👉 TAP TO SAVE 30% WITH CODE NEW
X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

#1 Expert Projections
Save 30% Now
Import Your Leagues
Top-Rated Accuracy
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Top 25 Injured Players to Stash for Fantasy Baseball - Week 5 (2025)

Reynaldo Lopez - Fantasy Baseball Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups - icon rotoballer

Josh's top 25 injured players to stash for fantasy baseball as of April 29, 2025 (Week 5). His top fantasy baseball injury stashes for IL spots and redraft leagues.

Welcome, RotoBallers, to yet another installment of the Injured Players to Stash for Fantasy Baseball series as we head into Week 5 of the 2025 MLB season. Today, we list the top 25 high-profile injured MLB players worth stashing in your leagues, including names like Ronald Acuna Jr., Jordan Westburg, Brandon Woodruff, 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!

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball draft tools and resources:

 

Top-25 Injured Players For Fantasy Baseball

Player Team IL Type Roster % Estimated Return
Jackson Merrill San Diego Padres IL 10 (Hamstring) 99% Early May
Ronald Acuna Jr. Atlanta Braves IL 10 (Knee) 99% Late May
Ketel Marte Diamondbacks IL 10 (Hamstring) 99% April 29-May 4
Logan Gilbert Seattle Mariners IL 15 (Elbow) 98% TBD
Corey Seager Texas Rangers IL 10 (Hamstring) 98% TBD
Blake Snell Dodgers IL 15 (Shoulder) 98% TBD
Spencer Strider Atlanta Braves IL 15 (Hamstring) 96% TBD
Tyler Glasnow Dodgers IL 15 (Shoulder) 96% TBD
George Kirby Seattle Mariners IL 15 (Shoulder) 93% TBD
Luis Arraez San Diego Padres IL 7 (Concussion) 88% April 29
Jordan Westburg Baltimore Orioles IL 10 (Hamstring) 88% TBD
Shane McClanahan Tampa Bay Rays IL 60 (Triceps) 84% TBD
Royce Lewis Minnesota Twins IL 10 (Hamstring) 81% Mid-May
Zach Eflin Baltimore Orioles IL 15 (Lat) 80% TBD
Colton Cowser Baltimore Orioles IL 60 (Thumb) 69% Early June
Ezequiel Tovar Colorado Rockies IL 10 (Hip) 68% TBD
Brandon Woodruff Milwaukee Brewers IL 15 (Shoulder) 63% Mid-May
Josh Lowe Tampa Bay Rays IL 10 (Oblique) 62% Late May
Tyler O'Neill Baltimore Orioles IL 10 (Neck) 59% TBD
Grayson Rodriguez Baltimore Orioles IL 60 (Lat) 58% TBD
Jared Jones Pittsburgh Pirates IL 60 (Elbow) 51% June
Ivan Herrera St. Louis Cardinals IL 10 (Knee) 47% Mid-May
Sean Manaea New York Mets IL 15 (Oblique) 44% Late May
Reynaldo Lopez Atlanta Braves IL 60 (Shoulder) 43% TBD
Tyler Stephenson Cincinnati Reds IL 10 (Oblique) 42% May 1

 

Fantasy Baseball Players To Monitor Closely

Ronald Acuna Jr., OF - Atlanta Braves

Rostered: 99% Yahoo!
Estimated Return: Late May

Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. has yet to make his 2025 debut since he is still recovering from a second torn ACL. Before he begins a rehab assignment, it could be the perfect time to trade for him.

Acuna was easily a top-10 player in baseball before his knee injury caused him to miss most of the 2024 season and all of the 2025 season so far. In his last healthy season, the Braves superstar won the NL MVP award and slashed .337/.416/.596 with 41 home runs and 73 stolen bases.

The 27-year-old is still in the prime of his career and primed for more MVP-caliber performances once he returns. I am not saying it will be easy, but there is an opportunity to trade for Acuna before his official return date is determined.

If the Acuna manager in your league is off to a rough start, you can try to take advantage of a dire situation. Getting the talented outfielder for anything less than a first or second-rounder would be a deal you can't pass up.

