Fantasy Baseball Injury Rankings: Top 50 IL stashes spotlight Emmet Sheehan on eve of his return

You may not remember Emmet Sheehan. The last time he pitched was 2023, when he put together a 4.92 ERA across 60 1/3 innings. But as he prepares to make his return from Tommy John surgery Wednesday, you'll want to familiarize yourself with him and some of his other numbers.

For example, in the lead up to his promotion two years ago, he had a 2.43 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 14.6 K/9 between two minor-league stops. Those aren't the sort of numbers you'd see from just any pitching prospect, and I haven't even mentioned the most impressive one: a 19.2 percent swinging-strike rate.

A mark that high is basically unheard of, at least among starting pitchers. The current major-league leader is Tarik Skubal at 17.2 percent. Last year's leader was Logan Gilbert at just 14.9 percent. Spencer Strider set the full-season record at 18.9 percent when he struck out 281 batters in 2023.

Of course, comparing major-league rates to minor-league rates is apples to oranges. During his time in the majors two years ago, Sheehan's swinging-strike rate was a still-impressive-if-not-so-outlandish 13.7 percent. But what's also likely to be forgotten following his lengthy absence is that he needed some time to adapt to the majors. Only after a return trip to Triple-A that year did he achieve his final form. So what was his swinging-strike rate over his five September appearances back in the bigs? Try 19.7 percent. And in case you wonder what that translates to strikeout-wise, he had 19 in 10 2/3 innings over his final two starts.

Dude is a next-level bat-misser, and his 22.0 percent swinging-strike rate across three Triple-A rehab starts this year would suggest that his Tommy John surgery didn't cost him anything in that regard.

There's a great deal more for Sheehan to prove, of course. He did struggle to keep runs off the board as a rookie, and his control has been known to get away from him at times. Innings accumulation could be a real weak point, particularly with him pitching for the Dodgers, and we've seen higher-end pitchers coming back from similar procedures (Spencer Strider, Sandy Alcantara and Eury Perez, to name three) struggle to regain their footing.

It's why Sheehan comes in only 33rd here on the eve of his return ... though I'd say that's still too high for you to ignore!

Too valuable to drop, period

1	Bryce Harper Philadelphia Phillies 1B
wrist inflammation - back to fielding as wrist steadily improves, but not hitting yet
2	Jackson Merrill San Diego Padres CF
concussion - suffered injury on attempted steal, will miss at least seven days
3	Hunter Greene Cincinnati Reds SP
strained groin - Grade 1 strain but also needed epidural for back soreness, may be out until July
4	Yordan Alvarez Houston Astros DH
fractured hand - inflammation recently discovered to be fracture, likely 2-4 weeks away still
5	Alex Bregman Boston Red Sox 3B
strained quadriceps - initial timetable seems exaggerated; could return before All-Star break
6	Nathan Eovaldi Texas Rangers SP
triceps soreness - has resumed bullpen sessions and will likely begin rehab assignment soon
7	Cole Ragans Kansas City Royals SP
strained rotator cuff - team believes he'll avoid surgery but awaiting second opinion to confirm
8	Shota Imanaga Chicago Cubs SP
strained hamstring - expected to make final rehab start Friday, allowing for return next week
9	Tyler Glasnow Los Angeles Dodgers SP
shoulder inflammation - recently began facing hitters again, with 3-4 rehab starts to follow
10	Michael King San Diego Padres SP
shoulder inflammation - still hasn't begun throwing program, signaling lengthier rehab period
11	Blake Snell Los Angeles Dodgers SP
shoulder inflammation - threw 20-25 pitches in latest bullpen session, likely 3-4 weeks away
12	Kodai Senga New York Mets SP
strained hamstring - Grade 1 strain, won't throw for two weeks and expected to miss at least five
13	Matt Chapman San Francisco Giants 3B
sprained hand - recent visit to specialist revealed he's about a week away from beginning rehab
14	Shea Langeliers Athletics C
strained oblique - severity has yet to be revealed, so the presumption here is a shorter absence

