Practicing With College Team
Uchenna Nwosu

Seahawks Place Uchenna Nwosu on PUP List
Taylor Decker

Alim McNeill, Taylor Decker Placed on PUP List
Tyrion Davis-Price

Titans Waive Tyrion Davis-Price
Tre Harris

Chargers Relying on Tre Harris to Be Starting X Receiver
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Expected Back Friday
Micah Parsons

Will Become Highest-Paid Non-QB
MarShawn Lloyd

Vying for RB2 Role
Keandre Lambert-Smith

KeAndre Lambert-Smith Finds End Zone in First Training Camp Practice
Tyler Shough

Pushing for Fully Guaranteed Rookie Deal
Ar'Darius Washington

Goes on PUP List
Lamar Jackson

to be Even Better in 2025?
Tre Harris

Agrees to Terms on Rookie Deal
Justin Herbert

Off to Good Start at Training Camp
Jameson Williams

Earning Rave Reviews from Lions Coaches
Christian Mahogany

Expected to Start for Lions
Zach Allen

an Extension Candidate in Denver?
Zaire Franklin

May Miss Start of Training Camp
Portland Trail Blazers

Damian Lillard Returning to Portland
Mason Taylor

to Play "Crucial" Role in Jets' Offense
Paul Skenes

Pirates Could Preserve Paul Skenes in Second Half
T.J. Watt

Once Again Becomes Highest-Paid Non-QB
RJ Harvey

Reaches Agreement on Four-Year Rookie Contract
Rashee Rice

Chiefs Believe Rashee Rice Will Receive Two- to Four-Game Suspension
Brooks Barnhizer

Grabs 19 Points, Nine Boards in Summer League Win
Jeremiah Fears

Scores 22 Points in Summer League Loss to Thunder
Isaiah Collier

Collects 17 Points In Summer League Win
Caleb Houstan

Joins Hawks
AJ Johnson

Erupts for 25 Points in Summer League Loss
Washington Wizards

Leaky Black Logs Double-Double in Loss to Jazz
Connor Norby

Undergoes Surgery, Expected to Miss 6-8 Weeks
Trey Alexander

Tallies 25 Points in Losing Effort
Johni Broome

Records Second Consecutive Double-Double
Jahmir Young

Has Historic Summer League Outing
Rob Dillingham

Plays Big Role in Wednesday's Win
Tyrese Proctor

Erupts for 35 Points Against Kings
Cody Williams

Leads Jazz to Victory Against Wizards
LeBron James

Mavs Not Interested in "Gutting its Roster" For LeBron James
Josh Hart

Undergoes a Procedure on Right Finger
Jake Burger

Goes on 10-Day Injured List With Quad Strain
Sal Frelick

Dealing With Grade 1 Hamstring Strain, TBD for Start of Second Half
Chris Sale

Plays Catch
Los Angeles Clippers

Bradley Beal Heading to Los Angeles to Join Clippers After Contract Buyout
Rayan Rupert

Scores 24 Points in Summer League Win
Derik Queen

Collects Third Consecutive Double-Double in Summer League Loss
GG Jackson II

Records 13 Points in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Johni Broome

Logs Double-Double Against Wizards
DaRon Holmes II

Records Double-Double in Summer League Loss to Raptors
Kyle Schwarber

Named All-Star Game MVP
Harris English

Takes Stellar 2025 Performance to The Open Championship
Aldrich Potgieter

Seeks Better Result in Northern Ireland
Cameron Young

Likely to Hang Around at The Open Championship
Cameron Smith

Just Trying to Make the Cut at Royal Portrush
Jordan Spieth

Is Jordan Spieth Still a Natural for Links Style Golf?
Patrick Reed

a Viable Option at The Open Championship
PGA

Sungjae Im Wants to Rebound from Last Experience at Royal Portrush
Xander Schauffele

