If I had to sum up the 2024 season so far with just two words, it would be these: everybody's hurt.
I've seen some analysis suggesting that it's all in our heads, that the rate of injuries this March and April isn't out of line with the norm. But I've been putting together these IL stash rankings for several years now, and for most of that time, a top 40 has been good enough. I'm having to go top 50 now to account for all the injured players of widespread interest in Fantasy, and even then, I'm not able to include long-term speculation stashes like Clayton Kershaw and Robbie Ray.
The good news is that three players are poised to come off the IL Tuesday -- Jhoan Duran (oblique), Yu Darvish (neck) and Vaughn Grissom (hamstring) -- and I've taken the liberty of removing them from these rankings already. Duran should of course be rostered in all leagues where saves are of value, and Darvish is still promising enough to roster in most every league as well. Grissom is for now best left for Rotisserie leagues, which generally have an extra middle infield spot to fill, but he has the upside to matter in all formats if he finds his footing with the Red Sox.
Meanwhile, Nolan Jones (back) hadn't officially gone on the IL at the time of this writing, but since he's expected to, I've gone ahead and included him here.
Too valuable to drop, period
| 1 | 
Justin Steele
Chicago Cubs SP
|
| strained hamstring - rehab start Wednesday may be only one he needs | |
| 2 | 
Luis Robert
Chicago White Sox CF
|
| strained hip flexor - GM recently confirmed he's tracking toward mid-May return | |
| 3 | 
Cody Bellinger
Chicago Cubs CF
|
| rib fractures - playing catch and doing light hitting already, so mid-May possible | |
| 4 | 
Christian Yelich
Milwaukee Brewers LF
|
| strained back - has begun throwing but still likely a couple weeks away | |
| 5 | 
Jesus Luzardo
Miami Marlins SP
|
| strained elbow - injury not considered serious, but no timetable provided yet | |
| 6 | 
Bobby Miller
Los Angeles Dodgers SP
|
| shoulder inflammation - was back to throwing at last report, but updates are lacking | |
| 7 | 
Blake Snell
San Francisco Giants SP
|
| strained groin - Grade 2 strain could keep him out for most of May | |
| 8 | 
Max Scherzer
Texas Rangers SP
|
| back surgery - looked rusty in first rehab start, likely will need at least two more | |
| 9 | 
Gerrit Cole
New York Yankees SP
|
| pinched nerve in elbow - could begin throwing off mound this week, May return possible | |
| 10 | 
Kodai Senga
New York Mets SP
|
| strained shoulder capsule - threw batting practice Monday, aiming to return May 27 | |
| 11 | 
Royce Lewis
Minnesota Twins 3B
|
| strained quadriceps - beginning baseball activities again but may still be a month away | |
| 12 | 
Joshua Lowe
Tampa Bay Rays RF
|
| strained hamstring - had nearly completed rehab for oblique when new injury popped up | |
| 13 | 
Paul Sewald
Arizona Diamondbacks RP
|
| strained oblique - rehab assignment was scrapped due to soreness, but he's already throwing again | |
| 14 | 
Nick Pivetta
Boston Red Sox SP
|
| strained elbow - Thursday's rehab start may be the only one he needs | |
Also really difficult to drop
| 15 | 
Jake Burger
Miami Marlins 1B
|
| strained intercostal - completed on-field workout Friday, rehab assignment forthcoming | |
| 16 | 
Seiya Suzuki
Chicago Cubs RF
|
| strained oblique - ramping up baseball activities, but no rehab assignment scheduled | |
| 17 | 
Nolan Jones
Colorado Rockies LF
|
| back stiffness - a couple days off couldn't shake back issue, but IL stint should be short | |
| 18 | 
TJ Friedl
Cincinnati Reds CF
|
| fractured wrist - has been playing defense at spring complex, could begin rehab this week | |
| 19 | 
Pete Fairbanks
Tampa Bay Rays RP
|
| nerve issue - Rays have confirmed no structural damage but have provided few details overall | |
| 20 | 
Cristian Javier
Houston Astros SP
|
| neck discomfort - threw bullpen session Sunday, could return this week or next | |
