When Will Bryce Harper, Yordan Alvarez, Alex Bregman Return? Fantasy Baseball Injury Update

When will Harper, Alvarez, and Bregman return and play? Will Harper, Alvarez, and Bregman be back again this season? Read the latest fantasy baseball injury updates and return date for Week 11 of the 2025 MLB season.

Fantasy baseball managers have seen several high-end players hit the injured list. Several high-end starting pitchers who were selected early in fantasy drafts, such as Logan Gilbert (elbow), Blake Snell (shoulder), and Tyler Glasnow (shoulder), are all sidelined.

In this piece, we will take a look at three must-start hitters who are currently on the injured list. We will analyze the latest on Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (wrist), Houston Astros outfielder Yordan Alvarez (hand), and Boston Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman (quadriceps).

When should fantasy managers expect these players back in the major leagues? Should they remain stashed on our rosters? Let's dive in!

Bryce Harper Injury Update For Fantasy Baseball

On June 6, Phillies manager Rob Thompson noted that their star first baseman was day-to-day with a wrist issue. At the time, it appeared Harper was not expected to miss much time.

Bryce Harper has a sore right wrist, which explains his absence from the #Phillies’ lineup. He’s day-to-day at this point, Rob Thomson said.

— Scott Lauber (@ScottLauber) June 6, 2025

However, the following day, Harper was placed on the 10-day injured list due to right wrist inflammation.

Bryce Harper has been placed on the 10-day IL with right wrist inflammation and Otto Kemp has been called up.

— Lochlahn March (@lochlahn) June 7, 2025

However, this move was reactive to June 6, which could set Harper up to return early next week to face the Miami Marlins. In a corresponding move, the Phillies promoted one of their hottest bats at the Triple-A level, infielder prospect Otto Kemp.

Since being moved to the IL, the Phillies have not provided any updates on Harper's status. However, given that he has not faced any setbacks, fantasy managers should expect he remains on track to return sometime next week.

Before the injury, Harper was beginning to heat up, posting a stellar .327/.400/.519 slash line with four doubles, two home runs, 11 RBI, two stolen bases, and an 8:4 K:BB over his last 14 games. Before this recent surge, Harper held an underwhelming .236/.358/.422 line with nine doubles and seven long balls across his first 43 games of the campaign.

However, under the hood, Harper boasts elite metrics that suggest he could pick up right where he left off when he returns to the diamond.

The 32-year-old currently sits in the 91st percentile in xwOBA (.387), 85th percentile in xBA (.286), and 82nd percentile in xSLG (.506). In addition, Harper has continued to hit the ball very hard, boasting a 50.0% hard-hit rate (84th percentile) and a 10.7% barrel rate (64th percentile).

While he remains on the sidelines, Alec Bohm should continue to hold down first base with Kemp earning his first look in the majors at the hot corner. Before earning the call, Kemp held an impressive .313/.416/.594 line at Triple-A and is worth a look in all 12+ team formats.

Harper remains a must-stash option in all leagues. When he returns, he will carry top-5 upside at the first base position.

Yordan Alvarez Injury Update For Fantasy Baseball

In early May, Alvarez was dealing with a lingering hand injury. Similar to Harper, at the time, the team downplayed the injury. However, on May 5, the Astors officially placed their slugger on the 10-day injured list with right-hand inflammation.

The Astros placed Yordan Alvarez on the IL with right hand inflammation, they announced. Catcher César Salazar called up from Triple-A in a corresponding move.

— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) May 5, 2025

While sidelined, Alvarez continued to make steady progress, suggesting his stint on the IL was not going to be overly lengthy. On May 12, the 27-year-old was cleared to take swings in the batting cage.

Yordan Alvarez, who is eligible to come off the injured list tomorrow, hit in the cages before today's game, Joe Espada said.

— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) May 12, 2025

However, he was still not given the green light ot return. The following week, Alvarez was seen taking live batting practice and did not exit this session with a further setback, suggesting he was on the verge of a return. Unfortunately, the slugger would then take a step back as he went for imaging, which revealed a fracture in his hand.

Yordan Alvarez had more imaging done yesterday and it revealed a fracture that is 60% healed. He will be shut down from hitting.

— Julia Morales (@JuliaMorales) May 31, 2025

While the revealed fracture is already nearly 60% healed, this is not a good sign for his potential recovery. Alvarez has since been shut down and has yet to resume swinging. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his progression, but given his status, he may not be cleared to return until later in the month.

While he has been sidelined, the Astros have opted to promote two of their top bats in their system, Shay Whitcomb and Jacob Melton.

Before his injury, Alvarez was having a slow start to the campaign, posting a modest .210/.306/.340 line with just three home runs. However, under the hood, the 27-year-old was generating elite metrics that suggest he was due for significant positive regression. He currently holds a stellar .363 xwOBA, .495 xSLG, and a 46.4% hard-hit rate, all of which are well above the average marks of qualified hitters.

Alvarez remains a top buy-low candidate in all formats. Last season, he enjoyed a career season as he launched 35 home runs with a .308/.392/.567 line.

Alex Bregman Injury Update For Fantasy Baseball

The third baseman was one of the top names on the free agent market this winter. He took his talents to Boston and inked a three-year deal worth $120 million.

Across his first 51 games in Boston, Bregman was performing at an elite level, as he held a .299/.385/.553 slash line with 17 doubles and 11 long balls. His 17 doubles are currently the sixth-most in the American League. He also drew walks at an impressive 9.7% rate and has struck out at an 18.6% rate.

However, his hot start was cut short by a quadriceps injury. On May 23, the team announced he was dealing with tightness in his right quadriceps. Shortly after, he underwent imaging and was eventually placed on the 10-day injured list on May 24.

The #RedSox today announced the following roster moves: pic.twitter.com/S1Wf3soRDy

— Red Sox (@RedSox) May 24, 2025

Gabrielle Star of The Boston Herald noted that manager Alex Cora described this injury as "significant," and he is expected to miss an extended period of time.

Alex Cora said Alex Bregman has a quad strain. He described it as a “significant injury” and said he will be out for longer than they hoped.

Cora compared to the injury Bregman had in 2021, when he missed over 50 games.

— Gabrielle Starr (@gfstarr1) May 24, 2025

On June 6, Bregman took the first step in his recovery by beginning his running progression. Following the session, Cora described the third baseman as "locked in." Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status, but it appears for the time being, he remains on track to return in the coming weeks.

Updates from Alex Cora:

- nothing structurally wrong with Kutter Crawford’s wrist. He went back to Fort Myers and will throw a bullpen this weekend and see how it feels.

- Alex Bregman is feeling a lot better and started his running progression and he’s “locked in”

— Gabrielle Starr (@gfstarr1) June 6, 2025

However, the team has yet to provide a clear timeline.

When he hit the IL, the Red Sox promoted top infield prospect Marcelo Mayer from Triple-A. Fantasy managers should expect Mayer to see the majority of starts at the hot corner while Bregman is out, which makes him a solid add in all standard leagues.

Given his strong start to the season, Bregman remains a must-stash candidate in all league sizes.

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