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Top 25 Injured Players to Stash For Week 5

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 lineup 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.



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