Five Injured Players to Stash in Fantasy Baseball - Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 7 (2025)

May 11, 2025

Kipp highlights five injured fantasy baseball players worth stashing in redraft leagues, as of May 9, 2025 (Week 7). His waiver wire pickups for IL players.

We've got another edition of the Injured Players to Stash in Fantasy Baseball series for Week 7 as we continue the 2025 season. Today's article examines injured players, including Shane Bieber, Josh Lowe, and Tyler Fitzgerald, among others.

With the 2025 fantasy baseball season well 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 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. Without further ado, let's look at what Week 7 of the fantasy baseball season has to offer.

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Luis Gil, SP, New York Yankees

Rostered: 28% Yahoo
Estimated Return: Early June

2024 Stats: 3.50 ERA/171 K/77 BB/151 2/3 IP

Luis Gil is making his second appearance in this article. I wrote about him last month, explaining that he was worth adding even though he was not due to return for at least six weeks. We are in early May, and he should be returning by the beginning of next month, so the time to start looking to add him is now.

The Yankees are also eager to get Gil back, as their rotation is a bit in flux, given Gerrit Cole's (elbow) season-ending injury earlier this spring. Upon his return, the Yankees will likely ease him back in initially and let him roll.

In 2024, Gil averaged approximately five 1/3 innings pitched per start, so while not exactly an innings eater, his strikeout upside cannot be denied. He also posted a very respectable 1.19 WHIP in 2024, so he will help in multiple categories once he is reinstated.

Shane Bieber, SP, Cleveland Guardians

Rostered: 25% Yahoo
Estimated Return: Early July

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

Let's get a little crazy and start talking about adding Shane Bieber. Bieber went down early in 2024 and ultimately underwent Tommy John surgery. Before getting injured, Bieber looked sharp by striking out 20 batters in just 12 innings pitched while also not allowing a run.

Bieber is not due to return for two more months. Still, if you have an IL spot or the depth to add an injured piece, this is precisely the type of guy you can afford to hold onto for an extended period of time due to the rewards you will reap down the stretch in the fantasy baseball season.

Bieber is a former Cy Young winner who is only 30 years old and has a lot to prove. This offseason, he signed a team-friendly deal that would allow him to rehab with the Guardians' staff and build himself back up so he can snag a bigger deal on the free agent market. Simply put, he will be motivated.

Here’s Shane Bieber, doing that thing he used to do before he had to temporarily stop doing it. pic.twitter.com/ShkIaj5egP

— Anthony Castrovince (@castrovince) February 15, 2025

Josh Lowe, OF, Tampa Bay Rays

Rostered: 59% Yahoo
Estimated Return: Mid-May

2024 Stats: .241/.302/.391/10 HRs/34 RBI/25 SBs

I was kind of surprised to see that Lowe made the threshold of being rostered to make it in this article. He is coming back from an oblique injury and should be ready for a return to the Rays' lineup within the next couple of weeks.

Lowe only carries outfield eligibility, but that is alright, as outfield depth is hard to come by in 2025. In 2024, Lowe showed a nice power and speed combination by belting 10 home runs and stealing 25 bases.

He is certainly capable of more power, as noted by his 20 home runs in 2023. He also managed to snag 32 bases in 2023, so the combination is quite real.

#JoshLowe (oblique) taking BP today in #Durham. @RaysBaseball OF expected to start AAA portion of his rehab assignment w/@DurhamBulls tomorrow after playing yesterday in FCL (1-3, HR as DH).#RaysUp pic.twitter.com/fa54xU3GEZ

— Patrick Kinas (@PatrickKinas) May 7, 2025

Tyler Fitzgerald, 2B/SS/OF, San Francisco Giants

Rostered: 31% Yahoo
Estimated Return: Mid-May

2025 Stats: .284/.341/.432/2 HRs/7 RBI/ 5 SBs

Tyler Fitzgerald came out of spring training ready to roll, but was quickly derailed by injury. He is set to return to the Giants' lineup in the next couple of weeks and provides value in several areas.

First and foremost, Fitzgerald is eligible in the infield and outfield, so roster flexibility will not be a question. He is also no slouch, as noted by his 15 home runs and 17 stolen bases in just 96 games in 2024.

Fitzgerald can also platoon if needed. Since 2023 (159 PA), Fitzgerald has posted a .936 OPS with nine home runs against left-handed pitching. He has not been too shabby against right-handers either, as noted by his .749 OPS against them over that same span.

His ability to produce power and speed should also make him valuable to fantasy managers. As aforementioned, he is set to return by the middle of this month, so managers will want to start making the addition sooner rather than later.

Jake Cronenworth, 1B/2B, San Diego Padres

Rostered: 23% Yahoo
Estimated Return: Early May

2025 Stats: .257/.409/.486/2 HRs/5 RBI/0 SB

Jake Cronenworth is making his second appearance in this article, and he is set to return this weekend. Cronenworth missed a month of action due to a rib fracture, so we need to be a bit leery in the first few games to see how he responds.

With his return and Jackson Merrill's earlier this week, the San Diego Padres are getting healthier. Cronenworth will provide position value as he is eligible at first and second base.

In 2024, Cronenworth drove in 83 runs while hitting closer to the bottom of the order. He also posted a very respectable .714 OPS with 17 home runs. The fact that he is only rostered in 23 percent of Yahoo! leagues is rather astonishing.

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