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Josh's top 25 injured players to stash for fantasy baseball as of April 15, 2025 (Week 3). His top fantasy baseball injury stashes for IL spots and redraft leagues.
Welcome back, RotoBallers, to another installment of the Injured Players to Stash for Fantasy Baseball series as we head into Week 3 of the 2025 MLB season. Today, we list the top 25 high-profile injured MLB players worth stashing in your leagues, including names like Pablo Lopez, Zach Eflin, Josh Lowe, 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 to begin the year, you can set yourself up for season-long success.
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 Injured Players For Fantasy Baseball
| Player | Team | IL Type | Roster Percentage | Estimated Return |
| Jackson Merrill | San Diego Padres | IL 10 (Hamstring) | 99% | TBD |
| Ronald Acuna Jr. | Atlanta Braves | IL 10 (Knee) | 99% | Late May |
| Ketel Marte | Arizona Diamondbacks | IL 10 (Hamstring) | 99% | Early May |
| Blake Snell | Los Angeles Dodgers | IL 15 (Shoulder) | 98% | Early May |
| Wyatt Langford | Texas Rangers | IL 10 (Oblique) | 97% | Early May |
| Pablo Lopez | Minnesota Twins | IL 15 (Hamstring) | 97% | TBD |
| CJ Abrams | Washington Nationals | IL 10 (Hip) | 97% | April 20 |
| Spencer Strider | Atlanta Braves | IL 15 (Elbow) | 96% | April 16 |
| Matt McLain | Cincinnati Reds | IL 10 (Hamstring) | 95% | April 15 |
| George Kirby | Seattle Mariners | IL 15 (Shoulder) | 94% | Late May |
| Shane McClanahan | Tampa Bay Rays | IL 15 (Triceps) | 88% | TBD |
| Royce Lewis | Minnesota Twins | IL 10 (Hamstring) | 81% | Late May |
| Zach Eflin | Baltimore Orioles | IL 15 (Lat) | 81% | TBD |
| Colton Cowser | Baltimore Orioles | IL 10 (Thumb) | 74% | Late May |
| Grayson Rodriguez | Baltimore Orioles | IL 15 (Elbow) | 73% | Mid-May |
| Alexis Diaz | Cincinnati Reds | IL 15 (Hamstring) | 70% | April 15 |
| Josh Lowe | Tampa Bay Rays | IL 10 (Oblique) | 66% | TBD |
| Zach Neto | Los Angeles Angels | IL 10 (Shoulder) | 66% | April 15-20 |
| Brandon Woodruff | Milwaukee Brewers | IL 15 (Shoulder) | 60% | Early May |
| Masyn Winn | St. Louis Cardinals | IL 10 (Back) | 57% | April 22 |
| Clarke Schmidt | New York Yankees | IL 15 (Shoulder) | 57% | April 16 |
| Jack Leiter | Texas Rangers | IL 15 (Finger) | 54% | TBD |
| Jared Jones | Pittsburgh Pirates | IL 60 (Elbow) | 54% | TBD |
| Reynaldo Lopez | Atlanta Braves | IL 60 (Shoulder) | 49% | TBD |
| Ivan Herrera | St. Louis Cardinals | IL 10 (Knee) | 48% | Mid-May |
Fantasy Baseball Players To Monitor Closely
Pablo Lopez, SP - Minnesota Twins
Rostered: 97% Yahoo!
Estimated Return: April 25, 2025
Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Pablo Lopez is on the 15-day injured list with a hamstring injury. Soft tissue injuries can be hard to predict since setbacks are common, but now could be the perfect time to buy low on Lopez.
Since the beginning of the 2020 season, Lopez has quietly been one of the best starting pitchers in the Majors. His 3.66 ERA, 48 wins, 3.48 FIP, 3.41 xFIP, 3.54 SIERA, and 15.1 WAR all rank within the top 12 of qualified pitchers in the last five years.
The Twins may be cautious with their ace and slow-play his return, which allows you to swoop in on him. You can offer the Lopez manager pitchers, like Kevin Gausman and Luis Castillo, who are off to good starts but likely to regress.
Zach Eflin, SP - Baltimore Orioles
Rostered: 81% Yahoo!
Estimated Return: TBD
Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Eflin is dealing with a lat injury, which placed him on the 15-day IL. Eflin produced three straight quality starts to begin the season before suffering the injury.
The 31-year-old has been a reliable innings-eater the last two seasons, eclipsing 165 innings pitched each year. His 2023 season with the Tampa Bay Rays was the best of his career and indicative of his ceiling.
During the 2023 season, Eflin finished with a 3.50 ERA and 3.02 xERA in 177 2/3 IP. His 9.42 K/9 was also the second-highest mark of his career. If Eflin can pair that strikeout pace with his career 43.9 GB percentage, he can be a reliable back-end starter for a team that should score a ton of runs.
Eflin is 81 percent rostered on Yahoo!, but his manager may not value him as they should. Once the Orioles' offense gets rolling, Eflin will eat innings and rack up wins.
Josh Lowe, OF - Tampa Bay Rays
Rostered: 66% Yahoo!
Estimated Return: TBD
Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Josh Lowe only recorded two at-bats in the 2025 season before landing on the IL with an oblique injury. Lowe has been a frequent visitor on the IL within the last calendar year.
The 27-year-old suffered four separate injuries during the 2024 season, causing him to play 29 fewer games than he did the year prior. During his healthy 2023 season, Lowe enjoyed a ton of success.
During his breakout campaign, the Rays outfielder slashed .292/.335/.500 with 20 home runs and 32 stolen bases. Once he returns, Lowe will be a crucial bat in the Tampa Bay lineup. Snatch him up where he's available and send some feelers where he is rostered.
Masyn Winn, SS - St. Louis Cardinals
Rostered: 57% Yahoo!
Estimated Return: April 22
St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn was off to a slow start before landing on the IL with back spasms. Winn slashed .222/.314/.289 with a 31.4 percent strikeout rate through his first 51 plate appearances.
Masyn Winn over his last 6 games:
10/23 (.434)
1 HR
3 RBI
6 K : 1 BBSlow starts happen, don’t panic! Winn was great value at his ADP📈
pic.twitter.com/TKgBBFaxr3— Andrew DeCeglie (@Andrew_FBB) April 9, 2025
The young slugger appeared to be pressing at the plate since he had a 17.1 percent strikeout rate last season, but he showed signs of turning the corner on his slump before his back issue flared up.
Winn was a hot name during draft season, and it's easy to forget the upside he offers. The 23-year-old has room for growth after hitting 15 home runs and stealing 11 bases in 2o24. Stash him while you can since he is eligible to return on April 22.
Jared Jones, SP - Pittsburgh Pirates
Rostered: 54% Yahoo!
Estimated Return: TBD
Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Jared Jones is on the 60-day IL with an elbow injury that will keep him out for a large chunk of the season.
The 23-year-old finished the 2024 season with a 4.14 ERA and 9.74 K/9 across 121 2/3 IP as a rookie. With a full season under his belt, Jones is poised to take the next step.
Jared Jones, Nasty 96mph Two Seamer...and Sword. ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/UXziEdSq1Y
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) March 2, 2025
Jones possesses amazing stuff, and it's easy to see the path to more strikeouts with those nasty pitches in his arsenal. Even if Jones doesn't take a step forward, his 2024 season is an example of an above-replacement-level pitcher who is valuable in fantasy.
If you have the luxury to stash a player on the 60-day IL, keep Jones tucked away until he returns later this year.
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