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Welcome back, RotoBallers, to another weekly edition of the Injured Players to Stash in Fantasy Baseball series! Heading into Week 13, this article highlights five injured players worth stashing. If you're new to the series, check out previous articles for even more options.
Many productive players are nearing a return. If you stash them on your IL spots, their production could more than pay off in the long run. Whether it's pitching, offense, or both, the guys could help.
Only players rostered in less than 60% of Yahoo leagues are eligible for inclusion. The goal is to put a spotlight on far-too-overlooked players. Now, let's get into this week's list.
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Gavin Williams, SP, Cleveland Guardians
Rostered: 49%
Estimated Return: Mid-June
Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Gavin Williams (elbow) was one of the main players highlighted on the list from two weeks ago. Now, he's only scheduled to make one or two more starts before rejoining the big league rotation.
Williams had a great rookie year in 2023. He threw 82 innings and posted a 3.29 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 81 strikeouts, and 37 walks. Much of his success came from his nasty slider-curveball combo. Overall, he has ace-like potential. Considering how his 25th birthday is on July 26, the sky's the limit.
Despite his prospect pedigree and last year's success, Williams is only rostered in just under half of Yahoo leagues. With how hard it's been to find pitching, I imagine that number will increase drastically over the next few weeks.
WATCH: @ECUBaseball Alum Gavin Williams strikes out a pair in a scoreless 1st inning of work tonight for Columbus making his 2nd rehab start#PiratesInThePros🏴☠️pic.twitter.com/UtkQ9SCYF0
— Pirate Radio ☠️ (@PR927FM) June 5, 2024
Jeffrey Springs, SP, Tampa Bay Rays
Rostered: 16% Yahoo
Estimated Return: Late June
Two weeks ago, I wrote about how Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Jeffrey Springs (elbow) was pulled from a rehab start early and it's implications. Now we know that he was shut down, but he returned to action on Wednesday night and pitched well.
In 2022, Springs threw 135 1/3 innings with a 2.46 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and 144 strikeouts. He made three amazing starts in 2023 before tearing his UCL and undergoing Tommy John surgery. Reports are suggesting that, in Wednesday's rehab appearance, his pitch shapes and speeds are similar to how they were in 2023 before his injury. This is a great sign. If he's available in your league (chances are that he is), he's absolutely worth stashing.
Jeffrey Spring made a AAA rehab start today, striking out 3 in 2.0 IP
His velocity looks to be back to his 2023 levels as he generated 8 whiffs on just 18 pitches pic.twitter.com/eoXTTEzXab
— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) June 12, 2024
Kerry Carpenter, OF, Detroit Tigers
Rostered: 52%
Estimated Return: Uncertain
Detroit Tigers outfielder Kerry Carpenter is one of the most underrated hitters in MLB. Before hitting the IL with a lumbar stress spine fracture at the end of May, he was slashing .283/.342/.572 with 10 doubles, eight homers, and 29 RBI. He's also in the top 7% of the league in xwOBA, xSLG, and barrel rate.
The only real flaw with rostering Carpenter is that he generally only gets at-bats against right-handed pitchers. This season, he's just 1-for-18 against lefties. His production may be limited to a platoon option, but he's one of the best righty-killers out there.
Kerry Carpenter stays hot! 🔥
He has 11 XBH and 12 RBI in his last 14 games. pic.twitter.com/w5Fawkmwl6
— MLB (@MLB) May 25, 2024
Carpenter's return date isn't certain, but his impressive production (when he plays) makes him worth a stash, especially in daily leagues when you can start or sit him depending on who's pitching against the Tigers. Considering how thin outfield has been this year, Carpenter should be on your radar if he's available.
Lars Nootbaar, OF, St. Louis Cardinals
Rostered: 28%
Estimated Return: Uncertain
St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar (oblique) is another slept-on lefty batter with tons of talent. He's an on-base machine; his career OBP is .349. He's also in the top 20% of the league in xwOBA, xSLG, average exit velocity, hard-hit rate, chase rate, and walk rate. When healthy, he produces a lot of runs.
Nootbaar is still at least a few weeks away from rejoining the Cardinals lineup, but he's definitely worth stashing if you're looking for an outfielder and have the space. Between him or Carpenter, Nootbaar will play more consistently (he's basically an everyday player), but Carpenter will probably have more value when he does play.
Michael Massey, 2B, Kansas City Royals
Rostered: 7%
Estimated Return: Uncertain
Kansas City Royals second baseman Michael Massey was having a terrific start to the 2024 season before back issues put him on the IL. In 29 games, he was slashing .294/.306/.529 with 30 runs, six homers, and 23 RBI.
Michael Massey getting some rehab work in at Kauffman Stadium pic.twitter.com/MSFggiUL2b
— Joel Goldberg (@goldbergkc) June 11, 2024
Massey's underlying numbers suggest regression, but he still projects to be a serviceable long-term option. His .351 wOBA is much higher than his .309 xwOBA. His .529 SLG is way above his .443 xSLG. Regardless, he hits in a stellar lineup. He's also among the top of the league in avoiding strikeouts and batting average. Overall, there should be plenty of opportunities to score runs once he gets back, whenever that is. He may not be worth a stash in shallow leagues, but those of you in deeper ones should definitely give him some thought.
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