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

April 24, 2026

Dan's injury fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups, IL stashes for Week 5 of 2026. His top injured players to stash as waiver wire sleepers, breakouts to return.

It’s that time of the week, RotoBallers. Time to wade through the waiver wire and get your bids in before the week turns over to a fresh one on the fantasy baseball calendar. If you are in a position where you can wait for a player to pay off, I have some suggestions for you in this article, the Week 5 edition of Five Injured Players To Stash.

If you are on the hunt to strengthen your pitching staff, then you are in luck. This week’s column features three young guns that could prove useful before too long. Also included are a couple of veteran position players who have started slow in 2026 but will return as regular starters in stacked lineups once healthy.

Fantasy baseball is a marathon, not a sprint. Most of the moves you make on the waiver wire will be to address short-term concerns or to take advantage of hot streaks. You also need to play the long game, though, and think about your needs in the weeks and months ahead. The stashes presented in this series are meant to do just that. When you are done reading the Week 5 edition, check back for past versions to see other players that might be of use down the line.

Jorge Polanco, 2B/3B, New York Mets

Rostered: 33% Yahoo!
Estimated return: May

New York Mets infielder Jorge Polanco (wrist, Achilles) hit the injured list last weekend. The move was made primarily due to a wrist contusion that surfaced during the Mets’ loss to the Dodgers on April 14. Before the wrist injury, Polanco had been dealing with Achilles bursitis, a painful inflammation and swelling around the heel.

While the wrist contusion is what landed him on the IL, the Achilles may have been what has contributed to Polanco’s slow start to the season. In 14 games, Polanco has gone 10-for-56 (.179) with one home run, two RBI, and three runs scored. Not exactly what the Mets were hoping for when they signed the 32-year-old to a two-year, $40 million contract back in December.

Once Polanco is healthy and the Mets' slumping bats have thawed out, New York’s lineup could do some significant damage. Polanco stands to benefit from the situation as he can be expected to slot in regularly as the Mets’ designated hitter. Polanco was placed on the IL retroactive to April 15, so he could be activated as soon as this weekend, but it is more likely that we don’t see the veteran until early May at the soonest.

The Mets don't have a timetable for when Jorge Polanco will return from the 10-day IL pic.twitter.com/Af3qnr5vZQ

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) April 18, 2026

Quinn Priester, SP, Milwaukee Brewers

Rostered: 25% Yahoo!
Estimated return: Mid-May

Quinn Priester (hand) started the season on the 15-day injured list due to thoracic outlet syndrome symptoms that cropped up before he could get into spring training action. The thoracic outlet is the space between the neck and the shoulder. When the blood vessels and nerves in this space are compressed, the result can be neck and shoulder pain or, as in Priester’s case, numbness, pain, and loss of grip strength all in the hand.

Priester made his first rehab start on April 22, though the results spoke more to the 25-year-old needing a bit more time than being in shape for MLB action. The righty faced six batters and recorded two outs, both strikeouts, and issued three walks and hit another batter. Priester walked in one run and was charged with three more when his relief gave up a grand slam.

Priester’s velocity was down in his start, which is already raising some red (or yellow, at least) flags. Having missed spring training, this should be expected, and he is scheduled for at least two more rehab starts to build back up. Priester found success in his first full season last year, going 13-3 with 132 strikeouts and a 3.32 ERA backed by a 3.65 xERA and 3.81 xFIP. He is not a league-winner but does have utility as a fantasy team’s fourth or fifth starter.

Mick Abel, SP, Minnesota Twins

Rostered: 21% Yahoo!
Estimated return: Early to mid-May

All too often, when we read a pitcher is dealing with “elbow inflammation,” it is interpreted as a precursor to reporting that that pitcher’s season is coming to an early end. Fantasy managers invested in Mick Abel (elbow) got a nice little scare on Monday morning when the 24-year-old hit the 15-day IL for just that reason. The panic didn’t last long, however, as Dan Hayes of the Athletic reported later that day that the Twins do not consider the injury serious, nor have there been subsequent reports to the contrary.

