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Another week, another batch of injured MLB players. Cody Bellinger and Triston Casas fractured their ribs. Lane Thomas sprained his MCL. Merrill Kelly strained his shoulder. Blake Snell strained his left adductor. Even though we're only a month into the 2024 season, it seems there's been a season's worth of injuries.
For fantasy baseball managers, the injury plague can be especially frustrating. When we build our teams around guys like Spencer Strider, Gerrit Cole, Luis Robert, and Royce Lewis, it's incredibly defeating to see them get hurt. We can try to supplement our team via trade or the waiver wire, but there's no shaking the feeling of "what could have been?" when top-tier talent hits the shelf.
Right now, it's easy to feel like winning your league is more about luck than skill, and that the team with the healthiest roster will win. However, that isn't the case. Despite all of the injuries, anyone can still win their fantasy league right now. Like I said in the article for Week 1, the road to championship glory is long, and it's filled with obstacles and setbacks. Trekking requires diligence and persistence. To help navigate your path, this article contains five injured players who can help your team in the near future. As always, only players rostered in less than 60% of Yahoo leagues are eligible.
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- Start/Sit recommendations - All Pitcher Matchups for Week Ahead
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- Cut List - Players To Consider Dropping
Kyle Bradish - SP, Baltimore Orioles
For the third week in a row, Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Kyle Bradish is the first player on this list. Since last week's article, the 27-year-old righty's roster percentage has only risen by two points (54% to 56%). Despite being a top-five finisher in last year's Cy Young race, he's only rostered in around half of fantasy baseball leagues. No matter how you slice it, his availability is perplexing. With pitchers seemingly dropping like flies (e.g., Cristian Javier, Eduardo Rodriguez, and Yu Darvish), Bradish is undoubtedly the best replacement out there.
Bradish's last rehab start was admittedly rough. While he did strike out four batters in 3.1 innings, he also allowed four earned runs on six hits and three walks. He'll make another (and hopefully his last) rehab start on April 26 in Triple-A Norfolk. Regardless of how he performs, he shouldn't be overlooked. Once he's back in the majors, he should eat innings and maintain a solid strikeout rate. On top of that, the Orioles offense will provide ample run support.
Overall, there's no good reason for Bradish to be available in any fantasy league. If you're in one of the 44% of leagues where he's on the waivers, do yourself a favor and pick him up now. Until he's off the IL or rostered in over 60% of leagues, he'll continue to headline this list due to his incredible upside and comforting reliability.
Bradish painting corners early 🎯#RisingTides pic.twitter.com/gYCA7aX2jE
— Norfolk Tides (@NorfolkTides) April 21, 2024
Taj Bradley - SP, Tampa Bay Rays
Unlike Kyle Bradish, Tampa Bays Rays starting pitcher Taj Bradley is available in a majority of leagues. In fact, the 23-year-old former top prospect is available in 80% of Yahoo leagues. He's also close to starting a rehab assignment in Triple-A Durham after dealing with a pectoral issue since the start of spring training.
Last season was full of ups and downs for Bradley. When he was first called up, he seemed like an early contender for AL Rookie of the Year. However, he bounced back and forth between the minors and the majors and lost his footing as a result. His statistics were ultimately underwhelming, but few young pitchers showcased more upside. While he posted a 5.59 ERA in 104.2 innings, he racked up 129 strikeouts. Out of the 17 rookies who pitched over 100 innings in 2023, Bradley was second in strikeout rate (65.4%), third in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.31) and overall strike percentage (65.4%), and eighth in walk rate.
Bradley is a riskier option than Kyle Bradish, but his potential is undeniable. With the Rays' reputation for developing young pitchers, Bradley is still among the most promising young hurlers in baseball. However, he seems to be flying under the radar amidst the influx of talented new pitchers. Despite a subpar rookie year, Bradley is capable of a breakout year in 2024. For fantasy purposes, he especially deserves consideration from teams looking for strikeouts.
