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Frank's top 25 injured players to stash for fantasy baseball as of Week 3 (2026). 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 continue Week 3 of the 2026 MLB season. Even though we're still extremely early in the season, that doesn't mean that you shouldn't be stashing injured players. They can make a major impact on your roster down the road. If you have IL spots like most leagues, these players are worth stashing on your bench.
In this column, we'll include the top 25 injured MLB players rostered in less than 65% of Yahoo! leagues who are worth stashing, including names like Tatsuya Imai, Royce Lewis, and Addison Barger. The ranking will be by roster percentages, and then we'll dive into five players to highlight. Projected return dates are an estimate. Always assume they'll come back a bit later just to be safe.
I've dug through the waiver wire to find some potential values for you. You'll find projected timelines for when these players will be back in the lineup. So, without further ado, let's find out my top-25 injured players to stash for Week 3 of the 2026 fantasy baseball season.
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Top Injured Players For Fantasy Baseball
| Player | Team | IL Type | Ros. % | Estimated Return |
| Tatsuya Imai | Astros | IL15 (Arm) | 64% | TBD |
| Jackson Holliday | Orioles | IL10 (Hand) | 55% | Late-April |
| Shane Bieber | Blue Jays | IL60 (Elbow) | 54% | Early-June |
| Corbin Burnes | Braves | IL60 (Elbow) | 41% | Mid-July |
| Spencer Schwellenbach | Diamondbacks | IL60 (Shoulder) | 41% | Mid-July |
| Royce Lewis | Twins | IL10 (Knee) | 39% | Early-May |
| Andrew Vaughn | Brewers | IL10 (Hand) | 38% | Late-April |
| Alejandro Kirk | Blue Jays | IL10 (Thumb) | 34% | Mid-May |
| Addison Barger | Blue Jays | IL10 (Ankle) | 30% | Mid-April |
| Joe Musgrove | Padres | IL15 (Elbow) | 29% | Early-June |
| Bryce Miller | Mariners | IL15 (Oblique) | 28% | Mid-May |
| Jordan Westburg | Orioles | IL60 (Elbow) | 26% | Early-June |
| Quinn Priester | Brewers | IL15 (Wrist) | 26% | Early-May |
| Edwin Uceta | Rays | IL15 (Shoulder) | 19% | Late-April |
| Justin Steele | Cubs | IL60 (Elbow) | 19% | Early-June |
| Jared Jones | Pirates | IL60 (Elbow) | 17% | Early-June |
| Kirby Yates | Angels | IL15 (Knee) | 14% | Late-April |
| Jeremiah Estrada | Padres | IL15 (Elbow) | 13% | TBD |
| Grayson Rodriguez | Angels | IL15 (Shoulder) | 13% | Early-May |
| Kyle Teel | White Sox | IL10 (Hamstring) | 12% | Late-April |
| Garrett Cleavinger | Rays | IL15 (Calf) | 11% | Late-April |
| Tommy Edman | Dodgers | IL10 (Ankle) | 9% | Late-May |
| Anthony Volpe | Yankees | IL10 (Shoulder) | 8% | Early-May |
| Jordan Lawlar | Diamondbacks | IL60 (Wrist) | 8% | Late-June |
| Justin Verlander | Tigers | IL15 (Hip) | 6% | Late-April |
Fantasy Baseball Players To Monitor Closely
Tatsuya Imai, SP, Houston Astros
Rostered: 64% Yahoo!
Estimated Return: TBD
Tatsuya Imai's Wrong Way Slider. 🤪
13 inches arm side run. pic.twitter.com/sFYc1Hm1tQ
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 4, 2026
Tatsuya Imai was rocked in his most recent outing, allowing three runs on one hit with four walks and zero strikeouts in 0.1 innings against the Mariners. The first-year right-hander didn't look right, so it wasn't surprising to see him placed on the IL with arm fatigue. You never want to hear that, especially so early in his debut campaign.
The latest report states that Imai is going through a "dead arm" period. While he's eligible to be activated off the IL in late April, it's likely that the Astros will take it slow with their prized free agent acquisition. This is compounded by the fact that they're already riddled with injuries, including to ace Hunter Brown. They can't afford to make this issue worse.
