Fantasy Baseball Injury Rankings: Top 40 IL stashes reveal positive outlook for Max Scherzer, Brandon Woodruff

Mookie Betts and Aaron Ashby are among the latest to join the injured ranks

The Padres seem to think Manny Machado will avoid an IL stint in spite of his sprained ankle. The Brewers originally thought the same for Aaron Ashby and maintain his stay will be short even though it's his forearm that's bothering him. The Dodgers similarly think Mookie Betts' fractured rib won't cost him much time, but only if his discomfort remains low and he's not at risk of reaggravating the injury. The White Sox already have Liam Hendriks up and throwing again, which would suggest a short absence for his forearm issue, but they also have yet to rule out a long one.

Suffice it to say injuries are messy, and even if you think you know the extent of the damage or length of the recovery, it could change in the blink of an eye. Fernando Tatis was supposed to be back by now, but he has yet to resume swinging a bat, even.

I say this because I want you to understand that I'm making judgment calls up and down this list. It's kind of the point, actually. My primary motivator, even more than the timetable, is how impactful the player will be when he returns -- how good he is, in other words -- but naturally, the deeper we get into the season, the more timetables will matter.

Timetables firm up up a bit when a player is nearing a rehab assignment or already on it. Setbacks are certainly possible, but at least the plan is already in motion and not just theoretical. It's for that reason that Max Scherzer and Brandon Woodruff are deserving of such optimism today. Both are nearing a return from injuries that threatened to sideline them for much longer.

Chris Sale, sidelined all year by a stress fracture in his rib cage, is in the earliest days of a rehab assignment as well. It figures to be a lengthy one, but it explains why he's ranked so high here. Kris Bryant, Wander Franco, and Eloy Jimenez fit into that category as well.

Too valuable to drop, period

1	Mookie Betts Los Angeles Dodgers RF
fractured rib
2	Joe Musgrove San Diego Padres SP
COVID-19
3	Max Scherzer New York Mets SP
strained oblique
4	Brandon Woodruff Milwaukee Brewers SP
Raynaud's syndrome
5	Fernando Tatis San Diego Padres SS
fractured wrist
6	Jacob deGrom New York Mets SP
stress reaction in shoulder
7	Liam Hendriks Chicago White Sox RP
strained forearm
8	Kris Bryant Colorado Rockies LF
strained back
9	Wander Franco Tampa Bay Rays SS
strained quadriceps
10	Eloy Jimenez Chicago White Sox LF
torn hamstring
11	Nathan Eovaldi Boston Red Sox SP
back inflammation
12	Aroldis Chapman New York Yankees RP
Achilles tendinitis

Also really difficult to drop

13	Chris Sale Boston Red Sox SP
stress fracture in rib cage
14	Jeremy Pena Houston Astros SS
sore thumb
15	Jorge Polanco Minnesota Twins 2B
back tightness
16	Brandon Lowe Tampa Bay Rays 2B
stress reaction in back
17	Tyler O'Neill St. Louis Cardinals LF
strained hamstring
18	Aaron Ashby Milwaukee Brewers SP
forearm inflammation
19	Freddy Peralta Milwaukee Brewers SP
strained lat
20	Ozzie Albies Atlanta Braves 2B
fractured foot
21	Walker Buehler Los Angeles Dodgers SP
elbow surgery

If you have to, you have to

22	Mitch Garver Texas Rangers DH
COVID-19
23	Yasmani Grandal Chicago White Sox C
back spasms
24	Tyler Stephenson Cincinnati Reds C
fractured thumb
25	Mitch Haniger Seattle Mariners RF
sprained ankle
26	Franmil Reyes Cleveland Guardians DH
strained hamstring
27	Jesus Luzardo Miami Marlins SP
strained forearm
28	Kolten Wong Milwaukee Brewers 2B
strained calf
29	Seiya Suzuki Chicago Cubs RF
sprained finger
30	Garrett Whitlock Boston Red Sox SP
hip inflammation

Stashing is purely a luxury

31	Jean Segura Philadelphia Phillies 2B
fractured finger
32	Anthony DeSclafani San Francisco Giants SP
ankle inflammation
33	Marcus Stroman Chicago Cubs SP
shoulder inflammation
34	Tylor Megill New York Mets SP
strained shoulder
35	Edward Cabrera Miami Marlins SP
elbow tendinitis
36	Drew Rasmussen Tampa Bay Rays SP
strained hamstring
37	Nick Lodolo Cincinnati Reds SP
strained back
38	Jesus Aguilar Miami Marlins 1B
COVID-19
39	Frank Schwindel Chicago Cubs 1B
strained back
40	Lance McCullers Houston Astros SP
strained forearm