X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

When Will Royce Lewis, Parker Meadows, Zach Neto Return? Fantasy Baseball Injury Update

Royce Lewis - Fantasy Baseball Rankings, Draft Sleepers, MLB Injury News

When will Royce Lewis, Parker Meadows, Zach Neto return and play? Will Lewis, Meadows, and Neto be back again this season? Read the latest fantasy baseball injury updates and return date for Week 1 of the 2025 MLB season.

The start of another MLB regular season is always a time full of excitement and optimism. It's great to get to know your team's new, exciting young players. A few key young position players are missing for their teams to start the season, though, so let's check in on the latest on the Twins' Royce Lewis, the Tigers' Parker Meadows, and the Angels' Zach Neto.

Each of the three players in this post is expected to be a key contributor for their teams this season when healthy, but all of them are dealing with a delayed start to the season due to injury. Their absences will open up playing time for other options, but when they return, they should still be good fantasy baseball options.

Here are the latest updates on these three young rising stars coming into the start of the 2025 regular season.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy baseball lineup tools and resources:

 

Royce Lewis Injury Update For Fantasy Baseball

Lewis has a long injury history and is one of the biggest "when healthy" options in fantasy baseball. He usually rakes when he's available but has missed large chunks of playing time with a wide variety of issues. His latest injury took place on March 16 in a Grapefruit League contest against the Red Sox.

He was diagnosed with a "moderate" hamstring strain and has yet to begin baseball activities aside from throwing. The Minnesota Star Tribune's Bobby Nightengale reported that he is still dealing with swelling that could last up to two weeks following the injury.

At this point, there is no firm timetable for his return since he cannot start ramping up until the swelling goes down.

Lewis's career so far has been sidetracked by multiple injuries. Last season was no exception, but he did reach a career-high in games played with 82 and also set a career-high with 16 home runs. He only hit .233 with a .317 wOBA and may have been less effective since he tried to play at less than 100 percent.

This spring, he looked to be back in top form, hitting .346 with a .417 wOBA in his 12 games before getting hurt.

While Lewis is out, Brooks Lee would be the preferred option at 3B, but he's dealing with a back issue and is also on IL, along with Lewis. With both of them out, Jose Miranda will likely play 3B most of the time while Edouard Julien fills in at 2B.

Versatile utilityman Willi Castro is starting at 2B on Opening Day and could also help fill in at 3B while Lewis recovers. Mickey Gasper is also on the roster to start the season due to all the injuries.

 

Parker Meadows Injury Update For Fantasy Baseball

Parker Meadows was a trendy sleeper name coming into spring training and still has the potential to have a big year once he returns from injury. He played in just one game before being shut down with an arm issue. He is having issues with his musculocutaneous nerve, which impacts his ability to throw and creates numbness in his forearm.

After undergoing that nerve conduction test, Meadows was ruled out for the start of the season, but since then, the situation has not gotten any better. He was placed on the 15-day injured list at first but has since been moved to the 60-day injured list, meaning he will be sidelined until at least late May.

His move to the 60-day IL means that he'll miss at least 54 games, which is exactly a third of the season.

The good news is that the injury doesn't indicate any permanent damage and doesn't require surgery or a procedure to address. The only treatment needed is rest, but the bad news is that the nerve could take a few days or a few months to "wake up" or reactivate. The Tigers and Meadows have to wait it out until it does, and only then will he be able to throw and start a rehab assignment to ramp back up to full speed.

Since the injury happened so early in spring training, he will need some time to ramp up once he is able to return to baseball activities, so he'll still be out for a while. If you are in an AL-only or standard league, you can stash him on an IL spot, but you also may need to consider moving on and being ready to pounce on the Tigers' OF when he has a clearer timetable for a return.

Meadows also dealt with injuries last year, but he looked outstanding after some midseason adjustments in the minors. He hit .299 with seven homers and an .857 OPS in his final 50 games of the regular season. He still has the potential to be a second-half impact bat, but he still has a significant recovery ahead to make that a reality.

While he's out, Wenceel Perez (back) will likely get most of the work in center field, but he is also starting the season on the IL, leaving journeyman Manuel Margot as the team's short-term answer in center field.

 

Zach Neto Injury Update For Fantasy Baseball

Neto's prognosis isn't nearly as bad as Meadows, but it isn't very clear either. At this point, he does not have a timetable for return, and he was placed on the 10-day injured list with a shoulder injury to start the season. Like Meadows, he is not throwing at this point and will need some time to ramp up and get into baseball rhythm before joining the MLB roster.

He is working his way back from offseason shoulder surgery and did not play in any spring training games. As a result, he'll most likely need to go on a rehab assignment and hopes to join the team by the end of April. He has already been playing DH in some of the minor league action in Arizona and is hitting well.

The main obstacle to overcome is his throwing.

Last year, the 24-year-old had a solid first full season in the majors, hitting .249 with 23 home runs and 30 stolen bases in 155 games with the Angels. He'll look to build on that momentum in his second full season in the majors once he returns from his shoulder surgery.

Until he's ready, Kevin Newman is expected to fill in the position for Los Angeles. Neto's injury is worth waiting on in most formats, and he could even be worth an add if you need infield depth and have an IL spot to fill early in the season.

Of the three players in this post, Neto is probably the closest to returning to action, while Meadows seems the farthest away. All three can be impactful players when healthy and are worth keeping a close eye on as they make their way back to their teams' lineups.

Stay tuned to RotoBaller for more updates as their timetables become clearer in the coming weeks.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy baseball app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, sleepers, prospects & more. All free!



More Fantasy Baseball Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Malcolm Brogdon

Landry Shamet and Malcolm Brogdon Both Staying with the Knicks?
Detroit Pistons

Charles Bediako Agrees to a Training Camp Deal with Detroit
Anthony Davis

Recovering From Eye Surgery, Uncertain for Training Camp
Charlotte Hornets

DaQuan Jeffries Waived by the Hornets
CFB

Eric Singleton Jr. Questionable For Saturday
Braden Schneider

Limited in Training Camp
Lars Eller

Recovering From Abdominal Procedure
Nick Jensen

in Danger of Missing Start of Season
Brandon Montour

to Miss Two Weeks After Ankle Surgery
Gabriel Landeskog

a "Full Go" for the Season
Samuel Girard

Avalanche Hope to Have Samuel Girard Available for Start of Season
Mackenzie Blackwood

Out Week-to-Week
Alex Tuch

Day-to-Day With Undisclosed Injury
Jordan Greenway

to Sit Out Training Camp
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Considered Day-to-Day
Simon Edvinsson

to Miss a Couple of Weeks
Mikael Backlund

Signs Two-Year Extension
Connor Ingram

to Be Waived by Mammoth
Zach Hyman

Misses Start of Training Camp
Nick Paul

Out Until November
Kris Letang

Cleared for Training Camp
David Pastrnak

Out for Start of Training Camp
Matthew Tkachuk

Expected to Be Out Until December
NBA

Trevelin Queen Joins Chinese Team
Damian Lillard

Not Rushing His Return
Brooklyn Nets

Keon Johnson Waived by Nets
Justin Verlander

Plans to Pitch in 2026
Junior Caminero

Day-to-Day With Back Tightness
Will Smith

Won't Return When First Eligible
Tyler Soderstrom

Returns to A's Lineup
Tyler Warren

Sidelined on Wednesday with Toe Injury
Jaylen Waddle

Questionable for Week 3 Against Buffalo
Joe Burrow

Bengals Not Closing the Door on Joe Burrow Returning This Year
CFB

LaNorris Sellers to Play Against Missouri?
Kyle Tucker

Progress has "Plateaued"
Isaac Paredes

has "Outside Chance" to Return This Weekend
CFB

Kaidon Salter Expected To Start for Colorado on Saturday
Willson Contreras

Goes on 10-Day Injured List, Done for Season
Justin Fields

Ruled Out for Week 3 Due to Concussion
Jayden Reed

Out Indefinitely After Foot and Shoulder Surgery
Washington Commanders

Preston Smith Signs With Commanders
Trey Jemison III

Joins Knicks on Two-Way Contract
Kevin McCullar Jr.

Signs New Two-Way Deal With Knicks
Matt Ryan

Returns to Knicks on Exhibit 10 Contract
New York Knicks

Alex Len Signs Exhibit 9 Deal With Knicks
Nickeil Alexander-Walker

Expected to Take on Larger Offensive Role With Hawks
Thomas Sorber

Undergoes Surgery
Dominic Canzone

Has Five-Hit, Three-Homer Game Tuesday
Cal Raleigh

Sets Single-Season Home Run Record for a Switch-Hitter
Jayden Reed

Undergoes Clavicle and Foot Surgeries, Out for Foreseeable Future
Bo Bichette

to Miss Rest of Regular Season
Zach Neto

Placed on 10-Day Injured List With Hand Injury
Yordan Alvarez

Out on Tuesday, Dealing With "Significant" Ankle Sprain
Aaron Jones Sr.

