When Will CJ Abrams, Matt McLain, Zach Neto Return? Fantasy Baseball Injury Update

When will CJ Abrams, Matt McLain, and Zach Neto return and play? Will Abrams, McLain, and Neto be back again this season? Read the latest fantasy baseball injury updates and return date for Week 5 of the 2025 MLB season.

The injuries are definitely piling up for fantasy managers as we head into May. Some notable players currently on the injured list include George Kirby, Shane McClanahan, Logan Gilbert, Sean Manaea, Blake Snell, Ronald Acuna Jr., and Mike Trout. Unfortunately, injuries are a major part of fantasy baseball, and this list will grow even longer in the coming weeks. 

Three more players who spent time on the injured list this season are Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams, Cincinnati Reds second baseman Matt McLain, and Los Angeles Angels shortstop Zach Neto. All three infielders were drafted pretty early by managers because of their fantasy potential.

So, when will Abrams, McLain, and Neto return? Are all three players back from the injured list already? Let's dive in and find out the answer to those questions.  

• Fantasy baseball trade analyzer
• BvP matchups data (Batter vs. Pitcher)
• PvB matchups data (Pitcher vs. Batter)
• Who should I start? Fantasy baseball comparisons
• Daily MLB starting lineups
• Fantasy baseball closer depth charts
• Fantasy Baseball live scoreboard
• Fantasy baseball injury reports

CJ Abrams Injury Update For Fantasy Baseball

Abrams was once again a high fantasy pick in drafts this past spring due to his stolen base upside. The Nationals shortstop stole 47 bases in 2023 and another 31 bases last season. Along with those high stolen base numbers, the 24-year-old hit at least 18 home runs and drove in over 63 runs in both of those campaigns. As a result, he was a solid pick in the early-to-middle round of drafts. 

Abrams also wasted no time in showcasing that fantasy upside this season. He hit four home runs, drove in seven runs, and stole four bases in his first 11 games in 2025. However, the former All-Star soon found himself on the 10-day injured list after he injured his hip trying to steal second base against the Miami Marlins on April 11.

The good news, though, was that Abrams wasn't going to miss too much time due to a right hip flexor strain. Following a week of rest and two minor league rehab assignment games, the Nationals infielder was activated off the IL on April 24. That means he has been back from his injury for over one week now. 

Since returning from that hip strain, Abrams has been a really solid fantasy option for managers. He has 11 hits across 34 at-bats (.324 batting average) to go with two doubles, two triples, four RBI, and one stolen base. So, it appears that the 24-year-old is past that injury and will be fully healthy for the Nationals moving forward. 

CJ Abrams comes through!

The @Nationals once trailed by six runs and have now tied it! pic.twitter.com/Mboeoqxsyq

— MLB (@MLB) April 27, 2025

Fantasy managers should continue to start him at shortstop in most formats. Abrams has four home runs, 11 RBI, and five stolen bases through his first 19 games, and he should be able to post strong numbers for most of the season. His barrel rate (11.9 percent), average exit velocity (91.1 mph), and squared-up rate (28.1 percent) all rank extremely well in the early going. 

Matt McLain Injury Update For Fantasy Baseball

Although McLain missed the entire 2024 season due to a shoulder injury, he was a popular pick early in fantasy drafts. That's because the Reds second baseman hit .290 with 16 home runs, 50 RBI, and 14 stolen bases across 89 games in his rookie campaign in 2023. Therefore, he entered the fantasy season as a potential underrated selection in drafts. 

Unfortunately, McLain has had a slow start to begin the 2025 season. He had just a .214 batting average in his first eight games and then landed on the 10-day IL after suffering a hamstring injury against the Milwaukee Brewers on April 4. Although the Reds didn't immediately place him on the IL, the team eventually did so on April 8. 

Like Abrams, McLain wasn't expected to miss a ton of time. Cincinnati just wanted to give him a few days off to rest his hamstring before returning. That led to the 25-year-old being activated off the 10-day IL on April 15 against the Seattle Mariners. That means he has been fully healthy for over two weeks now. 

Nonetheless, the Reds second baseman hasn't made much of a fantasy impact in recent games. He is batting just .136 with one home run, six RBI, and four stolen bases in 15 games since coming off the IL. Therefore, some fantasy managers might be becoming impatient with him. If you do own McLain in fantasy, he is a strong hold in most formats. 

Matt McLain hasn't hit a ball harder than 107.1mph since returning from the IL.

1 XBH in 63 PAs over that same timespan.

4 SBs in 4 attempts leads you to believe he's healthy... but he just hasn't been the same since coming off the IL.

— Reds in Four (@RedsInFour) May 1, 2025

It was always going to take the 25-year-old some time to get going again after he missed the entire 2024 season. He hadn't appeared in a major league game in over one year and wasn't going to put up great numbers right away. McLain needs some time to get back into a rhythm at the plate. However, there have been some encouraging signs from him in the early going.

His barrel rate (14.5 percent), hard-hit rate (47.3 percent), and chase rate (21.3 percent) all rank in the 70th percentile or better to start the season. So, fantasy managers should expect better numbers from McLain in the coming weeks.

Zach Neto Injury Update For Fantasy Baseball

After struggling a bit in his first season in 2023, Neto really broke out for the Angels last year. He hit .249 with 23 home runs, 34 doubles, 77 RBI, and 30 stolen bases across 155 games. However, the young shortstop wasn't going toward the top of fantasy drafts because he was set to open the season on the 10-day IL due to a shoulder injury. 

Neto injured his shoulder late last season and decided to undergo shoulder surgery in November. As a result, he wasn't going to be ready for the start of the 2025 campaign. The Angels definitely weren't going to rush back their star shortstop, which dropped his ADP in most fantasy formats. 

The 24-year-old, though, didn't wind up missing too much time. He only missed the first four weeks and made his season debut on April 18 against the San Francisco Giants. If you were lucky enough to snatch him in the later rounds, he has surely paid off for fantasy managers in his first couple of games this year. 

Zach Neto is the second player in #Angels history with a home run and three stolen bases in a game, joining Chone Figgins (July 25, 2009 vs. Twins)

— Matt Birch (@MattBirch12) April 26, 2025

Neto is hitting .283 with three home runs, four doubles, six RBI, and four stolen bases across 12 games this season. Even though the 24-year-old missed some time to open the season, he picked up right where he left off last year. Therefore, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him hit another 20 home runs and steal 30 more bases in 2025.

Assuming he stays healthy, Neto should have every opportunity to reach those numbers again. He has a .335 expected batting average, 94.4 mph average exit velocity, 17.6 percent barrel rate, and a 30.9 percent squared-up rate after just 12 games. It's hard not to love the young shortstop's game following his breakout season in 2024.

More Fantasy Baseball Analysis