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Josh's top 25 injured players to stash for fantasy baseball as of Week 23 (2025). His top fantasy baseball injury stashes for IL spots and redraft leagues.
Welcome back to the Injured Players to Stash for Fantasy Baseball series as we enter Week 23 of the 2025 MLB season. This will be one of the last few entries of the year before the season ends, so thank you for sticking with us, and good luck in your fantasy playoffs.
Today, we provide you with the top 25 high-profile injured MLB players rostered in less than 65% of leagues worth stashing in your leagues, including names like Brendan Donovan, Anthony Santander, Michael Soroka, and more.
We're officially in the final month of the regular season, and the waiver wire is a wasteland. The high-end injured players are either rostered or out for the season, leaving us with little room for error on these IL stashes. That said, we will do the best we can with what we have.
Featured Promo: Save 50% the regular price with discount code SPRING, for a limited time. Exclusive access to our Team Sync platform, DFS cheat sheets, Lineup Optimizers, betting/prop picks, and exclusive content from Nick Mariano and Eric Cross! GAIN ACCESS NOWI have listed my favorite stash-worthy players for the final month of the season, favoring those with clearer timelines and deeper league targets. If you're looking for a low-rostered lottery ticket, you'll likely find him here. Enough chit-chat, let's get down to brass tacks.
Top 25 Stash-Worthy Injured Players For Fantasy Baseball
| Player | Team | IL Type | Roster % | Estimated Return |
| Brendan Donovan | St. Louis Cardinals | IL10 (Groin) | 59% | Early/Mid-September |
| Chase Burns | Cincinnati Reds | IL15 (Elbow) | 49% | Mid/Late September |
| Nolan Arenado | St. Louis Cardinals | IL10 (Shoulder) | 48% | Mid-September |
| Anthony Santander | Toronto Blue Jays | IL60 (Shoulder) | 46% | Mid-September |
| Tommy Edman | Los Angeles Dodgers | IL10 (Ankle) | 45% | Early September |
| Wilyer Abreu | Boston Red Sox | IL10 (Calf) | 45% | Mid/Late September |
| Alec Burleson | St. Louis Cardinals | IL10 (Wrist) | 43% | September 8 |
| Tyler O'Neill | Baltimore Orioles | IL10 (Wrist) | 33% | Mid/Late September |
| Tylor Megill | New York Mets | IL60 (Elbow) | 27% | Early September |
| Lane Thomas | Cleveland Guardians | IL10 (Foot) | 20% | Mid-September |
| Jorge Soler | Los Angeles Angels | IL10 (Back) | 14% | Mid/Late September |
| Keibert Ruiz | Washington Nationals | IL7 (Concussion) | 10% | Mid-September |
| Jake Meyers | Houston Astros | IL10 (Caldf) | 7% | Mid-September |
| Parker Meadows | Detroit Tigers | IL10 (Quadriceps) | 6% | Early September |
| Michael Soroka | Chicago Cubs | IL15 (Shoulder) | 6% | Mid-September |
| Ryan Weathers | Miami Marlins | IL60 (Lat) | 6% | Early September |
| Janson Junk | Miami Marlins | IL15 (Elbow) | 5% | September 8 |
| Liam Hendriks | Boston Red Sox | IL60 (Hip) | 4% | Late September |
| David Festa | Minnesota Twins | IL15 (Shoulder) | 3% | Early September |
| Victor Caratini | Houston Astros | IL7 (Concussion) | 3% | September 3 |
| John Means | Cleveland Guardians | IL60 (Elbow) | 2% | Mid-September |
| Tyler Wells | Baltimore Orioles | IL60 (Elbow) | 2% | September 2 |
| Max Muncy | Athletics | IL10 (Hand) | 2% | Mid-September |
| Graham Ashcraft | Cincinnati Reds | IL15 (Forearm) | 1% | Mid-September |
| Alek Manoah | Toronto Blue Jays | IL60 (Elbow) | 1% | Early September |
Fantasy Baseball Players To Monitor Closely
Brendan Donovan, 2B/3B/SS/OF - St. Louis Cardinals
Rostered: 59% Yahoo!