Looks to Defend His Claret Jug at Royal Portrush
Tony Finau

Trying to Turn Tide at Royal Portrush
Daniel Brown

Seeks a Rebound at The Open Championship
Rory McIlroy

Will be the Most Watched Player This Week at Royal Portrush
Daniel Berger

Trending Poorly as The Open Championship Looms
Clayton Kershaw

Retires Both Batters In ASG Appearance
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Hit In Pinky In All-Star Game, X-Rays Negative
MLB

NL All-Stars Win On Tie-Breaker Home Run Swing-Off
Robert MacIntyre

Hoping to Bounce Back at Open Championship
Shane Lowry

Hopes to Repeat at Royal Portrush
Brian Harman

Hopes to Rekindle Some Magic at the 153rd Open
UTA

Michael Carcone Returns to Utah on One-Year Contract
Bowen Byram

Signs Two-Year Deal with Sabres
Morgan Barron

Jets Re-Sign Morgan Barron for Two Years
PGA

Chris Gotterup Punches Ticket to Royal Portrush With Win at Scottish Open
Bryson DeChambeau

Hopes to Reverse Links Golf Struggle at the 153rd Open
Keegan Bradley

Needs to Find The Weekend at Royal Portrush for Ryder Cup Hopes
Oneil Cruz

Ties Home Run Derby Distance Record
Cal Raleigh

Wins 2025 Home Run Derby
Justin Thomas

Finishes Tied For 22nd at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Genesis Scottish Open
Jon Rahm

Finishes in Second at LIV Andalucia
Tallison Teixeira

Suffers First-Round TKO
Derrick Lewis

Scores First-Round TKO
Michael Lorenzen

Royals Put Michael Lorenzen on Injured List With Oblique Strain
Stephen Thompson

Loses Controversial Split Decision
Gabriel Bonfim

Wins Controversial Split Decision
Calvin Kattar

Gets Outclassed At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Extends His Win Streak
Nate Landwehr

Gets Knocked Out
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Scores Third-Round Knockout
Austen Lane

Suffers Submission Loss
Vitor Petrino

Scores First-Round Submission In Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Earns His First UFC Win
Junior Tafa

Unsuccessful in his Light-Heavyweight Debut
Chase Elliott

Charges to A Finish of Third At Sonoma
Chase Briscoe

Finishes Second With his First Career Road-Course Top-Five at Sonoma
Christopher Bell

Rollercoaster Day Ends With Top-5 Finish at Sonoma
William Byron

Maintains the Regular-Season Points Lead
Kyle Busch

Earns A Hard-Fought Top-10 Finish At Sonoma
Alex Ovechkin

Not Thinking About Retirement
PIT

Penguins Acquire Arturs Silovs
NHL

Nikolai Kovalenko Returns to Russia
Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Tosses Gem Against Giants
Shota Imanaga

Shuts Down Yankees on Sunday
Nathan Eovaldi

Dominant Again in Seventh Win
Tyler Reddick

Evades Near Upset to Remain Alive in In-Season Challenge
Ty Gibbs

One of Three Tylers to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinals
Kyle Larson

Curiously Mediocre at Sonoma Before Late-Race Crash
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek Edges Out Teammate to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Alex Bowman

Ty Dillon Bumps Alex Bowman to Advance to In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Chicago White Sox

Billy Carlson Goes 10th Overall to White Sox
Cincinnati Reds

Steele Hall Selected Ninth by Cincinnati
Toronto Blue Jays

Blue Jays Select JoJo Parker with Eighth Overall Pick
Miami Marlins

Marlins Select Aiva Arquette With Seventh Overall Pick
Pittsburgh Pirates

Pirates Select Seth Hernandez with Sixth Overall Pick
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma
Erik Karlsson

Open to Move Away From Pittsburgh
Zach Hyman

Hopes to be Ready for Start of Next Season
SJ

Jeff Skinner Joins Sharks on One-Year Contract
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF