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When will Alexis Diaz, Zach Eflin, Max Scherzer return and play? Will Diaz, Eflin and Scherzer be back again this season? Read the latest fantasy baseball injury updates and return date for Week 3 of the 2025 MLB season.
Correctly navigating your IL spots could be a huge advantage for your fantasy team. Stashing multiple players set to return in the coming weeks could be the perfect boost for your roster. Therefore, fantasy managers should continue to hang on to stars like George Kirby, Sean Manaea, Grayson Rodriguez, and Brandon Woodruff.
Although none of these four pitchers have made their season debut yet, they will definitely be strong fantasy options in the second half of the year. Three other players fantasy managers could be stashing right now are Cincinnati Reds closer Alexis Diaz, Baltimore Orioles starter Zach Eflin, and Toronto Blue Jays starter Max Scherzer.
So, should you be holding Diaz, Eflin, and Scherzer in one of your fantasy IL spots? When will these three players return? Let's dive in and find out.
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Alexis Diaz Injury Update For Fantasy Baseball
Diaz is slowly making his way back from a hamstring injury he suffered during spring training. The right-hander only appeared in four spring games this offseason and began the year on the 15-day IL. However, it seems the right-handed closer will make his season debut at some point this upcoming week.
The 28-year-old has pitched in five games in his minor league rehab assignment and just recently threw in back-to-back games for the first time. Diaz struck out three batters across one inning on Friday before pitching again on Saturday. Even though he allowed two runs on three hits across one inning in that outing on Saturday, it is a good sign that he came out of that appearance fully healthy.
Therefore, he could be activated as soon as Tuesday against the Seattle Mariners. That's on par with what Reds manager Terry Francona said a few days ago. Even though Francona echoed that a decision has yet to be made regarding when Diaz could be activated, the former All-Star did rejoin the team on Sunday.
With Diaz nearing a return, some fantasy managers might be sprinting to the waiver wire to pick him up. He was fantastic in his All-Star campaign in 2023 and could be a great source of saves for your fantasy team. Nevertheless, the relief pitcher is better left on your waiver wire for the time being.
Diaz might not be the team's closer immediately once he is activated from the IL. While he could definitely earn that job back, the Reds likely want to ease him into action before giving him that role again. The right-hander has struggled with command issues in recent years, and his 12.8 percent walk rate in 2024 ranked toward the bottom of the league.
Alexis Díaz is back in the clubhouse. He said he doesn’t know when he’s being activated, but he feels like he threw the ball excellent over his last few outings. He feels ready to go and ready to close, and he implemented the mechanical work that he has done over the last few…
— Charlie Goldsmith (@CharlieG__) April 13, 2025
There's no doubt the 28-year-old didn't have his best stuff last year. He finished with a 3.99 ERA, 31 walks, 55 strikeouts across 56 1/3 innings pitched. The good news, though, is that he totaled 28 saves. Diaz could be a solid waiver wire pickup in a few weeks if he can limit his walks and earn that closer job again.
Zach Eflin Injury Update For Fantasy Baseball
Since arriving in Baltimore at the trade deadline, Eflin has been a strong rotation arm for the team. He had a 2.60 ERA and 47 strikeouts in his nine starts with the Orioles in the final two months of the 2024 season, and the right-hander is already off to a great start in 2025. He has opened the year with three straight quality starts.
However, due to shoulder fatigue, Eflin left his last start early on April 7. Unfortunately, that shoulder fatigue turned out to be a low-grade lat strain. That resulted in the Orioles immediately placing the right-hander on the 15-day IL on April 9 (retroactive to April 8).
Orioles’ Zach Eflin is going on the IL with a low-grade lat strain, Brandon Hyde announced. He’ll be shut down from throwing for a week.
— Matt Weyrich (@ByMattWeyrich) April 9, 2025
It is encouraging that this isn't a serious injury for Eflin. While there isn't a clear timetable set for his return, it shouldn't be too long of an absence for the 31-year-old. He was shut down from throwing for a week and should be reassessed sometime during the week of April 14. As a result, we should have a clearer timetable for when he could return in the next week.
For now, though, Eflin should be slotted into one of your IL spots. Although he has only struck out eight batters across 18 innings pitched and currently owns an 11.8 percent strikeout rate, his potential low WHIP and sub-3.60 ERA make him someone fantasy managers should be holding on to.
Just two years ago, Eflin finished sixth in the American League Cy Young voting behind a 3.50 ERA and 186 strikeouts. The Orioles pitcher might not have the highest fantasy ceiling, but he does get the job done. Therefore, fantasy managers should keep him on their roster while he's on the 15-day IL.
Max Scherzer Injury Update For Fantasy Baseball
It has been a couple of rough years for Scherzer. He only pitched in nine games last year due to multiple injuries, and injuries continue to affect him in his 18th major league season. The future Hall of Famer injured his thumb in his first start of the year on March 29. That thumb injury has been a problem for the right-hander since the beginning of spring training.
As a result, the Blue Jays placed him on the 15-day IL just one day after his start. Although there is no structural damage to his thumb, some concerns surround Scherzer's recent injury. He resumed playing catch on April 7, but there was still a bit of tightness in his thumb following a cortisone shot.
With the recent soreness in his thumb, Scherzer hasn't been able to do much throwing in recent days. The Blue Jays will now send him to see a doctor again to understand more about what's going on with his injury. This is certainly not a great sign for the veteran's fantasy outlook moving forward. It has been two weeks since he went on the IL, and his thumb hasn't really improved yet.
Max Scherzer (thumb) is still feeling soreness after throwing recently, John Schneider says.
He’s going to visit with a doctor again in the coming days. #BlueJays
— Keegan Matheson (@KeeganMatheson) April 14, 2025
Currently, there is clearly no timetable for Scherzer's return. Fantasy managers should know more about his status once his doctor visit is officially complete. Nevertheless, we should expect the 40-year-old to be out for the rest of the month. He still isn't pain-free, and this nagging thumb injury has affected him since the spring.
That makes Scherzer a drop in some leagues. If you have the room in one of your IL slots, then he might be a fine hold. However, there are better players to stash on your IL at this point in the season. Players like Ivan Herrera, Luis Gil, and Shane Bieber are currently better IL stashes.
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