Jordan Westburg, 2B/3B - Baltimore Orioles

Rostered: 88% Yahoo!
Estimated Return: TBD

Baltimore Orioles infielder Jordan Westburg was placed on the 10-day injured list with a hamstring injury. His timeline for return is still to be determined, given the nature of soft tissue injuries, but Westburg could be acquired at a discount due to the uncertainty.

The 26-year-old was off to a slow start this season but put up respectable numbers during the 2024 season. Westburg slashed .264/.312/.481 with 18 home runs and 26 doubles last year.

Westburg was a top-100 pick during draft season and a popular breakout candidate for 2025. With his poor performance so far and injured list stint, the Westburg manager in your league may be willing to part with him. Send offers for him because he routinely hits in the top half of a potent Orioles lineup.

Brandon Woodruff, SP - Milwaukee Brewers

Rostered: 63% Yahoo!
Estimated Return: Mid-May

Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff has yet to make his 2025 debut, but that day is approaching. Woodruff just tossed five scoreless innings in his last rehab start, so he could be nearing a return.

Woodruff missed all of the 2024 season while recovering from shoulder surgery, and the hope is that he can return to ace form. Woodruff has a career 3.10 ERA in over 680 innings of work.

The 32-year-old's Yahoo! roster percentage of 63 percent indicates that he's still available in many leagues. If Woodruff is available in your league, you should pick him up because his ceiling is that of a top-25 starting pitcher.

Tyler O'Neill, OF - Baltimore Orioles

Rostered: 59% Yahoo!
Estimated Return: TBD

Baltimore Orioles outfielder Tyler O'Neill is the second Oriole I'm writing about today and one of five Orioles on the top-25 injured players list. That shows you how banged up the team is right now.

O'Neill started the season with a bang, hitting a home run on opening day for another year. The 29-year-old has since cooled down, but he remains one of the best power threats in the game.

In 2024, O'Neill mashed 31 home runs and 18 doubles with the Boston Red Sox. The right-handed slugger should be counted on to bat under .280 and strike out at least 30% of the time, but his power production in a talented lineup could be enough to make him worthwhile.

O'Neill is rostered in 59 percent of Yahoo! leagues and should be rostered in much more. Pick up O'Neill where you can, especially in those five outfielder leagues where the field thins out quickly.

Reynaldo Lopez, SP - Atlanta Braves

Rostered: 43% Yahoo!
Estimated Return: TBD

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Reynaldo Lopez is on the 60-day injured list with a shoulder injury. Lopez will be on the shelf for an extended time, but he is worth a look in those deep leagues where starting pitchers are coveted assets.

Lopez put together a stellar 2024 season, finishing with a 1.99 ERA and 27.3 percent strikeout rate in 135 2/3 innings. Lopez was poised for another productive year with the Braves before falling victim to injury.

The 31-year-old should be viewed as a luxury stash given the news that he will be shut down from baseball activities for 12 weeks and then re-evaluated.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!



More Fantasy Baseball Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

#1 Expert Projections
Save 30% Now
Import Your Leagues
Top-Rated Accuracy
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Mikko Rantanen

Could Return Saturday
NFL

Jordyn Tyson to Hold A Workout for Teams in April
New York Jets

Jets Unlikely to Draft Ty Simpson in the First Round?
Shane Baz

Orioles Agree to Five-Year Extension
Jeremy Peña

Jeremy Pena Making Season Debut on Friday Against Angels
Tiger Woods

Involved In Rollover Car Crash
Bhayshul Tuten

Remains a Clear Breakout Candidate Heading into 2026
NFL

Can Jonah Coleman Develop into a Starting NFL Running Back?
Rico Dowdle

Remains Likely to Split Carries in Pittsburgh
NFL

Can KC Concepcion Be a Dynamic Playmaker in the NFL?
Chet Holmgren

Won't Play on Friday
Rashid Shaheed

Is Rashid Shaheed Limited to a Downfield Role in Seattle?
Anfernee Simons

is Downgraded to Out
Marcus Mariota

Remains an Injury Away from Playing Time in Washington
Neemias Queta

is Upgraded to Available
Jaylen Brown

is Ruled Out on Friday
Derrick White

is Cleared for Friday's Game
Dejounte Murray

to Sit Out on Friday
Trey Murphy III

to Miss Second Straight Game
Najee Harris

to Meet With Raiders Next Thursday
Damar Hamlin

Bills Re-Sign Safety Damar Hamlin to One-Year Deal
Tanner Bibee

Shoulder Issue Not Considered Serious
NFL

Nicholas Singleton Relying on Traits Over Tape for Early Draft Capital
J.K. Dobbins

