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Welcome back to our top fantasy baseball injury stashes for Week 22, looking at IL players as of August 25. Today's list of injured MLB players to consider stashing off the fantasy baseball waiver wire includes Michael Brantley, John Means, Jake Fraley, Kyle Wright, and Mason Miller.
In case you're not yet familiar, this list is a weekly article series that will highlight the top five hitters and pitchers to hold in your IL spots in redraft fantasy baseball leagues. As players injured early in the season begin to make their way back to their respective teams, it's time to check who is coming back sooner rather than later. With the fantasy season approaching its final month, we'll discuss those most likely to be impactful in fantasy upon return.
These five players are rostered in less than 60% of leagues and have the opportunity to make an impact in fantasy the rest of the way. Make sure to check if these players are available to be picked up in your leagues!
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Michael Brantley - OF, Houston Astros
Houston Astros outfielder Michael Brantley has been one of the best contact hitters in baseball since his debut in 2009. The longtime Cleveland Guardian has routinely posted batting averages over .280 11 times in 14 years. The veteran hitter also has a keen eye at the plate. Brantley has never had a strikeout rate over 16% in his entire career and posted the highest walk rate last season, 11.2%.
The 36-year-old outfielder has been on the injured list for the entirety of the 2023 season while recovering from shoulder surgery. Brantley has progressed to a rehab assignment in Triple-A. The outfielder has made multiple starts but on alternating days. Wednesday's contest was Brantley's first time playing back-to-back games. The Astros outfielder will continue his rehab assignment this weekend. Brantley could return as soon as next week if he is deemed ready.
Brantley is 4% rostered in Yahoo and 4.9% rostered in ESPN leagues, so he should be available on most waiver wires. Fantasy managers in deeper leagues should stash Brantley because he is a talented hitter on a good offense that has not shown signs of decreased production outside of injuries. Brantley fills the need for another left-handed bat in the Astros lineup and could be a sneaky source of batting average, runs, and RBI upon his return if he finds himself in the heart of the Astros lineup.
John Means - SP, Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher John Means was one of the better pitchers in baseball during his last full season in 2021. Means posted a 3.62 ERA with 134 strikeouts in 146 2/3 innings. The 30-year-old had solid production on the surface but was not supported by underlying metrics like xFIP and SIERA. Although Means' performances were not totally supported, it would not be the first time he outperformed them. Some pitchers regularly outperform their metrics and Means could be one of them.
Means has been on the injured list for all of 2023 while recovering from Tommy John Surgery. The right-hander has been making rehab starts in recent weeks and will continue his rehab with another start on Friday. If all goes well in his next start, Means could need only one or two more starts before being activated from the injured list. The first week of September seems like a reasonable return time for the Orioles starter.
Means is 12% rostered in Yahoo and 2.7% rostered in ESPN leagues, so he's available in most leagues. Fantasy managers should stash Means because there are little to no starting pitchers left on the wire that can make the fantasy impact that Means can. The veteran right-handed pitcher was the ace of the Orioles rotation and would certainly be a welcome addition to this young contending team.
Jake Fraley - OF, Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds outfielder Jake Fraley has been one of the most productive hitters on one of the most exciting young teams in baseball. Fraley has slashed .263/.346/.467 with 15 home runs, 40 runs, 63 RBI, and 20 stolen bases in 92 games this season. The 28-year-old outfielder also has a walk rate of over 10% and a strikeout rate of under 19%, both of which are above average. The Reds southpaw hits for decent average and power with plus defense and speed.
Fraley has been on the injured list since early August with a stress fracture in his toe that will eventually require surgery. Fraley has decided to play through the injury and get surgery in the off season because if the injury gets any worse, the recovery time after surgery will be the same. Fraley will workout with the Triple-A team this weekend and then play in rehab games on Tuesday and Wednesday next week. Assuming he stays on schedule, Fraley could return to the Reds lineup by next weekend.
Fraley is 55% rostered in Yahoo and 24.5% rostered in ESPN leagues, so he's available in nearly most ESPN leagues. Fantasy managers with an open IL slot should consider stashing Fraley because he has a decent combination of power and speed. Fraley also won't hurt your batting average or strikeouts while playing in one of the most exciting lineups in baseball.
Kyle Wright - SP, Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Kyle Wright was one of the best pitchers in baseball during his last full season in 2022. Wright posted a 3.19 ERA with 174 strikeouts in 180 1/3 innings. The Braves right-handed pitcher also posted a 55.6% ground ball rate, which would rank fourth among qualified pitchers this season. Wright was a pitcher with the ability to get hitters out on the ground or via the strikeout, which is a valuable combination of skills.
The 27-year-old pitcher has been on the injured list since early May with a shoulder strain. Wright had his first rehab start on Thursday in High-A. Wright pitched three innings allowing no runs on one hit and four strikeouts. The start was Wright's first in nearly four months, so he will need multiple starts to build up a starting pitcher's workload. Wright should rejoin the Braves rotation in two to three weeks if all goes well.
Wright is 56% rostered in Yahoo and 39.3% rostered in ESPN leagues, so he is available in nearly half of leagues. Wright's roster percentages remain relatively high for someone who has not pitched in several months, but that just shows the upside that managers know he possesses. Fantasy managers should try stashing Wright because he was one of the best pitchers in baseball when healthy.
Mason Miller - SP, Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Mason Miller is the top pitching prospect in the Athletics organization and for good reason. The young pitcher has displayed outrageous stuff, with a fastball in the triple-digits and a nasty slider. Miller displayed just how dominant he can be during his starts earlier in the season. In early May, Miller made a start against the Seattle Mariners during which he gave up zero hits and zero runs in seven innings with four walks and six strikeouts.
Miller was placed on the injured list on May 11 with a UCL sprain. Elbow sprains never sound good for pitchers, especially flamethrowers like Miller, but reports following his diagnosis have been positive. Miller has since made two starts in Single-A and one start in Triple-A on Thursday night. Miller displayed his blazing fastballs in his three scoreless innings. If he continues progressing at this rate, Miller could be activated from the injured list in the first or second week of September.
Miller is 12% rostered in Yahoo and 3.4% in ESPN leagues, so he should be around on most waiver wires. The 24-year-old has shown the ability to dominate at the major league level play and the Athletics definitely need him in their rotation. Fantasy managers in need of help at the pitcher position should have Miller in their IL slots because of the upside he possesses.
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