Vikings Place Aaron Jones Sr. on Injured Reserve With Hamstring Injury
CFB

Diego Pavia Refutes Report of Seeking Seventh Collegiate Season
Christian Kirk

Expected to Return in Week 3
CFB

Diego Pavia Seeking Another Year of Eligibility
Tarik Skubal

on Track to Start Thursday
CFB

Kevorian Barnes Questionable Against SMU
Bo Bichette

has Short-Term Knee Injury, Could Return for Postseason
Tosan Evbuomwan

Joins Knicks
NBA

Kai Jones Links Up With EuroLeague Team
Bismack Biyombo

Returns to Spurs
Bones Hyland

Rejoins Timberwolves
Kobe Bufkin

Moves to Brooklyn
Trey Yesavage

Sets Franchise Strikeout Record On Monday
Yordan Alvarez

To Receive MRI For Sprained Left Ankle On Tuesday
Willson Contreras

Exits Early Monday With Right-Biceps Tightness
Yordan Alvarez

Exits With Ankle Sprain
Brock Bowers

Officially Active on Monday Night
Jauan Jennings

Day-to-Day With Ankle Injury
Logan O'Hoppe

Activated Off Seven-Day Injured List
CBJ

Denton Mateychuk Dealing With Groin Issue
Bo Horvat

Fine for Training Camp
Kirby Dach

on Track to Be Ready for Opening Night
Jose Altuve

Returns Against Rangers
J.J. McCarthy

Expected to Miss 2-4 Weeks With High-Ankle Sprain
J.J. McCarthy

Likely Out for Week 3 With High-Ankle Sprain
Jean Silva

Gets Finished For The First Time In His Career
Aaron Jones Sr.

Unlikely to Play in Week 3 Due to Hamstring Injury
Diego Lopes

Returns To The Win Column
Jayden Daniels

' Week 3 Status in Doubt
Rob Font

Outclassed In The Noche UFC 3 Co-Main Event
David Martinez

Wins His Second UFC Fight
Jared Gordon

Suffers Brutal TKO Loss At Noche UFC 3
Rafa Garcia

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Brian Thomas Jr.

Dealing with Wrist Injury
Dustin Stoltzfus

Drops A Decision At Noche UFC 3
Kelvin Gastelum

Gets Back In The Win Column
Diego Ferreira

Suffers Second-Round TKO
Alexander Hernandez

Extends His Win Streak With A Brutal TKO
Quang Le

Suffers First-Round Knockout
Santiago Luna

Shines In His UFC Debut
Christopher Bell

Earns his First Bristol Cup Series Victory
Alex Bowman

Falls Short of Advancing Through Cup Series Playoffs
Chase Briscoe

Collects his Third Top-10 Finish at Bristol
Ryan Blaney

Strong Top-Five Bristol Performance Advances him to the Playoffs
Corey Heim

Earns his First Career Cup Series Top-10 Finish at Bristol
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Leads Greece to Bronze Medal
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Drops 28 Points in EuroBasket Finals
CFB

Indiana's Lee Beebe Jr. Out for Season with Knee Injury
Dennis Schröder

Dennis Schroder Named EuroBasket MVP
Bryce Eldridge

Giants to Promote Bryce Eldridge
Kenneth Walker III

Bounces Back with Big Week 2 Performance
Bijan Robinson

Rushes for 143 Yards in Week 2
Justin Fields

Currently in Concussion Protocol
Cincinnati Bengals

Bengals Calling Around to Available Free-Agent Quarterbacks
Joe Burrow

to Undergo Surgery, Out at Least Three Months
Ty Gibbs

Has Arguably his Best Career Drive, but Only Finishes 10th
Chase Elliott

Despite Crashing Out at Bristol, Chase Elliott Advances to Round of 12
Austin Dillon

Misses Round of 12 After Extremely Mediocre Bristol Run
Shane Van Gisbergen

Shane van Gisbergen Fails to Advance to Round of 12
Josh Berry

Finishes Last in All Three Round of 16 Races to Fail to Advance
CFB

Ryan Williams Explodes In Return To Field
CFB

Drew Allar Plays Mediocre Game In Blowout Win
CFB

LaNorris Sellers Exits Game In Blowout Loss
CFB

DJ Lagway Tosses Five Interceptions In Loss
CFB

Garrett Nussmeier Plays Game Manager in Saturday's Win
CFB

CJ Carr Remains Poised In Narrow Loss
CFB

John Mateer Leads Oklahoma In Rout
CFB

Arch Manning Struggles Against UTEP
CFB

Jeremiah Smith Impresses In Win
CFB

Sam Leavitt Shines As Arizona State Rebounds From Week 2 Loss
Chris Buescher

May have Another Solid Run at Bristol
Kyle Busch

Should DFS Managers Roster Kyle Busch at Bristol?
Ricky Stenhouse Jr

Is Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Too Risky to Consider Rostering at Bristol?
Michael McDowell

Could be A Solid Value Option For Bristol DFS Lineups
Chase Elliott

Probably Won't Factor in for Bristol Win
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Not as Strong at Bristol as Other Short Tracks
Alex Bowman

Needs to Win to Make Round of 12
Ross Chastain

has Never Led at Bristol but Has Been Pretty Consistent
Austin Dillon

Richmond Speed Unlikely to Carry Over to Bristol
Josh Berry

Might Run Well at Bristol, but Almost Certainly Won't Win to Advance
Justin Haley

Bristol One of Justin Haley's Few Recent Bright Spots
CFB

Austin Simmons Listed As Game-Time Decision Against Arkansas
CFB

Nico Iamaleava Struggles In Fourth Straight Loss
CFB

Antonio Williams Out Against Georgia Tech
CFB

CJ Bailey Flashes Again in Win Over Wake Forest

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP