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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!
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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.
Jordan Westburg with 2 Homers today
He hit 18 last year in 107 games pic.twitter.com/70RPUzKsam
— 𝙆am Brice (@kambrice1tv) March 29, 2025
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.
Brandon Woodruff took a giant step toward returning to the Majors following offseason shoulder surgery.
The @Brewers' right-hander struck out five in five scoreless frames in his latest rehab start with the Triple-A @nashvillesounds: https://t.co/yLmVcKdVIu https://t.co/uaJaH7qK2w
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) April 25, 2025
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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