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Josh's top 25 injured players to stash for fantasy baseball as of Week 12 (2025). His top fantasy baseball injury stashes for IL spots and redraft leagues.
Welcome, RotoBallers, to another installment of the Injured Players to Stash for Fantasy Baseball series as we head into Week 11 of the 2025 MLB season. Today, we list the top 25 high-profile injured MLB players rostered in less than 65% of leagues worth stashing in your leagues, including names like Wilyer Abreu, Lance McCullers Jr., Grayson Rodriguez, and more.
Whether managers had to drop these players or they were left off rosters, you can capitalize on your league mates' mistakes. With some savvy moves, you can scoop up difference-makers before your opponents get the chance.
Below, I've listed my top 25 injured players in fantasy baseball in order of Yahoo! roster percentage. I've also highlighted five players to watch, as they could return sooner rather than later. Without further ado, let's get to the list!
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Top-25 Stash-Worthy Injured Players For Fantasy Baseball
| Player | Team | IL Type | Roster % | Estimated Return |
| Bryce Miller | Seattle Mariners | IL15 (Elbow) | 64% | Late July |
| Mark Vientos | New York Mets | IL10 (Hamstring) | 61% | Late June |
| Reese Olson | Detroit Tigers | IL15 (Finger) | 60% | Late June |
| Wilyer Abreu | Boston Red Sox | IL10 (Oblique) | 58% | TBD |
| New York Yankees | IL15 (Hamstring) | 56% | Late June | |
| Brandon Woodruff | Milwaukee Brewers | IL15 (Elbow) | 55% | Late June/Early July |
| Dylan Crews | Washington Nationals | IL10 (Oblique) | 53% | TBD |
| Ezequiel Tovar | Colorado Rockies | IL10 (Oblique) | 50% | TBD |
| Royce Lewis | Minnesota Twins | IL10 (Hamstring) | 48% | TBD |
| Lance McCullers Jr. | Houston Astros | IL15 (Foot) | 42% | Early July |
| Grayson Rodriguez | Baltimore Orioles | IL60 (Lat) | 37% | Late July/Early August |
| Sean Manaea | New York Mets | IL60 (Oblique) | 37% | Late June/Early July |
| Tyler O'Neill | Baltimore Orioles | IL10 (Shoulder) | 36% | TBD |
| Yu Darvish | San Diego Padres | IL60 (Elbow) | 35% | TBD |
| Max Scherzer | Toronto Blue Jays | IL60 (Thumb) | 34% | Late June |
| Shane Bieber | Cleveland Guardians | IL60 (Elbow) | 32% | TBD |
| Spencer Arrighetti | Houston Astros | IL60 (Thumb) | 31% | TBD |
| Luis Gil | New York Yankees | IL60 (Lat) | 29% | TBD |
| Ryan Mountcastle | Baltimore Orioles | IL10 (Hamstring) | 26% | August |
| Tanner Houck | Boston Red Sox | IL15 (Elbow) | 24% | TBD |
| Max Meyer | Miami Marlins | IL15 (Hip) | 22% | TBD |
| Noelvi Marte | Cincinnati Reds | IL10 (Oblique) | 21% | TBD |
| Austin Hays | Cincinnati Reds | IL10 (Foot) | 19% | TBD |
| A.J. Puk | Arizona Diamondbacks | IL60 (Elbow) | 18% | TBD |
| Justin Verlander | San Francisco Giants | IL15 (Pectoral) | 16% | June 18 |
Fantasy Baseball Players To Monitor Closely
Wilyer Abreu, OF - Boston Red Sox
Rostered: 58% Yahoo!
Estimated Return: TBD
When Abreu was placed on the injured list last week, his spot in the outfield was immediately given to the top prospect in baseball, Roman Anthony. At the time, there were questions about how Abreu would fit back in once he returned, but those questions have since been answered.
The Boston Red Sox traded full-time DH Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants on Sunday. This surprising move sent away the face of their franchise, but it also gave the Red Sox more lineup flexibility.
Boston can start all four of their outfielders on any given day by utilizing the recently vacated designated hitter position. This move ensures that the Red Sox will always have a spot in the lineup for Abreu, and that's a good thing considering how impressive he's been this season.
Abreu collected 21 extra-base hits, including 13 home runs and eight doubles, in 64 games this year. His .235 BA and .471 SLG are also well below his expected stats, .263 xBA and .535 xSLG, suggesting that he could do even better upon returning.
Abreu is available in over 40% of Yahoo! leagues, so stash him where you can.
Lance McCullers Jr., SP - Houston Astros
Rostered: 42% Yahoo!
Estimated Return: Early July
McCullers returned this season after not pitching since 2022, and now he's found himself back on the injured list with a foot injury.
The veteran pitcher had one of the worst starts of his career in his second appearance this season, allowing seven earned runs in just 1/3 inning of work. Since that blowup start, McCullers has bounced back to the tune of a 12.43 K/9, which ranks fourth among starting pitchers in that span. The Astros starter has also only given up more than three earned runs once in his last five starts.
McCullers has demonstrated diminished velocity on his fastball this season, but his breaking pitches are so good that it may not matter. There is also optimism that he will only require a minimum stay on the injured list for his foot issue.
McCullers is only rostered in 42% of leagues, and that number could go down considering he was just placed on the injured list on Monday, June 16. He still has tremendous upside, considering he tossed a 12-strikeout quality start less than three weeks ago. For that reason alone, he is well worth a stash.
Grayson Rodriguez, SP - Baltimore Orioles
Rostered: 37% Yahoo!
Estimated Return: Late July/Early August
Rodriguez has yet to make his 2025 debut, and the likeliest outcome is he won't touch a major league mound until August or later. That said, he is a former first-round pick and top prospect in baseball, so he could hold some upside.
The Orioles pitcher has two major league seasons under his belt, and while he improved year over year, he didn't make any drastic leaps forward. Rodriguez finished the 2023 season with a 4.35 ERA in 122 innings, then followed up with a 3.86 ERA in 116 2/3 innings in 2024. The 25-year-old passes the eye test, but his numbers have just not lined up with what everyone knows he is capable of.
In that sense, you should view Rodriguez as a late-season lottery ticket. He is capable of improving upon his 3.86 ERA from last year, and if he does take a sizeable step forward upon his return, you could have a difference-maker in your rotation without having to give up any substantial assets.
Pick up Rodriguez, stick him in an IL slot, and forget about him until he returns from the injured list.
Noelvi Marte, 3B - Cincinnati Reds
Rostered: 21% Yahoo!
Estimated Return: TBD
Marte was tearing it up on the field earlier this season, but it appears we'll have to wait a little longer to see him return. Marte is dealing with an oblique injury and awaiting clearance to begin a rehab assignment, but now may be the perfect time to stash him.
First career triple for @MarteNoelvi‼️ pic.twitter.com/yXJfh0jCQr
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) April 28, 2025
Marte played just 19 games this season, but in that time he slashed .294/.342/.515 with three home runs and 17 RBI. The 23-year-old is an explosive player and could be a dangerous hitter at Great American Ball Park.
Oblique injuries are tough to manage because setbacks are common with soft tissue injuries, but Marte has been sidelined since May 5. The young slugger has had ample time to recover, and the cautious approach could pay off down the stretch.
Marte is a sneaky add in deeper leagues with corner infield slots. He's widely available and should cost you little to no FAAB to acquire before a timeline for his return is announced.
A.J. Puk, RP - Arizona Diamondbacks
Rostered: 18% Yahoo!
Estimated Return: TBD
Puk is an electric arm in the Diamondbacks' bullpen, but he has been sidelined since April 19 with an elbow injury.
The latest news surrounding the D-backs was that closer Justin Martinez would be undergoing Tommy John surgery. That surgery is a season-ending injury, which would potentially leave the door open for Puk to step into the closer role.
The Diamondbacks are a competitive team in the best division in baseball, so saves could be plentiful if Puk were to land the job upon his return. The bad news is that Puk is currently shut down from throwing and awaiting further instructions about how to proceed.
A.J. Puk has paused his throwing program and will visit Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles, manager Torey Lovullo said.
— Nick Piecoro (@nickpiecoro) June 13, 2025
A shutdown from baseball activities is rarely a good sign, so it is impossible to say how much longer he will be sidelined. That said, the opportunity to acquire a potential closer for dirt cheap is a shot worth taking, even if the odds are stacked against him.
This is one of those stashes you pick up and hope for the best, but expect the worst. The worst-case scenario is you drop him and move on. He's available in over 80% of Yahoo! leagues, and he's another potential lottery ticket.
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