Jasson Dominguez - OF, New York Yankees
New York Yankees outfielder Jasson Dominguez was outstanding in his first eight big league games before undergoing Tommy John surgery last September. The Martian's long-awaited debut was a bright spot in the Bronx Bombers' disappointing 2023 season. Albeit a tiny sample size, he slashed .258/.303/.677 with four home runs and a stolen base in 33 plate appearances at just 20 years old.
There haven't been any updates regarding Dominguez's progress since April 10 when a report came out that he was on track to begin a rehab assignment at the end of the month. At that time, he was taking swings and throwing from 120 feet. The lack of news may be slightly concerning, but if that report is correct, we could see Dominguez in pinstripes by the end of May. Make sure to keep an eye on any news that comes out soon. If it's good, pull the trigger and add him. If it's not, still keep him on your radar.
With so many great outfielders set to miss the next few months, Dominguez is a great replacement. Not only is he one of MLB's most exciting young players, but he's also an impressive power-speed threat. In 295 career minor league games, he's racked up 36 homers, 56 doubles, and 86 stolen bases. His strikeout total (334) may be high, but he's shown tremendous discipline for a player of his age (182 walks). If there's someone capable of being this year's 2022 Julio Rodriguez or 2023 Corbin Carroll, Dominguez is certainly a top contender. Right now, he's only rostered in 29% of Yahoo leagues.
Jonathan Aranda - 1B, Tampa Bay Rays
Last week, I wrote about how Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Jonathan Aranda was in the process of recovering from a fractured right finger and could make his 2024 debut sometime in mid-to-late May. Since then, reports have come out that he's expected to begin a rehab assignment in Triple-A Durham this weekend. With everyone waiting for the Rays to call up Junior Caminero, it seems like Aranda is being overlooked and undervalued.
Cash said INF Jonathan Aranda (broken finger) and OF Jonny DeLuca (broken hand) are expected to play in an extended spring game tomorrow, and could be on rehab assignments with Triple-A Durham by the end of this week. #Rays
— Steve Carney (@stevecarney) April 22, 2024
Aranda is currently only rostered in 2% of Yahoo leagues. This is surprising because of how gaudy his minor league numbers are. In 511 career minor league games, he's slashed .306/.392/.483 with 107 doubles, 62 home runs, and 327 RBI. After getting some time in the majors in both 2022 and 2023, it looks like he's finally going to have consistent playing time in Tampa this year.
Players as polished as Aranda don't come along very often. At almost 26 years old, he's capable of making an impact on your fantasy team right away. He's also virtually guaranteed to be available in your fantasy league. If you're looking for a first baseman to replace Cody Bellinger or Triston Casas, this could be your guy.
Taijuan Walker - SP, Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Taijuan Walker is an intriguing option in deeper leagues and NL-only leagues. His first season in Philly wasn't great (he posted a 4.38 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, and 138:71 K/BB ratio in 172.2 innings), but he has a track record of success and pitches for a team that's bound to get him some wins. Most importantly, he's set to make his 2024 debut in San Diego on Sunday.
Taijuan Walker will start Sunday in San Diego. Phillies will split up their lefties by slotting Walker between them.
— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) April 23, 2024
One of the biggest reasons for Walker's struggles in 2023 was his 9.7% walk rate (it was 6.9% in 2022 when he posted a 3.60 ERA). This year, he's thrown 15 rehab innings and given up six free passes. He also only has six strikeouts. However, (and stop me if you've heard this before) it's hard to judge pitchers based on a few rehab starts.
In reality, Walker is an objectively-good pitcher. He has a career 3.97 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and 2.66 K/BB ratio. In leagues where players like Bradish and Taj Bradley are likely rostered, Walker might still be available. Even if he doesn't have the same ceiling, he has a safe floor. He may not be as fun or flashy, but he's reliable and gets the job done. For someone like that, it's surprising to see him only rostered in 10% of Yahoo leagues.
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