Also really difficult to drop

15	Wilyer Abreu Boston Red Sox RF
strained oblique - resumed swinging a bat last weekend, could return as soon as this weekend
16	Anthony Santander Toronto Blue Jays DH
shoulder inflammation - set to resume throwing but hasn't been cleared for hitting yet
17	Austin Hays Cincinnati Reds LF
bone bruise in foot - had to pause running program because of continued pain, but MRI negative
18	Reese Olson Detroit Tigers SP
finger inflammation - shaky in first rehab start Saturday, likely will make a couple more
19	Tyler Mahle Texas Rangers SP
shoulder soreness - move was made partly to spare overtaxed bullpen; may only need minimum stay
20	Dylan Crews Washington Nationals CF
strained oblique - has yet to resume swinging now three weeks into absence
21	Royce Lewis Minnesota Twins 3B
strained hamstring - mild severity, so it shouldn't sideline him nearly as long as the initial strain
22	Lance McCullers Houston Astros SP
sprained foot - severity unknown but figures to miss at least three turns
23	Sean Manaea New York Mets SP
strained oblique - expected to push past 50 pitches in next rehab start, with two more to follow
24	Shane Bieber Cleveland Guardians SP
Tommy John surgery - recent elbow discomfort deemed normal, should resume rehab assignment soon
25	Ezequiel Tovar Colorado Rockies SS
strained oblique - doing some jogging, but still pretty early into recovery
26	Mark Vientos New York Mets 3B
strained hamstring - begins rehab assignment this week, was fighting for playing time before injury
27	Aaron Nola Philadelphia Phillies SP
stress reaction in rib cage - ankle injury put him on IL, but this new one could keep him out longer
28	Shane McClanahan Tampa Bay Rays SP
nerve irritation - resumed throwing program after visiting nerve specialist; July return possible
29	Pablo Lopez Minnesota Twins SP
strained shoulder - 6-10 weeks remain on initial timetable for Grade 2 strain

Still a priority on some level

30	Bryce Miller Seattle Mariners SP
elbow inflammation - got platelet-rich plasma injection as he attempts to pitch through bone spur
31	Ha-seong Kim Tampa Bay Rays 2B
torn labrum - rehab assignment interrupted by hamstring tightness but should resume in a few days
32	Noelvi Marte Cincinnati Reds 3B
strained oblique - was still awaiting MRI results at last report but could begin rehab this week
33	Emmet Sheehan Los Angeles Dodgers SP
Tommy John surgery - expected to return Wednesday, had 21 K to 1 BB on rehab assignment
34	Max Scherzer Toronto Blue Jays SP
thumb inflammation - first rehab start went off without a hitch, likely one away from activation
35	Grayson Rodriguez Baltimore Orioles SP
strained lat - also had sore elbow, but it's the lat that will keep him out until second half
36	Spencer Arrighetti Houston Astros SP
fractured thumb - resumed playing catch about three weeks ago, still at least a month away
37	Yu Darvish San Diego Padres SP
elbow inflammation - had renewed soreness in May but is back to throwing sim games
38	Brandon Woodruff Milwaukee Brewers SP
torn shoulder capsule - slowed by ankle tendinitis and elbow contusion but close to resuming rehab

Stashing is purely a luxury

39	Tyler O'Neill Baltimore Orioles RF
shoulder impingement - felt renewed soreness on rehab assignment and received an injection
40	Daulton Varsho Toronto Blue Jays CF
strained hamstring - has resumed baseball activities, was showing improved power before injury
41	Zebby Matthews Minnesota Twins SP
strained shoulder - will be evaluated after another week, at which point timetable will become clearer
42	Justin Verlander San Francisco Giants SP
strained pectoral - returning Wednesday, forgoing rehab assignment following 65-pitch sim game
43	Tony Gonsolin Los Angeles Dodgers SP
elbow discomfort - UCL damage ruled out, but unclear when he'll resume throwing
44	A.J. Puk Arizona Diamondbacks RP
elbow inflammation - Diamondbacks need a closer, but abruptly ending throwing program not a good sign
45	Luke Keaschall Minnesota Twins DH
fractured forearm - nearing end of two-month timetable but no talk of rehab assignment yet
46	Zack Gelof Athletics 2B
stress reaction in ribs - will begin rehab assignment Tuesday, may need a couple weeks to find footing
47	Ryan Mountcastle Baltimore Orioles 1B
strained hamstring - likely out at least six more weeks and was struggling before then
48	Roki Sasaki Los Angeles Dodgers SP
shoulder impingement - recently paused rehab assignment because not ready to throw at full intensity
49	Luis Gil New York Yankees SP
strained lat - a couple weeks from facing hitters, could return after the All-Star break
50	Cody Bradford Texas Rangers SP
sprained elbow - throwing bullpen sessions, aiming to return around July 4