Estimated Return: Early/Mid-September
Donovan is the higher rostered player on today's list, and it's for good reason. The Cardinals hitter can slot in at four different positions on your roster, and his .279 batting average is good for 15th in the National League. Donovan also has the added benefit of playing on a roster that ranks ninth in both batting average and runs scored in the National League.
The 28-year-old is especially valuable in points leagues given his 92nd-percentile walk rate of 13.2%. As I mentioned earlier, his .279 batting average is among the best in the league, but it could be even better. Donovan owns a .291 xBA, which ranks in the 93rd percentile among qualified hitters this season.
Donovan could be back within the next week or two, putting him on pace to rejoin around the same time as fellow Cardinals Alec Burleson and Nolan Arenado. With the St. Louis lineup getting healthier, it is not outside the realm of possibility that they make a run at a wild-card spot. Donovan could be a key piece for a team seeking a playoff berth in the final month of the season.
The versatile hitter is rostered in 59% of Yahoo! leagues, making him the least available player mentioned, but check to see if he was dropped in your league due to his injury. Donovan is an easy player to stash for the stretch run.
Anthony Santander, OF - Toronto Blue Jays
Rostered: 46% Yahoo!
Estimated Return: Mid-September
Santander is one of the harder players to make a case for stashing because he has shown us next to nothing heading into the final month, but he still possesses league-winning upside.
The Blue Jays slugger hit .179 in 184 at-bats this season, but he mashed 44 home runs just last season. Santander hit 72 home runs across the 2023 and 2024 seasons, making him one of the best power hitters in the game.
The 30-year-old has been on the injured list for over three months now, but is finally showing signs of life. While he's still likely a couple of weeks away from returning, Santander could be an impact contributor as soon as he is activated. He can win you a week with power, and in the fantasy playoffs, that could be all you need.
Santander is rostered in 46% of Yahoo! leagues, so there's about a 50/50 chance he's available in yours. Stash him if you can.
Alec Burleson, 1B/OF - St. Louis Cardinals
Rostered: 43% Yahoo!
Estimated Return: September 8
Burleson is another Cardinals hitter that finds himself on the list this week, and like his teammate mentioned earlier, there's a lot to like in his profile. He's a player who hits for average and power while limiting strikeouts. Burleson hit 21 home runs last season and has 16 so far this year.
Burleson's .286 batting average places him ninth in the National League among qualified hitters this season. He also owns a low 13.6% strikeout rate, which makes him a better points league player. The Cardinals lineup should be getting healthier in this final month, which bodes well for his potential.
The 26-year-old's strong play over the last few months made him an everyday starter for St. Louis, and that should be the case once he returns. Burleson is first eligible to leave the injured list on September 8, and the team is expecting him to rejoin them at that time.
Burleson is rostered in 43% of Yahoo! leagues and should be back by the end of the week, so scoop him up now.
Michael Soroka, SP - Chicago Cubs
Rostered: 6% Yahoo!
Estimated Return: Mid-September
Rostered: 2% Yahoo!
Estimated Return: September 2
Wells' 2025 season debut is set for September 2, and he could provide immediate help for fantasy teams in need.
The 31-year-old had a promising season in 2023, finishing with a 3.64 ERA in 118 2/3 innings, but was unable to build on that success due to injury in 2024. Wells is now set to join the Orioles rotation for the first time this season after some successful rehab outings.
In his last rehab start, Wells racked up five strikeouts in over six innings while bringing his pitch count up to 90. Given his success and elevated pitch count, Wells should face no restrictions in his first start.
The Orioles are essentially eliminated from playoff contention, sitting 11 games back from a wild-card spot, but Wells should still get a chance to show what he's got. Baltimore's lineup is full of young talent, and they've put up the ninth-most runs in baseball over the past two weeks. Wells could rack up a few wins during the final month with those hitters behind him.
Wells is 2% rostered in Yahoo! leagues and should be considered more of a speculative add given his extensive time away from the majors.