Abel had a rocky start to the season, getting chased out of his first two starts early. In his season debut, the young righty gave up four walks, eight hits, and five earned runs before departing after 3.1 innings pitched. He followed that up with four innings of work wherein he allowed another three walks, six hits, and four earned runs.

Abel’s start on April 9 went much better. He still allowed seven baserunners but pitched six shutout innings against the Tigers. He took another step forward on April 14, pitching seven innings of shutout ball and racking up 10 strikeouts in the process. Abel could be activated as soon as May 2, in the middle of Minnesota’s series against Toronto. The next three opponents that follow would be the Nationals, followed by the Guardians, and then the Marlins, which would offer Abel a cushy return.

Minnesota Twins' starting pitcher Mick Abel had his best career outing with 7 scoreless innings and 10 strikeouts against the Red Sox on Tuesday. Abel had a 16.7% swinging-strike rate and a 29% ball rate on Tuesday, significantly better than his career ball rate (35.2% ball rate)… pic.twitter.com/W4qPa0lafb

— Corbin (@corbin_young21) April 15, 2026

J.T. Realmuto, C, Philadelphia Phillies

Rostered: 17% Yahoo!
Estimated return: Early May

As has been mentioned in previous iterations of this column, catcher can be a tricky position to address in fantasy baseball. Unless you spend up to lock in a top-tier player or luck into an emerging talent, it is hard to find a stable and productive option to fill that roster slot, and you end up riding the hot hand and bouncing from backstop to backstop throughout the season.

Enter J.T. Realmuto (back). He is not the fantasy stud he once was, but he still hits well enough not to drag down your team’s batting average. As part of the Phillies’ strong lineup, he has good potential to add to your counting stats, even if that production will be inconsistent. So far in 2026, he has a modest .259 batting average (ranking 12th among catchers with at least 60 plate appearances) and has a home run, four RBI, and five runs scored, hitting in the back half of Philadelphia’s lineup.

Realmuto hit the 10-day IL this week due to back pain stemming from a minor injury suffered on April 17, after a couple of off-days weren’t enough to relieve the 35-year-old’s ailing back. There’s no official timeline for his return, but after a couple of weeks of rest, Realmuto will hopefully be ready for action again. He is a good stash for those suffering at catcher and expect to need another one to pivot to eventually.

Grayson Rodriguez, SP, Los Angeles Angels

Rostered: 12% Yahoo!
Estimated return: Late May/early June

Grayson Rodriguez (shoulder) is another starting pitcher who began the season on the injured list. Rodriguez made four starts in spring training before being sidelined with what was then reported as general soreness. Imaging later revealed inflammation in his right shoulder, adding another IL stint to his already significant injury history.

Rodriguez’s injury struggles have been frustrating for fans and fantasy players alike, not to mention the pitcher himself. The once vaunted prospect looked like he was putting it together when we last saw him in 2024. Then with the Orioles, Rodriguez won 13 games, tallied 130 strikeouts, carried a 3.86 ERA, and registered a 19.1% K-BB% in 116.2 IP over 20 starts. Shoulder and lat injuries robbed him of a full season back then, and elbow and lat injuries prevented him from pitching in 2025 at all.

An offseason trade brought Rodriguez to the Angels, who are in desperate need of bolstering their rotation. The 26-year-old recently took a major step forward in his recovery, facing batters in a bullpen session on April 20. It was the first time since spring training that Rodriguez faced live batters. Hopefully, he will be placed on a rehab assignment before long. There is no timetable for his return, so interested fantasy managers should watch for updates on his status.

😴Deep sleeper watch⌚️

Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Grayson Rodriguez was throwing a slower slider (-2.5 mph) on Monday, which should potentially lead to more downward movement. Rodriguez's slider elicited a 17.8% swinging-strike rate in 2024, with 30% in the small Spring… pic.twitter.com/Ha1LFL5XTQ

— Corbin (@corbin_young21) March 3, 2026

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