Fantasy Baseball Injury Rankings: Top 40 IL stashes reveal renewed optimism for Jacob deGrom, Fernando Tatis

Jacob deGrom is on a rehab assignment while Chris Sale is almost done with his.

Max Scherzer made his return in fine form Tuesday. Ditto Eloy Jimenez on Wednesday.

Those are two players who will no longer be taking up valuable IL space on your Fantasy roster, freeing those spots up for someone else. A potential pickup, maybe? The Dodgers' Dustin May has pulled out ahead of the other pitchers recovering from Tommy John surgery, set to begin a rehab assignment in the next week or so. He could rejoin the Dodgers rotation for the final six weeks and enjoy all the perks that goes with it.

Meanwhile, year-long stashes Jacob deGrom and Fernando Tatis are finally showing signs of real progress. The latest tests on Tatis' fractured wrist show enough healing for him to begin swinging a bat, with a rehab assignment likely to come after the All-Star break. As for deGrom, he's already begun his rehab assignment, striking out five of the six batters he faced Sunday. It's the first of what figures to be 3-5 starts overall, and his IL stash ranking reflects it.

Too valuable to drop, period

1	Jacob deGrom New York Mets SP
stress reaction in elbow - on rehab assignment, expected to make 3-5 starts
2	Kenley Jansen Atlanta Braves RP
irregular heartbeat - doing workouts, expected back July 12
3	Chris Sale Boston Red Sox SP
stress fracture in rib cage - on rehab assignment, perhaps just one start to go
4	Ty France Seattle Mariners 1B
strained elbow - could return this week
5	Jazz Chisholm Miami Marlins 2B
strained back - working out at spring facility
6	Fernando Tatis San Diego Padres SS
fractured wrist - cleared to begin swinging in a couple weeks, back by August?
7	Chris Bassitt New York Mets SP
COVID-19 - hoping to be back Thursday
8	Nathan Eovaldi Boston Red Sox SP
back inflammation - throwing again, may return over the weekend
9	Tyler Stephenson Cincinnati Reds C
fractured thumb - began rehab assignment Monday, back this weekend

Also really difficult to drop

10	Bryce Harper Philadelphia Phillies DH
fractured thumb - underwent surgery, back by late August?
11	Tyler O'Neill St. Louis Cardinals LF
strained hamstring - began rehab assignment Monday
12	Brandon Lowe Tampa Bay Rays 2B
stress reaction in back - recently started batting practice, still weeks away
13	Freddy Peralta Milwaukee Brewers SP
strained lat - on a throwing program, return unknown
14	Salvador Perez Kansas City Royals C
thumb surgery - back in late August at best
15	Ozzie Albies Atlanta Braves 2B
fractured foot - back in September?
16	Tyler Mahle Cincinnati Reds SP
shoulder strain - says it's "not concerning at all" and expects to be back after the All-Star break

If you have to, you have to

17	Yasmani Grandal Chicago White Sox C
back spasms - will begin rehab assignment Wednesday, return after the break
18	Mitch Haniger Seattle Mariners RF
sprained ankle - baseball activities, but not yet running at full speed
19	Jack Flaherty St. Louis Cardinals SP
strained shoulder - won't throw for 2-3 weeks, so mid-August?
20	Andrew Heaney Los Angeles Dodgers SP
shoulder inflammation - hoping to miss the minimum, but not throwing yet

Stashing is purely a luxury

21	Walker Buehler Los Angeles Dodgers SP
elbow surgery - September a possibility, but he may not return
22	Hunter Renfroe Milwaukee Brewers RF
sore calf - has resumed baseball activities, but no target date
23	Jorge Soler Miami Marlins LF
sore pelvis - working out at spring facility, no target date
24	Harrison Bader St. Louis Cardinals CF
plantar fasciitis - done some swinging and other baseball activities
25	Jean Segura Philadelphia Phillies 2B
fractured finger - has resumed baseball activities, still weeks away
26	Dustin May Los Angeles Dodgers SP
Tommy John surgery - nearing a rehab assignment, could return in August
27	Jesus Luzardo Miami Marlins SP
strained forearm - on a throwing program, return unknown
28	Marcus Stroman Chicago Cubs SP
shoulder inflammation - began rehab assignment Monday
29	Ranger Suarez Philadelphia Phillies SP
back spasms - no target date yet
30	Dany Jimenez Oakland Athletics RP
shoulder strain - has begun playing catch
31	Michael Brantley Houston Astros DH
shoulder soreness - team taking it slow
32	Thairo Estrada San Francisco Giants 2B
COVID-19 - no positive test
33	Miguel Sano Minnesota Twins 1B
torn meniscus - began rehab assignment Monday, but have young guys usurped him?
34	Chris Taylor Los Angeles Dodgers LF
fractured foot - fracture is small, so hopefully back in August
35	Alexis Diaz Cincinnati Reds RP
biceps tendinitis - throwing bullpen sessions; could return any day, but to what role?
36	Garrett Whitlock Boston Red Sox SP
hip inflammation - nearing rehab assignment, but will return as reliever
37	Lance McCullers Houston Astros SP
strained forearm - been throwing for a month, working to get slider back
38	Tyler Glasnow Tampa Bay Rays SP
Tommy John surgery - just bullpen sessions so far, so a long way to go
39	James Paxton Boston Red Sox SP
Tommy John surgery - still throwing bullpens, but aiming to return in mid-August
40	Mike Soroka Atlanta Braves SP
torn Achilles - been throwing for a month at spring complex, nearing rehab assignment