I always like to take a conservative approach to pitchers returning from arm issues. My best guess is that you don't see Imai back on the mound until June. While it's been a disappointing start with two rough outings, we saw what Imai can do against the Athletics when he struck out nine in 5.2 scoreless innings. You have to just stash Imai and hope for the best here.
Royce Lewis, 3B, Minnesota Twins
Rostered: 39% Yahoo!
Estimated Return: Early-May
Royce Lewis was in the middle of a rock-solid start to the season, slashing .222/.378/.444 with two home runs and two stolen bases in 45 plate appearances. You had to like the walk rate at 17.8%, which was a significant increase from last year's 6.2%. Lewis was also hitting the ball hard, as highlighted by a 12.5% barrel rate. Unfortunately, Lewis landed on the injured list yet again with a knee issue.
It's not a serious issue, as it's just a knee sprain, but it will keep Lewis out until April 21st at the very least. I would expect the Twins to take it slow with Lewis, especially with how many injuries he's dealt with throughout his career.
Even though it won't be a long-term injury, it's extremely discouraging to see Lewis sidelined once again. You just hope that he can find a way to stay on the field because the talent is clearly there.
Addison Barger, 3B/OF, Toronto Blue Jays
Rostered: 30% Yahoo!
Estimated Return: Mid-April
Addison Barger is a nice find, but he's a platoon bat.
69 wRC+ in 89 PA vs LHP last year
16 wRC+ in 37 PA vs LHP in 2024Expecting more is expecting a bit too much.
Best case is he becomes a Kerry Carpenter type with better defense.
— Frank Ammirante (@FAmmiranteTFJ) January 23, 2026
Addison Barger had gotten off to an ice-cold start prior to his ankle injury, slashing .053/.174/.105 with zero home runs in 23 plate appearances. He was also sitting against lefties quite often. But with Toronto's offensive struggles, there's a good chance that they'll lean on Barger more once he's ready to return. They don't want to dig themselves into too deep a hole.
The latest reports on Barger's return date are encouraging, as Barger is out of the walking boot. We could see him back in the lineup when he's first eligible on April 16th. The Blue Jays desperately need Barger to return to form, especially with George Springer and Alejandro Kirk sidelined as well.
Check your waiver wire to see if Barger was dropped. If you have room on your IL, it makes sense to pick him up, as this is a 25+ home run caliber hitter who can be deployed at both third base and in the outfield.
Joe Musgrove, SP, San Diego Padres
Rostered: 29% Yahoo!
Estimated Return: Early-June
Joe Musgrove remains sidelined with an elbow injury. The Padres have gotten off to a good start so far. The backend of their rotation, led by Randy Vasquez, Walker Buehler, and German Marquez, has exceeded expectations. Even with Nick Pivetta now injured as well, it seems likely that San Diego will continue to take it slow with Musgrove, especially since he hasn't pitched since the 2024 season.
Once Musgrove is ready to return, you're likely going to see him take time before he's useful in fantasy. Considering these circumstances, I recommend only stashing Musgrove in deeper leagues. We don't know the exact timetable, plus it could take a while before he provides value.
The main concern here is that Musgrove pitched in an exhibition against Great Britain in the World Baseball Classic on March 4th, but then he suffered a setback. His injury timetable is iffy right now.
Bryce Miller, SP, Seattle Mariners
Rostered: 28% Yahoo!
Estimated Return: Mid-May
Bryce Miller remains on the injured list with an oblique issue. However, the latest reports are encouraging, with manager Dan Wilson saying that Miller's latest bullpen session went very well. It will take a few rehab outings for Miller to ramp up, but we could see him back in a month or so.
However, Emerson Hancock has vastly exceeded expectations in Miller's absence, looking like a brand new pitcher with better control and strikeout ability. There's no need for the M's to rush back Miller while Hancock is pitching so well.
With that in mind, you want to temper expectations on Miller if you're stashing him. The Mariners have the luxury of taking it slow with their talented right-hander. This team has an embarrassment of riches in the starting rotation.