| 21 | 
Walker Buehler
Los Angeles Dodgers SP
|
| Tommy John surgery - rehab starts have been shaky overall, but next one may be final one | |
| 22 | 
Kyle Bradish
Baltimore Orioles SP
|
| sprained UCL - expected back this week, but velocity was lagging in rehab starts | |
| 23 | 
Sean Murphy
Atlanta Braves C
|
| strained oblique - back to catching bullpens but not swinging bat yet, mid-May possible | |
| 24 | 
Josh Jung
Texas Rangers 3B
|
| fractured wrist - recent exam showed recovery is on schedule, putting him 4-6 weeks away | |
| 25 | 
Zack Gelof
Oakland Athletics 2B
|
| strained oblique - not partaking in baseball activities; my guess is 4-6 weeks away | |
| 26 | 
Triston Casas
Boston Red Sox 1B
|
| cartilage tear in rib - not eligible to return until late June, exact timetable unknown | |
| 27 | 
Merrill Kelly
Arizona Diamondbacks SP
|
| strained shoulder - will miss a month, maybe more, putting him on track for mid-June | |
Still a priority on some level
| 28 | 
Brandon Lowe
Tampa Bay Rays 2B
|
| strained oblique - able to swing a bat and field ground balls, so maybe 1-2 weeks away | |
| 29 | 
Lane Thomas
Washington Nationals RF
|
| sprained knee - no timetable offered, but figures to be multiple weeks since it's Grade 2 | |
| 30 | 
Tommy Edman
St. Louis Cardinals 2B
|
| wrist surgery - hitting off tee from both sides finally but still several weeks away | |
| 31 | 
Bryan Woo
Seattle Mariners SP
|
| elbow inflammation - first two rehab starts have been great, still building up pitch count | |
| 32 | 
Brayan Bello
Boston Red Sox SP
|
| lat tightness - team hopeful of minimal IL stay, which would bring him back May 7 | |
| 33 | 
Gavin Williams
Cleveland Guardians SP
|
| elbow inflammation - suffered setback in sim game, putting him several weeks away still | |
| 34 | 
Eduardo Rodriguez
Arizona Diamondbacks SP
|
| strained lat - not expected back until some point in June | |
| 35 | 
Garrett Whitlock
Boston Red Sox SP
|
| strained oblique - pain hasn't subsided yet, but could be quick ramp-up when it does | |
| 36 | 
Braxton Garrett
Miami Marlins SP
|
| pinched nerve in shoulder - back on rehab assignment after shut down the first time | |
| 37 | 
J.P. Crawford
Seattle Mariners SS
|
| strained oblique - already running and taking grounders, so should be short absence | |
| 38 | 
Jonathan Aranda
Tampa Bay Rays 1B
|
| fractured finger - began rehab assignment Friday and closing in on return | |
| 39 | 
Shane Baz
Tampa Bay Rays SP
|
| strained oblique - also recovering from Tommy John surgery, at least a month away | |
| 40 | 
Jasson Dominguez
New York Yankees CF
|
| Tommy John surgery - throwing from 135 feet, could begin rehab assignment in May | |
| 41 | 
Devin Williams
Milwaukee Brewers RP
|
| fractures in back - aiming to return around All-Star break | |
| 42 | 
Francisco Alvarez
New York Mets C
|
| thumb surgery - about one week into eight-week timetable | |
Stashing is purely a luxury
| 43 | 
Frankie Montas
Cincinnati Reds SP
|
| bruised forearm - likely to miss just a turn or two | |
| 44 | 
Taj Bradley
Tampa Bay Rays SP
|
| strained pectoral - dominated in first rehab start Sunday, may need 1-2 more | |
| 45 | 
Matt McLain
Cincinnati Reds SS
|
| shoulder surgery - if he plays this year, it likely won't be until August | |
| 46 | 
Jacob deGrom
Texas Rangers SP
|
| Tommy John surgery - throwing from flat ground, won't return until late in the year | |
| 47 | 
Jeffrey Springs
Tampa Bay Rays SP
|
| Tommy John surgery - no updates since March, presumably still on track for July return | |
| 48 | 
DJ LeMahieu
New York Yankees 3B
|
| fractured foot - recently exited rehab game with swelling, currently shut down | |
| 49 | 
Garrett Mitchell
Milwaukee Brewers CF
|
| fractured finger - still targeting June 1, at last report | |
| 50 | 
John Means
Baltimore Orioles SP
|
| strained forearm - went seven strong in latest rehab start, expected back this week | |