Positioned for Another Strong Season in Denver
NFL

Malachi Fields' Draft Stock Looks to Be Sliding
Barrett Hayton

Out Week-to-Week
Travis Etienne Jr.

Should See Feature Role Following Big-Market Deal
Tony DeAngelo

to Miss 1-2 Weeks
Sam Steel

Makes Early Exit Against Islanders
NFL

Ty Simpson Garnering First-Round Buzz
Damon Severson

Exits With Upper-Body Injury Thursday
Joe Pyfer

Set For UFC Seattle Main Event
Yaroslav Askarov

Suffers New Injury Blow
Israel Adesanya

Returns At UFC Seattle
Evan Rodrigues

Breaks Finger Thursday
Maycee Barber

Looks To Extend Her Win Streak To Eight
Sidney Crosby

Suffers Lower-Body Injury Thursday
Alexa Grasso

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Dominic Canzone

a Top Pickup After Two-Homer Game
Niko Price

In Dire Need Of Victory
Michael Chiesa

Set For Retirement Fight
Chase DeLauter

Launches Two Home Runs, Emerges as Top Waiver-Wire Target
Lerryan Douglas

Set For His UFC Debut
Julian Erosa

Looks To Bounce Back
Tanner Bibee

Leaves Opening Day Start Early With Shoulder Inflammation
Tyler Allgeier

Joins a Crowded Backfield in Arizona
Kenneth Gainwell

Can Kenneth Gainwell Maintain PPR Prowess in New Digs in Tampa?
Bilal Coulibaly

Could Miss Friday's Game
Jakub Dobes

Defeats the Blue Jackets on Thursday
NFL

Zachariah Branch a Day 2 Receiver With Game-Changing Speed
Alexandre Sarr

Could Miss Third Straight Game
Cade Otton

Quietly Due for a Bigger Workload?
Noah Cates

has Two-Point Game on Thursday
Tetairoa McMillan

Headed for a Big Year 2?
T.J. Hockenson

Still Trending Down in Dynasty Leagues
Kyle Filipowski

Expected Back After Illness
Isaiah Collier

to Miss Fifth Straight Game
Cristopher Sánchez

Cristopher Sanchez Makes a Statement on Opening Day With 10 Strikeouts
Deandre Ayton

Off Injury Report Friday
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Questionable Against Brooklyn
Ty Jerome

to Miss Second Straight Game
Anfernee Simons

Unlikely to Play Friday
Jarrett Allen

Iffy for Miami Game
Aaron Nesmith

Expected to Play Friday
Neemias Queta

Questionable for Friday
Derrick White

Iffy Against Hawks
Kevin McGonigle

has Four Hits in Impressive MLB Debut
Killian Hayes

is Returning on Thursday
Tobias Harris

is Active on Thursday
Nico Hoerner

Cubs Agree to Six-Year Deal With Nico Hoerner
Jacob Misiorowski

Shows Off his High-Strikeout Upside in Opening Day Win
Marcus Foligno

Available Against Panthers
Tony DeAngelo

Unavailable Thursday
Anthony Mantha

Good to Go Thursday
Paul Skenes

Greeted Harshly by Mets on Opening Day
Thomas Chabot

Out 4-8 Weeks After Surgery
Robert Thomas

Sits Out Thursday's Action
Tyler Toffoli

a Game-Time Call Thursday
Artturi Lehkonen

Returns to Action Thursday
Brandon Lowe

Hits Two Home Runs on Opening Day
Ketel Marte

Active, Leading Off on Opening Day
Kevin McGonigle

Batting Sixth in MLB Debut
Jeremy Peña

Jeremy Pena Not in the Lineup on Opening Day
JJ Wetherholt

Batting Leadoff in MLB Debut
Jackson Chourio

Placed on Injured List with Fractured Hand
Francisco Lindor

Officially Starting on Opening Day
Mika Zibanejad

Pots Two Goals Versus Toronto
Pavel Zacha

Adds Two More Points Against Buffalo
Nicolas Roy

to Be Out For "a Little Bit"
Anton Lundell

Likely Out for Rest of Regular Season
Sean Murphy

Lands on 10-Day Injured List
Bryce Miller

Placed on 15-Day Injured List With Oblique Strain
Lars Nootbaar

Will Begin the Season on 60-Day Injured List
Ryan Fox

a High-Upside Value in Houston
Marco Penge

a Boom-or-Bust Option in Houston
Aaron Rai

Looks to Bounce Back in Houston
Jason Day

a Volatile Option at the Texas Children's Houston Open
Harris English

Eyes a Bounce-Back at the Texas Children's Houston Open
Ben Griffin

Looks for Turnaround at the Texas Children's Houston Open
Rickie Fowler

Brings Strong Form Into Texas Children's Houston Open
Ryan Gerard

Can Continue Rolling at Texas Children's Houston Open
Pierceson Coody

Bounces Back at Valspar Championship
Rasmus Hojgaard

Trying to Get Back on Track at Texas Children's Houston Open
Michael Thorbjornsen

Playing Well Heading to Texas Children's Houston Open
Harry Hall

Looking for Consistency at Texas Children's Houston Open
Brooks Koepka

Continues Building Momentum
Scottie Scheffler

Withdraws From Texas Children's Houston Open
Luke Clanton

Might Have a Problem in Houston
Sam Stevens

Happy to See Houston This Week
Keith Mitchell

Tries to Rebound After The Players Championship
Will Zalatoris

Returning This Week at Houston
Wyndham Clark

Trending in the Wrong Direction Heading to Houston
Shane Lowry

Seeking Better Luck in Houston This Weekend
Lerone Murphy

Suffers His First Loss
Movsar Evloev

Edges Out Lerone Murphy
CFB

Notre Dame Ranks No. 1 in Returning Production for 2026
Michael Aswell

Jr. Drops Decision At UFC London
Michael Aswell

Luke Riley Outclasses Michael Aswell Jr.
Sam Patterson

Suffers Unanimous-Decision Loss
Michael Page

Wins Lackluster Decision
Austen Lane

Suffers First-Round TKO Loss
Iwo Baraniewski

Delivers 28-Second TKO
Tyler Reddick

Overcomes Adversity for Fourth Victory of the Season At Darlington
Brad Keselowski

Falls Short of Darlington Victory Despite Domination
Ryan Blaney

Recovers From Pit-Road Struggles to Score Career-Best Darlington Finish
Carson Hocevar

Rallies to Finish Fourth at Darlington
Kyle Larson

Decent Performance Ends with Technical Issues At Darlington
Tyler Reddick

the Clear Favorite at Darlington
Kyle Larson

a High-Risk, High-Reward Driver at Darlington
Ryan Blaney

Is Getting Better at Darlington
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Not Slowing Down at Darlington
Chris Buescher

Should be a Top-10 Contender at Darlington
Austin Cindric

a Sleeper at Darlington
Erik Jones

Quickest in Practice at Darlington
Denny Hamlin

Qualifies Ninth for this Week's Cup Race at Darlington
Chase Briscoe

Is One of the Top DFS Options of the Week for Darlington
William Byron

Is William Byron A Playable DFS Option for Darlington Lineups?
Christopher Bell

Could Christopher Bell be Considered A Decent DFS Option for Darlington?
Chase Elliott

Is Chase Elliott Worth Rostering At Darlington This Week For DFS?
Joey Logano

May Not Have the Speed to Warrant A Darlington DFS Lineup Spot
Ross Chastain

Should DFS Players Trust Ross Chastain at Darlington?
Kyle Busch

Could Kyle Busch Be A Worthy DFS Option for Darlington?
Brad Keselowski

May be A Contriarian DFS Tournament Option At Darlington
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF